Obama Downplays Johansson Email Relationship

U.S. presidential candidate BARACK OBAMA has downplayed his email communications with Hollywood star SCARLETT JOHANSSON - stating she doesn't even have his personal email address.

Sexy screen star Johansson is a huge supporter of the democratic White House hopeful, and told reporters last month (May08) how she regularly offers the politician advice via e-mail.

And the actress admitted she was left stunned when Obama began a computerised correspondence with her.

She was noted as saying, "Someone like the senator (Obama), who is constantly travelling and constantly 'on', how can he return these personal e-mails?"

However, in a meeting with journalists on Wednesday (25Jun08), Obama insisted he had only sent one email to Johansson, and that was after her original message was forwarded to him by his assistant Reggie Love.

He explained, "She sent one email to Reggie, who forwarded it to me.

"I (wrote) saying, 'Thank you Scarlett for doing what you do', and suddenly we have this email relationship."