Nair's spirited opening of the events was followed by each author giving a brief talk about why they supported Obama's candidacy and then a reading of their choice. Rushdie, the fourth speaker of the evening -- the authors spoke in alphabetic order, thanked the audience for their donations.
"Please don't feel you have given enough," Rushdie said, in his speech before he read a passage from his novel Shalimar the Clown. "Should you feel the desire to impoverish yourself further, it will be good pay. Just remember what it is that we are trying to bring into being here. Just in order to say it -- President Barack Obama!" The audience clapped and so he added. "Sounds good, no? President Barack Obama. It is worth your money."
Rushdie has a history of troubles with politicians and he said that it felt strange for him to be praising Obama. And as the audience laughed and cheered he rattled off a list of politicians who have taken objections to his writings.
"Indira Gandhi, General Zia ul-Huq, Margaret Thatcher, the Ayatollah Khomeini," he spoke out, as the last name, reminiscent of his years in hiding, had the audience laughing-out-loud. "There is some reason why I have found it difficult to play fair."
Image: Salman Rushdie speaks
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