Barack Obama

Pigs for Obama: YouTube clip of Roger Waters at Coachella

Filed under: Barack Obama

Via Drudge Report comes word that during Roger Waters' performance at Coachella, he launched an inflatable pig that endorsed Obama:

The pig, which was led above the crowd from lines held on the ground, displayed the words "Don't be led to the slaughter" and a cartoon of Uncle Sam wielding two bloody cleavers. The other side read "Fear builds walls."

The underside of the pig simply read "Obama" with a checked ballot box alongside.

Here's a YouTube clip of the pig launch. Obama is written on the sow's underbelly and comes into focus at 1:54 of this clip:

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 28, 2008 11:39 AM | Comments (1)

 

Obama: Our first hip hop presidential candidate

Filed under: Barack Obama

Several months back, I happened across an interview with Obama on BET entitled, "What’s In It For Us? Barack Obama And the Black Vote." What really stunned me was when Barack started talking about being a fan of hip hop, including Jay-Z's new album, American Gangster:

I love the art of hip hop. I don't always love the message of hip hop. There are times when even ... with the artists I named -- the artists I love, you know -- there's a message that is not only sometimes degrading to women; not only uses the n-word a little too frequently; but also something I'm really concerned about, it's always talking about material things. Always talking about how I can get something. How I've got more money...

This was in stark contrast to most politicians, who can't denounce hip hop fast enough. I thought this was truly a revolutionary moment--our first hip hop presidential candidate. To me, it represented Generation X penetrating the political establishment, much like JFK was for the baby boomers.

I was reminded of that yesterday when I was watching TV and saw Obama mime Jay-Z and brush the dirt off his shoulder in reference to ABC's embarrassingly shallow debate.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who picked up on the reference, because there's now this amazing YouTube mashup that features Jay-Z's Black Album banger as a soundtrack:

I love the bald black dude over Obama's right shoulder who gets the reference immediately and starts pointing like he's in the front row of a hip hop concert.

Obama's got 99 problems, but Hillary ain't one.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 18, 2008 4:13 PM | Comments (1)

 

Don't trust this poll: 20-point Obama swing is proof it was an outlier

Filed under: Barack Obama

Remember a week ago when I linked to a poll showing Obama pulling dead-even with Hillary in Pennsylvania and argued that it must be an outlier? Well, new numbers released today by the same polling company, American Research Group, now show Obama down by 20 points, 57-37.

Steve Perry at MinMon claims that the swing was caused by Obama's comment that small-town voters cling to God and guns because they're bitter. I disagree. Even if that comment did damage him, there's no way it would be enough to cause a 20-point swing in just one week. Rather, I think this is proof positive that the April 5-6 poll showing the candidates locked at 45 percent was indeed an outlier and not an accurate poll.

The lesson: All polls are not created equal, and it's important to be skeptical and study the fine print before jumping to conclusions about what a poll "means."

Pennsylvania
Likely Democratic Primary Voters
Mar 7-8 / Mar 26-27 / Apr 5-6/ Apr 11-13
Clinton 52% / 51% / 45% / 57%
Obama 41% / 39% / 45% / 37%
Someone else 1% / 2% / 4% / 2%
Undecided 6% / 8% / 6% / 4%

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at April 14, 2008 11:17 AM | Comments (6)

 

The Speech

Filed under: Barack Obama

Much has been made of Barack Obama's oratory and rhetorical brilliance, his ability to paint even the driest of dry policy proposals with a coat of rhythmic, baritone elegance.

Implicit in all of this passive-aggressive fawning—at least that on behalf of his detractors, particularly that smug sock-puppet Paul Begala—was the idea that beneath all his flash and dazzle was a scared-shitless darkie lacking the necessary "experience" and "substance" to carry the torch effectively for Whitey. Senator John McCain, the crusty sun-baked cracker from Arizona, even had the balls to label Obama's parlance "platitudes" in between his own shameless bromides about Lady Liberty’s altruistic mission to spread “democracy” and “freedom” around the globe— a task presumably carried out while perched on a magical, pixie-dust sprinkled Unicorn flanked by a benevolent bald eagle on one side, and a visibly aroused, blood-thirsty Uncle Sam on the other.

