In case you haven’t seen it, here is the Obama seal that made its public debut this past Friday at a gathering of Democratic governors in Chicago adjacent to the Presidential seal. In what has caused a bit of a dust-up for its presumptuousness, we actually think is a stroke of genius for the Obama campaign. 
This seal and the controversy surrounding it, serves a two-fold purpose. First, the sheer banality and juvenile look and feel of this photo-shopped Presidential seal appeals directly to his most rabid supporters and serves their schoolyard crush on Obama. This seal is right in the short-bussers wheelhouse.
Secondly, it provides a pretty decent distraction amidst Obama’s recent flopping all over the deck on public campaign finance and FISA legislation. Couldn’t have timed it any better as even some Obama supporters are for the first time taking a serious look at what the man is saying. No, no, no… look back over here. Look at the pretty blue faux Presidential seal and repeat after me... change... change... change...
And as an added bonus, with the inevitable criticism, it sets himself up perfectly to play the role of victim, something he shamelessly and crassly projected on to himself a few days ago when he told supporters that a tactic the Republicans would use against him is to remind voters that he is black. Post-racial?
UPDATE #1: Bummer. Looks like they are going to discontinue usage of the logo.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Seal Deal
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3 comments:
Actually, one of the big early pre-9/11 criticisms of "Dubya" (remember when he was still fondly thought of by at least a small fraction of the population and people called him that?) was the use of a very similar seal by the Bush campaign team while he and Gore were fighting it out over Florida for a month or so.
While awaiting the coup d'etat results to come out of the FL Sec. of State's office and the U.S. Supreme Court, the Bushies erected at the Crawford ranch an amazing replica of the White House press room, complete with podium and an ominous-looking black emblem with white lettering and drawing -- saying something like "White House Transition Authority". It was a little spooky and, yes, at the time presumptive. I'm sure in their own way, they were trying to create a mindset in the American populace that the outcome was inevitable. Sort of a staking of claim.
Thankfully, it all came to fruition.
Things have sure worked out just swell since, eh?
- Mongo Kearns Goodwin
A few differences:
Gore was the one filing suit because Bush had more counted votes in Florida at the time of the filing.
Whether you agree with what happened down there or not, the fact is that Bush was certified the winner in Florida 3-4 weeks later (the announcement by Katherine Harris interrupted the ending of the Charger's lone victory that season - I kept yelling "Heidi Bowl!" at the La Mesa Brigantine - only a few people caught the reference).
And unless informed otherwise by the courts, Bush was to be the POTUS and as such couldn't just sit around and wait for the Court decision but had to start making plans to take over as CinC.
Big difference. But don't get me wrong, I was hoping Obama would keep using it. Its like, totally bitchin'.
Doing up the crest in UN colors shows what direction he intends his "change" to take.
America hating apologist, part of one...
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