A sign of ego clashes to come?
posted at 10:30 am on August 24, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Send to a Friend |
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Doug Ross at Director Blue points out a curiosity from yesterday’s joint appearance by Barack Obama and Joe Biden in Springfield, Illinois yesterday, and not just the fumbled announcement or Biden calling his running mate “Barack America”. Take a look at the signs passed out to the crowd (for free?) at the rally. Do you see a difference between the way the names are presented in this design?
Note how the “Biden” fades into the blue of the sign. This becomes more pronounced in the video of the event, and Doug has screencaps to demonstrate this. Now let’s take a look at how previous campaigns have juxtaposed the names of the running mates with those of the presidential contenders:
Again, Doug has more examples, but this is fairly representative. The running mate’s name doesn’t get put in a darker, less prominent color, although at times it gets a smaller font as with Bush-Cheney, which may have been a reaction to the meme that Cheney secretly ran the White House. Both candidates get the same text color, usually for maximum contrast — while Biden’s name practically fades out into the background.
The font color was a deliberate choice by the designers. Why not both names in stark white, the better to be seen clearly? It’s almost as though the Obama campaign wants to de-emphasize Biden, which might also explain why they announced his selection in the dead of night. Are they embarrassed already by Biden, or can Obama brook no encroachment on his share of the spotlight?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
This was one of the first things I noticed yesterday, too. I just mentioned it in the headlines comments, too. It’s a strong signal that the Obama campaign’s intention is to have Biden fade into the background. It’s all about Obama.
aero on August 24, 2008 at 10:33 AM
It’s all about the O.
rockmom on August 24, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Really? Slow Sunday for news?
lowandslow on August 24, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Maybe they couldn’t afford to print his name in white. The light blue was cheaper.
Anna on August 24, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Barack Obama HUMILIATES Joe Biden on DAY 1 - UNBELIEVABLE
Or, Obama’s ego Strikes back
TheBigOldDog on August 24, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Well… you know… you have to have the disconnect between them somehow…
Otherwise it LOOKS like Obama bin Biden… way too close…
Romeo13 on August 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Yes.
ThePrez on August 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM
You’re reading too much into it, Ed.
The “Biden” color is the same as the “website” color beneath it.
I see it simply as more of the “IT’S ALL ABOUT ME” ego of The Obamboozler.
Did I mention it’s ALL ABOUT BARRY?!!?
Lockstein13 on August 24, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Psssst. I’ll let you in on a secret — this is a politically-focused entertainment blog, not CNN. They occasionally post about fembots and people who sit on toilets so long they grow onto the toilet seat here. (Well, ok, Ed doesn’t do that, but Allahpundit does.) Point is, it’s not all hard news, all the time. It’s what’s interesting to the bloggers and readers. And most of us like it, so shut up. ;-)
aero on August 24, 2008 at 10:41 AM
They’re balancing Biden’s emphasis in the sign, toning it down, because the balance of political experience so heavily favors Biden. They don’t want people flipping the billing in their head.
RBMN on August 24, 2008 at 10:44 AM
heh Why didnt Obama just select himself for VP? Im sure thats what he wanted anyway.
becki51758 on August 24, 2008 at 10:44 AM
It reflects Obama’s egO
drjohn on August 24, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Good thing Biden has no ego to bruise! HA.
Spirit of 1776 on August 24, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Messiah’s don’t have VPs. They have disciples.
backwoods conservative on August 24, 2008 at 10:47 AM
An Althouse reader has the best interpretation of the sign.
alilianstrom on August 24, 2008 at 10:48 AM
I just saw on “Sweetness and Light” the Biden “Petreaus is just flat out wrong” from MTP. Boy, would you love to see Mav pick the General so he could stand on the same stage as that piece of sh-t? A guy can dream huh?
LtE126 on August 24, 2008 at 10:48 AM
aero on August 24, 2008 at 10:41 AM
I think I love you.