Like many other closet-idealists, I avoided writing about Barack Obama or discussing the man in polite company for simple fear that my expression would devolve into the kind of starry-eyed, bullshit-reeking pottage better lampooned than spouted. Praising Obama with unfettered fervor, I knew, would succeed only in outing me as yet another cultish Obama fanatic and, what's more, would likely convince whomever I was conversing with that “this Obama guy” was not to be trusted, what with this “frothing-at-the-mouth asshole” supporting him.

But after Tuesday’s speech—which Obama penned himself—there’s no need for me or any other talking primate to sing his praises. There’s no need to point out that this speech will likely go down as the most poised, intellectually honest, and honorable campaign monologue ever to be uttered in the history of human folly.

That's because it speaks for itself.

Posted by Matt Snyders at March 20, 2008 1:12 PM | Comments (1)

 

Hai, dekiru: Obama is big in Japan

Filed under: Barack Obama

A coincidence in name between Barack Obama and a town in western Japan has given the Democratic candidate some unlikely backers. Obama (our Barack) has sent a letter to Toshio Murakami (mayor of their town, also called Obama), thanking people for their support.

And the support has been vigorous:

Some 100 self-styled Obama supporters plan to gather wearing "I love Obama" t-shirts and headbands. The crowd will give a rousing Japanese chant of "Banzai" -- which means "Long live!" -- if Obama clinches the nomination.

During the results, supporters will dine on food named after the senator , such as the "Obama Hamburger" and the "Obama Cutlet Roll".

はい 出来る!
[Hai, dekiru = Yes, we can. In this case, "Yes we can get a cutlet roll named after our candidate.]

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is once again hinting at a Clinton-Obama ticket. Translation: hey, Obama supporters! I like your guy, too. Please don't hate me.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 7, 2008 12:27 PM | Comments (0)

 

Tom Brokaw: 50 Superdelegates ready to support Obama

Filed under: Barack Obama

NBC News superreporter cites a source "very close to the Obama campaign" who says the additional superdelegates are "ready to go public before too long."

Here's the video:

Timing wise, this can't help Hillary.

If Hillary doesn't win big in Ohio and Texas, this could be the dagger that kills her campaign.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at March 4, 2008 12:42 PM | Comments (0)

 

"Yes, We Can" the sequel

Filed under: Barack Obama

Just in time for the Texas and Ohio primaries, Will.i.am releases a follow-up to his original pro-Obama video, "Yes, We Can."

"We Are the Ones" features a chorus of "Oh-Bah-MUH! Oh-Bah-MUH!" chants over the testimonials/inspirational one-liners of a slew of celebrities, including Macy Gray and a preggers Jessica Alba.

No doubt looking to energize the large bloc of Hispanic voters in Texas--a demographic that Hillary Clinton has relied on and whose support she needs to retain to even have a shot--the video incorporates a few choice Spanish phrases and Hispanic celebrities (take a bow George Lopez and John Leguizamo.)

Overall take: like most sequels, this one falls short of the bar set by its predecessor.

Decide for yourself:

Posted by Matt Snyders at February 29, 2008 2:11 PM | Comments (0)

 

Police ordered to stop weapons screening at Obama rally in Texas

Filed under: Barack Obama

In a befuddling move that has yet to be explained--or, for that matter, even admitted--the Secret Service last week ordered security detail at an Obama rally in Dallas to take down metal detectors and cease checking through purses at the front gates more than an hour before the Illinois senator walked on stage at Reunion Arena, reported The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Thursday.

The following day, the Secret Service denied the incident.

"There were no security lapses at that venue," Eric Zahren, a spokesman for the Secret Service, told the Star-Telegram, adding that "no deviation" from the "comprehensive and layered" security plan had occurred.

So either the Dallas police suffered a bizarrely realistic, collective hallucination or... the Secret Service is lying.

Posted by Matt Snyders at February 28, 2008 1:26 PM | Comments (0)

 

"Dressed" Obama photo is Hillary's racist rock bottom

Filed under: Barack Obama

The big kerfluffle this morning is about a photo of Obama dressed in traditional Somali garb taken in 2006 during his visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya.

