BySimon Round, Simon Round
A yeshivah student has gone on television in Israel to confess to stealing the note written and placed in the Western wall by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
The shamed student, identified only as Aleph, said on Israeli TV that he had passed the note over to the press. Aleph said: "I'm sorry. It was a kind of prank . I hope he wasn't hurt."
Far from being hurt. it looks like Notegate could actually help Obama - indeed his team have been accused of engineering the entire episode.This comes partly from the note itself, which could have been written with the opinion polls in mind. Obama wrote: "Lord, Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just and make me an instrument of your will."
All in all just as well he didn't write, "Please, please, make me President".