Borders’ Obamessiah moment
posted at 8:11 am on February 16, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
What section would a bookstore put some junior-reader biographies of Barack Obama? A Borders store in Dallas found the perfect spot (via Mitch Berg and Psycmeister):
WND contacted Borders’ national office and got this response:
Borders corporate spokeswoman Ann Roman told WND there was no intention on the part of the staff to associate books about the Obamas with religion.
“We are a completely politically neutral organization,” she said. “As you can imagine we carry every political perspective, authors from both parties.
“What happened here is those books were for kids and they were put under an overarching sign. Our team did not mean to imply an inappropriate classification,” she said.
Maybe they didn’t have any childrens’ books for their religion section and they needed to fill the space. After all, what book stores carry religious books? Why, I’ve never seen anything like childrens’ Bibles or faith-based stories.
Or, maybe, some Borders employee is taking The One a weeeeeeee bit too seriously — as a lot of Americans have done over the last two years.
Update: Alternate explanation, from commenter Number 2: satire, poking fun at Obamalytes by classifying their adoration as a belief system.
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I saw this pic and thought the employees of the store were mocking Obama. Lets face it, what leftist would consciously equate him with religion?
Number 2 on February 16, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Rasul Barack
Baracku Akbar!
blatantblue on February 16, 2009 at 8:16 AM
What’s amazing is that he’s got all these books written about him yet he hasn’t really done anything other than just get elected.
Lay-Z on February 16, 2009 at 8:19 AM
I hope I’m still around when these kids that are being brainwashed realize the evil that Oslime-a was and spend the rest of their lives cursing the generation that unleashed his Marxism on America.
csdeven on February 16, 2009 at 8:19 AM
I’m sure that makes Julio happy.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on February 16, 2009 at 8:19 AM
That is an awful miscategorization. Obama should be found in the “Occult” section.
progressoverpeace on February 16, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Things were so ridiculous at the magazine rack at Barnes and Noble that I suggested that every magazine should have Obama on the cover. There was a whole section of books about him as well. Oh well, at least the “I Hate George Bush, He’s Hitler” section is gone.
Ann NY on February 16, 2009 at 8:20 AM
That maybe, BUT the employees there are libs and do really believe that Barry is the messiah.
grapeknutz on February 16, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Obama , a religion for kids.
the_nile on February 16, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Mock Obama? How could we possibly mock The One?
azlibertarian on February 16, 2009 at 8:23 AM
This is clearly more blatant liberal bias from the communists at Borders.
When shall we start our boycott?
e-pirate on February 16, 2009 at 8:24 AM
When you walk through our local Borders store at the mall,,, all the lib books have always been prominent. Obama’s dear face is everywhere.
I wonder,, who will be the first to erect a 20 foot high poster or painting in the town square? How long before someone comes up with an Obama armband.
I say,, keep letting it come. Plaster this guys picture everywhere. The more the merrier. We’re all just one big commune.
JellyToast on February 16, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Ann NY on February 16, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Oh but say a prayer in school and WATCH OUT! Say a prayer in school and the whole school gets a letter sent home and hearings and meetings and a Nationwide sweep of the schools.
johnnyU on February 16, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Wouldn’t a more appropriate category have been “just released fiction”?
sherry on February 16, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Anything written about Obama will eventually end up in the “fictional hypocricies” section of our librarys.
Rovin on February 16, 2009 at 8:27 AM
I love to read, but I hate my Border’s store. The employees are all so……well, they have that head tilt thing going on when I ask them a question (mostly because they don’t know the answer).
And The Won’s visage is everywhere. I saw a children’s book that was so reverent that I wanted to gag. You are supposed to die before they make you a saint.
Ellen on February 16, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Riiiight…
Count me as one who had to go to the back of the store, behind locked doors, past guard dogs, poison blow darts, an enormous stone ball that rolled towards me that I only escaped by diving into a pit with the help of my trusty bullwhip in order to find the single copy of Clarence Thomas’s book, My Grandfather’s Son. After finding it, I was mocked, spit at, yelled at, picketed, tasered and audited by the IRS.
All right, maybe not exactly like that, but it was the only copy and it was on the bottom shelf.
And Conscience of a Conservative has been moved to science fiction.
turfmann on February 16, 2009 at 8:29 AM
What’s new,the press and Obama’s sheep have been treating him like a Messiah since the Primaries.
Obama is treating them like a bunch of suckers.
Remember that “stimulus bill” that was supposed to be so important,create (or save whatever that is)over 4 million jobs,and 75% was supposed to show results immediately.
Well…not….so….much:
White House dampens stimulus expectations
By Alan Elsner Alan Elsner
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090215/bs_nm/us_usa_stimulus_3
Sell high….deliver low.