The drama started when Drudge posted the picture with a banner headline: "Clinton staffers circulate 'dressed' Obama." The article quoted an email from a Clinton campaign staffer remarking, "Wouldn't we be seeing this on the cover of every magazine if it were HRC?"

The ploy is reminscent of when George W. Bush's campaign circulated a photo of John Kerry in which he looked like ... well, like a sperm.

Only this time, the old "embarassing photo" trick carries a racist, anti-Muslim edge. It seems fairly obvious that the photo is designed to call into question Obama's patriotism, his religious beliefs, and the fact that he's an African American. Which all conveniently fits into the meme that Hillary's campaign has been pushing in a desperate attempt to get something to stick to the Teflon orator--of course, they do it with the sneaky "this is what conservatives will say if he's the candidate" dodge.

But what I find most intellectually dishonest is Clinton campaign guru Maggie Williams' response to the controversy over the photo:

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed. Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.

Of course it is divisive--that was the whole point of the original email leaking it. And now you're going to claim Obama's a racist for being offended? Much like Bill Clinton playing the race card, this is something that could not only damage her campaign, but tarnish her legacy.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at February 25, 2008 12:08 PM | Comments (15)

 

YouTube: Obama is to rhetoric what Vanilla Ice is to rap

Filed under: Barack Obama

This is a pretty funny YouTube clip on the dustup over whether Obama plagiarized lines from his friend:

Except that the comparison doesn't hold water. When Vanilla Ice was caught borrowing Queen's bassline, he retreated into the ridiculous argument that the nearly-identical strings of notes were somehow "different" in a way only recognizable to his trained ear. When Obama was asked about using his friend's lines, he copped to it, saying they shared lines all the time:

The notion that I had plagiarized from somebody who’s one of my national co-chairs who gave me the line and suggested that I use it, I think is silly,” Obama said.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at February 22, 2008 5:07 PM | Comments (3)

 

The Lessons of Rwanda's Genocide

Filed under: Barack Obama

Fox News's Special Report had the following exchange a few days back where Bush demonstrated a curious understanding of history:

GOLER: The president says it's better that African nations deal with African problems. White soldiers in Darfur, he believes, would be targets for all sides.

BUSH: A clear lesson I learned in the museum was that outside forces tend to divide people up inside their country and are unbelievably counterproductive.

The museum, as Atrios notes, was the Rwandan genocide museum. The lesson Bush internalized, as should be apparent, is the opposite lesson one ought draw from Rwanda. It wasn't outside forces that caused the slaughter. It was the world's failure to act that allowed the slaughter to continue.

This is not a partisan issue. Bill Clinton has much -- perhaps the most -- to answer for in this regard as well. As David Halberstam's book War in a Time of Peace makes clear, Clinton knew full well that genocide was taking place and not only failed to act, he ordered staff not to use the "g" word until it was well too late.

This is to Clinton's great shame, and it's no surprise Bush doesn't know any better. Looking to the future, though, one candidate might be able to use the opportunity to gain ground on foreign policy issues as well as moral authority.

Barack Obama's advisor Samantha Power is an expert on this issue, having won the Pulitzer for her book on the topic.

It'll be interesting to see if Obama (or Power through the candidate) uses Bush's recent words to draw a distinction between his foreign policy views and those of the last two presidents. This could be a chance for him to proactively counteract those who would tar him as nothing more than an eloquent voice, bereft of ideas.

A lot is going on in the race, and much relates to foreign policy. Will Obama (or Power through him) take this opportunity to the bully pulpit? We'll see.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 21, 2008 11:37 AM | Comments (0)

 

Bill O'Reilly talks about lynching Obama's wife

Filed under: Barack Obama

Media Matters is calling attention to a strange freudian slip by Bill O'Reilly in which he makes reference to "lynching" Michelle Obama.

In defending Michelle Obama from a caller's accusation, O'Reilly said:

"I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels."

Now normally I'm not one to play language police--I recently stirred up a hornet's nest of comments when I disagreed with Hillary Clinton throwing a tantrum over an off-hand reference to "pimping out" Chelsea--but this comes barely a week after President Bush condemned nooses, saying:

"The era of rampant lynching is a shameful chapter in American history."

