Loud and Clear
I asked a Barack Obama question of some people at last night's Gotham Awards, and I'm asking it of the readership now. If you were Obama's most trusted adviser, would you urge that his middle name be spoken during the 1.20.09 swearing-in ceremony (which I personally believe would be an essential transformative thing), or follow the precedent set by Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and not speak his full name when he repeats the oath of office?
For Obama (as well as Chief Justice John Roberts) to not say the word "Hussein" would be, of course, a total capitulation to the right-wing yahoo rurals, who will almost certainly flinch and cross themselves when they hear it spoken.
Some side-stepped the question last night. Us magazine critic Thelma Adams said (or so I recall) it would probably be best to not gild the lily. Rachel Getting Married director Jonathan Demme told me he's 100% behind the middle name speak-out. But what about the rednecks in Kentucky?, I asked him. They'll have a fit. "Fuck 'em!," said the smiling, laughing and high-spirited Demme, who was standing close to Rachel Getting Married screenwriter Jenny Lumet.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 3, 2008 at 6:59 AM
comment #1
actionman
says ...
Go for it, who fucking cares what the red neck's think. It's the guys name...get over it.
Demme's interview of Herzog on the Encounters at the End of the World DVD is priceless.
Posted by actionman
at December 3, 2008 7:41 AM
comment #2
Al-Aurens
says ...
I say rub our noses in it. I personally don't care what his name is, but if it pisses off ignorant people, someone should say it multiple times.
Posted by Al-Aurens
at December 3, 2008 7:43 AM
comment #3
swordandpen
says ...
Obama should say his whole name. Never pander to the morons. They're the ones who need to grow up.
Posted by swordandpen
at December 3, 2008 7:47 AM
comment #4
lucky
says ...
Hussein is a very common name in other parts of the world. I think there are parts of America that have some catching up to do.
If I were Obama's assistant, I would not bring this up. I'm sure he has to ok the text for the swearing in.
Posted by lucky
at December 3, 2008 8:11 AM
comment #5
lonniechung
says ...
I heard a lot of talk about empty subjects during the campiagn - lapel pins, birth certificates, middle names. None of it spoke to the man running for office, or the substance of his beliefs. He should use his middle name because it is nothing to be ashamed of; it is a name. It is his name, and he is the new president. This new administration's must signal an end to empty rhetoric and finally bring the American people to the grown up's table.
Posted by lonniechung
at December 3, 2008 8:39 AM
comment #6
MovieBob
says ...
I can't see how ANY advisor worth a damn would advise him to do anything BUT use the full name, at this point. It'd be a public relations disaster to NOT do it, not the other way around.
The essential "background" question of "The Middle Name" has always (repeat: ALWAYS) been "what will it be like to hear 'President of The United States' followed by an Arabic/African name?" And it has traction because it "matters" to both sides - for every goofy right-winger who bristles at the thought of it, there's a goofy liberal who gets a raging hard-on from the multicultural-ness of it.
In other words, from the MOMENT Obama's middle-name became common knowledge, everyone (EVERYONE) has imagined the innauguration and the words "I, Barack HUSSEIN Obama" at least once. Everyone is expecting him to say it - and if/when he does "conservatives" will give one last "hmph!" while "liberals" sigh softly and fan themselves and that'll be it. Over with. But if he skips it, the ENTIRE country right and left will notice when their sounding-out along with him doesn't sync up, and it'll be a WEEK LONG talk-radio and cable-pundit story: "Why didn't he say it?? Is he embarassed??" Limbaugh etc. will delight in having a new hornets nest to stir, and American Muslim groups will (unwittingly) help them out by being publically (and justifiably) pissed that Obama is once again "censoring" his connection to them and his own heritage.
He HAS to say it.
Posted by MovieBob
at December 3, 2008 9:55 AM
comment #7
SpinDozer
says ...
I think he ought to use it, but pronounce it like that wasted old gap-toothed hillbilly on you-tube, HO-sane.
Posted by SpinDozer
at December 3, 2008 10:46 AM
comment #8
DarthCorleone
says ...
I'm for the saying of the full name. I don't know if it's enough of an issue to strongly urge that it be included, but there's no reason we can't start off his Presidency in a manner that reclaims the name and sends an anti-ignorance message.
Posted by DarthCorleone
at December 3, 2008 12:28 PM
comment #9
Edward
says ...
I concur with my esteemed colleagues.
Posted by Edward
at December 3, 2008 12:34 PM
comment #10
huntermdaniels
says ...
fuck yes.
Posted by huntermdaniels
at December 3, 2008 1:15 PM
comment #11
Luke Y. Thompson
says ...
I look forward to hearing Roberts have to utter it.
Posted by Luke Y. Thompson
at December 3, 2008 3:20 PM
comment #12
citizenmilton
says ...
Barack HUSSEIN Obama.
Say it loud. Say it proud:
Watch Brown University Professor Glenn Loury explain why
(full disclosure: I work for that site, but, I think the link is dead-on in this case)
Posted by citizenmilton
at December 3, 2008 8:02 PM
comment #13
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
I say fuck ALL OF YOU on this subject.
If he says it, then who gives a shit.
If he doesn't, more power to him. You don't go around introducing yourself by your middle name (and as someone with a middle name I'm not entirely happy with I can relate). Libs do not call him Barack Hussein Obama ordinarily so it's kinda hypocritical to ask him to do it now.
He has been Barack Obama throughout the campaign, so it should be "I, Barack Obama, do solemnly swear..."
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at December 4, 2008 12:44 AM
comment #14
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