Cindy Munford on August 24, 2008 at 10:49 AM
I wonder how long it will be before Biden refers to himself as the candidate for President?
drjohn on August 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Wow, what a bunch of crap. Hungover ?
redrock on August 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM
The other two have US flags and one has the flag from Barack America.
drjohn on August 24, 2008 at 10:52 AM
I noticed this right away too. As the cameras panned out, BIDEN disappeared like an optical illusion. I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, just an example of how “overdesigned” a lot of Obama’s campaign art is in an effort to be fresh, new and different. The palette they use is not the traditional political campaign pallette (Royal or Navy Blue, Dark Red to Oxblood) They are purposely going for softer and lighter colors, rounded edges and san serif fonts.
The problem is that there’s a reason why the opposite of all those have been traditionally used in politics–they are or have been cheaper to print, are easily ID’d as pertaining to politics not commercial advertising and are easier to read. With printing technology improved, it probably is easier and cheaper to go a different direction than in the past but there will be pitfalls like this along the way. I am sure the next generation of signs will have a crisper BIDEN. If not, then you can chalk it up to conspiracy.
MargaretMN on August 24, 2008 at 10:53 AM
It’s a great find.
drjohn on August 24, 2008 at 10:55 AM
I am going to turn into one of those people that everyone backs slowly away from but here goes…. He doesn’t want to win. The One that is.
Cindy Munford on August 24, 2008 at 10:55 AM
They have bigger problems..
Obama Biden
Osama Binladen
RobCon on August 24, 2008 at 10:56 AM
I think it’s a good design.
This is, afterall, the race for CHANGE, for OBAMA. He is the star. Who doesn’t know that?
bridgetown on August 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM
We already knew that Obama’s selection of VP was merely a formality. He’d probably like nothing more than Biden to disappear into the background like on his signs.
I’m just surprised he didn’t try and get away with not choosing one. There’s no such thing as “the Two”.
amkun on August 24, 2008 at 11:00 AM
On the Bush-Cheney one, several factors were at play though; the font on Cheney’s name had to be small, because he has six letters in his name, as opposed to Bush’s 4; but I also think they wanted to emphasize that Bush was on top of the ticket; this was probably due to criticism at the time that Cheney was more experienced than Bush, which he was, of course.
But with Obama Bi(n La)den; you are correct; it color of the font in Biden’s name was clearly chosen to basically make it disappear…..very intersting….and instead, it only emphasizes Obama’s (PBUH)(SWT)(SAW) shallow ego, empty suit, hollow resume, thin skin, insecurity, etc…
Dale in Atlanta on August 24, 2008 at 11:01 AM
They say Clinton & Gore didn’t like each other. I suppose Obama & Biden don’t, either, especially after the sniping in the primaries.
jgapinoy on August 24, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Dude. That is crazy.
Politically unplayable (and why would you want to?) but linguistically speaking, unfortunate.
amkun on August 24, 2008 at 11:02 AM
I’d say most politicians are egomaniacal, but this Biden fellow is a text book case.
I get the impression that he is on such a mental ego high from being picked that there is a crash just ahead.
TheSitRep on August 24, 2008 at 11:03 AM
There was a common theme among Dem strategists on Fox last nite: The VP doesn’t mean much, he’s only important at the convention and the one VP debate. It was surprising how much they downplayed the role of the VP and quite a contrast from the way that Edwards, Lieberman and Gore were treated in the previous elections.
obladioblada on August 24, 2008 at 11:06 AM
She missed one… the one the hit me immediately…
OBAMA
BIDEN
Second letters of both name? BI?
Fourth letters? ME?
Romeo13 on August 24, 2008 at 11:06 AM
“I am going to turn into one of those people that everyone backs slowly away from but here goes…. He doesn’t want to win. The One that is.”
Cindy Munford on August 24, 2008 at 10:55 AM
I do see that as a possibility, at this stage it sure looks like they are purposely doing things that are just insane, and Barry losing has a huge advantage for more victim politics and possibly reasons even for violence.
bbz123 on August 24, 2008 at 11:08 AM
O’Bama Biding.
Sounds like a bed and breakfast inn in Ireland.
Wethal on August 24, 2008 at 11:09 AM
bbz123 on August 24, 2008 at 11:08 AM
It could take a long time and a lot of money to forgive all of us racists who won’t vote for him. That’s a lot of power.
