Iowa voter butters up Obama

TOLEDO, Iowa (Reuters) - While presidential hopefuls were trying to butter up supporters ahead of the January 3 Iowa caucus, one would-be voter was literally buttering up her favorite candidate, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

Norma Lyon, 78, a dairy farmer from Toledo, Iowa, used 23 pounds of butter to sculpt a life-sized bust of Obama, who is seeking to become the first black U.S. president.

The butter bust was on display at an Obama speech in a middle school auditorium Thursday night, melting only a little under the hot overhead lights. Following the speech, the sculpture was headed back to the freezer until its next scheduled appearance on January 3 at one of the caucuses that will help determine the Democratic and Republican nominees for the November presidential election.

Obama thanked Lyon for her support and her skills in molding dairy products. He also gave her a hug following a speech in which he pledged to end the war in Iraq, strengthen Social Security and reform the U.S. health-care system.

The senator fretted only slightly over whether or not the sculpture made his ears too big. Lyon said that as much as she liked Obama, she had to be honest in her art.

Obama was among 10 Democratic and Republican candidates who spent the day in Iowa, where next Thursday voters in both parties kick off the state-by-state battle to choose candidates for the November 4 election to replace Republican President George W. Bush.

(Editing by Bill Trott)