Anyone noticed Obama's new Seal?

[gcomeau]

I like it.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/06/20/obama-unveils-new-campaign-seal/

Obama Unveils New Campaign Seal

If Barack Obama’s new campaign seal looks familiar, it should–it’s a riff off of the official U.S. presidential seal.

Both feature an eagle holding arrows in the left talon and olive branches in the right talon, but Obama’s monochromatic blue-colored seal states “Vero Possumus” (Latin, roughly, for “Yes We Can”) in place of “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of many, one). Replacing the shield in the center of the eagle is Obama’s campaign symbol of a rising sun.

Also, in place of “Seal of the President of the United States” around the circular border, it says “Obama for America” and includes his campaign’s Web site, www.barackobama.com.

Obama unveiled the new seal while speaking during a Democratic Governors meeting in Chicago on Friday.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Wolf Blitzer at CNN was hot and bothered by it.

Wolfie was almost panicked.....said it was too close to the real thing!

Called it pompous. How dare the man get close (I guess). :eyes:

But then we knew Wolf Blitzer was an asshole? Right? :shrug:

[TeamJordan23]

4. yeah, I saw that. What a tool he is. nm

[Hieronymus]

66. No doubt, Wolf wants McCain.

[madaboutharry]

8. Wolf Blitzer is a tightass.

Everytime I look at him I think that his potty training must have been very traumatic.

[City Lights]

26. LOL!

:spray:

I totally agree!

[1Hippiechick]

77. BUT...Obama has left himself WIDE OPEN for this seal to be mocked/redrawn - fodder for racists...

Visualize opossum being substituted for Eagle...
Visualize Eagle with assorted items in talons, i.e., watermelon, chicken leg
Visualize ObamaSockMonkey in seal

They're gonna have a field day with this one....

:banghead:

[question everything]

98. I really don't want to visualize any of these

shudders.

[KoKo]

109. agree....for all the reasons you say... Who thought that up? bad timing and design...sheesh..

some campaign op who got off the reservation? :eyes:

[DearAbby]

79. Insert lumps of coal

from the immense pressure, diamonds pop out! But not a job I would want...thanks, no thanks.

[highplainsdem]

9. A lot of people will agree with Blitzer on this.

Personally, I don't like the new seal. I wish they hadn't gone with that design.

[TeamJordan23]

30. I disagree. It makes him look presidential. nm

[highplainsdem]

39. It makes him look as if he's trying desperately to look presidential. It undercuts his own strength

and presence.

And the warlike eagle counters the image of hope in his original logo.

It's a mess. I'm amazed anyone thought it was a good idea.

[Political Heretic]

71. I think its a complete non-issue.

[dems_rightnow]

76. Depends on whether the media makes it an issue.

I'm guessing they will, they've already started.

[KoKo]

110. again...good comments....let's hope the darned thing is deep sixed, fast! n/t

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

32. More won't.

[complain jane]

56. My wild guess

is that they are trying to hammer home Obama (who is new and different to many voters in many ways) associated with the old and not-so-different presidential seal in some subliminal way.

Well I mean I hope so anyway... I choose to think it was a well-thought-out and clever move. :shrug:

[Cali_Democrat]

63. Americans don't care about a potential presidential candidate's seal

get real

[RoyGBiv]

19. Tangent ...

Wolf Blitzer's name has always struck me as Nazi-ish, like the name some Waffen SS guy would have adopted to show how much of a murderous stud he was.

Oooh, check me out, fraulein. I am the Wolf Blitzer. I killed thousands today.

Ahem.

I probably shouldn't say that, but my brain threw up the thought, and I felt the need to share.

[NYC_SKP]

31. Blitzer is a tool.

He's a tool, a fucking puppet voicing whatever is fed to him, and without original thought.

[madura]

41. he is a disgrace to journalism or whatever he calls himself.

hard not to notice how excited and gleeful he gets when he can deliver some irrelevant trash to throw against Obama.

[Cha]

43. That means it's

Excellent.

