In case you missed it, here's a heartwarming story about young Victor Cozzone, Jr., the son of Bill's 2007 running mate, Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone. During their campaign, Bill and Victor became so close that now Victor calls Bill, affectionately (we assume), "Scotty-head."

With his parents yesterday, Victor was at Philadelphia's 30 Street Station to cheer Barack Obama as he started his trip to the 2009 Inauguration. Of course, he did this in his own inimitable little-Victor style, a nationally noteworthy example of the many Chester County Democrats who are sharing in the Inaugural jubilation sweeping our Country.

Local boy has fist bump for the ages

Sunday, January 18, 2009 7:46 AM EST
By DAN KRISTIE Staff Writer

PHILADELPHIA — County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone's 6-year-old son, Victor, fist-bumped President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday morning at 30th Street Station.

Seconds later, the cable news network CNN, which had gotten footage of the bump, whisked Victor away and sat him down for an interview.

"It was awesome!" Victor said, extending the word "awesome" for several seconds. "It was the best day of my life."

The Cozzones were in Philadelphia for the launch of Obama's pre-inaugural Whistle Stop Tour, which will take him along the same train route President Abraham Lincoln rode to Washington, D.C., for his March 1861 inauguration.

The launch was held in a small, heavily secured waiting room, where 250 invited supporters and about as many members of the press had gathered. Cozzone, an early and ardent Obama supporter, attended with her husband and son.

Victor said there was just one thing he wanted to accomplish that morning.

"My idea was to take a picture with Obama," he said.

At the start, the Cozzones got in line to greet the president-elect. When it was Victor's turn, he shook Obama's hand, but no flashbulbs went off. So he went to the back of the line to try again. At this point, a woman working the event saw him and told everyone to clear a path.

"A woman started screaming, 'Child coming through! Child coming through!' and someone lifted me up," Victor said. "Then CNN came up the aisle. When Obama saw me again, he walked toward me, and I put my fist out."

It was a bump Victor, a Lionsville Elementary student, is likely to remember for the rest of the life, Cozzone said.

"Even during the primary, my son was intrigued by Obama," she said. "He always wanted to know more about him, always asked questions about him. At one point he asked me, 'When is Obama coming to my house?'"

Cozzone endorsed Obama prior to the Pennsylvania primary but said she thinks her preference didn't influence her son.

"We don't really talk a lot about politics around him, although he does watch the news with us" she said. "I tried not to offer any opinions around him, because it's always interesting to see how his mind works. I'm not sure if I came out first or he came out first for Obama. I think perhaps, unofficially, he did."

After Obama's train pulled out of Philadelphia, it headed to Wilmington to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden. Later, it stopped in Baltimore so the pair could greet supporters.

Also at the Philadelphia event were Gov. Ed Rendell, Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.

To contact staff writer Dan Kristie, send an e-mail to dkristie@dailylocal.com.