Some Endearing Obama Moments

[Brainster]

I had to laugh at this article (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/06/09/2008-06-09_barack_obama_gets_poor_fashion_marks_aft.html) about what Obama wore for a bike ride with his family the other day.

Here's the photo that accompanied the piece:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_9777484f709a1ef63.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12516)

Hear the gasps from the fashion police:

It wasn't a pretty picture: ill-fitting jeans, a tucked-in golf shirt, black-and-white socks and a helmet that could make Michael Dukakis blush.

"Please tell me he isn't wearing dark socks," commented one of many Internet fashionistas who weighed in on Obama's recent ride along Lake Michigan with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Sasha, 7, and Malia, 9.

If you're a 46-year-old guy out for a ride with your wife and daughters, dorky is absolutely appropriate. And the idea that he's somehow horribly underdressed is only in comparison to his usual GQ-cover look. BTW, apparently that contraption at the back hooks onto one of his daughter's bikes so he can pull her along when she gets tired.

I think the photo looks great, and no this is not some sort of arch, sneaky dig. As an avid cyclist myself, I absolutely identify with others who bike, even John Kerry. And Obama wasn't riding no fancy $6,000 Serrota touring bike, but a nice, serviceable Trek. I give him a big thumbs up for the picture; the only thing that would have made it better is to include his daughter hooked in behind him, so the purpose of that oddball piece of equipment is obvious.

Here's one from awhile ago, when Obama visited Metropolis, Illinois:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_9777484f73fd19014.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12517)

Cute stuff. I'm a longtime comics fan and although Supes isn't my top character I always enjoyed him. That Barack was confident enough to pull off that pose shows some moxie as well as a willingness to take himself less seriously at times.

I start many negative threads about Obama. Here's a positive thread, for the endearing things that pop up during the campaign.

[Hokulele]

Either he is about to pop a wheelie, or he needs to inflate that rear tire. :D

Kudos on the brain bucket.

[Brainster]

Either he is about to pop a wheelie, or he needs to inflate that rear tire. :D

Yeah, I caught that as well. Still, you can argue that the under-inflated tire is at least an indication that maybe this wasn't a campaign-scripted moment. I hate those skinny tires anyway; they don't take any punishment. I prefer riding the mountain bike around town; the loss in speed is made up for in flexibility.

[Hokulele]

Yeah, I caught that as well. Still, you can argue that the under-inflated tire is at least an indication that maybe this wasn't a campaign-scripted moment. I hate those skinny tires anyway; they don't take any punishment. I prefer riding the mountain bike around town; the loss in speed is made up for in flexibility.


Slicks, semis, or knobbies?

I rarely ride on the road anymore, almost all of my rides these days are either single-track or carriage/fire roads, so tire pressure is slightly less of an issue. Aside from avoiding pinch flats.

[Pardalis]

If you're a 46-year-old guy out for a ride with your wife and daughters, dorky is absolutely appropriate.

Yeah, as opposed to dressing up as a Jedi? :p

[a_unique_person]

Either he is about to pop a wheelie, or he needs to inflate that rear tire. :D

Kudos on the brain bucket.

And he's got his seat down too low.:mad:

[Upchurch]

If you're a 46-year-old guy out for a ride with your wife and daughters, dorky is absolutely appropriate.
But that's how I dress every.....

Never mind. :o


Cute stuff. I'm a longtime comics fan and although Supes isn't my top character I always enjoyed him. That Barack was confident enough to pull off that pose shows some moxie as well as a willingness to take himself less seriously at times.
That was awesome. He might not only be the first Black President, but maybe the first Nerd President, too.

[T.A.M.]

I start many negative threads about Obama. Here's a positive thread, for the endearing things that pop up during the campaign.

I am fair near speechless.

TAM:)

[TriskettheKid]

Slicks, semis, or knobbies?

I rarely ride on the road anymore, almost all of my rides these days are either single-track or carriage/fire roads, so tire pressure is slightly less of an issue. Aside from avoiding pinch flats.

Pfft.

Anything less than knobby is a waste for a mountain-bike.

How am I supposed to ride through a creek on a slick tire?

[Sefarst]

Maybe I'm a dork too, but the only thing I saw that was unfashionable about what he was wearing was tucking in the golf shirt. Wearing the helmet sets a good example for his daughters and the jeans don't really look "ill-fitting" to me based on that picture.

[dudalb]

Well, Obama just lost the Marvel Fans Vote......