I guess the question is: Do you think O'Reilly would have used the term "lynching party" if he was talking about a white wife, or was this some subconscious expression of racism?

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at February 20, 2008 6:09 PM | Comments (25)

 

Obama Super Tuesday Victory Speech (Parts 1 & 2)

Filed under: Barack Obama

In honor of his Minnesota victory.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at February 6, 2008 9:44 AM | Comments (0)

 

Speech review: Barack Obama

Filed under: Barack Obama

This will be short, because you already know Barack Obama is a mesmerizing speaker. You further know that "O-ba-ma" is the most mellifluous of chants.

Briefly, let's note that Obama sounded all the right substantive notes, drawing distinctions between himself and Clinton on Iraq, Iran and torture, framing these as electability issues. He also did fine getting out his agenda items, though we've all heard them before.

So why is a Barack Obama speech so effective? Largely, this is because Obama just seems so much warmer than any other candidate. Because the most resonant moment to me might have seemed like a throwaway moment to you, I'm going to just describe my impressions of it for the bulk of this review.

During an oh-so-brief pause, a fervent supporter shouted words to the effect of "we love you!" Without missing a beat, Obama lowered his voice from his booming, sonorous speechifying voice and said -- easily, naturally -- "you know I love you back," as if relaying such a message to his followers was the most natural and obvious thing in the world.

It took maybe three seconds. It didn't interrupt the flow of his speech. And it seemed such a normal exchange that fit into the evening's context. An acknowledgment as much as a rhetorical tactic.

Can you see any other candidate pulling that off? Me either.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 5, 2008 10:46 PM | Comments (4)

 

Another high turnout anecdote ...

Filed under: Barack Obama

... from St. Paul's Ward 6, District 2, DFL turnout looked to be roughly three times higher than last year. Also, it was Obama in a landslide. From memory, I believe it was Obama 63, Hillary 15, with one vote each being cast each for Dennis Kucinich and Joe Biden.

Joe Biden?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 5, 2008 8:52 PM | Comments (0)

 

Photos from Obama at the Target Center

Filed under: Barack Obama

Our own Nick Vlcek attended and photographed the Barack Obama rally this weekend. Here are a few of his photos interspersed with links to reaction from around the Web.

A DailyKos diarist took a series of photos and offered an extensive report. Mark Gisleson's Norwegianity also reacted, immediately and afterward. The African community newspaper Mshale made the rally its top story.

The Strib's highlight video features more than four minutes of Obama's speech. Another 6:30 video can be found at The UpTake, and includes more atmospheric elements -- brief interviews with rally-goers.

More reaction from Jeff Fecke at Minnesota Monitor and MNPublius.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 4, 2008 10:56 AM | Comments (0)

 

Yes We Can

Filed under: Barack Obama

In a recent post, we discussed the Tinsletown elites that have publicly come out in support of Republican presidential candidates. A brainy commenter--some random tech support dude who couldn't manage to post anonymously without accidentally leaving his name on our site--snarked that we should next focus on "the list of retarded hollywood gassbags [sic] that support either Obama or Hillary."

OK, guy-o. Here goes: The Obama music video, outing a few of his celebrity supporters. Enjoy.

Also, remember to caucus on Tuesday. If you're a Democrat, you can find your location here. If you're a Republican, try this. Just kidding, fellow Republicans. You can go here. And remember, Republicans: Mitt Romney is the true conservative candidate that would stand the best chance in the general election. If we endorsed candidates here at CP, we'd totally tell you to vote for him.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at February 3, 2008 1:53 PM | Comments (2)

 

World opinion: Get us a Dem

Filed under: Barack Obama

The whole world is watching this election, and there are two lone exceptions to the "we want a Democrat" rule. On that side, according to the AP, are Iraq (maybe) and Russia (unless the Republican candidate is John McCain).

Opinion about the U.S. has taken a beating around the world, and other nations are saying it's time for a change.

"They feel there's a real chance to work with the U.S.," said Julianne Smith, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. "America's image in the world is really on the line."

Notes from the article:

* Germans love Barack Obama, and some have dubbed him "der schwarze Kennedy" (the black Kennedy).

