Obama's Shoes: A Historical Comparison

DailyKos has an image up, pulled from a collection of photos by Callie Shell, of Barack Obama reclining at a table, wearing shoes with holes in the soles. Naturally, the left-leaning blog makes a broad comparison to the RNC-funded fashion show that Sarah Palin has been putting on as she travels the campaign trail. Of course, the first comparison that springs to my mind is probably one that the Obama campaign would liken to the old theatrical superstition of saying the name "Macbeth" in a theatre - fellow Illinois political figure Adlai Stevenson.

Stevenson was the subject of a photograph taken by Bill Gallagher of the Flint Journal, in which the presidential contender was captured with similar holes in his shoes. That photograph earned Gallager a Pulitzer Prize in 1953, and Stevenson got himself a statue with the iconic shoe-holes at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington. But it didn't translate into an electoral win for Stevenson, a historical note that I'm guessing Obama would prefer not to repeat.

Comments

[shelobo]

01:46 PM on 11/11/2008

Obama said he would improve the economy. Turns out he already has, at least in one retail niche: GUN SALES ...http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/07/uselections2008-barackobama gotta love the FEAR factor when it comes to selling a product ,reminds of the surge in Bomb shelters in the 50's ,when we were told the russians were coming ....now those remaining old bomb shelters are called 'storm cellars'

[Territc]

09:16 AM on 11/11/2008

Those shoes have a story to tell - They have walked the road from the announcement to the Election.

[DrThink]

01:18 AM on 10/26/2008

Nice to see that a confirmation that MCain supporters do post articles on the Huffington post.

[sammy50]

02:38 PM on 10/25/2008

If he is elected, everyone's shoes will look like that.

[raviche]

07:17 PM on 10/25/2008

Yes, We have been wasting our resources of mother earth, we should be ashamed of that. If you love the ideas of being a conservative, then follow the principles of conservative to the core, and be liberal to others. Is it not the core principle of being a Christian.

[shelobo]

01:40 PM on 11/11/2008

I remember wearing shoes in worse shape than Obamas,we were to poor to have new shoes every three months,we got new shoes ONLY when school started each YEAR.There were five of us ,and when we wanted something 'special' we WORKED for it.I remember Palin makeing a comment at one of her rallys'that Obama should try wearing her shoes' just once,well the cost of JUST one pair of her shoes would have probably PAID my electric bill and then some....

[LaughingLast]

08:41 AM on 10/25/2008

I think it's interesting that Democrats see the holes in his shoes as a badge of honor whereas so many Republicans think of the holes as some indication of character flaws and a disgrace! I live in a small town, and the local shoe repair shop, run by two immigrant Korean brothers, is doing quite well! And our town is probably going 70% in favor of Obama! He's got his priorities and his focus on things that really matter to this nation.

[shelobo]

01:42 PM on 11/11/2008

In todays meaningless,materialistic world ,character is something some people think you can pick up at the mall on sale....

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

08:13 AM on 10/25/2008

I got my Obama pin today! Yey!!!!

[greentipcove]

06:43 PM on 10/25/2008

Me too!

[InnerThetan]

02:16 AM on 10/25/2008

Like I said before, I love a man in a pair of well-worned shoes. It shows his personality without even talking to him. Some women look at hands, but I always look at shoes first, even before the eyes. Might sound strange, but I am usually right. Always marry a man who doesn't care about shoes. He will love you forever. I know b/c I am now married 34 years. Obama/Biden08

[InnerThetan]

02:04 AM on 10/25/2008

I find a man who has holes in his shoes very sexy. Sorry, Michelle, but he is. Love you for loving him, too. You have good taste.

[sonoffestus]

12:39 AM on 10/24/2008

This is the guy we need in the WH. Smart people buy really good shoes and take care of them. I have a pair of Johnston & Murphy that have been with me close to 30 years. They've been resoled a number of times. I figure I'll be dead before I need a new pair. Those shoes are better travelled than most folks I know. They're voting for Obama too!

[sonoffestus]

12:27 AM on 10/24/2008

Cool...........I'm not the only one!

[Sergeantsmom]

10:49 PM on 10/23/2008

OK,
Maybe it's an Illinois thing. Or a Midwestern thing. But A LOT OF US wear holes in our shoes before we get them repaired or buy new.
What, are we supposed to be thinking about our wardrobe 24/7?
Maybe we're WORKING, heaven forbid. Maybe we know it's there, but we have to wait till we get a Saturday off, or part of a Saturday off, to get new.

I am a physician, a Board Certified Internist for 24 years, and I STILL do not have a personal assistant to do my wardrobe.

[Axekick]

01:18 AM on 10/25/2008

You are correct. I am from the midwest and only know it's time for new soles on my shoes after feeling rain from the sidewalk entering them while walking from the parking garage to the office.

[CalifroniaMark]

08:41 PM on 10/23/2008

I LOVE THIS PICTURE!

WHAT A CONTRAST AT THIS JUNCTURE IN OUR HORRIBLE ECONOMY. SARAH PALIN SPENDS

150,000.00 DOLLARS ON CLOTHES IN A MONTH WHILE TELLING EVERDAY AVERAGE JOES WHO

CAN HARDLY AFFORD MILK OR GAS THAT SHE IS JUST LIKE THEM WHILE BARACK OBAMA

WALKS AROUND WITH HOLES IN HIS SHOES WHICH IS MORE IN TOUCH WITH EVERYDAY

PEOPLE.

... BUT THEY CALL OBAMA A SNOB AND AN ELITIST... WHAT A JOKE THE REPUBLICANS ARE.!

[pthesmith]

07:11 PM on 10/23/2008

What a wonderful photo! Those holes are both a testament to the hard work he's put in on this campaign, and proof he's not an elitist.

[ebanks84]

05:21 PM on 10/23/2008

They look so good together, all four of them. What a great connection they have and you can see their respect and genuine feelings for each other. Wonderful!

[ReesieKitty]

12:14 PM on 10/23/2008

It's so weird that people still believe ( because they WANT TO, I suppose) that Obama is a multi-millionare and SARAH PALIN isn't. She IS- the Palins had an income of over a million dollars last year and it's PUBLIC RECORD. If you are too lazy or stupid to check that yourself, then you are just... well, lazy and stupid.
I understand that Obama has had those shoes re-soled. :) One thing I thought when I saw the pictures above was " Wow, he has BIG feet!" lol

[PhoenixtheUndying]

03:35 PM on 10/23/2008

he may be rich but he dosent spend enomous amounts of money on clothing and then call people elitist, socialist, terrorist lovers

[preemptivelove]

03:14 AM on 10/25/2008

come to think of it, he doesn't really "call people" anything, does he?

obama/biden 08.

[ITSDEE]

04:49 PM on 10/23/2008

Oh Yeah!!! (to the big feet) :-))))