Obama's Greek Columns Uh Oh

I've been working in Democratic politics on the local and national level a since the Olde Days when Middle School was called Jr. High, and the Age of Aquarius was a hope and not a song. I worked, mostly, for decent, inspiring and losing politicians. I now support Barack Obama, one of the most gifted and natural politicians I have ever seen, and for political junkies like me, it's been a delight to watch his campaign grow from a possibility to a juggernaut.

I'm telling you this so you know that it would have to take something really big for me to criticize a campaign I support, especially during its political convention. But there is something coming Thursday night that, to my mind, is a blunder big enough to warrant the criticism: the Greek columns on the stage of The Invesco Field where Obama is to give his acceptance speech.

Or are they Roman columns? Perhaps an art historian will join the Best Political Team on Television so CNN viewers can differentiate.

All I can say is, Uh oh.

The image of Barack Obama on stage amid those columns is all the Republicans need to reinforce their contention that he is elite. And foreign. And grandiose. And that image will become the visual equivalent of John McCain's not knowing how many houses he owns. Nothing says "out of touch with regular Americans" like Greek columns.

You're fooling yourself into thinking things like this don't matter. Since the campaign is having difficulty crafting a simple convention narrative so average Americans can relate to a black guy with a foreign name, everything counts. And pictures speak louder than words. Think John Kerry windsurfing. Or Dukakis in the tank.

These Corinthian/Doric/Ionic columns are a gift the Obama campaign is giving to the Republicans, a gift that will keep on giving. We'll be seeing endless clips of Barack Amid The Columns in a multitude of Republican attack ads. How do I know? Because if McCain's campaign did something this jugheaded, we'd be making attack ads of it, too. We're already hearing the drumbeat of wisecracks, even from liberal cable news voices.

Can't we do something to get those columns dismantled before it's too late? Leave the columns for the Emmy awards. Or "The Loretta Young Show." Whatever happened to the American flag as a backdrop for a great convention speech?

So much is at stake in this campaign -- the future of our country and perhaps the world, for example. It would be a shame to lose it all because of bad art direction or campaign leaders too busy trying to win an election to see what is right before their eyes.

You know you're in trouble when Keith Olbermann and Bill O'Reilly agree your campaign has screwed up. Mr. Axelrod, tear down those columns!

Comments

[robander]

speech was great by obama, however I found those greek columns to be very insipid and un-professional

[Interested08]

Go back and re-read her column. It isn't about the style of architecture or what the columns resemble or whether or not Obama deserves to stand before them.

The POINT of the column is that it's a stupid political move. It's bad strategy.

To run a good campaign, no matter how infatuated supporters are with their candidate they must, must, must look at how things will appear to the opponent's camp.

Why hand negative ad fodder to the opponent on a silver platter (excuse me, a faux marble slab)?

In terms of campaign strategy, this stage is a bad move. Especially for a camp that is trying to appeal to blue collar, no nonsense voters. No matter how much you love Obama, trying to defend this stage set is pointless. Even if you're in love with it as much as you love the candidate himself, what matters is how it plays out to voters who will head to the polls in November. Your sole admiration alone is not going to get your candidate elected.

[Interested08]

The stage is a laughing stock, and those who don't think things like this matter in a competitive campaign are either being naive or are out of touch. Not only does it matter among voters here in the U.S., but scroll around the web and read what bloggers across the pond are saying about this spectacle.

If this is an indication of the arrogance and ego surrounding Obama during the campaign, Americans need only imagine what will be if he wins in November.

And no-one can tell me, for one minute, that if ANY GOP politician pulled a stunt like this they wouldn't be eviscerated on every media outlet for days on end.

For all those who voted for Obama - here's your moment. Happy with what you see?

[Colleen4]

The idea that the columns were included to remind people of MLK's speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial may be correct but since I grew-up in Denver my first thought was that they were giving a nod to the host city by recreating the Greek Theater at Denver's Civic Center Park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Civiccenter1.JPG

Now, since today is the 45th anniversary of Dr. King's speech, I think that reference is more likely.

[eshalom]

Why do these columns remind me of Obama's fake presidential seal - the one about possums, or whatever?

[Bombay]

I am waiting for a political reporter, any political reporter with a brain to acknowledge the columns are representative of Washington DC Architecture. Are they blind or ignorant?

[eden4barack08]

Well, why don't we just tear down the White House, the Capitol and many State buildings while we're at it? How un-American of our forefathers to house our gov't in these Greco/Roman inspired architecture, LADEN with COLUMNS. What in the world where they thinking??? Weren't there any Repthugs ready to mock their choices back then? Or critics like Ms Grossman to warn them against it?

Nonsense isn't it? That's exactly what any Repthug attack regarding the columns would be.

[AniceLady]

Lynn Grossman,

Those columns are not meant to reflect a Greek Temple, nor will Obama appear in a cloud like Zues hurling thunderbolts.

Reuters incorrectly reported how the stage was to look....on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's beautiful "I Have A Dream" speech, maybe the stage was meant to help us remember how far we have come with a Federalist or Georgian style building in the background, or it could be meant to help us remember the Lincoln Memorial.

But it doesn't really matter what the truth is. If Republicans can successfully spin a story to tear down an adversary using racial or religious or foreign ethnic fear then its what they do. It's just what they do.

[JimR]

I'll admit that made me a bit nervous when I first read that, but I haven't seen the set yet, so I don't know. It might be fine.

When are the Democrats going to grow a spine and stop cowering in fear over what the big, mean Republlcans might do or say?

[CaptainObvious]

How can we ever trust Obama when he demonstrates such poor taste for his set-pieces? What does this say about his commander-in-chief skills?

Wake me up when it's no longer a "slow news day".

[laylahb]

What says "we want to help everyday Americans, the middle class, those who have lost everything" than a football stadium packed with 75,000 screaming fans, a backdrop of epic proportions and a spectacular fireworks event. Add a world-famous rock band at centre field and a rock star candidate.

Dosn't sound so down-to-earth and middle class to me..
Hey, professional campaign managers in Chicago, what are you thinking..

[erykah]

And we complain about the kids. Non issue

[ATL78]

I'm from the DC area and, last I checked, most buildings in DC have "Greek" columns. Could it be that the stage will resemble the heart of OUR democracy? You know the same place that MLK, Jr. gave a speech at 45 years ago to the date?

[MajorKong]

It doesn't really matter. If it wasn't the columns the GOP would pick something else to have a collective hissy fit about. That's what they do.

"It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." - Shakespeare

[Daisy1111]

I agree with the blogger. This is as ridculous as the fake cartoony presidential seal.

Thanks to the net, every image has a long life span.

If the intention is a tribute to the realization of MLK's dream, then have a picture of the man behind you.

Have one of MLK's chidlren introduce you and say "This is the realization of may father's dream."

Recreating that set is ridiculous. You can NEVER recreate that moment in time. You can never recreate the March on DC.

That day - MLK's speech - is a holy moment in our history.

Pay homage to it -- but don't turn it into some fake movie set.

This IS a mistake. And most people will either not "get it" or, even if they do, those who lived through that era, will only think to themselves, "I knew MLK, and you sir are no MLK."
And he sure ain't L i n c o l n either.

We're going to judge him on the content on his character & all we'll see is a big EGO and 80,000 adoring fans at a rock concert.