* Europeans generally like Hillary Clinton, and are still befuddled about the hubbub surrounding Bill's affair.

* To the British, the best postwar presidents were Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. The most despised? President Bush and Ronald Reagan "because they were seen as erratic and unpredictable," according to Patrick Dunleavy, a political scientist at the London School of Economics.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 1, 2008 1:07 PM | Comments (1)

 

Obey Obama

Filed under: Barack Obama

After seeing the fruition of our Shepard Fairey-inspired "Mike Huckabee has a posse" sticker, I put ace CP graphic designer Mike Kooiman to work on the next iteration: Obey Obama. As you can see, he once again knocked it out of the park:

As with our Huckabee sticker, feel free to download it, send it to friends, put it on your web page, etc. Just please provide a link back to this post. I'd love to see one of these "in the wild" on the back of somebody's car!

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at January 22, 2008 11:26 AM | Comments (1)

 

DailyKos Diarist: Minnesota is ready for Obama!

Filed under: Barack Obama

Everything you want to know about organizing for Obama here in Minnesota is contained in this Daily Kos diary that is currently among the "Most Recommended." The countdown to the February 5th caucus--now with 100 percent more meaningfulness!--begins after the jump!

Among the highlights: There are seven offices in Minnesota. The two biggies:

Minneapolis Headquarters
212 N 3rd Avenue
Suite 340
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 612-968-4738

Minnesota State Headquarters
2233 University Ave
Suite 225
St. Paul, MN 55114
Phone: 651-645-2008

There's also this handy link to the Online HQ. Where you can discuss what Obama had to say about Martin Luther King Jr. He said it on CNN during the Democratic debate which you can see on this YouTube clip embedded here:

The most important reference for new voters will be this great guide on how and where to caucus. It's worth reading regardless of who you support--we could all use a refresher on the mechanics of caucuses.

In closing, the diarist says Obama's grassroots campaign is in the same spirit as several well-known Minnesotans:

Just to add a personal note. It is vitally important to get organized and we have been fighting for a long time in Minnesota. This is a battle that has been going on for a long time in Minnesota. The grassroots vs the establishment. The establishment won in the 06 process with Hatch, they won in 04 with Kerry. But there candidates always lose. It's the grassroots candidates like Paul Wellstone, Keith Ellison and Barack Obama who win in the GE and I don't want to lose again. Help us win. Get active. And I will close with some classic Wellstone: "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak."

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at January 21, 2008 11:41 PM | Comments (2)

 

What would Bush's Jesus do? Endorse Obama, apparently.

Filed under: Barack Obama

You'd think that President Bush's spiritual adviser, the man who gave the benediction at both of his inaugurations, would be throwing his weight into the Republican race for president, if he threw his weight at all.

Not so. AP is reporting that Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, senior pastor of Houston's Windsor Village United Methodist Church, has endorsed Barack Obama for president, and he called Bush to tell him the news.

Obama "would do a wonderful job to bring people together to pursue a common vision we all have," says The Reverend.

President Bush, saying he was "OK" with the choice, apparently assured Rev. Caldwell that his presidential pick would not dampen their relationship.

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at January 21, 2008 12:14 PM | Comments (1)

 

Si se purda

Filed under: Barack Obama

I believe that's the phrase Pat Buchanan uttered earlier tonight on MSNBC. He was attempting to comment on the popular rallying cry among Hispanic workers that's been heard at Obama events recently. I ran "Si se purda" through babel fish. Translation: "Lord I despise Mexicans--except for the guys who fixed my roof."

Posted by Paul Demko at January 15, 2008 8:56 PM | Comments (0)

 

CNN calls it for Clinton; MSNBC, too

Filed under: Barack Obama

CNN's projecting that Hillary Clinton has narrowly edged Barack Obama, giving her the win in New Hampshire and confounding earlier poll results. MSNBC is on board as well.

Obama supporters at O'Gara's look glum as the results start to come in.

I gave up on staying at the Obama event all night, but the mood was glum when I left, and I imagine shock is setting in now.