[AZBlue]

51. I'm hot and bothered by Wolf Blitzer.

And not in a good way...

[Orsino]

80. In other words, Obama is too close to being president?

Yeah, I'll bet Blitzer was blitzed.

[Phx_Dem]

100. If Wolf hates it,

then I like it all the more! He's always got his panties in a bunch about something. Such a twit.

[janx]

102. If Wolf Blitzer wants to see pomposity, all he has to do is to look

at the Chimp's "Western White House" seal, the one that he has repeatedly displayed at his Texas ranch. That really burned me because the implication was that the White House = the Chimp. The White House is the "people's house," a place the people grant the president to live and work. The White House has nothing to do with any particular occupant.

[anigbrowl]

104. It IS pompous. But I'm OK with that. I'm one of those elitist types.

I'm in favor of anything that causes the republicans to waste their energy grumbling over it.

[KittyWampus]

2. it gets my seal of approval.

[cbayer]

3. This is my new seal.

I like them both!

[Coexist]

6. you have my approval

[cbayer]

11. I had better or these seals are coming to get you.

[Abacus]

28. Not if I trap'em in here.

[cbayer]

35. That seals the deal! You win.

[Raine]

12. That's ADORABLE...

I LOVE it! :loveya:

[cbayer]

13. That is one of those babies that they club to death.

They can't have any heart. How could you look that in the eye and kill it?

[Raine]

20. I know and I can't believe

people can do that. :cry:

[complain jane]

57. Awwww! That's a great seal!

[1Hippiechick]

72. Too CUTE!

[RC]

5. Obama has the makings of a different Presidency

Now of only he will go after the terrorists in our White House

[LeftyMom]

7. Too busy.

Visually, it has too many elements, and distracts from what should be the object of the photo- Obama.

The stripes and sun image they use on the campaign merch is much better, it complements the themes of the campaign visually without being a distracting element.

[highplainsdem]

15. I agree. The eagle and the rising sun image are badly combined.

[blogslut]

48. I agree, it's a little busy

But they've been displaying variations on the presidential seal on his site for months. This isn't really a new thing. Displaying it on his podium is. I hope they drop it.

[hisownpetard]

114. So do I. It's ostentatious and unnecessary and, in my opinion, very un-Obama-like.

I really do wonder who came up with that idea.

Ugh.

[blogslut]

115. The campaign already ditched the seal

Did you not know this?

[hisownpetard]

116. No, I didn't. I was away for 8 days, with no computer access. Glad to hear that, though.

[Radical Activist]

62. Since the rising sun and eagle were both symbols used by the other side in WW2

its an odd choice. But I like it.

[1Hippiechick]

73. Different rising sun.....

[hedgehog]

87. The rising sun is also a solid American motif

[Davis_X_Machina]

94. Remember the sun...

...carved on the back of the president's seat at the Constitutional Convention?

While waiting to sign the draft Constitution, Franklin noticed a carving of half a sun on the back of Washington's chair. He is supposed to have said "I have often looked at that picture behind the president without being able to tell whether it was a rising or setting sun. Now at length I have the happiness to know that it is indeed a rising, not a setting sun."

[Tinksrival]

10. Ha!

When elected President this symbol should be on the back of every dollar! Heads EXPLODE!

[PM7nj]

14. Last month the nuts at His44 did an "analysis" of that logo.

They figured it is a fascist symbol.

[Straight Shooter]

16. Hmm ... possumus

[ladjf]

21. How did you guys get a photo of my dog?

[Straight Shooter]

38. .

:D

[1Hippiechick]

75. Thank GOD you found my cat! I can take these posters down!

http://laughingsquid.com/cat-found-not-very-friendly/

[Straight Shooter]

84. LOL!

Yes, the resemblance is remarkable :P

[Liberal Veteran]

92. I like these opossums better

[Straight Shooter]

99. OMG, look at those EARS!!

:7

[Raine]

17. It's kind of presumptious

looks too much like the Presidential seal. I hope it doesn't backfire on him. :yoiks:

[highplainsdem]

29. The combination of presumptuousness and the rather comical "vero possumus" wording is really bad.

Very few people have studied any Latin. They'd have been smarter to use "Yes we can" in English. They'd have been smartest not to copy the presidential seal. I don't know how they could have thought this new seal would help. What's next, playing "Hail to the Chief" at his campaign appearances?

