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By Errol Castens
Daily Journal Oxford Bureau
First, the University of Mississippi held a presidential debate. Now, Ole Miss may be holding presidential briefs.
OK, we can't be exactly sure about the briefs - it's probably a state secret - but a photo on Time Magazine's White House photo blog Friday showed that President Barack Obama is definitely using a leather duffel, embossed with the Ole Miss logo, that he received during last fall's Presidential Debate in Oxford.
Chancellor Robert Khayat presented both Obama and Sen. John McCain with identical zippered bags with dark cowhide and light-colored stitching during their pre-debate walk-throughs of the Ford Center.
"The chancellor handed Obama the bag, and he immediately turned to his aide and asked, 'Can I take this?'" said Dr. Andy Mullins, executive assistant to the chancellor.
Assured the gift was lawful, the Democratic nominee responded, "Good. I can use this."
The photo of Obama's Ole Miss bag has attracted a lot of attention from the Ole Miss faithful.
"People have been sending the link to us from all over the place," Mullins said.