That's what inflated expectations can do -- by all metrics a powerful performance suddenly feels like a devastating loss to Obama supporters, even though he's performing well. This does mean it looks more and more like a two-horse race.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at January 8, 2008 10:23 PM

 

O'Bama at O'Gara's

Filed under: Barack Obama

We're coming to you live from the Obama party at O'Gara's, where they only let us in because they thought it was spelled “O'Bama” and that he comes from County Cork.

Despite their best efforts to dismantle my good journalistic times – an earlier phone call to inquire about wireless Internet failed to mention that their wireless had been down for a week – I remain stout and resolute.

Early predictions for an Obama landslide aren't bearing out with a weighty 9 percent of the ballots counted. It's a squeaker at this point, but the Obama crowd don't appear concerned.

I love the talking heads' tendency to take small sample sizes and react dramatically to them. Joe Scarborough is already taking the less-than-on-tenth of the ballots and seeking to draw conclusions about What This Means For Hillary. Keith Olbermann is decidedly more circumspect, noting that a similar amount of votes on the Republican side – even though it shows a healthy lead for John McCain – does not merit calling the race for the Arizona senator.

What can I say? We're in a reactive business, and sometimes that's over-reactive.

Myself, I've reacted by ordering a shot and a beer, and firing up a Word document to keep track of what's happening. More dispatches (and maybe photos) as wireless allows.

UPDATE, 7:12 p.m.: Five minutes after I mention them not calling the race for McCain, they do so, based on exit poll data.

UPDATE, 7:20 p.m.: City Council member Melvin Carter just spoke, to rousing applause from the crowd, firing up local party activists. It's packed in here, and you can barely move, even if you aren't carrying drinks.

Few are in the corner watching TV, which is where I've set up to better catch coverage -- but two people have already tried to surf the Web on my machine while I'm up taking pictures. It's fine with me as long as they're surfing Elephants in the Room.

The media's about, too, with at least one TV station and what seems to be MPR. The mood's shifted and more people are paying attention to the TV as it turns out to be closer than many anticipated. You can tell people are ready to explode if the good news starts rolling in for their candidate, though. When the latest numbers came up, the room was pregnant with anticipation, and the silence afterward was broken by one voice's robust "Too close to call!"

UPDATE, 7:40 p.m.: “I don't like this,” remarked one observer, shaking her head. The sentiment's echoed throughout the room, and is telling. Where a week ago many might have been happy with a neck-and-neck race, rising expectations have created an environment where the people want (figurative) blood.

20 percent of the vote is in, showing Clinton with a slight edge.

Mitt Romney comes on the television to concede. I try to start a round of booing. It doesn't take. I try to connect my camera and spill my drink. The Internet isn't working. Obama's number drop to a 40-34 deficit with the latest numbers, based on 24 percent of the vote. Among those that notice this – a small fraction – there's a bit of shock. Mitt Romney says “This is the greatest nation ...” etc. I need a cocktail waitress and haven't seen one all night. One concerned volunteer keeps coming by to see if wireless Internet has popped up, hungry for some outside information that might be more favorable to the cause.

The Obama numbers are sub-optimal for the crowd; the absence of adult beverages is sub-optimal for me.

UPDATE: 8:01 p.m.: More local politicos have turned out, including Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, who finished right before a band began to play in the bar area, drowning out any possibility of ensuing speakers. The anticipated landslide hasn't come, and now almost nothing else is audible. But with 32 percent of the vote popping up, Obama pulls closer, and the crowd -- long hoping for a reason to cheer-- does. You can hear them easily over the band.

UPDATE: 8:12 p.m.: As John McCain takes the podium, I find myself in the position of volume controller – I'm cramped into a corner over here, much as I wanted to say “Nobody puts Jeffy in a corner.” The assembled throng wants to hear what McCain has to say, though I've already been in one friendly discussion about who is less trustworthy, he or Romney (I said Romney).

This “Mac is Back” chant that the McCain supporters keep chanting is one of the most obviously manufactured “spontaneous” slogans ever. And I like how McCain takes a shot at the media, saying that New Hampshire voters wouldn't let the papers tell them who to vote for – as if the media doesn't drool all over Mr. Straight Talk.

Obama inches slightly closer, and the crowd shouts down McCain, no mean feat considering that the TV's on max volume. If he pulls ahead even a little, I'm not gonna hear for three days.