Cindy Munford on August 24, 2008 at 11:11 AM
So long Old Glory, you’ve been thrown under the bus.
el hombre on August 24, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Good catch. This reminds me a tad of the Bush/Quayle sticker in 1992. That one was even more striking. It was in red, white, and blue like the flag. The background was blue, Bush’s name was in big lock white letters like the Bush/Cheney sticker shown in this post, and Quayle was in thin red letters. I think the font for Quayle’s name might have even been in cursive. The effect of it was that Quayle’s name was very hard to see.
This Obama/Biden sign is a rather subtle, but it does suggest it’s all about the cult of Obama.
Jill1066 on August 24, 2008 at 11:17 AM
They have bigger problems..
Obama Biden
Osama Binladen
RobCon on August 24, 2008 at 10:56 AM
I’ve always argued the possibility that the rise of this unknown and unqualified politician from Illinois was due to his name being evocative of the American Left’s secret fantasy hero who succeeded in sticking it to the object of their shared perpetual hatred. The Biden pick doesn’t hurt the premise.
Buddahpundit on August 24, 2008 at 11:21 AM
An MD friend tells me they are mostly bipolar and he’s dead serious.
TheBigOldDog on August 24, 2008 at 11:22 AM
eh, maybe it’s just the triumph of design over substance and implication?
aikidoka on August 24, 2008 at 11:24 AM
I would agree with your friend. I also think that of most celebrities too (Britney Spears and George Clooney come to mind).
mjk on August 24, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Given the Democrats Convention Set photo, on Malkin’s blog, isn’t more likely, that they hired a bunch of clueless folks to design stuff? I really think, this is the not ready for prime time players. They don’t get “Americana” obviously. When they need to woo, the very people who do get “Americana” inexperience or elitism does it matter which? It doesn’t work.
Dr Evil on August 24, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Definitely a spotlight issue.
Zorro on August 24, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Much ado about nothing? It’s a design element, that’s all.
What I find funny is that if you go to Barack’s website you see a picture of Joe will all these people holding Change We Can Believe In and Stand for Change posters.
Buy Danish on August 24, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Nah, actualy its a perfectly reasonable premise…
With the lack of turnover we have in the House and Senate, maybe the only way to get rid of folks and get new blood in is through the Peter Principal.
I still can’t figure out why the two partys are putting up Candidates for the BIGGEST promotion there is, from a failed institution with horrible approval ratings…
Romeo13 on August 24, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Hillary wasn’t vetted because she had already been asked and turned the VP down. Obama’s internal polling sucks, that’s why he had go all the way down to Biden to find someone to take the job. McLame’s got the same problem, and you can add to that the fact that no Republican, with ambition for the big seat, wants the stain of spending four years with Juan McAmnesty bending over every time the leftists tell him to.
nivram1 on August 24, 2008 at 11:43 AM
If I may borrow a phrase from Obama, I don’t think he (Obama) quite knows what he’s up against with Biden, who is not used to being second fiddle. Honestly the trio of Obama, Biden and Michelle ought to provide some healthy amusement over the next few months.
Joe Biden is a joke. So, at this stage of his career anyway, is Obama. I think that is why Obama thought Biden would be a good pick — they both are too ditzy too realize otherwise.
BigD on August 24, 2008 at 11:50 AM
I’m not so sure. Color Theory 101 is that cool colors recede (especially cool colors on cool colors) and contrast demands attention. Anyone with even a basic art or graphics education is very much aware of the significance of color selection and elements used to focus or diminish attention.
obladioblada on August 24, 2008 at 11:52 AM
From a graphic design perspective, the Obama/Biden sign looks very good. In fact, all the Obama material is well designed. It seems obvious that they wanted to set a new graphic standard for presidential elections.
The problem is, nobody seems to be guiding the design staff about the political realities of the material that they are producing. You can’t, for example, treat Senator Biden as a sub-headline; it cleans up the design, but is terribly insulting. An adult should have pointed that out before it hit the press. In a political campaign, that sort of fundamental disconnect in Obama’s staff is cause for concern.
blueguitarbob on August 24, 2008 at 11:59 AM
You are correct. Nothing done by the Obama campaign in terms of their core brand image and visual communication is an accident.
