Patriotic Barack Obama lapel pins unveiled honoring all 57 states

Yesterday The Ticket broke the stunning news of America's acquisition of seven, maybe eight, new states, according to future president Barack Obama.

He was speaking at the start of a two-day swoop through Oregon, which is already a state.

In Beaverton, which is not a state yet, the Democrat let it slip that during this marathon 16-month party presidential nomination struggle against a bunch of dropouts and this female political zombie from New York who won't surrender short of a silver stake, he had already visited 57 states with one more to go.

That's not counting the existing states of Alaska and Hawaii, he said, which his staff decided aren't important enough to visit. Unless maybe you're Mike Gravel or Dennis Kucinich, who weren't very important either, come to think of it.

Here's the spoof-proof Obama video as evidence:

Has this aging freshman senator -- he'll be almost 60 in 13 years -- lost his bearings? Are the eight new states caucus or primary? And will Howard Dean bar them from the convention too?

Obama's gaffe caused a noticeable stir online during the day and even the respected Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic anticipated that the political media would kindly write the Democrat's mis-statement off to fatigue. But he wrote if, say, the Republican nominee-to-be had uttered the same silly fatigue flub, it would surely be added to eager suspicions of senility.

Besides trying to noodle out what the new states are, some clever campaign folks over at the phenomenal Suitably Flip blog got to thinking right away.

And they've now unveiled a new patriotic lapel pin that anyone can wear with pride even, say, a Harvard-educated senator from Illinois who's been trying to make a point about opposing a war before it even started.

Here is the new pin replete with all 57 stars:

You'll probably want to order several for friends and family. And any Chablis-sipping senators you might know.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Robin]

What? He forgot Alaska? The guy's tired--give him a break. At least he didn't rail about the hard-working white voters.

[Ethan]

Oh the irony. Robert speaks about ignorance from the depths of its blissful embrace.

Obama has almost identical political credentials to those of Abraham Lincoln and similar professional background to John F. Kennedy. He also shares many of their political ideals and principles. I challenge anyone to come on this blog and try to claim that these two men were somehow inadequate Presidents.

One other thing – Obama is renowned for the fact that he writes all his own material, and that includes his books (had you read them you would not be able to ignore his signature style). No presidential candidate since the sixties has done that, and none this century who have done so half as eloquently as Obama.

Sure, this thread is a cheap shot, but when you make a silly mistake those in the media are entitled. For a man who has meticulously crafted his _own_ message, it's a credit to his oratorial acumen that he makes such a gaff so rarely.

Take your willful ignorance back to Rush Limbaugh's home page, Robert – this is the LA Times.

[None of the Above 08]

Hmm, let's see when McCain "confused" Sunnis and Shias, Obama supporters had a field day.

Now that Mr. Obama has made a mistake no first grader should make, it's time to ignore his mis-speak.

Can't have it both ways.

[Observer]

Obama's rise to Presidential candidiate reminds me of the Carol Mosely-Braun Senatorial election cycle.

Not because they are both black. But the quick political rise out of essentially no where.

The attitude at that time was change! Throw the politicians out! And Illinois elected Carol Mosely-Braun.

Then 6 years of ineffectiveness later, they fired her.

It would be a shame to have someone elected that has little experience at getting things done.

Oh well, this country continues to go down the tubes...with the so called effective leaders. Maybe throwing an innefective and unorganized leader will make it better.

But looking at the history of Illinois...maybe not.

[lenny]

How absurd! No, not Sen. Obama, the L.A.Times! This is indicative of how far you have fallen as a credible source of reliable news. To make such a big deal out of an obvious mental slip makes you the joke, not Sen. Obama. Let's see, who owns the paper...? You have just lost many more readers, I am sure. I doubt you will publish this though.

Mr. Zarcufsky

[olivia]

Obama sounds much more like Mss US Teen from South Carolina.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww

Please don't ask him the following question before he buys himself a map:

Question: "Recent polls suggest that most American do not know how many states are part of the US and that most Americans can locate the US in a world map, why do you think this is happening?"

Obama: "I personaly believe that most americans do so because they don't have maps. But in my campaign I've already visited 57 states of America even though I don't have a map. Such as South Africa and Iraq. That is not counting Alaska and Hawaii yet which my staff decided aren't important enough to visit"

Ha ha ha ha ha

[MarkJ]

"Sorry but we are still with Obama, and we base it on policies."

Umm, and those "policies" would be........?

At the rate your guy is ditching his advisors (he just canned another one for meeting with Hamas), Pretty Boy will hae to develop his "policies" all by his lonesome self (unless he gets help from his wife, "Bitter Michelle").

[Steven]

All the people who claim this is meaningless / not important probably thought misspelling potato was a big deal... whatever guys!

[Steven]

Posted by: DrRay from Ohio | May 10, 2008 at 05:51 AM

"When McCain talked about the 100-year-war or when he said Iran was supporting the Al Qaeda in Iraq (Iran is Shiite and AQ is Sunni), he was not senile. He was just showing his ignorance. "

and the only examples you could come up with are bogus and spin.

