Streaker apologizes to Obama

NEW YORK, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- New Yorker Juan J. Rodriguez has apologized for running naked in front of President Barack Obama during a weekend campaign stop in Philadelphia.

Rodriguez, 24, was arrested Sunday night for public lewdness after streaking 25 feet away from the president.

"I just ripped off my clothes, then I made my way away from the crowd so no one would get hurt," Rodriguez told TV's "Inside Edition" Wednesday. "Ran past the cameras away from everybody and then knelt down with my hands behind my head and waited for the cops to come."

Rodriguez, who is unemployed, said he pulled the stunt in hopes of claiming a $1 million reward offered by wealthy Internet entrepreneur and self-professed prankster Alki David of Britain.

But David is now demanding confirmation from the White House that the president actually saw and heard the streaker.

Rodriguez, who was interviewed by the Secret Service Wednesday, told "Inside Edition" he meant no disrespect to the president.

"Mr. Obama, if you feel I disrespected you in any way, I'm very sorry for that," he said.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday he didn't know if Obama saw the streaker.

"I don't know if he did. I -- now you're going to ask me to walk into the Oval Office and see if the president saw the streaker," Gibbs said.