September 24, 2008
Behold: Barack Immortalized on Gold Coin
First there was Barack Obama's own version of the presidential seal.
Then there was his version of a Greek temple (designed by the guy who has designed the sets for many of Britney Spears' tours).
Now...a gold coin with his likeness. I kid you not. A company in England is hoping to rake in the cash after the election:
The coins already sold to the Democrats will be presented to the senators, congressmen, governors and other politicians they are being given to within the next two weeks.
There will also be a television advertising campaign launched in the US.
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. And the coins have proved such a hit that locally produced versions have already been launched to compete with the UK originals.
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."
Now I realize Obama didn't commission these coins himself. It's funny, though, how he got angry when McCain mocked his worldwide rock star status. Will he ask the Birmingham firm to stop the sale of the coins before the election? As Bob from the discount furniture chain would say, "I doubt it!" (Those of you from the Northeast will be able to hear the distinctive whine in your head!)
And yes, I know that the big sports leagues commission two sets of merchandise for the winners of the Super Bowl, World Series, etc., and then destroy the merchandise bearing the logo of the losing team. But striking a coin with Obama's likeness before we've even had the election and publicizing the fact takes just a little more hubris than that, to borrow a phrase from Charlie Gibson.
It's also nice to know that the Brits are taking such an interest in an election they can't vote in.
Show Comments »
It's a memorabilia item.. is it really this much of a bid deal for so many people to get up-in-arms about this?
I never saw folks complaining this much when the company, in April, from Las Vegas pressed a similair coin? But I guess because it is not an American company it makes it all the more of a vile and disgusting act?
Seriously... the DNC, as you clearly state, had nothing to do with the production of these coins.. but do you really think they should even comment on them? I mean, regardless of party, they are aiming on becoming the leader of the free world, yet they should comment on a coin being made by a private company, in another country?
I read through their website
http://www.obamagoldcoins.com - and all I can see is that it's an 'art' representation... which can say whatever they want to (I believe in American freedom of expression and/or free-speech is allowed)... what's the big deal?
Foreign nations have absolutely no business involving themselves in any way, shape or form in our elections, just as we should never interfere or involve ourselves in theirs. It's bad manners, bad international relations and bad policy.
As to the other, did Senator Obama approve this self-aggrandizing coin? If he did, he needs to be locked up in a quiet room, preferably rubber-lined, until his sanity returns!
Posted by: Gayle Miller at September 26, 2008 03:29 PMI fell off the chair when I first read it at Hillbuzz, that quoted PUMA08, which in turn quoted the British press, and I still can’t fathom this.
So I checked out the original story, pending proof it was not a parody story.
Here is the original story in Birmingham Post
Obama is indeed having presidential coins minted:
Posted by: at September 29, 2008 05:06 PM