Biden’s name, smaller and especially in a color somewhere between Barack and the background, has very distinct hierarchical significance. Obama’s The One. The other guy, not so much.
Thanks for putting the Obama signage next to the Bush/Cheney sticker. What a contrast. Obama’s designs are beautifully done, but overall very effete, weak, academic, formal and feminine. Bush/Cheney projects strength and straightforwardness. I guess the Obama approach flatters the latte liberals who think themselves culturally superior. In context with the competition it looks like… LOSER.
Gilda on August 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Hey, they got the names right!
Chuck Schick on August 24, 2008 at 12:00 PM
If this many of us noticed it, then there’s something to notice. I saw it yesterday and thought that “Biden” was kind of faded-looking against the background. Sort of like a wash-out, you know. ;)
It’s keeping the spotlight on the big “O”.
INC on August 24, 2008 at 12:01 PM
heh, i didnt even notice bidens name on the signs while i watched them yesterday.
trailortrash on August 24, 2008 at 12:11 PM
They aren’t even campaigning together. It’s obvious their egos cannot fit onto one stage.
SouthernGent on August 24, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Just overdesigned, IM(professional graphic designer)O. If you look at his web site, all the type alternates between white and that pale blue. Looks pretty, but probably isn’t the best approach for this job.
S. Weasel on August 24, 2008 at 12:15 PM
It’s even worse when you consider that - between the O symbol, the names, and the web-site name - the sign actually carries 3 different invocations of the One vs. 1 small and faded invocation of the scrappy Scrantonite.
If there was ever a time for equivalence or near-equivalence it would have been at the time of the VP announcement. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if by the middle of next week at the latest, in particular on Joe’s big night, there are plenty of signs that give Biden’s name more prominence.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 12:19 PM
.
Heh. What jumped out at me was taking the second letter of Obama, take the letter to the right, drop down vertically to see the ‘d’ in Biden, go back up to take in the ‘m’, then back down to end up. Spells B A D M E N
Think_b4_speaking on August 24, 2008 at 12:26 PM
It would be hilarious if halfway thru the general campaign Biden got lukewarm on Obama. Also, can’t wait for the 4-way Sat Nite Live parodies of McCain/NN and Obama/Biden. That is, if they can find it within themselves to parody he who is the last, best hope for the United State, nay, for the whole world. The Messiah, the One, He who must not be parodied or made fun of, you guessed it, the Obamessiah (PBUH).
Paul-Cincy on August 24, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Ed, Bush only and 4 letters and Cheney has 6 letters obviously the smaller font was used to make BUSH and CHENEY appear to be the the same length, left to right.
look I just moved over CHENEY with a photo editor..
http://i35.tinypic.com/mh5b42.jpg
Chakra Hammer on August 24, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Ed, Bush only has 4 letters in his name and Cheney has 6 letters obviously the smaller font was used to make BUSH and CHENEY appear to be the the same length, left to right.
look I just moved over CHENEY with a photo editor..
http://i35.tinypic.com/mh5b42.jpg
Chakra Hammer on August 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
If they’re not embarrassed by Biden yet, they soon will be.
That pompous ass just can’t help himself. It’s only a matter of time before Biden says something idiotic (again) that Obama will have to try and explain away in his “nuanced” way.
AZCoyote on August 24, 2008 at 12:32 PM
Ed,
I don’t think this has anything to do with embarrassment over Biden. Notice that “BarackObama.com” is also darker so why wouldn’t they want the web site for people to donate show? I don’t know. I have gotten the impression that he has a very young ad team working for him. They didn’t think how silly the presidential seal would look and they didn’t think that a darker font isn’t going to look good on camera. I just think it is youthful ignorance.
terryannonline on August 24, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Ahhhhhh, Make…it…stop.
One of the reasons near the top of the list that I’m not a Demo — way too much nuance.
Be careful too much nuance will drive you batty.
rockhead on August 24, 2008 at 12:54 PM
This sign at Doug’s will keep me laughing for a long time.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_orkXxp0bhEA/SLFTqy-tfhI/AAAAAAAAIh4/0yFaa-4wA-w/s1600-h/080824-bs-carter-mondale.jpg
Re-elect Carter/Mondale
BKennedy on August 24, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Obama-Biden
Aboi-Badmen (A Boy, Bad Men)
Spectacular.