More bullsh!t coming from the “smart ones”.
If we could get the press and half of this country to get off their knees in front of this:
Obama Shrine [Mark Steyn]
A reader took this picture today at a street fair at Hayes and Octavia in San Francisco, of all places:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTQzNWU3YjliYzQwNDQwYjE1Y2U0MzA5NjU1MTYyZWY=
Then maybe we could hold our Paparazzi President accountable and force him to enact “real change” and not “pay for play” to his liberal friends at our expense.
Baxter Greene on February 16, 2009 at 8:31 AM
I was in Borders the other night and saw lots of Obama books in stacks, they did not seem to be moving. I saw small blue ones of his inaugeral speech. What is up with that?
Mr. Joe on February 16, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Prayer books?
grapeknutz on February 16, 2009 at 8:33 AM
I thought it was a gag photoshop when I first saw it.
I think it’s probably a joke by a clear thinking employee who has a sense of humor.
forest on February 16, 2009 at 8:35 AM
I’m sure they had just as many Bush titles eight years ago...not.
jgapinoy on February 16, 2009 at 8:36 AM
In the fall, those will be given as textbooks in public schools.
trubble on February 16, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Actually, that was my first reaction when I saw this somewhere else last week.
flipflop on February 16, 2009 at 8:44 AM
What the hell happened to 4 million jobs? Or are the remaining 1 to 1.5 million the ones that will be “saved”? Someone wake me up in 2013 when this nightmare is over.
Doughboy on February 16, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Find myself having to walk around the long way or turn my head every time I walk into a local book store to avoid seeing racks of obama materials. These are beginning to off put me. I wish they would replace them with books on religion, or anything else for that matter. Have stopped going in to browse, only on an as needed basis.
jeanie on February 16, 2009 at 8:44 AM
This is just getting creepier every day.
Key West Reader on February 16, 2009 at 8:46 AM
When do I get my new kitchen?… and my new bathroom?
faraway on February 16, 2009 at 8:47 AM
I don’t go into bookstores anymore. It’s all Amazon for me. Can’t think of a reason in the world why Borders, or the local lefty “independent” outfit, should get my business. They certainly haven’t earned it.
Missy on February 16, 2009 at 8:49 AM
Lay-z
there is nothing amazing or coincidental, the publishing industry like the media and entertainment have flooded the market with books of all sorts, who do you think is running these operations.
rob verdi on February 16, 2009 at 8:50 AM
Nazi Youth or Obama Youth, what’s the difference? This is not a “fill in the space” issue, but part of an orchestrated effort to develop unquestioned loyalty to the new savior. With this new pill being developed to erase bad memories soon it will be possible for the government to remove thoughts of life. We “useless aged” as the Left consider us will be marginalized. A new history starting at the new age of Obama will be on display at Border’s “Obamican History” section.
alternative failures on February 16, 2009 at 8:51 AM
Don’t know if it’s ‘taking’ or not. My junior high grandaughter, who was forced to watch O’s inaug. happened to mention that she was bored to death by it. Not a political statement in her case, just an observation.
jeanie on February 16, 2009 at 8:53 AM
I have frequented a local Borders here in the Cincinnati area for a decade or so. I have never sensed political bias on the part of the employees.
I recall a few years ago when Hillary and Coulter had books out at the same time. The local Borders built two large pyramids, one of each type of book, facing each other as you walked in.
Clearly trying to take advantage of political controversy to sell books. Which is, of course, their business.
NCC on February 16, 2009 at 8:55 AM
You mean to tell me that those oh so terribly, terribly funny second stringers on SNL, can’t find something funny about this?
jeanie on February 16, 2009 at 8:56 AM
I don’t like Borders and rarely go there, but I know that Barnes & Nobles carries Bibles and Christian books in their religion section, as well as other faiths.
At first, I thought your initial assessment was accurate. There are a lot of people who adore The One and worship him unknowingly, and some who know exactly what they’re doing. My BN store in North Chicago has converted into the BO store. It’s pathetic. That idiotic Inaugural poem is in a little book too. Sheesh, you can’t watch TV without seeing Obama–his volunteer commercials and he did a spot during the NBA All-Star game last night.
But the infraction happened in Dallas, Texas, which is Conservative and prominently Republican. They could only get away with this “joke” in the kiddie section. Either way, it’s frightening that people will put their trust and “hope” in a man who has done nothing.
conservative pilgrim on February 16, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Exit question: What happened to all the ‘religion’ books?
faraway on February 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM
One of my daughters worked at a Borders for awhile last year — that’s not the way she saw it. She says her store was like the MSM, all Obama all the time.
johnsteele on February 16, 2009 at 8:58 AM
This would be funny if it weren’t so, well, creepy.