[KoihimeNakamura]

Yes, a vo... I can't ... okay, yes, i can.

A Vote for Obama is a Vote AGAINST RETCONS!![!!!!!!!!!

(......[rule10]'ing One More Day)

[corplinx]

When I worked for the casinos we had a small property at Metropolis Illinois. While I was there visiting to do some work, I was asked "you see the statue yet?" constantly. Then when I finally drove over and saw the overhyped and unimpressive state, I was left wondering what the big deal was.

So instead of copying superman's pose, that could be Obama's actual body language as he is saying "you drug me here to see this?"

[dudalb]

Yes, a vo... I can't ... okay, yes, i can.

A Vote for Obama is a Vote AGAINST RETCONS!![!!!!!!!!!

(......[rule10]'ing One More Day)



If he would promise to outlaw Retcons I would vote for him in a New York Minute.
Both DC and Marvel are driving me crazy with that crap.
Peter Parker makes a deal with the Marvel universe Satan equvilent to change the past, and over in DC Barry Allen is going to be resurrected.
Please, Barak, Stop This Madness!

[Iamme]

Is he illegally riding within a crosswalk?, and perhaps ready to continue on down a sidewalk?

[Tricky]

Is he illegally riding within a crosswalk?, and perhaps ready to continue on down a sidewalk?
Probably because he saw a terrorist he could negotiate with and was in a hurry to get to him.

[XBoxWarrior]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the pic, except for the way Faux Noise covers it...

The dude is out riding with his family......more people should be riding bikes @ $4.08
gas.

Is this one better?

http://presidentsrus.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/bush-segway.jpg

The moron on the Segway isn't wearin' a brain bucket..........maybe that's the
issue?

[timhau]

Is he illegally riding within a crosswalk?, and perhaps ready to continue on down a sidewalk?

Yea, cuz that's what Moslems do. It's sort of like a Halal version of a secret handshake.

[Dog Town]

Either he is about to pop a wheelie, or he needs to inflate that rear tire. :D

Kudos on the brain bucket.

He appears to have a child trolley attached. So, I hope no wheelies. I find it odd, to cart children around in a tent, with cars zooming all around.

[mrbaracuda]

I prefer riding the mountain bike

You might like this guy then!

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/05/bush_hoists_bike.jpghttp://www.sdbc.org/photos/albums/userpics/10002/bush_bike.jpg

:D

[CptColumbo]

Here's one from awhile ago, when Obama visited Metropolis, Illinois:

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_9777484f73fd19014.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12517)

Cute stuff. I'm a longtime comics fan and although Supes isn't my top character I always enjoyed him. That Barack was confident enough to pull off that pose shows some moxie as well as a willingness to take himself less seriously at times.

I start many negative threads about Obama. Here's a positive thread, for the endearing things that pop up during the campaign.

I knew there was something about him I liked.
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_28684853212965ac7.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12560)
I'm the one on the left.

All the flap about this made me laugh.
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_286848531d79e1e0b.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12557)

Then I saw this and LMAO.
http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_286848531f6fde5ea.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=12558)

[joobz]

I actually like the photo brainster has as his avatar. it's got that "I just helped close the open bar at a wedding. What's next?" look.


But then, I liked Bush's Chest Bump photo as well. I think he made a group of kids really happy and I respect that.

[boloboffin]

I actually like the photo brainster has as his avatar. it's got that "I just helped close the open bar at a wedding. What's next?" look.

I like it as well, although not for the same reason. It reminds me that Brainster's main argument is being against Obama and not for McCain. :D

[Brainster]

Andrew Malcolm of the LA Times writes on the decision Obama faced before the bike ride: Helmet or No Helmet (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/06/obama-helmet.html)?

"I had an internal debate," Obama admitted when a supporter thanked him for wearing a helmet. "Because I knew that the AP was going to take a picture, and they were trying to portray it like Dukakis wearing that tank helmet.

"But I wanted to make sure that the children who saw that picture knew that even the Democratic nominee for president wears a helmet when he goes biking," he said to applause.

Thumbs up! I wouldn't ride to the corner store without wearing my helmet. I would absolutely have criticized him if he'd gone without, so he gets kudos for doing the right thing. And no, he didn't look like Dukakis in the tank.

BTW, on the Superman statue, a friend of mine did a long post (http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/comic_coverage/2008/06/a-superman-theme-parkwith-plenty-of-parking.html) on the theme park that was planned back in the 1970s for Metropolis, of which the statue is the only thing that got built.