Our Future Leaders

If you ever wonder why the vast majority of college students supported (if not actually bothered to vote for) Barack Obama, the following story from today's New York Post may offer a clue.

Cops in Washington Square Park have put the kibosh on a crack-addled con man's new twist to a classic scam, police said.

Joseph Bacon, 45, was busted after duping at least eight NYU students with the crack-pipe version of the "dropped glasses" bit -- in which he'd bump into strangers, tell them they broke his gear and demand payment, cops said.

In each case, he allegedly convinced victims to go to an ATM and give him anywhere from $20 to $60 to replace his "broken" crack pipe.

Bacon was busted June 15 and picked out of two lineups by shakedown victims. He has been charged with two counts of robbery.