One sunny summer day in 2005, an old man
approached the White House from across
Pennsylvania Avenue, where he'd been sitting on
a park bench. He spoke to the Marine standing
guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet
with President Kerry."

The Marine replied, "Sir, Mr. Kerry is not President
and doesn't reside here."

The old man said, "Okay," and walked away.
The following day, the same man approached the
White House and said to the same Marine, "I
would like to go in and meet with President Kerry."

The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said
yesterday, Mr. Kerry is not President and doesn't
reside here." The man thanked him and again
walked away.

The third day, the same man approached the
White House and spoke to the very same Marine,
saying "I would like to go in and meet with
President Kerry."

The Marine, understandably agitated at this point,
looked at the man and said, "Sir, this is the third
day in a row you have been here asking to speak
to Mr. Kerry. I've told you already that Mr.
Kerry is not the President and doesn't reside here.
Don't you understand?"

The old man answered, "Oh, I understand. I just
love hearing it."

The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and
said, "See you tomorrow."