BKennedy on August 24, 2008 at 1:02 PM
True. Extra-O! It will be fun to see if Biden’s name shifts in relative visual importance depending on circumstances and/or polling.
No way. Obama’s visual branding is the most sophisticated ever in politics. The core imaging is done by experienced professionals and I would guess with no small amount of research and focus-grouping.
Their big blunders are ones of fundamentally misunderstanding the American electorate, not of some kid in the corner saying “that looks cool” (although some of their more minor gaffes may have resulted from that).
Gilda on August 24, 2008 at 1:10 PM
And as an aside… Looking at that poster, for whatever reason, instead of immediately seeing Obama/Biden I can’t help but think Obama/Bidet.
This visual presentation would work just as well for a line of posh European plumbing fixtures.
Gilda on August 24, 2008 at 1:13 PM
Has any other candidate had a symbol associated with their campaign? Well, besides Hitler? It is so much product branding, it isn’t funny. Maybe they’ll wrap him in a plastic bubble, like they do when packaging hammers, so you need an exacto knife to get to the hammer, and then maybe he’ll suffocate from lack of oxygen? Just thinking out loud. Not a death threat. My IP can be traced!
Paul-Cincy on August 24, 2008 at 1:23 PM
I’m in total agreement with you that Obama’s visual branding is the most sophisticated in politics. I’ve actually written about the topic on my blog. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t make mistakes. Like I said if one is going to come to the conclusion that they darken Biden’s last name because they are embarrassed of him then one also has to conclude they are embarrassed of BarackObama.com. I also think BarackObama.com is one of the best political Web sites ever designed, why would they be embarrassed about that?
I might be wrong about Obama having a young marketing team. I assume they do because of the way their designs appeal to Gen Xers and Millennials. I guess I just want to assume the best motives. So I will continue to chalk it up to youthful hubris (not wanting their campaign flyers to look like previous campaigns, neglecting the fact you can’t read Biden’s name) and/or ignorance.
terryannonline on August 24, 2008 at 1:33 PM
And the thing is, while “branding” is a general concept, there are recognizable subsets associated with different industries and activities - good branding for a cellphone company is not necessarily good branding for an x-games sport, etc.
Obama’s visual style was initially derived, I think, from two sources:
(1) Graphics of the 1930s, both FDR-era New Deal government programs and Soviet propaganda pre-Socialist Realism, and
(2) The modern personal care products sector
Now, with the latest incarnation from the Obama/Biden sign, they’re trying to move towards “gravitas” by bringing in a more financial/legal corporate-ish bent while retaining the personal care products approach.
Not an accident. Obama has succeeded so far because he makes his supporters feel good about themselves - not unlike an aromatherapy bubble bath or other personal-indulgence type of product. The Obama Bidet would fit right into that!
Gilda on August 24, 2008 at 2:04 PM
Biden could have had his name in white, but this would have required a payment to the Obama campaign, no doubt.
Cicero43 on August 24, 2008 at 2:08 PM
terryann and Gilda,
You’re right about the Obamessiah branding and its sophistication, but I would make the argument that the McCain campaign’s response - especially via the web ads beginning with DR NO and up to and including THE ONE II - has shown an even higher level of sophistication, in particular an understanding of pop art subversiveness. Using the language of pop culture, and the form of the internet mash-up that can be passed on “virally” and also disseminated through the old media, they’ve pegged the Big O as just one more fad, one more product, one more media-friendly facade that may or may not have a real building behind it.
Foreshadowing this approach were independent initiatives like the “Is Obama the Messiah?” web site, and that great “Building a Religion” music video (I presume you’ve seen it). The web ad campaign is truly a new thing in politics, however - newer in a lot of ways than corporate branding.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 2:10 PM
I don’t think they’re conveying embarrassment with Biden as much as they’re communicating subordination. I think any VP choice would get the same visual treatment.
As for the website address, that’s a convention they established months ago. It’s always less important than the headline text whether it’s “Judgment to Lead” or whatever is the topic of the day. As the “more info” line it occupies an appropriate, and consistent, space and weight.