I like his original logo -- it's beautiful, and it suits his campaign.

[ladjf]

18. Hey, it's just an advertising logo. If the public doesn't like it, re-design it.

Why fight it?

[highplainsdem]

33. I'll be very surprised if they don't ditch it soon.

[babylonsister]

22. Obama's presidential (opossum) seal

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/

Obama's presidential (opossum) seal
Posted June 20, 2008 7:24 PM
The Swamp

by Frank James


Sen. Barack Obama's campaign has stirred a lot of buzz with its latest innovation, a new seal that combines elements of the actual presidential seal and Obama's logo.

Some people are poking fun at the Obama folks for this. But if you want voters to imagine your candidate as president, what better way to do that than to have him appear behind a faux presidential seal? It actually makes sense on a certain level.

And this is probably a good time to experiment with it. That way, if there's a voter backlash, the sense that Obama has gone too far, the campaign has plenty of time to throw the seal down the memory hole in the hope that it will have been forgotten by Election Day.

They may want to rethink the Latin inscription "vero possumus," however. It made me think of opossum. I don't think the campaign wants people thinking of opossum when they look at Obama.

Vero possumus essentially means "Truly we're able" which is basically "Yes, we can," the Obama campaign's slogan.

Maybe "speratus" which means "hope" would've worked better. At least it wouldn't have people thinking of opossum.

[Cha]

50. Vero Possumus!

Truly We Are Able..yeah, babyB-)

[Dems to Win]

64. Possums for Obama!

Possums are the only pouched mammals native to North America.

I welcome them to the Obama Phenomena.

[Cha]

86. Why not? Dog and cats know

elections matter.:)

[KoKo]

111. Get RID OF IT...Obama....no possums....!

Maybe because I grew up in the land of Opposums... that was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw that. :crazy:

[highplainsdem]

23. Chicago Tribune's Frank James: "Obama's presidential (opossum) seal"

http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/06/obamas_great_seal.html

Some people are poking fun at the Obama folks for this. But if you want voters to imagine your candidate as president, what better way to do that than to have him appear behind a faux presidential seal? It actually makes sense on a certain level.

And this is probably a good time to experiment with it. That way, if there's a voter backlash, the sense that Obama has gone too far, the campaign has plenty of time to throw the seal down the memory hole in the hope that it will have been forgotten by Election Day.

They may want to rethink the Latin inscription "vero possumus," however. It made me think of opossum. I don't think the campaign wants people thinking of opossum when they look at Obama.

Vero possumus essentially means "Truly we're able" which is basically "Yes, we can," the Obama campaign's slogan.

Maybe "speratus" which means "hope" would've worked better. At least it wouldn't have people thinking of opossum.

[AlCzervik]

24. it's a tad busy.

[QC]

25. Enormous, too. n/t

[Name removed]

27. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[discopants]

34. McCain will have one too within a week.

[Poll_Blind]

36. I can't believe I like it. But I do.

:shrug:

PB

[highplainsdem]

37. ABC's Political Punch (Jake Tapper): "The Audacity of Hype"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/06/the-audacity-of.html

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., debuts a rather familiar-looking seal as he speaks to Democratic governors in Chicago Friday.

According to ABC News' Sunlen Miller, the Obama campaign says that the Latin above the eagle -- "Vero Possumus" -- translates as "yes we can."

No word on whether they played a remix of "Hail to the Chief" as Obama walked in.

- jpt

I posted my reply above -- asking "What's next, playing "Hail to the Chief" at his campaign appearances?" -- before I saw these comments of Tapper's.

Again, I like Obama's original logo. I believe this new seal is a huge mistake and a very superficial attempt to make Obama look more presidential, one that will backfire and draw ridicule. He doesn't need this to look presidential.

