This won't seal the deal
James Forsyth 5:13pm
The Obama campaign’s decision to roll out its own version of the presidential seal (pictured) strikes me as a mistake for several reasons. First of all it looks arrogant, as if they are taking the result of the election for granted. Second, messing around with the presidential seal is bound to upset some people.
Replacing the flag shield with Obama’s own logo and E pluribus unum with a Latin version of yes we can will hardly assist the Obama campaign in its attempt to rebut the idea that the campaign is a personality cult. More seriously, it is not going to help on the patriotism front either. Some people are going to see this as a disrespectful move, as proof that Obama doesn’t value and cherish the traditions of America enough.
Obama’s first general election ad showed that the campaign understands the need to reassure voters that Obama is one of them, that he isn’t some alien figure but someone who loves America deeply and is respectful of its traditions. Rolling out this seal, undercuts that message.
DC Cat
June 22nd, 2008 7:45pm Report this commentJames, I think you have gone off the deep end here. It is just a logo. Get some perspective
Ganpat Ram
June 23rd, 2008 7:11pm Report this commentObama is great at campaigning, especially with the media.
He is not nearly so good with the actual voters - note his measly, desperately gained margin of victory against a fumbling, bungling Clinton.
He is great at providing smooth answers to a gullible media - slippery answers that talk him out of serious trouble, as in the case of his Black Power background.
And this smooth media-massaging seems to be just enough to get him into the White House by a small margin.
Especially as McCain has so far foolishly, suicidally, refused to take the gloves off in attacking Obama's flagrantly unpatriotic history, the betrayal of America that his long association with Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers constitutes.
Clinton made the same deadly mistake. McCain has learned nothing from her defeat, it seems. He is not a reflective man.
Of the American media today it can be said they have utterly discredited themnselves. They have shown themselves willfully blind and credulous. "Eyes Have They But They See Not, Ears Have They, But They Hear Not".
Yet Obama's troubles will begin once he is in office, and suddenly has to provide hard decisions instead of a slimy rhetoric avoiding them, to take tough stands, and to explain things clearly and credibly.
That will never be easy for a professional avoider of issues lke him.
Hence he will quickly come to be one of the most despised and least trusted of US presidents.
Unbeknownst to herself, Hillary is actually lucky that Obama has turned her down for the VP slot.
Unless she discredits herself by becoming his belated toady, she should be well-placed for the 2012 campaign, when the country will be desperate to find CHANGE WE CAN TRUST.
Obama will lead a cgharmed life - until he is in the Oval Office. The everything will suddely change. Hard questions to which clear answers are needed will be put. The media-powered fairy dream will have a bleak awakening.
Ganpat Ram
June 23rd, 2008 7:14pm Report this commentOf course it's incredibly arroghant.
But will stodgy pompous McCain even notice?
He always misees opportunities.
Roanld Reagan would have known how to puncture Obama with a few deadly sneers !
Greg Noonan
June 23rd, 2008 7:20pm Report this commentTotally agree, James. Reaches too far.
Ian C
June 25th, 2008 11:31am Report this commentFrom a reader on Donald Luskin's blog: -
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121435112024101581.html?mod=djemITP
"I thought you might be interested to learn that not only is Obama’s “Presidential” seal insanely arrogant, but the “Latin” phrase it contains is actually not very good Latin. “Vero Possumus” contains the dative or ablative of the word verus (truth). First of all this would translate as “to truth”, “from truth”, or “by truth”, not “truly” as was intended by the creator of the phrase. Secondly, “verum” in this context is not the appropriate word. A much better Latin expression for the intended meaning – “truly we can” or “yes we can” would be “Enim Possumus”.
He goes on to add: " Evidently Obama’s Latin advisors are as bad as his economic ones." Which given that his said economic advisers have not even costed his tax plans, might just be a looming problem for him.
Mat R
June 28th, 2008 6:21pm Report this commentActually "vero" on its own can stand as an adverb, it even has its own entry in the Oxford Latin Dictionary, so "vero possumus" is fine, and certainly sounds less clunky than using "enim" (which I certainly wouldn't translate as 'truly' but 'in fact' or 'actually')
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