Barack Obama gets his own nifty Great Seal; all he needs now is votes

Just before the president of the United States makes an appearance at a speech, a usually tall, muscular person with a machine gun hanging under his suit coat quietly walks on stage and hangs the presidential seal on the podium front.

It's an impressive looking thing that conveys a sense of the power of the top elected office in the land and, indeed, the free world.

But Barack Obama's crowd has decided not to wait for any of the formalities like a presidential election, an inauguration or even a nomination, which he still hasn't actually officially won yet. Wasn't it Hillary Clinton who was so sidely accused of thinking her nomination was inevitable?

Obama now has his own Great Seal already. And it is really, really big. It's big like the tires on those elevated pickups in the parking lot at NASCAR races where you look out the car window and see nothing but fist-sized lug nuts.

Obama's new seal looks really presidential, which is probably a coincidence, don't you think? Obama's seal has an eagle just like the president's seal and he or she is holding arrows to signify war, which Obama was against before it even started.

And it's got olive branches, which stand for peace, which we haven't really had since 9/11 but DailyKos promises will come as soon as we shoo out Bush and Cheney.

The seal's also got a terrifically impressive motto in Latin -- "Vero Possumus" -- which means "The possum speaks truthily."

No, just kidding. It actually means "Truly we're able," which translates as "Si se puede," which translates as "Yes, we can." Obama is clearly copying George W. Bush's Texas gubernatorial reelection motto from 1998.

Plus it's got Obama's website right up there too. Lord knows, he needs more donations because the poor White Sox fan from Chicago's impoverished South Side has only raised a little under $290 million so far.

As chronicled by our colleagues over at the Swamp, some folks figure he'll top a half-billion dollars before election day, now that he's scrapped his promise to take public funds, this year a measly $84 million to spend between Labor Day and Nov. 4. Public money was good enough for every other presidential candidate for the last three decades. But how could any serious candidate possibly get along on only $1.3 million a day?

During the Democratic primary voting, a lot of folks were fooled into thinking Obama agreed with public funds when he signed a pledge last fall to use them and told constitutents before that, "If we're still getting financed primarily from individual contributions, those with the most money are still going to have the most influence."

As Jill Zuckman notes in the Swamp, the John McCain camp is using Obama's own phrase -- "Don't tell me words don't matter" -- to skewer the Illinois senator on his finance reversal. But McCain doesn't have his own giant seal.

The Obama campaign is clearly counting on any stink over the broken pledge to blow over in the 136 days left before the election. And, of course, once Obama backers see the kind of first-class seal they're getting for $290-plus million, they may go along.

If Obama does raise $500 million, that'll mean he spent around two gallons of gas per vote. He raked in another $22 million in May, according to the Tribune's Mike Dorning, roughly the same as McCain.

Some people might be inclined to make fun of a grown candidate who's against an imperial presidency but needs a really Great Seal before he even gets the official nomination. Maybe they'd suggest that as good as things look now from the city of big winds, maybe he's counting his eagles before they hatch.

But even if he loses in November, for $500 million Obama and Michelle could build their own White House. And paint it any darned color they want.

For a video of Obama explaining his public funding reversal, along with subversive subtitles from the funny folks over at 23/6, click on the Read more line below.

--Andrew Malcolm 

Photo credit: Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Comments

[Chuck]

Wow, the right wing is really desperate this time, yes? Is this all you've got, rightie? No swift boats, no BJs, no shady investments, no Paula Jones. For this "author's" information, presidential candidates have been running out "official" looking crap to make them look more "presidential" since the very first election. So, this is all the right wing slime machine has? Probably not, but we know that this is the only way they win. They can manipulate 5 percent of us with their lies. But, this time, they may need a lot more than 5 percent. They're going to need something a lot bigger than a funny looking seal this time around. We, on the other hand, have the "Keating five", 5 dollar gas, foreclosures, the provocation of the Arab world, the worst foreign policy disaster in our history, illegal occupations, the raping of our rights, torture and war crimes. Hmmm, sounds like the right wing noise machine is going to need a little more than a funny looking Obama seal.

[LK]

Awful ... smacks of overcompensation ... get rid of it.

[in_awe]

It's an elite thing - you wouldn't understand

[b]

08vote represents the intelligence and awareness of the average Obama voter. He/she appears to believe:

1) Typing in ALL CAPS conveys the point better.
2) People don't make assumptions about your intelligence based on your grammar.
3) The media is biased toward Republicans.
4) The Swift Boat Veterans were proven to be lying about John Kerry.
5) BHO is a new type of politician the likes of whom the world has never seen.

