MN- Obama party includes a naked digression

11-6-2008 Wisconsin:

Call it naked enthusiasm. At 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jason Spidle, Bobby Becker and friends were celebrating Barack Obama's victory at Spidle's place in south Minneapolis. The champagne was flowing when the two made a decision they'd regret later.

"We had finished watching Obama's acceptance speech, and we were drinking champagne and cheering, and my friend Bobby and I just randomly decided we should go streaking," Spidle said. "We invited other people, but nobody took the opportunity."

So the two men, both in their mid-20s, stripped off their clothes and ran a block to 22nd and Lyndale Avenue S. From there, they turned south and headed for 24th Street, whooping and yelling, "Obama!"

They crossed the street and gave a shout-out to patrons on the patio of Leaning Tower of Pizza. 'They cheered and hollered and gave us high-fives, and we returned home to a lot of horn-honking," Spidle said.

About 100 yards from home, they were stopped by a police officer and trundled into the back seat of his squad car while he wrote up a citation.

"He'd had 'Cops' -- the show's -- producer in his car earlier that day," Spidle said, adding that it was too bad for the show that the producer had missed them, but probably good for him and Becker.

Spidle and Becker were issued citations and sent home.

"We were still whooping it up," he said. "[The officer] gave us a horn-honk, too, I think."

Now the two have to go downtown for a court date. There will be a hearing and probably a fine. What do they have to say for themselves?

"I think Barack Obama would be pleased with our excitement," Spidle said, "but maybe not with how we decided to display our excitement."

The vast majority of Minnesota Obama supporters who poured into the streets did so fully clothed, dancing and singing in the streets, honking car horns and punctuating the night with fireworks.

Around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Somali immigrants spilled out onto Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis to began an impromptu celebration. University students and other neighborhood residents joined in. The party went on well into Wednesday.

Across the river, cheers erupted as people spilled out of the Bob Dylan concert at Northrop Auditorium. Larry Turner of St. Paul ignited the crowd with his drum beats, which echoed for blocks around campus.

A more conventional celebration was planned for Wednesday night at New Salem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, where the Rev. Jerry McAfee extended an open invitation for prayer and gospel music. ..News Source.. by Staff writers Allie Shah, Lora Pabst and Mary Lynn Smith contributed to this report. Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409