Obama Celebrates Win By Riding Bike

Presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama has won our admiration before, thanks to his support of cycling and his support of public transportation, as well as his eagerness to address climate change, as exemplified by the fact that he would want Al Gore to help him on climate issues (however, we have also been less-than-impressed with Obama's stance on "clean coal" technology). Now, after a protracted, difficult campaign, Obama has finally won the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. So how did he celebrate? According to the Associated Press, the Senator took the weekend off and "joined family and neighbors for a bicycle ride along the shores of Lake Michigan on Sunday."

This bit of news should erase any doubt left that Obama would be sympathetic to cause of cyclists. Then again, President Bush is known to be an avid cyclist, yet to our knowledge he hasn't gone out of his way to promote cycling for recreation or transportation. And while Obama still has to defeat John McCain in November, it's hard to resist imagining what it would be like to not only have a president that is a cyclist, but one that is also a bicycle advocate. When oil costs $130 a barrel, and given the desire for change in politics, that may no longer be an outlandish idea.

Image Credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Via: ::AP

More on Barack Obama
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::Contemplations on Obama's DeSmogBlog "Award," Blogging, and Presidential Politics

::McCain Wants a Gas Tax Holiday; What About the Dems?

Comments

[vfx]

Bush being a Oil proponent is legendary.
Still though, it's a good point that if he loved cycling so much (He once said he would rather do it than ever go back to work) then he could have gotten a lot of green cred by promoiting cycling nationwide. He could have introdiced bill giving tax breaks to states building bike paths etc. It probably would not have hurt his oil standing too much and he probably would have looked sincere in the process because he would have been sharing a passion.

[afgail]

You just don't understand the aristocracy. Their life's pleasures never translate into programs for the public. Like good health care, fair mortgages, safe toys, clean water, parks, real news, public transit, flood protection, clean air, jobs and retirement plans mush less bike trails.

[dutchgirl55]

Bush was a puppet of his big oil masters, so he only took to cycling for exercise, not to promote alternate types of travel. BHO is smart, articulate, and thoughtful. If it's good for people and the planet, he'll probably promote it.

Pittsburgh is catching up with the bike movement. A recent mayor was a cyclist and worked to improve and create bike paths throughout the city. I hope that movement continues here and in other cities now that we'll have someone progressive in office.

[EddieMcWords]

He doesn't show the best judgement riding in jeans, though.

I'm just saying...

[Charity Froggenhall]

If he fell, I bet he'd rather be wearing jeans than shorts. Ouch!

[BLinCincinnati]

Clearly you've never gotten knocked off a bike by a crazy motorist while in shorts riding on city streets. Glass, rocks, metal shards, trash, dirt.... not good.

[marinade]

Jeans hurt.

[RuthlessDictator]

I ride my bike four and a half miles to work and jeans are just fine.

Now if it were twenty miles I would probably wear my lycra biking shorts.

[incontempt]

Jeans do a goodbit to prevent tarburn or serious scrapes

[iamjoyce]

OMG!!!!! He needs to be CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!

[UnbiasView]

People over the age of 10 shouldn't be wearing a helmet . . . unless you are G. Bush and crash a lot.

[devadasi]

I agree unbiasview---but Obama's probably trying to set an example for his daughters.

[marinade]

It's a good idea for parents to protect themselves from bodily harm so they can take care of the kids.

[kdubbg]

Are you KIDDING?

That is such a bad idea, especially in the city. Having your dome exposed to getting hit by a car is just reckless. Helmets save lives and prevent injury. Period.

[marinade]

Everybody knows that when you turn ten your head becomes amazingly hard and doesn't splat like an egg when it hits the pavement!

[clearthinker2008]

Everyone should wear a helmet, why? Because everyone has a head.

[marymansour]

Where is that Secret Service coverage? We can't lose Barack. He's too valuable to this country and the rest of the world.

[ThirdSection]

Having been car-less for about 5 years now, it always gladdens my heart to see someone with such a high profile promoting cycling.

[way2muchsense]

...and who doesn't look ridiculous riding a bike. No bicycle pants like a certain senator from Massachusetts, and no face scrapes because the rider can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I just wonder what that thing is protruding from the rear of the seat. Anyone?

[barackingthevote247]

i bet it probably holds on to smaller bikes and helps to pull them along... maybe its for his daughters?... or its a symbol of him as a person... but dont take my word for it

[blaqntelligence]

It looks as if it could be the tow part of a child's carrier. His daughter is 6 or 7 possibly too young to keep up......Just guessing.

[Scarllatti]

No, it is called a "mud guard". Am I right?