God, Obama

Given the right’s creepy hagiography of Bush with his halos in the early years, it just goes to show how fickle that religious stuff can be.
Even more reason for the separation of church and state.

Thanks for the “mostly cynical” remark: I saw the photo collection when it first was posted and thought that — with the exception of the photos of the press — the entire collection seems like sarcastic response to other campaign photo essays. The shots run from snarky (Richardson on his horse; McCains daughter barefoot in her lavish bedroom) to parody (Obama as shown here; the one of McCain’s mother; and the somber, far-away, B&W McCain advisors shot).
Anyone remember those Rolling Stone photo essays of politicians and famous Americans from the 1970’s? They were well-done and really captured something essential about the subjects. These photos seem to do just the opposite: they seem arranged purposely to advance a pre-determined, and negative, theme.

Say hallelujah? I’m an atheist, I don’t say things like hallelujah. That picture and others like it are very off-putting. UGH. Like I’ve said many times before: I feel like Morgan Spurlock on the cover of the movie Super Size Me. The fries being representative of religion.

Yikes. This sentiment is all around the ‘net today. I am more than annoyed at the press’ and the McCain campaign’s idolization of intellectual numbness. This snarky deification of Obama is an extension of a derision of intellectual curiosity and education. Not even the flip side, just a natural outgrowth. The Washington Post’s “Idiot Wind” editorial puts this forward as well. The whole “he thinks he’s better than us” is so profoundly lame.

Then, you can always go toThe Economist cover

“Then, you can always go to The Economist cover”
I think I’ll start reading the Economist….nice, very nice.
It IS time and we have someone energetic, focused and ready to work.

It’s interesting how George W. Bush, the president who told people candidly how he believed God wanted him to run for president and told him so, was only ever framed in God-like shots as cynical or ironic ploys to point out the absurdity.
With Obama, despite never claiming to be anything other than a Christian, the shots like the one above are so rigidly non-cynical and ridiculous it’s almost a satire of John McCain.

All forms of messianism suck, right, left, center. That people contain a spark is so. The minute this translates into worship it is idolatry and a danger to the polis. I prefer the Rachel shot where the reference is to his reading H. Potter to his daughter. Cheers, S

THE RAPTURE!!! Looks like he beat them to it….

“…nasty hobbitses…”

The Obama presidency is going to disappoint a lot of people if they expect him to do great things all by himself. I only hope it doesn’t turn the Democrats all cynical again, expecting miracles from him. But I think for those of us who have worked on this campaign, we know that the real effort is up to us. I don’t think people realize the millions and millions of hours of supporters’ time that have gone into this campaign, and the tremendous effort that will be required of the American people over the next four years. The whiners on the right will have plenty to complain about.
The next four years are not about Obama. They are about us, and what we can raise from the ashes Bush has left of this country.

I’m not taken by this “divine” reading of these images. If a glimmer of light shows up in a photo and I am already inspired by the subject, then I smile and let myself be inspired by the image.
I guess I’m so far “in the tank” for Obama at this point, that this “attack” on him is flipped on it’s head.
I agree with Donna, however, that WE are going to have to do the work to turn this country around.. and I believe that an inspiring LEADER showing us the way is a necessary, but not sufficient condition. Obama has good ideas and has his heart in the right place.
If the photographers catch him in saintly poses… so be it.

As a non-American un voter; one of the aspects that visually strikes beyond the Pailling flag is the sheer collosieium effect of the crowd.
it was one of the earliest GOP criticisms as i remember of the Democratic convention. That the Titian elevation of Obama took place midst polystyrene plynth. Assembled rapidly and taken down twice as quick.
I imagine that this is a shot taken in a far more concretised stadium.
The shot itself attributed to men.style.com.
i have no doubt that the photographer earnt his deity.
Same vista, an in-house Mr. Alan. I have a feeling… it would have all looked a bit different.
I thought earl mardle hit the pinhead with a nail when s/he referred us back to George’s episcopal sanctity. dont hammer yourself onto a cross if you are not broken.
If you do take that route: always remember to leave at least one hand free.
Outside of America. we do not await a saint – any Kant; any complection will do.
provided said sent self saviouries are not too tightly aligned with the last representative.
keep your nose out of politics; your politics out of our knows.
I cannot imagine why the 300 million people who are true representatives of the worlds most militiarised power; an economic powerhouse unto itself, cannot find a significantly forward thinking role.
For exactly the third-world you represent. In total conjunctive collaboration with the two-thirds world: that you thought you did.
Kid yourselves not: your conjunctivitus is our eye to eye.
Exactly why we will to truth Obama’s victory.
And yet at the same time; view askance.
The valets vallidiction. to hope and praise

The GQ spread – which seems in its opening pages to roll towards republicans – brought to mind a few images. The photo of GWB by satellite at the Minneapolis convention this year called to mind Adam Sutler, the dictator in V for Vendetta – the movie. The similar image of Sutler is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:250px-Sutler2.jpg
And not to be a spoiler, or anything, but they include everyone and their mother in the two parties photo spread, even former (and disgraced) Senators – but what about a visual representation of the alternative voices in the political spectrum – Barr, McKinney, Nader, Kucinich, etc.

woops – the link is
Adam Sutler

You are spot on Donna.

Boy, that’s a miserable shot. The shadows make his face look flabby, his hair long and greasy and his suit shiny and threadbare.
It will be a big boon to the hagiography when the press can start shooting him from straight on instead of these miserable power shots from below. Once he’s out of these big rallies, out of the spotlights, sitting in conferences and meetings instead of standing on pedestals, I suspect we will still see the power, command and skill but without the overlay of adulation.
Time to get on with it. The populace is at risk of ecstatic drunkeness.

I have been intrigued by both the crowd shots and the one-on-one shots. Take a look at these two shots lifted from Al Rogers at Daily Kos. Interesting counterpoint to the crowd shots.
http://beclear.blogspot.com/
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/31/18330/429/525/648339

I don’t know which is scarier, the photo or your commentary. Good grief.

I saw Obama in October when he came to Pennsylvania. I could not help but notice when he was on the stage speaking the increase of the Sunlight and its rays which seem to shine right on him as if saying this is my beloved messenger.

I’ve seen several pics similar to this that seem to capture Barack in a ’surreal’ way. It’s amazing. I wonder if there any of McCain. I certainly haven’t seen them.

Jesus Christ, Its Barack Obama

You dont hear too much about Obama the Messiah anymore.  Maybe because that might remind certain Far More Right Christians of some of the most radical ideas around.
Blessed are the meek for they shall in inherit the earth?  Quite radical. Re…

Nicely said.

Well, they’ve made the unitary-executive-bed, let ‘em lie in it. It’ll be their own damn fault if Obama has too much power. Personally, I hope and pray he takes steps to bring checks and balances, and the 4th amendment, back, but I wouldn’t trust anyone, including myself, with the amount of power that the Bush-Cheney team has amassed for itself.