A Greeley businessman apologized Wednesday after a joke about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama fell flat during the National Western Stock Show’s annual Citizen of the West banquet.

William R. Farr was pretending to read telegrams congratulating this year’s award recipient, University of Colorado President Hank Brown, when he pulled out a piece of paper and said:

“I have a telegram from the White House. They’re going to have to change the name of that building if Obama’s elected.”

Witnesses said they could hear people gasp in the ballroom of the Adam’s Mark Hotel. “I gasped,” said Gov. Bill Ritter, who was sitting at the table with Farr… I think it was uncalled for and atrocious,” said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, who was also in attendance.

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