[highplainsdem]

40. Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "An awfully presidential logo" (w/RNC reaction)

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/06/an_awfully_pres.html

Barack Obama isn't president, at least not quite yet.

But the campaign logo that debuted today bears an uncanny resemblance to the presidential seal.

-snip-

Asked about the resemblance, Obama spokesman Bill Burton replied, "Just because it has an eagle?"

UPDATE: The Republican National Committee didn't pass up a chance to gig Obama over the logo. “Unfortunately for Barack Obama, props won’t seal the deal with the American people," RNC spokesman Danny Diaz said in a statement. "Obama will be judged on his record not oversized, make-believe presidential logos.”

Well, the RNC reaction was predictable.

But Obama spokesman Bill Burton's lame reply to the question about the resemblance to the presidential seal wasn't.

That's really disappointing. The campaign knows exactly how closely they've copied the presidential seal, and it was of course deliberate, and a response like "Just because it has an eagle?" makes it sound as though they believe everyone else is stupid. Did they think this was some subtle, possibly subliminal message they were getting across?

I'd love to know whose idea this was. It's one of the worst ever to come out of Obama's campaign.

[ErinBerin84]

42. not my favorite, but no surprise that the media is in a tizzy.

Obama could rescue nuns from a burning church, and the media would find a way to criticize him for it. Plus, McCain with his lime green background and jacked variation of Obama's slogan doesn't have much standing to be taken seriously if he jumps on Obama for this. I know that the MSM will try to, but I don't really give a fuck (well, I kind of do since it bothers me, haha). If it wasn't this, it would be something else. And Jake Tapper is a joke.

[SoCalDem]

44. A certain lady in Florida is pissed.. She'll lay claim to the possum idea

[babylonsister]

54. I'm dying! WHERE did you find that pic?! What a champ is Ms. Harris.

}(

[Dems to Win]

65. Animal cruelty. No wonder Harris is BFF with Bush.

[highplainsdem]

45. Weekly Standard suggests the seal may be illegal:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/06/is_obamas_great_seal_illegal_1.asp


Not sure how likely this is -- I'd've expected to Obama campaign to check it out in advance -- but the fact it was brought up at all is another reason why this seal design was a mistake. (In addition to being inferior to the old logo.)

[ErinBerin84]

46. I wish that the Weekly Standard was illegal.

Kidding, kidding (sort of). I agree that it was a mistake...I think that the Obama campaign isn't getting the "symbolism" thing quite right yet (I don't really care at all about the symbolism thing, so none of these issues- lack of symbolism or overcompensation-really bother me), hopefully the campaign will find a comfortable middle soon. I liked the old logo better.

[highplainsdem]

47. Yes, the old logo is brilliant -- just perfect. Don't know why they felt this new seal was needed.

[psychopomp]

58. I read that Sen. Obama didn't like the original campaign logo when it was presented to him

I think the original logo is good as far as logos go, if a little too slick. It strikes me as a very clever marketing device. The new logo is inappropriate; the Presidential seal is one of our national symbols and should not be altered to support a candidate or political organization. Rather than look presidential, it looks phony and smacks of political hubris.

On edit, I gave it a second look and recalled what immediately struck me about this symbol: it coldly lacks the humanism that I think is the most important aspect of Sen. Obama's campaign. It looks sterile and does nothing to bring to mind the movement of ordinary people that is working to put Sen. Obama in the White House.

[parasim]

69. Well, I think the Weakly Standard is being silly.

I assume that when it says a "likeness" it means a reproduction, or something that looks exactly like the official seals. Like "impersonating an officer" kinda thing.

However, I may very well not know what I'm talking about...

[Cha]

49. bush stood behind the presidential seal

for 8 years and made a mockery of the office. I think Obama can do this seal justice and the one he gets without his logo when he becomes President.

[nsd]

52. I like the old one better -- the sun over the horizon one. /nt

[ChazII]

78. Me, too. n/t

[WeDidIt]

53. IT was a bad move

Not smart at all.

I'm wondering if Solis-Doyle dreamed it up.