Worship your king, folks.
Pope Linus on February 16, 2009 at 9:00 AM
O.K., so I was in a Barnes and Noble yesterday, (Picking up my copy of “A dummy’s guide to Chinese Submission”) and I noticed all the magazines with Barry on the cover and they seriously creeped me out- some of them looked as if they’d been altered to make him appear almost cartoonish- I don’t know if he has blotchy discolored skin, but the death mask smile was not pretty- Unless you’re a hard core Obama fan, (brain dead) I think people will tire pretty quickly of seeing his ugly mug on every corner.
anniekc on February 16, 2009 at 9:01 AM
I’d settle for one of the cars they are gonna chuck aside when the government gets their new “green” ones.
surrounded on February 16, 2009 at 9:01 AM
He IS boring. That’s the dirty little secret no one in the drive-bys will ever admit. His speeches might have been interesting and captivating once upon a time. I’ll confess to enjoying his 2004 keynote address at the Democrat Convention(even thought he believed half of what he was saying). But at this point we’ve heard it all. And now that we have a record to compare to the rhetoric, it’s obvious he’s in over his head and full of crap.
Doughboy on February 16, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Anone “curious” about the stuffed animal in the lower right corner?
RobCon on February 16, 2009 at 9:07 AM
This is the category Obama needs to be listed under: LIER
Obama Broke 7 Promises With Generational Theft Act
Good work, Dems!
It only took 3 weeks and the largest transfer of private wealth to government officials in the nation’s history for Barack Obama to break at least 7 of his campaign promises.
Sweetness and Light explains:
7 Broken Promises in Record Time
1. Make government open and transparent.
2. Make it “impossible” for Congressmen to slip in pork barrel projects.
3. Meetings where laws are written will be more open to the public. (Even Congressional Republicans shut out.)
4. No more secrecy.
5. Public will have 5 days to look at a bill.
6. You’ll know what’s in it.
To think, he’s only just begun!
7. We will put every pork barrel project online.
Keemo on February 16, 2009 at 9:08 AM
lol, Can I get one that makes his nose grow too?
hawkdriver on February 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Yeah, they did, they were just of the “Bush is the worst fascist ever and he ruined America” variety.
Ann NY on February 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Yes, my first thought was a gift laid at the sacrifical altar.
sherry on February 16, 2009 at 9:14 AM
You’re right, it shouldn’t surprise anyone, it should scare the everliving hell out of everyone. Its funny that the left idolizes Barry’s cult of personality almost as much as North Koreans idolize Kim Jong Ill. Yet Bush was the tolatarian.
Lay-Z on February 16, 2009 at 9:15 AM
I love browsing at both Borders Music and Books, and Barnes and Noble, but I will admit that lately, they have both gone a bit overboard with the Obama displays. Borders in particular has got B.O. scattered all over the store, from the magazine section clear to the back in the Childrens section.
I did make mention of this at one Borders recently and the lady I was asking about this said “Well, he is the President.” To which I replied that so was Bush, but for as long as I could recall, the only time I ever saw anything about him being displayed was when some moonbat liberal had just released a negative book about him.
She then said the displays were scheduled to come down in a couple more weeks.
I’m still waiting to see if she was being honest with me on that aspect.
pilamaye on February 16, 2009 at 9:20 AM
North Dallas Borders? It was categorization for satire.
South Dallas Borders? It was categorization for religion.
Downtown Dallas Borders? Who knows. Probably just confused.
AnonymousDrivel on February 16, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Yikes, I need my morning caffeine. That should’ve read “even though I didn’t think he believed half of what he was saying”.
Doughboy on February 16, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Is that the Hamas bunny in the display???
WashJeff on February 16, 2009 at 9:31 AM
This is sick.The real and only one true GOD will not be mocked.
thmcbb on February 16, 2009 at 9:32 AM
I was at the Borders in the Valencia Town Center north of Los Angeles just after New Year’s, and on one row of the magazine rack there was, left to right, the U.S. News & World Report cover with Jesus Christ; the Newsweek cover (the already-one-month-old Newsweek cover which should have been off the stands in early December) of Abraham Lincoln; and five more magazines with covers of Barack Obama. So the chain seems to have a lot of either reverent and/or snarky people arranging their shelves.
jon1979 on February 16, 2009 at 9:33 AM
RobCon, that little guy is Vladimir The Marxist Bear. And all parents will be ordered to volunteer to buy them for their kids.
thekingtut on February 16, 2009 at 9:35 AM
I agree. And more and more pathetic too.
