People have cracked me up with the reaction to the Obamas' 'Dap' in St. Paul.
Here's an article at WaPo.com
This was in the replies at JJP
Here’s something I found on Slate.com today to make you guys giggle.
————–
The presidential campaign—well, one in particular—has introduced a new greeting to the political world: the fist pound (also known as daps). Last night, we saw perhaps the most high-profile pound of all time, as Michelle and Barack Obama bumped fists on national television before he took the stage.
What’s hilarious is watching the formal, AP Stylebook-loving media trying to figure out what to call it. In an article about Obama’s body man Reggie Love, the New York Times called Love’s preferred greeting a “closed-fisted high-five.” Last night produced other assorted references:
“Taking a fist-pound from wife Michelle, Obama stepped to the podium Tuesday”—MTV.com
“Michelle Obama (L) gives her husband, Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Barack Obama, a knuckle-bump as a sign of support before he speaks to supporters.”—Monsters and Critics
“At 09:09:27 Central Time, Michelle Obama gave Barack Obama a pound in St. Paul, Minnesota.”—Lola New York
“I never realized how romantic and respectful and mutually appreciative and loving a frat-tastic fist bump could be. Could it be the new peck-on-the-cheek?”—The Frisky
“… Obama, who was joined on stage by his wife Michelle, with whom he shared a celebratory fist-bump.”—Reuters
“Obama, began with a loving fist to fist thumbs up with Michelle.”—Capitol Hill Blue
“Michelle is not as ‘refined’ as Obama at hiding her TRUE feelings about America—etc. Her ‘Hezbollah’ style fist-jabbing …”—Human Events
“I loved that moment, when they touched their hands together like that.” –Commenter, bjkeefe
Hilarious. Some editor trying to find a description of it to put into a story..LOL
Another article on this by Ta-Nehisi Coates:Obama's so black...
Then listening to Chris Matthews talk about it on Hardball...
Like I said, it's been hilarious.
Posts
6 comments:
Equally as cool was the "Good play" butt slap Barack gave Michelle.
I don't think people have an idea on how refreshing having some PERSONALITY in the White House is gonna be. Obama is the man!
I thought I was the only one who noticed the dap and the MSM reaction.
It's almost like watching a Chappelle Show episode or Mad TV.
That's what they get for over-analyzing everything.
At least when they are talking about this, it means they aren't spending time trying to hang him in the Court of Public opinion.
Hello there!
Well my people... it seems that we are ONCE MORE discussing what the white people decide is newsworthy.... now this fist pound is now being featured in the black blogosphere...if the white media had said nothing about it...we would not have been putting it on our blogs....
Can we FOR ONCE create news rather than talking about what white folks decide is intriguing and "new"??? JUST ONCE?
{sigh}
Lisa
#1. Mirror On America is not confined to the issues of the "Black Blogosphere". You will find topics about all types of issues here. We are not confined to the typical Black Blogosphere box. I can't allow it.
#2. It's nice to have lighter topics every now and then. There is nothing wrong with pointing out the ridiculousness of the MSM's coverage of what some might consider such a trivial moment between a husband and wife.
And would the media even examine such a gesture if this were the Edwards's or the Biden's? Probably not.
There is a deeper story here depending on how you want to look at it. Gina from whataboutourdaughters makes a good point with her post on this topic- regarding the MSM seeing Black Americans as strange, exotic, etc, when we have been here since long before the nation was founded.
I have seen plenty of non-Blacks make the same hand gestures....it's never been a big deal. But when a Black couple uses it on such a big national stage, it becomes a story, for whatever reason. There is also the issue of the media attempting to make the Obama's seem too "urban"....as in, too "urban" for America's taste. Perhaps they want to pick up where Clinton and her media allies left off....with their attempt to shape Obama's image into that of an Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson.
This is not just about a fist pound. It is about the way that the media controls/influences the image of Black people...it's about the filter by which others see Black people in this Country.
I could write a rather long essay on the subject, but I was content with the light post that Rikyrah provided.
Can't we enjoy a few light moments once in a while? I should hope so.
And we do original blogging here as well... I don't know about "creating news"...you can find posts that go outside of the box and are not dependent on the days news stories.
But since blogs don't have the stage and the mighty pulpit that the corporate MSM has, it is often hard to make a splash. Sometimes, the best we can do is challenge and refute what is being reported by the big corporate outlets.
Maybe that will change in 10-20 years. Who knows. But the for-profit TV Entertainment-News outlets will always have a bigger audience...and they will often drive the news. They determine what is covered. But bloggers have already proven that they too can influence what gets covered. It just takes bloggers longer to get their message out.
Even if we can raise an issue to national prominence, guess what? It still has to be covered by the MSM through their filter. We (as in progressives/bloggers/Black independents/....whatever label you want to choose) We don't have our own major corporate news outlet. NPR/PBS/PRI/Pacifica Radio are probably the closest things we have...and they are no match for the big networks. So therefore, we have to rely on someone else to spread the word about a particular issue....or it means we often find ourselves responding rather than engaging in proactive storytelling/newsmaking.
I have been writing about this problem for years. This is why Democrats have had so much trouble with national elections. There is no Progressive or Independent (unbiased) counterweight to the Fox, CNN, MSNBC entertainment-news networks. Progressives have no major news outlet to turn to when they want to tell the news, unfiltered.
Pointing out the ridiculousness of the story (while laughing at it) in a way serves to highlight just how silly & out of touch the media is... (including the writers on large websites). There's nothing wrong with that.
And it does remind me of a Mad TV or Chappelle show skit... as stereotypical as they may be. It's almost a case of reality being stranger than fiction. Here you have an actual news story mimicking the kind of comedy skits we often see....rather than the skit mimicking real news.
It says a lot about the MSM, IMHO.
Hard to top that assessment, AI. Nice commentary.
Post a Comment