Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Barackus Caesar

I have not caught a glimpse of the Democratic National Convention and, until this morning, I did not intend to. I am just old enough to remember when conventions actually meant something and feel no civic obligation to watch either party's pep rally. Did Michelle Obama give a great speech because she did not sound like a latter day Bernadine Dohrn (she is, after all, familiar enough with the real one)? Did ur-Democrat Hillary Clinton convincingly endorse the Democratic nominee? I don't know and I don't care. It would be newsworthy if these things didn't happen - if Mrs. Obama and Sen. Clinton could not manage to hit home runs in a softball park after a summer to get ready.

But ... Obama is going to give his speech before a replica of a classical temple? He's going to step out from between plywood columns painted to look like stone? That can't be true. No one could have been stupid enough to believe that was a good idea. I've got to see it.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are wrong. Folktunes and Foost probably got that tingle up their leg when they heard.

Anonymous said...

This makes sense, via Josh Marshall at TPM:

"..we do all know that virtually every American civic building is based on Greek Revival architecture, right? And that the Obama backdrop actually looks like -- whether intended or not, I don't know -- the Lincoln Memorial. (Remember, they're both Illinoisians.) Perhaps because Obama's speech is on the 45th anniversary of King's 'I Have A Dream' speech.

Jay Bullock said...

Counsellor, gus seems to be stalking me. How hard is it get a restraining order?

And, more on topic: Is there a choice Obama could have made that would not have draw criticism from the right? Not necessarily from you, of course. But you do know that the perpetually outraged would have been thoroughly, er, outraged with any choice of backdrop, right?

Anonymous said...

There are plenty of backdrops Senator Obama could have chosen that would haven't drawn any attention or furthered the impression that he has some grandiose belief that he is more than a mere mortal candidate for present but an Oracle sent to us from above. However, he didn't choose them.

Anonymous said...

I mean, "president."

Dad29 said...

"Oracular President"

Not in the Bill Clinton sense, either.

Anonymous said...

Here's what it looked like when Bush stepped out from between some faux columns. You can do better than this.


http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Bushs_2004_temple.html

Anonymous said...

Try here.

T.F. said...

Have you yet had the time to provide evidence for your earlier claims re. the principles of most gay men?

Anonymous said...

I don't mind ZerObama and his grand ascension one bit. He and Axelrod, and whomever is actually pulling the strings are miscalculating.
Cutting to the chase.
When Obie (not Opie) loses, it'll be all about racism, not this guys King of Greece sized ego and hubris.
ZerObama et al, are playing to their lock step kook base. They are not converting working class, gun clinging voters. People do not like grandstanding like Obama.
He's sinking fast.

Rick Esenberg said...

Brawler

Two faux columns does not a temple make. Beyond that, politicians have to be aware of their weaknesses. Whether you think it's fair or not, Obama is acquiring a reputation for staggering self importance and regard. You don't play into that.

Jay

Without commenting on you and Gus, I would think that a virtual restraining order - being virtual -should require only virtual proof.

Rick Esenberg said...

For example, tonight, the campaign should absolutely forbid the crowd to start that creepy Obama chant.

Anonymous said...

TOGA!! TOGA!!! TOGA!!!!!

Display Name said...

Whew, what with all the rock-and-rolling, I thought you'd lost your deep concern about Obama.

Others feel the same way. It's almost as if there's a radio transmission that tells them what to do when they wake up in the morning.

Gus, what's with all the name-calling?

Dad29, come now, you know better about what the Oracles did. Don't make me give you an aural tongue-lashing worthy of your Latin teacher.

Staggering self importance and regard? Obama didn't say he was The Decider.

Anonymous said...

John Faust. . .and don't forget, besides naming himself "The Decider", he also called himself "The Uniter" (and sometimes added "The great uniter"). But alas. . .what some people forget (besides how many houses one owns).

Anonymous said...

The Decider won't be on the ballot this Fall.

Anonymous said...

Anon.1:42 Thank goodness for that. He's done enough damage to this country.

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:30 -- Yep. We've had our fun with him. Time to move on.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the gods are telling Obama to turn our goverment to the days of ancient greece, where woman had no rights and minorities where slaves.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:58 am--no, that would be McCain!

PaulNoonan said...

I didn't know that Mr. T was a Roman Emperor.