FWIW, my local Borders shut its doors just after Christmas. After this, however, I wouldn’t have returned.
I see a balloon being filled with more and more air. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Obama reminds me of the tech bubble–inflated values founded on little more than hype.
BuckeyeSam on February 16, 2009 at 9:38 AM
I don’t know if you missed this from last week’s rally in Florida, but the woman in the left mouths, “I love you, Barack,” then blows him a kiss.
BohicaTwentyTwo on February 16, 2009 at 9:38 AM
There are a few reasons brick and mortar bookstores are going downhill, and playing politics is but one.
Makes me kind of glad I have my Kindle.
JohnTant on February 16, 2009 at 9:41 AM
The Borders spokes woman said, “What happened here is those books were for kids and they were put under an overarching sign.”
I don’t see any overarching sign in that picture. All I see are ceiling tiles above the bookshelves.
bugsy on February 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM
It’s moved beyond creepy, way beyond.
rock_chalker_j_hawker on February 16, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Are the bookstores suggesting a “Dear Leader” cult for us?
Mark30339 on February 16, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Where? Not the Borders around here.
Merovign on February 16, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Borders should be careful not to infringe on the “separation of Church and State”—the ACLU may intervene— NOT
darlajune on February 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM
A nefarious plot by an evil leftist corporation (oxymoron?) is nice and dramatic but this is likely some idiot employee acting alone. I mean….have you seen the folks that work there? Go ask them “Say, could you help me find a book by Rush Limbaugh? I think he’s a swell guy and would like to read his book.” Watch their head explode as they weigh their employment vs. their outrage.
Texas74 on February 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Right. The only books under this “overarching sign” are the Obama books. It’s a very small section with a very large sign.
However, a couple days ago I figured it was mocking sarcasm and I will stick with that. A daring move, but I respect it!
Grafted on February 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
It’s in Dallas… Personally I believe it was somebody making a point about the creepy cult of Barry…
Notice the books weren’t under the America or History and Social Studies signs… Somebody swapped out the sign…
Unlike the Borders and B&N’s in California, CT and NYC, there are actually non-communist employees in the bookstores here…
phreshone on February 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Jones, Karesh, Manson, Pol Pott, Mao, Stalin , Lenin, Hitler, Amin, Obama are all Religion to someone desperate for someone to change their lives. Followers like sheep to slaughter..
lasertex on February 16, 2009 at 10:11 AM
The Obama books should have been displayed under Science Fiction or Adolescent Romance. And here in CA Obama books are displayed at the front of the store in a larger-than-life display. B & N is only slightly more subtle. I order from other booksellers online…not smart for businesses to take a political stand in this economy. And Borders and B&N are hurting…
RedsQMee on February 16, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Is the display facing Mecca by any chance?
Shy Guy on February 16, 2009 at 10:17 AM
It’s a CAIR bear.
AZCoyote on February 16, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Now why did somebody leave a toy monkey under all the Barry books on those shelves? Was that raaaaaaaacist? Or, since it’s in the “Religion” section, does it represent the religion of Charles Darwin?
Why is it that Borders in Dallas, through which the Trinity River flows, can’t sell books on real Religion?
Steve Z on February 16, 2009 at 10:19 AM
It’s obvious they wanted the space for the obama books and couldn’t be bothered to get a step ladder out to take down the religion sign. Remember, liberals are lazy as well as stupid. Occam’s razor.
keep the change on February 16, 2009 at 10:20 AM
It is now way beyond creepy. He gives an address during halftime of the NBA All-Star game telling people to organize and volunteer. Then later on I went to Wal-Mart and there was a whole video section with at least 5 different titles all about Obama. Then ABC had some documentary on his life. Along with CNN’s coverage of him and the morphing of his image into Lincoln’s when he hasn’t even served a FULL term as US Senator and LESS than a month in office, I thought, ‘what’s with all this exposure?’ In my 40 years in the US, even with the Reagan Landslide, I’ve NEVER seen this many books, videos, shows, or articles all at once for a President. It’s like hero worship of Lenin or the like. It’s what happens when a secular society feels empty and needs its spiritual side fulfilled and they let Dear Leader define it for them, ala the religion of Volunteerism.
Sultry Beauty on February 16, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Then watch the economy tank and voters rebel against socialism, and the monuments to Hussein Obama will have the same fate as those to Saddam Hussein. Time heals all wounds, and wounds all heels.
Steve Z on February 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Let’s not be in a rush to get rid of book stores. I happen to like books very much. There is no way in heck I would ever buy a cold, electronic kindle. I love amazon but only buy books from them if absolutely necessary. I love the smell of books stores and love to browse. Like TV you just have to ignore things sometimes.
