Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Barack Obama will be the keynote speaker at the grand opening of VeraSun Energy ethanol plant in Charles City, Iowa, next month.

Talk about political connections !

Verasun, one of quite a few US-based bioethanol stocks that have not done so well since the great spring fallout of '06, could use a shot in the arm. It also helps that oil is touching new highs, making people think harder about the alternatives.

I took a decision to stay out of politics on AEI, from the word go. As far as I'm concerned, for investors, it's about the numbers and in a rational world, that is all that should matter. I'm also not American and it's improper for me to comment on American politics. But what I would like to share with you is an insight from a Republican activist I received on a recent trip to Washington DC. He told me that Obama passed what I call "the corridor test". Truth be told, far too many aspiring politicians will not give you the time of day, or a simple hello as they pass you in the corridor if they think you are not important to them. From their point of view, that's rational. The trouble is, people like to talk and it works against them. Everyone, without exception, hates being made to feel unimportant.

But Obama, according to my Republican friend, passed the corridor test with flying colours. The same though, he said, could not be said about Hillary Clinton, who habitually rubs people up the wrong way.

So the message of this is if you are a listed alternative energy company seeking political support, pick your politician wisely. And Verasun, evidently, has thought about this and done very well with Senator Obama.