McCain's victory speech (“I'd like to congratulate all the candidates”) is like listening to a well-meaning lecture from your grandfather, who doesn't realize how patronizing he sounds. He also had to read the speech, which Scarborough gave him grief over.

A funny moment occurred when positive Obama news came on the screen right as McCain hit an applause line, so it sounded like the crowd was rooting Big Mac on to Michigan. Jarring, that. This is closely followed by the first chant of O-Ba-Ma!, which from a purely aesthetic perspective is the most euphonious of all candidate chants.

UPDATE, 8:37 p.m.: Every time Obama inches closer – last time he got within a 2,000 vote margin – the crowd has swelled with pride. But now the lead is 4,336, and it's like you deflated everyone's balloon.

UPDATE, 9:02 p.m.: Am journalism robot. Have had one bowl of cereal and one apple all day. Cocktail waitress nowhere in sight. Only weak point is hungry and sleepy.

UPDATE, 9:12 p.m.:I run into Sean from MNPublius.com. We agree that 1. I am "that guy"; 2. that we might not see a result for more than an hour; and 3. I might not see a cocktail waitress or a wireless Internet signal for longer. I retire to the homestead to sear some dinner and upload photos.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at January 8, 2008 7:07 PM

 

Goats for Obama and other political animals

Filed under: Barack Obama

While my friend and New Hampshire denizen Jonah Keri was researching his new college basketball column for Deadspin, he and his wife happened upon an interesting photo opportunity. Turns out, there's an election going on, and it's got nothing to do with Duke or North Carolina.

The column shows off the following awesome photo by his brilliant bride: Binx the Goat endorses Obama! I already trust Binx more than the equally cute Punxsutawney Phil.

Hunter Thompson famously compared Nixon to a badger. If today's top Republican candidates were to be endorsed by a group of animals, here's how I think it would break down (in alphabetical order).

Rudy Giuliani: Hyenas.
The hyenas are opportunistic feeders, and so they appreciate Rudy's invocation of 9/11 at every turn -- he's a kindred spirit, feeding off the dead and all. Plus, the historian Clement of Alexandria noted that the hyena was "quite obsessed with sexual intercourse." It's almost too perfect given the thrice-married Giuliani's forcing NYC taxpayers to foot the bill for his affair. Finally, there's the laughing. "Their haunting laughter-like calls inspired the idea in local cultures that they could imitate human voices." Look at Rudy in this video! He's so lifelike it's uncanny.


Mike Huckabee: Bears.
What's unpredictable, carnivorous, and undergoes massive swings in body weight? A kindred spirit with the noble bear, Mike Huckabee can look graceful (as when delivering pre-scripted homilies) or vicious (as when threatening to quarantine AIDS patients). And no, when we say he's a bear, we don't mean "hairy gay dude" type of bear. But we're not ruling it out, either. How wide is that stance, Mike?

John McCain: Galapagos tortoise.
The venerable creatures see themselves in McCain. He's venerable, slow-moving and capable of some serious crankiness when provoked. Due to his anointment by both mainstream media sources and various Republican constituencies, McCain is nigh indestructible. The tortoise is dignified in appearance and carriage, but ultimately ineffectual, plodding through multiple eras.

Ron Paul: Barking moonbat Hypnotized Great White Shark
The barking moonbat is a metaphorical, not real, animal, or else it would get the nod here. No, Paul's constituency includes menacing elements (he's the chosen candidate of the white supremacist Storm Front organization), so the choice of the toothsome beast seems appropriate. Hypnosis has to be involved, too, if so many ostensible progressives are willing to vote contrary to their interests in supporting a conspiracy-touting right wing nutjob. The Great White is also the lone surviving member of its genus, which makes it a relic, a holdover from a bygone age. Kind of like, say, the John Birch Society.

Romney: Weasels.
The weasels appreciate how the once pro-choice, once pro-stem cell research Mitt Romney has turned into Pat Robertson's near equal in brimstone rhetoric. "As is typical of small carnivores," writes Wikipedia, "weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile." Romney seems to have hoarded a lot of "food" into his weaselly burrow, too.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at January 8, 2008 3:54 PM | Comments (0)