[Mars vs Hollywood]

"Obama's money raising operation is unpresedented and it's grass roots."

Not like you think. Sen. Obama said recently that 90% of his donations are from small donors, which is half-true at best. 90% of the people who donated to his campaign are small donors, but the money they sent only makes up 36% of the money he has raised. Think about that.

Oh, yeah, and he has 14 of those "evil" lobbyists acting as "bundlers" for his campaign funds.

Enjoy your hope and change.

[artbyruth]

It reminds me of 2004 when John Kerry's campaign plane had "John Kerry-President" painted on the side.

Talk about arrogance! Well, Obama is using the same tactics...only, Kerry LOST the election.

The Obama campaign may want to re-think following a loser.

[Willis]

The legality issue isn't where to hit him on this. The issue is how ridiculous he and his followers look. It is very hard to take the Obamites seriously.

I can't wait until they have uniforms. And then we know fan fiction won't be too far behind.

[BJ]

The pompousness, audacity, and presumptiouness of Barack Hussein Obama knows no bounds!

First, he changes his mind about taking public financing because he thinks contributions from his minions will far outpace this.

At the rate he's going ($21m in May), he's on pace to just about match the amount of Public Financing at $85 million! For this small difference, he's willing to gamble away his integerity.

It would serve him better if he accepted public financing, and donated his contributions to the victims of flooding in the midwest!

And NOW, to subliminally use the Presidential Seal as a marketing tool of entitlement, all he's proving to voters is that he is the ultimate panderer and shiftiest of politicians.

He is such a joke, it would suit him better to use the SMILEY face logo as his official seal instead! And to complement his candidacy, he should choose Howdy Doody as his running mate!

Although I do like Dr. Banks' idea about about Obamabots wearing giant Obama seals with large gold chains ala Flavor Fav!

[Frege]

The issue here is not the legality, the issue is how ridiculous he and his followers look. It is very hard to take the Obamites seriously.

I can't wait until they have uniforms. And then fan fiction won't be too far behind.

[George]

If he can have one, I want my own too! I want two eagles fighting, sort of like a cock fight, but different, y'know....and then I want two hot chicks, one black and one maybe latino, or even white, and an H3 behind them and then machine guns, and underneath my motto....The Bling is the Thing...we all need our own presedential seal....

[AW]

Its a campaign sign. Get over it. The only elements that resemble the Great Seal Of the United States are the displayed pose of the eagle clutching arrows and the olive branches, and the fact that it is a circle. None of the other heraldic elements of the Great Seal are there. If it were a violation of Federal law, then they would have taken action.

As for the clutched arrows, Obama has not indicated that he is against war in general. If he were, that'd make me very happy ( I am a Buddhist ). He is against the war in Iraq, but he doesn't seem to object to the war in Afghanistan or in defending Israel. One step at a time I suppose.

This is hardly the most important thing we could be discussing this election, the accusations of arrogance regarding this campaign sign are designed to evoke a negative emotional response, a distraction from the issues.

I will be voting for him because I agree with his energy policies, probably more than any war issues. I think its more important to make the first steps toward ending our dependence on oil in general, not just foreign oil.

[Mike]

The definition of "swiftboating" - To reveal the truth about a person who claims to have done something or earned something they truly did not. To tell the truth. To reveal when someone is lying. Here is to more swiftboating...

[Hutch]

A much better translation is " However, we have influence."

[Gale]

No doubt he'll be changing the Pledge of Allegiance to read "One Obamanation under God".

[jimboster]

A nifty new seal just begs for an equally nifty new uniform. The type of ensemble the sartorial inspired Obama can wear to state dinners and such.

http://harowo.com/uploads/Image/1-3/selassie.jpg

[MarkJ]

Ericka,

"Yawn...If any preseidential canidate was in his position they would do the same thing. Obama's money raising operation is unpresedented and it's grass roots. Looking at the polls and the primaries, the generational divide is stark this election."

Gee Ericka, you and lot of your good-time buddies are doing a lot of "yawning" these days at stories that, to most adults, are of critical--or even of life-and-death--importance. I cordially suggest you get yourself checked for an attention-deficit disorder--many folks go for years without realizing they have one.

