Untouchable Obama
Before I forget, let me just mention that it did not escape my notice that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama quoted Alcott-fave-author David Mamet the other day in a speech somewhere to someone.
I don’t know if the Untouchables reference was lifted with Mamet’s knowledge or permission (not that it would be required), nor do I know if Obama, an Illinois senator, was intentionally co-opting the line understanding that it was written by our nation’s pre-eminent “Chicago author” (although, in the movie itself, the line, spoken by Irish Cop Jimmy Malone, is in support of what the character Malone refers to as “The Chicago Way”). Nor do I know if the quote is meant to be a dig at Mamet’s recent conversion to conservatism (although I can’t imagine what the point of such a dig would be). I do know that Mamet once wrote a speech for Dukakis back in the day that went unused — could he be moonlighting for Obama now?
What is clear is that Obama, by taking on the rhetoric of Jimmy Malone, positions himself as a moral man taking on a cabal of amoral gangsters who hate families, law and fair play, against absurd odds, and in that regard I totally get it. And I hereby vow that one day, as God is my witness, a presidential candidate will one day quote a line from Antz in his or her pursuit of power.
I would donate serious money to Obama’s campaign if, during one of the upcoming debates, he turned to John McCain to respond to McCain’s attempt at character assassination (because you know McCain will do that) and said, “You know, I was going to let you become a part of my most erotic fantasies, but now you can just write it off.”
I hear that Barack Obama can only lift 10 times his own weight.
ONLY ten times? Ha! John McCain could lift fifty times his own weight, just not over his head.
it’s ironic and sad how much obama (at least the public obama; who knows what the man really thinks?) agrees with that mamet article.
it’s also sad when people begin believing that we live in a wonderful freemarket society where things always work out, because they see the ups and downs of our friends at the water cooler. but some people aren’t at the water cooler; rather they’re dying in a war, or living in crushing poverty in the south side of chicago, or wasting away all their privileged days drinking on a connecticut yacht that never actually sails. when mamet says that most of us will change class more than once in our lives, i wonder who’s included in that ‘us’…
i also wonder how our collapsing economy, disappearing middle class, etc etc fit in to that world view, or why socialist-leaning change will be bad because the Magical Government enacts it (not normal people hired to do a job, just like the workings of the oft lipserviced Market) but i don’t want to ramble too much. gobama, a corporate centrist who talks about change beats a crazy, out of touch hawk like mccain any day.
(post script, i believe everything’s messed up, but not in the “inherent goodness” of people… i don’t think it matters if people are good or bad, we still should work for social justice)
McCain who?
Did you see GOP.com the other day?
Re: McCain who?
Wow, thanks for that. I hadn’t seen it. Is the GOP really so disappointed in its own candidate? That’s really kind of strange.