They really are setting up a replica of a Greek temple from which The One will give his speech tomorrow. I've heard the excuse that they're just trying to make it like the White House (as though that's a good excuse...one more time--you're not president yet). But even if true, it doesn't fly. Yes, the White House is of Palladian style, but it's neoclassical, and only the porticos have columns. It looks more like the Parthenon (at least as far as one can tell from the grainy camera photo).
And you know who lives in Greek temples?
Gods.
It will be amusing to see what the McCain campaign does with this one.
[Update a few minutes later]
It's already started. The Temple of Obama.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here's another one, from Pethokoukis--Illinois Obama and the Temple of Gloom
[One more, late afternoon PDT]
The Temple of Obama.
Over at hotair.com, they are linking a Star Trek clip of Mourn of Adonis or whatever that episode as called.
I have a better meme for the Grecian columns. I am thinking This is Spinal Tap and the Stonehenge prop.
Too bad the Grecian columns are already in place. I could have pictured David Axelrod sketching the Grecian columns on a bar napkin, the contractor building that item, taking the bar napkin as the actual scale, and having the Grecian column set winched down at the penultimate moment of Senator Obama's speech only the columns are not full-sized. Oh well.
Mr. Simberg,
The symbolism may be worse than you suggest. Greek temple architecture tended NOT to use curves -- perhaps a Greek theater scene? On thte other hand, Roman architecture incorporated the Greek architectural devices into curved fronts.
The two elements flanking the collonade are not part of Greek temple architecture, either.
So, perhaps some other part of your readership can identify some Roman (or, dare I say, 1920-1940 Italian) architecture that is a better match.
Ben Smith from the Politico points out that Bush did the exact same thing in 2004:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Bushs_2004_temple.html
Columns by themselves do not a temple make. Also, Bush was actually president at the time, and didn't have to live down a faux messianic reputation...
I'm not following you Rand. Don't you think Bush's 2004 set looks just like the description and photo of Obama's still-to-be-completed set? Obama's set might currently look like a temple only because it hasn't been draped with flags, curtains, etc, just the way Bush's set was.
As for Bush being President, of course, but presidents are not Greek gods, and the White House is hardly a temple. Both Bush and Obama, however, do have to contend with accusations of arrogance.
Don't you think Bush's 2004 set looks just like the description and photo of Obama's still-to-be-completed set?
"Just like it"? No. Not to me. Obama's looks more like a full temple a la Parthenon.
Both Bush and Obama, however, do have to contend with accusations of arrogance.
Bush never had to contend with being accused acting like a god, or having a cult, particularly on the basis of his oration. ;-)
Looks like the front of the US Capitol. Isn't he a senator or something?
Rand,
"Also, Bush was actually president at the time, and didn't have to live down a faux messianic reputation..."
Heh. Good thing I wasn't drinking milk when I read that one.
Well, ok, I guess Bush wasn't trying to "live down" his "faux messianic reputation". He was enjoying every last second of it.
~Jon
Oh, and just to clarify, I'm not saying that Obama doesn't have a "faux messianic reputation" to live down. Just saying that Bush did as well. As have many previous presidents who didn't deserve it. Power worship bordering on idolatry is a sin of both the left and the right as far as this libertarian is concerned.
~Jon
Just saying that Bush did as well.
You must have been watching a Bush in a different universe than I was, Jon. I don't recall George Bush saying that he would heal the planet, and lower the seas, to the cheers of throngs. I don't recall him saying that he was the one we were waiting for.
"Heh. Good thing I wasn't drinking milk when I read that one."
Don't let it bother you. Rand is suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome. He hates the man and yet is obsessed with him. So just humor him and pretend you agree that Obama is evil.
Rand,
"You must have been watching a Bush in a different universe than I was, Jon."
I won't argue there. Sometimes it really does seem like you're arguing from a planet other than our own. ;-)
"I don't recall George Bush saying that he would heal the planet, and lower the seas, to the cheers of throngs. I don't recall him saying that he was the one we were waiting for."
Some of us find his statements (and the statements of those who surround him) about trying to end all evil and tyranny in the world to be somewhat messianic as well. But, YMMV.
~Jon
Evil and tyranny are the result of human agency, in marked contrast to the level of the seas; thus humans and their freely constituted governments have a little more capacity (or liability) for the sufferance or disposal thereof, no?
But then, I'm telling you something you are already well aware of, aren't I, libertarian?