Great observation!
gator70 on February 16, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Soon there will be no sections, just a sign that reads “Little Red Books”.
Laura in Maryland on February 16, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I want to laugh and cry.
Rollie on February 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Do any of you shop in the Borders children’s section? The books rarely match what is under the headers. It’s a mess in there. I’ve bought Christmas books that were sitting under the Science section, but I didn’t start thinking there was a connection. The signs merely tell you what’s shelved (and sometimes that wrong!) not what’s on display.
I’m sick of all the Obama books too, but come on. Get real. This entire discussion is beyond ridiculous, and I can’t believe it’s still going on past the weekend!
herrevery on February 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM
This is a clear violation of the separation of church and state! No wonder I don’t shop at Borders.
ic1redeye on February 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM
I’m not in a rush to get rid of bookstores, Gator70, but they certainly seem to be in a rush to leave the realm of the profitable.
When I can get Liberal Fascism sent to my Kindle within 60 seconds and not having to play childish hide-and-seek games with my local Borders or B&N, I call that a net win.
JohnTant on February 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM
I’m betting on tomfoolery.
I worked in a Borders around Christmas of 2008 in The Woodlands TX. A guy was actually fired for making a sign for an end cap of Obama’s books that read “Obamanation.” You think it’s annoying to see The One’s face everywhere you look? Just go to a bookstore and imagine having to work there and see all the displays and books left and right all over. This is just a case of someone trying to vent some frustration over Obama with some well placed satire.
SNL should think of asking this book seller to sit in on a few writing sessions with them. Couldn’t hurt.
Ampersand on February 16, 2009 at 10:45 AM
They (Borders) can worship who they want but I’ll never put a coin in their offering plate again.
DCJeff on February 16, 2009 at 10:47 AM
I disagree Ed. The last time I looked in the ‘religion’ section of a secular book store I found plenty of religous books. The selection was broad. I was surprised to find tons of pagan and even cult like books. There were many books with the intention of discrediting Christianity. I’m not surprised then by this story either. The “Obama” books fit nicely between “Necromancy” and “Paganism”.
shick on February 16, 2009 at 10:56 AM
I have a local bookstore run by some aging hippies. I love to go in there and ask for the latest Ann Coulter book. I almost caused them a nervous breakdown two years ago when I bought Rick Santorum’s book (really good, BTW). I’m actually a bit encouraged that they haven’t plastered the store with Obama crap.
rockmom on February 16, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Well, of course I can imagine this…you have to carry the conservative best-sellers in order to pay for the shelf space the liberal books take up.
James on February 16, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Baxter Greene…
When I first saw that yesterday, all I could think of was CYA, CYA.
Wonder how many people are now going “does that mean I’m not getting MINE!”
imfedup on February 16, 2009 at 11:21 AM
It is a little bit silly to walk into a Borders or similar book/coffee bar and expect not to find they worship at the Obama altar. I remember a Simpson’s episode where they visit their version of Borders: “I’m going to the 4th floor, where the books are” says Lisa. “I’m going to taunt the PhDs behind the registers” says Bart.
Marcus on February 16, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Stay up really late, and take a look at all the infomercials for this crap now. It’s disgusting.
Do people really shop at Borders? I’ve got one about 2 miles from me and I’ve been there once. I’m not paying full price for their books when they’re cheaper and a click away at Amazon where the only book that’s being shilled like crazy over there is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (a real dud of a book).
Knucklehead on February 16, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Considering that our local Borders has at least 3 Obama displays right now, I don’t think it was satire that made them put those books under “Religion”, it was their ideology.
tnmama on February 16, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Well it’s obviously one of two things, a seriously deranged liberal or a hystericly funny conservative that did it, either way it is fact for liberals.
Seeing Eye Dog on February 16, 2009 at 11:30 AM
With book by Marx and alGore the leftist religion would be complete.
jukin on February 16, 2009 at 11:47 AM
I’m betting it’s satire. Borders is bursting at the seams with Obama books. If I were a frustrated employee, that’s what I would do.
Obamabots are too serious about the One to actually admit their fanaticism is religious. They uniformly hate the very idea of religion.
By the way, despite the proliferation of Obama books, Borders has a more diverse section of political books than Barnes and Noble.
Just try to find more than a half dozen books by conservative writers in a Barnes and Noble.
Disturb the Universe on February 16, 2009 at 11:49 AM
YouTube – The Egyptian (1954) Iron vs Copper, Worship scene
fwd to 1;46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvLNEG4pbQo&feature=related
lizzee on February 16, 2009 at 11:56 AM
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