[Patricia]

I think the seal adds a touch of class to Barack Obama's campaign. Remmeber, this candidate is making this election historical and he has done nothing conventional in this campaign. He is definitely about "Change". SOMETHING WONDERFUL IS HAPPENING HERE AND THAT IS A FORWARD MOVEMENT!! I am so excited!! I believe in you Barack Obama and respect you for "Doing it Your Way!! Your foes are running scared. I am "loving it"!!! YES WE CAN!!! Go, Go, Go, Barack Obama! 08'

[mw]

And soon to be rolled out by the "message" machine:

Arm bands, in bright, bold colors; with,
Huge rallies, held at night, with dramatic lighting; and,
Soaring oration, expressing the anger and frustration of generations who are downtrodden, deprived of that which is rightfully theirs, demanding "change", whatever.

Be careful, methinks you get that which you ask for, in full measure and then some.

[Occam]

The epitome of arrogant presumptuous narcissistic self idolatry, and just plain freaking lame. I hope Obama's geniuses keep coming up with this stuff. What a bunch of buffoons!

Prediction: We will see another CHANGE when this disappears never to be seen again ... get 'em while you can ... destined to be collectors items for political hall of shame. Fire up the Tivos, there will be some classics coming from the late-night shows.

[Occam]

Obama campaign slogans:

CHANGE ... what you'll have left after I raise taxes.
CHANGE ... your gas prices upwards, but gradually
CHANGE ... my hat size because every day my head gets bigger
CHANGE ... the national motto to: In Obama We Trust.
CHANGE ... what I do to my story depending upon whom I'm talking to.
CHANGE ... what I do every day to my foreign policy
CHANGE ... what I do to my trade policy depending upon whom I'm talking to
CHANGE ... your lifestyle because the rest of the world doesn't like you
CHANGE ... my friends when they turn out NOT to be "The person I knew"
CHANGE ... what my radical left-wing ideologue handlers have in store for you
CHANGE ... what I do to facts to suit my needs.
CHANGE ... FISA line that we crossed but I have now moved back
CHANGE ... from public to private campaign financing because I can raise more money
CHANGE ... I'll debateJohn McCain anytime, anywhere; except when and where he asks me.
CHANGE ... the words of others and claim they're mine, because words count.
CHANGE ... more of you into victims of something and build government programs to take care of you
CHANGE ... you into a ward of the state so that I OWN you and your vote
CHANGE ... your mind and believe in me for I am the Obamessiah come to save you
CHANGE ... into giggling sycophants; liberal mainstream media do under the spell of the Obamessiah
CHANGE ... the chant I use to control the weak-minded Obamanized masses
CHANGE ... into an Obamatron; join the cult, repeat the chant: CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE ...
CHANGE ... what I plan to do to America because it's the greatest country on the planet.
CHANGE ... the national anthems of all the nations of the world to Kumbaya using my messianic foreign policy skills
CHANGE ... into mumble-mouthed idiot when I don't have prepared speech to read.
CHANGE ... what I said because my rhetoric was overheated and amplified
CHANGE ... but not for us, not the left-wing liberal elite, CHANGE is for YOU.
CHANGE ... anything and everything I've said or done in my life if it will help me win
CHANGE ... the definition of change to: What I say, when I say it, to whom I say it.
CHANGE ... your underwear because you'll defecate in your pants when you wake up to find out what the left-wing liberal ideologues have done after gaining complete control of government.

CHANGE ... I can CHANGE
CHANGE ... you can't keep up with
CHANGE ... you better freaking BELIEVE in because it will WORK you over.
Obama: the AUDACITY to count on you and I being DOPEs

[f lopez]

This seal will soon be available as a 24K gold amulet (bling). It will be issue by the U. S. Treasury in as a collectors item. Buy yours now as the price is not guaranteed after January 2009.

[Michael I]

There's nothing original about Obama. Does no one at the La Times recall The Great Seal of Pat Paulsen? (At least it depicted a seal, not some dumb turkey-substitute bird.)

[tonto]

The thing is ... someone that is serious, someone who really wants to be associated with the Presidential Seal, would never accept the cheap iimitation. Someone of substance would only accept the real thing or nothing at all.. Frankly it makes him look like a wannabe.

[Dudley Didereaux]

This is so silly that it may set a record for the shortest lived political promo in recent history. There will be literally thousands of 'chops' of this thing...probably the least offensive being something like this:
http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/8747/obamaforamericaupgrddiscp5.jpg

the seal is an example of to many 'children' in the main office. a problem that plagued dean.

[The Pragmatist]

"So many suckers, so little time."
- - - Barack Obama, June 20, 2008.