> Some of us find his statements (and the statements of those who surround him) about trying to end all evil and tyranny in the world to be somewhat messianic as well. But, YMMV.
How about an actual quote and cite instead of a self-serving "memory"?
I've no doubt that Bush has said something about trying to end some and/or specific evil and tyranny. Feel free to argue that that's a bad thing. (Dems have been arguing that ridding the world of the Bush would be a good thing, so make sure to distinguish their virtuous position from his wrong one.)
Columns, no columns, Doric, Greek, Roman, it's just stage craft. It's all designed to make Obama LOOK like a God or historically Great figure. Good luck with that point. I doubt anyone's mind will be changed by props.
Given the dead puppy bounce the convention has gotten them thus far, columns or staging do not a leader make, in most voting people eyes it seems. Thus far, the thing looks like an Oliver Stone movie. Lots of verbs and accusations, little proof or truth
I do like the sports stadium theme though. Many Totalitarian Rulers have given speeches in stadiums. Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Khomeini, Mao, Saddam, Putin. If we add Obama, or ANY liberal Democrat, it won't change the list's effectiveness of making the point
.
.
But 80,000 people?
From the "Stadiums of the NFL" web site, Mile High has 76,000 seats. If they cut the seats in half by setting the stage at half-field, I doubt that they can get 42,000 chairs into the grass in front of the stage.
Are they "Million Man March"ing the numbers, even before it starts?
I neither hate Barack Obama, or think he's evil. I just think that he'd be an awful, awful president. And for that reason, blacks should hope that he doesn't win.
blacks should hope that he doesn't win.
To hear you tell it, they just don't know what's good
for them.
To hear you tell it, they just don't know what's good
for them.
To hear me tell it, like too many voters, they don't appreciate the power of unintended consequences.
Some of us find his statements (and the statements of those who surround him) about trying to end all evil and tyranny in the world to be somewhat messianic as well.
That's because you're a libertarian and not a RIABN.
In particular you're not the hardcore subtype known as
a "September 11th American".
"We believe George W. Bush is a merciful gift from the Lord to an undeserving people." --- nope, not messianic at all
"I feel like God wants me to run for President. I can't explain it, but I sense my country is going to need me. Something is going to happen." --- this neither
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/nov/02/usa.religion
http://www.prayforbush.com/
Rand, I think you're saying that if Obama turned out to be a bad president, it would hurt the cause of those who wish to rid the USA of racism. I think that's wrong. If President Obama doesn't focus on race and doesn't make race a defining characteristic of his presidency, if he governs the way we imagined Bill Cosby's character Dr. Huxtable practiced medicine, then Obama's presidency will accustom Americans to the notion that race doesn't matter at the presidential level. Some presidents are good, some are bad -- if Obama turned out to be a bad president, the public would focus on his most salient features to figure out why. If Obama acts inexperienced, the public will focus on his inexperience; if Obama acts like a liberal, the public will focus on his liberal beliefs and politics; etc. The public will only focus on Obama's race if he "acts black", which is to say, if he makes an issue of his own race. Since he really hasn't, so far, there is no reason to think he would as president either.
Think of it this way: if you have a boss who is black and who also has a terrible stutter, and you were a cruel person who wanted to make fun of him, you'd focus on the stutter -- it is much more salient.
Rand, I think you're saying that if Obama turned out to be a bad president, it would hurt the cause of those who wish to rid the USA of racism.
So is the theory that Obama is like those dangerous Jews who hurt the cause of eradication of anti-Semitism? That always struck me as a rather backhanded concern.
The other day I was talking to this black guy who said that he was recently diagnosed with diabetes. "I've always enjoyed eating," he said, "but truth is that I've been overeating for years." So I told him, "I read on a blog that you people don't appreciate the power of unintended consequences." FOR SOME REASON he got all offended.
Since I didn't say that only black people don't always appreciate the power of unintended consequence, your attempt to paint me as a racist fails, Jim.
But as I always have to point out, logic is not the strong suit of trolls.
A still from classic STAR TREK: WHO MOURNS FOR ADONIS has been posted on today's blog.
"The other day I was talking to this black guy who said that he was recently diagnosed with diabetes. "I've always enjoyed eating," he said, "but truth is that I've been overeating for years." So I told him, "I read on a blog that you people don't appreciate the power of unintended consequences." FOR SOME REASON he got all offended."
Like we are offended by having our collective intelligence insulted by another brain-dead strawman argument?