From Crystal Club Soda to Gertrude Hawk Chocolate

Sen. Barack Obama’s half-eaten waffle and sausage link are still sitting in a freezer at John Oakes’ home, but their online image has taken on a life of its own, attracting profiteers and inspiring artists.  Mr. Oakes, a loyal customer of the Glider Diner in Scranton, convinced the diner’s owner, Charles LeStrange, to bequeath to him any leftovers of Mr. Obama’s meal when he passed through Monday morning. The Chinchilla man was expecting to get a good laugh out of putting the leftover waffle and sausage link — along with a plate and silverware Mr. Obama used — up for auction Monday on eBay. What Mr. Oakes and the Glider Diner got were a flood of negative comments on the auction Web site and a high bid of $20,100 for the collector’s item, which led Mr. LeStrange to ask him to take the auction down.  [Times-Tribune]