I’m sure you’re correct that Obama has a young marketing team, along with some old pros, but the only innovation they’ve come up with is applying branding strategies long-established in other product sectors to the selling of a political candidate. That’s probably also the source of their biggest gaffes - they are not working with an accurate model of the target audience, they think the audience is themselves. Big mistake but not all that uncommon even among the most experienced.
Gilda on August 24, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Paul-Cincy on August 24, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Parties and individual politicians, as well as sometimes overlapping religious and other cultural figures and movements, have deployed symbols and icons of different types going back to the beginnings of civilization. What’s unique about Obama’s, if anything, is how totally contrived it is, and perhaps the fact that his personal symbol has been advanced in a way that effaces party symbols, but Nazis and corporations didn’t make up the idea of having logos. We can credit or criticize the O-Team for their media strategy, but let’s not go overboard.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 2:38 PM
I haven’t seen them recently. In other countries a party may associate itself with a symbol for voting purposes, but in that case most of the populace may be illiterate so voting by putting a mark on a symbol is helpful to them. Can you give a contemporary example of a symbol associated with a candidate or political party? Donkey and elephant, don’t bother with those. Or a cross for a Christian-related party. I suppose the Green party has a symbol.
Paul-Cincy on August 24, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Well, Bill had the soiled party dress and the cigar!
Actually, the Donkey is relevant: It’s a conventional symbol that we don’t see as controversial and threatening or positive or negative, or even notice, or much understand. It just is, like a sports team’s moniker that may or may not mean much of anything to anyone. The democratic revolutions of the last few years have had their own team-names: Rose, Orange, Cedar, etc. Frequently, in countries where elections are mandated but illiteracy is high, voters choose from among printed party symbols.
I could go on, but my point isn’t that there’s nothing unique about Obama’s branding, or that there isn’t something discomfiting about it. There is something unusual and yet peculiarly American about the O symbol, since it’s both personal and corporate at the same time. My main point was just that you don’t have to risk some smarty-pants invoking the Godwin’s Law cliche on you by going right to the Nazis.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 3:07 PM
No, just because Hitler is invoked, doesn’t mean the game is over and we have to take our ball and glove and go home. I invoked it because, as I thought I very simply said, I can’t think of a recent association of a symbol and a person, campaign, or political party, except for the swastika. For me that’s just a subjective fact on my part, for better or worse. And you haven’t given me a counterexample. So let’s put Mein Kampf up on the shelf but not stop talking just because the swastika is the only other political symbol I can think of right now. The elephant and donkey are not meant to inspire as the Obama symbol, and the swastika, were meant to. Is there some other contemporary symbol I’m missing? Help me out here. And keep Mike Godwin out of it.
Paul-Cincy on August 24, 2008 at 3:15 PM
I already gave you the examples of the Rose, Orange, and Cedar Revolutions. The Rose has been used by other parties, but in Georgia it was tied directly to Saakashvili and an act of personal protest against the former regime. The Cedar refers of course to Lebanese nationalism. The party symbols I referred to regarding typically 3rd World electioneering might show varying degrees of sophistication and personalization.
It you’re looking for an abstract symbol, the O logo is a contrivance, a made-up herald or badge, and from an aesthetic perspective not as abstract as the Nazi swastika, which had been adopted by the German proto-Nazi Thule Society and has its own peculiar history. The O logo uses the letter, the flag, and a landscape format that manage to be both softy-puffy attractive and, to me at least, off-puttingly weird at the same time. Part of what’s creepy about it is that it’s so manipulative in its attempt to make us feel comfortable, removing all threatening sharp edges from this out-of-nowhere and -nothing individual and what he has in store for us. It’s a pure product of contemporary graphic arts, semiotics, and marketing - in other words it really does symbolize (both connote and express) the true socioeconomic and cultural roots of the Obama phenomenon. The Greens in Germany had roughly parallel social and cultural roots, and used some similar formats and branding strategies, but were only inadvertently through a few of their early leaders (like Petra Kelly) a highly “personalized” political movement.
Oh well, I’m getting that queasy feeling again. Time for lunch.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 3:37 PM
You know who would have been the best VEEP choice for Obama with his message of Changing Washington?