The 100 years, spin. He specifically compared it to Germany and Japan… vs a 100 year ‘war’… unless we are still ‘at war’ in Germany and Japan.

Iraq and Al Qaeda, bogus. They have given them support. The only place Sunnis and Shia won't work together is in left wing partisan imaginations.

[Thomas Asley]

A special performance to share. Written by John Smart of LiberalRapture.com and performed beautifully by Lisa V

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UAFbMLZm4g

They captured what millions of democrats feel.

[IC]

Clearly he meant 47 states, with 1 to go (48) and not Alaska and Hawaii (49 and 50). Come on folks, he just 'misspoke'.

How about Dan Quayle's "potatoes"? He didn't even mispeak, the incident was made up by a reporter, and it stuck. So lighten up. Have some fun, there's a long way to go. Remember what they say about people protesting too much?

[Jones]

re: the handful of early comments freaking out about this post: people, relax, Andrew is just having fun. Jeez you're as thin-skinned as your candidate.

If Obama were as skilled as his supporters say, he would have come back moments later with a joke about it. Its okay to laugh at yourself: everybody knows you're exhausted from this greulling death march of a primary campaign.

In the alternative, perhaps Mr. Cloudo President of Heaven knows something the rest of us don't. In his magical administration there will indeed be seven new states: Harvardstan, South Chicagoville, Further-North North Carolina, as well as the new states of East, West, North and South Iowa. :)

[SG]

Perhaps he was thinking of the 57 varieties of condiments. States, ketchup... whatever, it is only for the little people™ - remember "we are the change we have been looking for"

peace

SG

[Buford Gooch]

The whole point, which I believe to be accurate, is that if McCain had made the same slip, the media would be playing it up big time. They would probably act as though they thought it a funny slip of the tongue, but it would still be used to dig at McCain's age, just like Obama did with the "bearings" comment.

[Blinded Follower]

I agree with Jenn and McAdhominem Clintonhater: We're for Obama because of his policies! Such as Hope and Change! He's gonna change America! He's already looking forward to his vision of America, Heinz '57 States!

Just like he knows history better than anyone! He knows that Roseveldt negotiated with Hitler without preconditions, Truman negotiated with Stalin and Kim Il Jong without preconditions, and Kennedy negotiated with Castro and Ho Chi Minh without preconditions, so he will, too! (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/obama_needs_to_study_history_b.html)

He's our hero and nothing can change our hopeful devotion to following him wherever he may lead us!

[Diana]

There have been 57 contests on the Democratic side -- 50 states plus Guam, American Samoa, DC, Dems Abroad, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands PLUS that extra caucus thingy in Texas.
The real story is not Obama's misstatement -- it is the process-driven, micro monitoring of every candidate's gaffe as a great way to avoid a discussion of the issues facing our nation. It's much more fun to look at this stuff than to contemplate what we should do about Iraq and our failing economy.
We claim to be the most powerful, important country in the world and yet we approach our election campaigns like carnival sideshows.

[OSweet]

We needn't worry - just wait a year or two. This gaffe will begin to show up in updated Bushisms lists as further proof of W's chimplike idiocy.
Callow college students will fervidly email them to each other, Republican-hating journalists will chuckle and move on, and the fact that Obama actually uttered it will be far down the memory hole.
Come to think of it, I'd lay 10-1 odds Oliver Stone will have W do the gaffe in the upcoming biopic.

[genia]

Wow...I had no idea that the LA times was this low. I followed a link here.....I won't make that mistake again.
Not a supporter of Obama..but....I didn't expect this kind of brainless hate from the LA times.
I'm serious when I tell you all that I had to check my address bar ...twice....I could not believe I was reading the LA times.
LOL...hey...now that I think of it.....if this is what the Republicans have to offer....let it rip.LOL
Idiots.

[Beej]

I, too, don't usually click on latimes links because of the one-sided (and sometimes just nutty) reporting. I have to say, though, that this is some pretty funny stuff.

[Darin]

The flag pin is flawed. Obama clearly thinks there are 60 states. Do the math.

[genia]

LOL....I can see this happening, yeah, yeah, it will work......... this crap is linked all over the internet....the brainless sheep read it.....jump with glee.....regurgitate it over and over....oh.....the wacko right...there is nothing quit like it !!...LOL

[Jean]

It appears the candidates "all" need a day off. LOL
McCain can't figure out which end of the microphone to use and Obama just added 7 states to the USA. LOL
Aha The late night comedians hit the Mother Lode with this election

[RuthieM]

So maybe he's really 'thinking ahead' just like he's always been doing. Obama '08!!!

[Shalom Beck]

Obviously, Obama is planning to drop out in favor of the husband of Teresa HEINZ Kerry.

[Don Meaker]

No, you can not assume that anyone wearing a 57 star pin is a neo=con. You can conclude that the wearer has a sense of humor, someting oddly foreign to our friends on the left.