When I found out I would be meeting First Lady Michelle Obama last week, I prepared a packet of materials for her, with a cover letter.

I had a chance to introduce myself, to tell her that I was a candidate for State Representative serving Greenwich, and to explain the contents of the packet, before it was time for the photographer to take these photographs.

State Representative candidate Claude Johnson with First Lady Michelle Obama, at a fundraiser for
U.S. Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal. (Photograph: Beatriz Moritz)

The packet included some campaign information, a report by my 9-year-old son called Trans Fat: The Silent Killer, a photograph of my wife and kids, some information about my company Black Fives, Inc. and a Black Fives book of postcards, some details about my website Baller-in-Chief.com, a request to play basketball with the President, a photo of me ready to play hoops so that it would at least “look” like I have some skillz, a copy of that uncanny Obama-likeness photo of Columbia University basketball star Johnny Johnson in 1921, and my campaign business card.

Claude Johnson meeting First Lady Michelle Obama. (Photograph: Beatriz Moritz)

Mrs. Obama is wonderful person who inspires our family every day.

She asked me how my campaign was going, and was very interested in my son’s report on the dangers of trans fat and it’s link to obesity.

Giving her that report is in line with my ideas about addressing the long term costs of health care that will crush our next generation of taxpayers if we don’t increase awareness about trans fat today.

Afterward I got a chance to speak with Susan Sher — the First Lady’s Chief of Staff — for several more minutes about my campaign and about the information in the packet.

After this, the Mrs. Obama gave a talk before a breakfast group and then spoke at a rally in front of a large audience inside the Palace Theater in Stamford, Ct.

Overall it was a great experience, and for a very worthy cause.