Two-Bit Candidate
We’ve already noted Barack Obama’s affinity for Latin mottos (vero possumus: “rodent face”), even to the point of swiping them from his nation’s history (”Out of many, we are one“).
Now he’s got a place to put ‘em: his own freakin’ presidential coin:
A company in Birmingham’s [UK] Jewellery Quarter is making commemorative coins for American presidential hopeful Barack Obama.
And if the Democratic candidate is elected to become the most powerful man in the world on November 4, it could open the floodgates for millions of pounds worth of business for the firm.
Windsor, Elizabeth & Windsor has already sold more than 300 limited edition commemorative silver coins to the Democratic Party to hand out to key members of the campaign to elect Obama.
…
The coins show Senator Obama’s face, along with a picture of the White House and the legend “President of the United States of America”.
Don’t let anything like an election slow you down, big fella.
What do you think he’s looking at? From the squint, I’d say it’s St. Peter’s Basilica, the next address on his to-do list. No shortage of Latin mottos there.
PS: Ed Morrissey notes:
Julius Caesar was the first Roman to put his image on coins, which started his downfall. Barack Obama may be the first person in history to start striking coins in his image before taking power. Maybe he just wants to look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills, but this is starting to get … creepy.
Patrick Synnott said,
September 25, 2008 @ 5:51 am
I’m sorry - did I miss something. Your comments read like Obama commissioned these coins. Could you direct me to the facts that back up your comments? Many thanks.
Bloodthirsty Liberal said,
September 25, 2008 @ 6:42 am
Sure Patrick,
From the original article:
“A company in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is making commemorative coins for American presidential hopeful Barack Obama.
…
Winston Elizabeth & Windsor has already sold more than 300 limited edition commemorative silver coins to the Democratic Party to hand out to key members of the campaign to elect Obama.
…
The company directors got the idea of producing the coins after seeing actress Meryl Streep talking about Barack Obama on a television programme.
When they got in touch with the Democrats the party jumped at the chance.”
I suppose you could argue that Barack Obama is not the entire Democratic Party, but I’m going to make that giant Bob Beamon-like leap to conclude that his campaign knew about this.
Patrick Synnott said,
December 23, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
The company did not make the coins “for American presidential hopeful Barack Obama.” - in the sense that he ordered the company to make them.
‘Winston Elizabeth & Windsor has already sold more than 300 limited edition commemorative silver coins to the Democratic Party..”
This is correct.. they SOLD the coins.. the Democratic Party did not ask this company to manufacture them.
“The company directors got the idea of producing the coins after seeing actress Meryl Streep talking about Barack Obama on a television programme.
When they got in touch with the Democrats the party jumped at the chance.”
This is also correct - the company produced the coins, independent of the Democratic Party. Of course they would offer them to their key target customers… which business would not?
“I suppose you could argue that Barack Obama is not the entire Democratic Party,”
Already looked at this one about Barack Obama not ordering the company to manufacture the coins
“..but I’m going to make that giant Bob Beamon-like leap to conclude that his campaign knew about this.”
I completely agree with this… but the only way the DNC/campaign knew about the coins, was because folks at Winston, Elizabeth & Windsor contacted them in order make sales.