Hopefully they will dump it immediately.

[ProSense]

55. Someone needs to pull Obama aside and plead with him to dump this albatross

What is in the eagles stomach? Is it pregnant with a Pepsi?

It's the greatest generation meets the Pepsi generation:

Birth of Soft Drink.


Weird.


The current logo is fabulous. McCain liked it

[grantcart]

59. lol agree

[YvonneCa]

82. ...

... :7 It HAS to go...awful.

[whistler162]

60. A rising sun how did I miss that......

OH NO he's a closet Shinutist along with being a closet radical Muslim and a radical Christian!

Or maybe he is secretly loyal to Japan!


OH NOES!!!!!!

[Dems to Win]

61. “Vero Possumus” Cool. I like possums.

[cornermouse]

67. I don't like possums.

I catch them periodically in a live trap and they tend to have a bad odor and most of them, not having access to veterinary care, tend to look a little on the ratty side.

[Cali_Democrat]

93. Nonsense!! The possum is a gorgeous animal.

[cornermouse]

96. There's nothing quite like

opening the door barefoot (summertime) after hearing a scratching sound and looking down to see one of those next to your bare foot.

They like chickens so I always take them at least 5 miles away before carefully opening the live trap while being ready to let go and run for my life in case they decide to head in a direction other than the weeds I've carefully pointed them towards.

[AspenRose]

85. Possums are evil.

I don't like the logo. Please consider going back to the old one, Senator.

[parasim]

68. It would be fine on a t-shirt or...

magnet, or hat... but I think he looks a bit silly standing behind it like that. I really wish that he didn't do that.

I would totally wear a t-shirt with it on it, though.

Not a great move...

[MyNameGoesHere]

70. Well what ever. If it floats his boat

then okay fine. It's not something i would do. Seems a tad presumptuous. But if he thinks he needs it then by all means go ahead.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

74. I actually don't like it at all. It's too much and needs more color: red and gold.

[GarbagemanLB]

81. Don't like it. Too presumptuous.

[MonkeyFunk]

83. Ugh

presumptuous. Candidates don't need seals.

[chimpymustgo]

88. I disliked the corporate logo - hate the seal. But the sheeple seem to really dig this stuff.

Makes them feel part of something special.

[hedgehog]

89. Did anyone notice that the eagle is facing the olive branches?

Bravo for an end to bellicosity!

[MonkeyFunk]

103. The eagle always faces that way on the Great Seal

don't believe everything you saw on West Wing.

[hedgehog]

90. I want an Obama shirt with a possum on it! Hurry up someone,

and make me one I can buy at Cafe Press!

[Phoonzang]

91. I think it helps feed the accusations

that he's arrogant. The Vero Possumous thing is too open to ridicule and there's no color in the seal. The simple O and horizon that he had before was the best presidential seal I've ever seen. This...is corny.

He's been making a lot of mistakes lately. Little things....but they begin to add up. I remember the campaign turned around after Pennsylvania when he took control of things himself. Maybe he's returned to delegating things?

[TheDonkey]

95. I like the seal on the fight the smears.com page and I guess that is where this came from

it has a more dramatized eagle with the Obama shield.

www.fightthesmears.com

[Phoonzang]

105. Yeah at least he could have added the color

like that seal has. I just don't like the eagle though. Too much.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

97. I hate theater....fucking Madison Ave needs to stay the fuck away

[grantcart]

101. well put - he is best when all of that fluff is gone

[Adelante]

106. I think it's oogly

It looks like something from the Franklin Mint. I love the Obama logo. He should stick with what works.

[shayes51]

107. I don't like it.

[Beacool]

108. It is not appropriate for a candidate to adopt a seal so similar to the presidential seal.

I saw it and was quite shocked. To me it came off as tacky and arrogant to copy the presidential seal. A little more humility would go a long way..........

:wow:

[FatherTime1408]

112. Yep, candidates don't need seals at all.

That said, it sure isn't going to keep me up at night. Who cares?

[DS1]

113. Not a good idea