Michelle Obama. Two for one. His political gravitas overshadows hers. And he’d have someone he could trust.
The Libs and women of Code Pink would have absolutely loved Michelle being on the ticket. Oops-maybe I shouldn’t mention this before Denver-I wouldn’t want some Hot Air Troll to start a grass-roots effort to dump Biden at the convention.
Doug on August 24, 2008 at 3:39 PM
I still can’t believe we (Repubicans) dodged the bullet on this one.
How could he NOT pick Hillary?
EJDolbow on August 24, 2008 at 3:45 PM
As I wait for my microwave lunch to finish cooking, just to expand on the Greens (Die Gruenen): A lot more be said about their peculiar and highly recognizable graphic style (somewhere I have a collection of their materials, I think). They also adopted immediately recognizable type-faces and symbols: The most common was a softy-puffy rendition of the party/movement’s name alongside a sunflower, as I recall - and they had a range of associated youth apparel, along with the color, of course. In their early days, they also made heavy use of the smiling orange sunburst on yellow background from the anti-nuclear movement. Back in the ’70s - ’80s, it was the political version of the “smiley face” and could be found worldwide saying “Nuclear Power - No Thanks” in tens if not hundreds of languages.
CK MacLeod on August 24, 2008 at 3:50 PM
The Althouse lady missed the last “N” from BIDEN, in front of OBAMA, i.e. NOBAMA.
Entelechy on August 24, 2008 at 3:50 PM
that’s kinda what I thought at the 3 AM text message..
didn’t want to share his spotlight with anyone..
Then on second thought.. Obama’s website is ‘powered’ by hope.. maybe Biden is less hopeful (or more hopeless, 6 of one, half a dozen of the other) than Obama.. hence the darker shade..
DaveC on August 24, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Ed,
Have you become so hyper-sensitive, looking for something that isn’t there?
You’re spending far too much time looking at something completely irrelevant
asc85 on August 24, 2008 at 4:02 PM
he he
Akzed on August 24, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Carter/Mondale ‘08
BKennedy on August 24, 2008 at 6:28 PM
I noticed the signs right away.
To me it was an obvious swipe at Biden.
You could HARDLY see the Bidens name because of the blue.
I thought at the time they did it on purpose of course.
As these revelations come out. THEY WILL CHANGE BIDENS NAME INTO WHITE LETTERS. Any bets?
The Obama Campaign, ALWAYS IN DAMAGE controll mode.
Conservaboomer on August 24, 2008 at 9:07 PM
RobCon: that was the first thing I noticed when I saw the sign - the missing letters.
O(s)AMA
BI(nla)DEN
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I’d say it was an inside job.
And that I question the timing.
Aristomenes on August 24, 2008 at 9:31 PM
I agree with aikidoka. It’s just good design.
jeremyp on August 24, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Yes (as in, both). The encroachment thing is obviouos; but they are certainly not thrilled with Biden, while evidently finding any other option to be worse, for various reasons. There aren’t any other messiah’s out there to be his vice-messiah. So he had to settle for this false-prophet. It reamins to be seen how well the false-prophet will assume his designated role as the messiah’s personal fluffer.
urbancenturion on August 24, 2008 at 11:59 PM
I had this idea a couple of days ago. I can’t find it right now, or else I would give you a link.
urbancenturion on August 25, 2008 at 12:08 AM
Regarding signs, a note to any University of a Alabama fans this fall:mind your spaces..
You don’t want GO BAMA to confused with GOBAMA.
NoFanofLibs on August 25, 2008 at 8:17 AM
I think this is style, not substance. In other campaign graphics that preceded the Biden pick, the designers had also used the lighter shade of blue for some text. See, for example, the graphic on The One’s special chair on his campaign plane
Biden’s run for president in his own right twice, and never got so much as a single delegate to show for it. He’s a motor-mouth, but he doesn’t bring charisma to the ticket. That’s Obama’s long suit. So even if there is some substance behind the de-emphasis of Biden’s name, that’s not really a surprise, nor much of a ground for criticism.
If they picked font sizes and colors based on prolixity, neither guy’s name could be contained by any bumper-sticker anyway.
Beldar on August 25, 2008 at 1:16 PM