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

[tovangar2]

I seem to recall photos of JFK with similar holes in his shoes

[AggravationKills]

If you're going to try to make false accusations against Senator Obama that the majority of America knows are false, maybe use the right word, spell check, or take one of those free IQ tests...pl­ease do that before you vote! It may be very informative for you User20082008.


Muslin, is a type of Fabric. You're on the internets.­...Google it. ;)

Sorry about that luck of yours.

[zenwhenicanbe2]

reason 8,765 why Obama rocks!

[Progress08]

Actually the campaign staff at Obama HQ took up a collection and bought him new shoes. Not that he couldn't afford them, he's just too busy trying to rescue America to think about buying shoes.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

New McCain campaign attack, you can't trust socialist liberals with holes in there soles, yak, yak.

[j.gold]

and what about McCain's $500 shoes?

[skatscan]

No worries, Stevenson ran against a heroic war time general from a winning war.

[CatPower]

Yep, you can't really compare Ike with Mac.

[Obama4change]

Obama supporters, you are so funny. I really enjoy reading your comments. The things you have come up with to explain the holes in Senator Obama's shoes. IMHO, I believe that Senator Obama dislikes shopping like myself so he wears the same shoes over and over and does not see any reason to throw them out if they still serve their purpose and they are comfortable. Now that is recycling at its best.

[greatbear451]

And that is somehow a bad thing?

How much respect do you expect a McCain/Palin administration to have with our tax money when they blow $150,000 of their campaign funds on clothing for Palin in just two months?

[ebanks84]

I know the feeling because when a pair shoes feel good, I'm the same way...goin­g to wear them all the time :)

[Lionsden]

If democrats were opposed to wealth, they wouldn't have been hoarding nearly 600,000,000 dollars to give to the campaign of the rich Senator/lawyer, Harvard grad Barack Obama. They would have given that money it to the poor. What was stopping them? Those poor democrtas who buy their shoes at the thrift shop are still doing so.

How is a guy with some of the most wealthy bankers in the world contributing to his campaign wearing worse shoes than my Crocs (which regularly wear out in short order)? Only the gullible would believe Obama cannot maintain adequate shoes.

Most wealthy people (like Soros, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and Warren Buffett) likely know that expensive shoes are only expensive up front. They can be nearly endlessly repaired and made to last decades if necessary (especially if they are orthopedic dress shoes one might need because of crippling injuries).

To not repair well made shoes indicates a lack of priorities, efficiency, poor planning, hubris, or sloth. So, I trust Obama's sporting of worn out shoes indicates that they are cheap shoes which sensible people commonly throw away when worn through unless there is a non-economic purpose for not doing so.

[boomhaeur]

Actually if you were to read the source article that accompanied these photos he comments on how he's already had the shoes resoled once since the campaign started and needs to get it done again...

[youcantbeserious]

thank you for that. these people kill me!!!

[wyntka]

You're missing the point. It's not about whether Democrats object to wealth. It's about Palin coming on the scene supposedly representing middle class families and their struggles and values. 'Joe sixpack' and his wife the hockey mom. But then for her to turn around and spend more than a tenth of a million (of other people's) dollars on clothes defeats that argument. So she was of modest means in Alaska and probably needed some new clothes, fair enough. But why $2,500 coats? Why not a $200 coat? That's what Joe Sixpack's Hockey Mom wife would get.

[Lionsden]

You are missing the point.

Sarah Palin is not merely "supposedly" representing middle class families, she IS a bona fide member of "middle class families". She is not a rich Ivy League college grad lawyer like Obama.

Obama and his family of four live off of his millions, Sarah and her family of seven live off of 166,000 dollars more or less and it appears to have always been that way.

I presume there is was junk in her wardrobe up to this point (no doubt better than mine, of course).

I feel that people are hysterical about this issue because of their own pathological obsession with money, especially other peoples money and how they spend it.

In my view (the lower middle class view) that is the definition of greed.

[pounch]

Couldn't be that he has more important things to think about than clothes...­could it?

[harriettubman]

Working class, the rich, middle class and every realm of American society has donated to Obama. He's just playing the game of politricks that were created by the old white men of this country. You have to have money for staffers, TV ads, transporation and such to run a campaign these days. His worn shoes have absolutely nothing to do with his mind, soul, & spirit. People who constantly have to shop for clothes and shoes have their priorities mixed up.

[lacrossedad]

Hundreds of millions of that money comes from sources outside the US. This is illegal and why Barry wont release the sources until after the election. Typical lib, letting the world by the election.

[Shabba]

Warren Buffett's wife regularly shops at consignment shops.
Where can I find a woman like that?

[exmate]

Did someone mention that the Eisenhauer people picked this up and added the caption "Don't let this happen to you ! " ?

[Rianna]

It just shows that the most important thing is who fills in those shoes. This picture is so telling.
Here is a simple man, who knows what it is to do without. He has seen his grandmother do it.
Palin might wear the most expensive shoes, but we know she cannot step into the shoes of a President.
If someone checks out McCain expensive shoes, we can be sure, there are no holes in them.

[Nan2008]

And he has the SOUL to prove it...

[youcantbeserious]

ba doom cha! thank you, thank you, please be kind to your waiter and bartender! next show is ...

[imusintheevening]

Dare one say "sole brother"?

[Londonboy30]

Obama's worn out his soles, while McBush has just sold his soul. Go figure...

[manofwar]

Mika & Morning Joe is still spouting Obama wears $1500.00 suits they are talking about GQ. Lies

[AnAmericanWoman]

They want to forget that if Barack bought $1500 suits the has worn them EVERYDAY for OVER 21 months! Its not the same as a 8 week princess! He has worked his tuttle OFF!

[Miss Lola]

...and McCain?

And the ultimate Stepford Wife, Cindy?

PUHLEEESE.

[piper1233]

McCain just Soled out.

[Londonboy30]

lol

[TimeGrid]

This guy is something else...

[Xavieer]

So I guess you are saying he plays Hop-scotch all his political career ???? how obsurd ..........­..........­..gum yeah ok ........yo­u you you you ??????