No breaking away from Barack Obama's bicycle picture

LA Times ^ | 6/10/08 | staff

[pissant]

The debate is on: The widely circulated photograph of Barack Obama on a bicycle this last weekend either did the presidential candidate no favors, or actually helped his cause.

In an article in today's New York Daily News, writer David Saltonstall shows no mercy, declaring: "It wasn't a pretty picture: ill-fitting jeans, a tucked-in golf shirt, black-and-white socks and a helmet that could make Michael Dukakis blush."

A weekend in Chicago spent by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama included a bicycle ride with his family Yet in comments to Saltonstall, some Big Apple fashionistas cut Obama major slack. Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York, says: "I like seeing my politicians in goofy weekend attire. It means they're thinking about more important stuff."

Newsweek's Andrew Romano notes today that when the shot of Obama on the bike as part of an excursion with his family in Chicago "hit the wires, the heavily trafficked right-wing message boards of Free Republic went wild."

Those postings, as you can imagine, weren't complimentary toward Obama (but several were creative).

Romano, though, argues that the "bike moment" will be a plus for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee because it "makes him look like a normal, nerdy American dad."Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts went wind surfing during his 2004 presidential campaign

[swain_forkbeard]

Not a dork.

[swain_forkbeard]

Dork.

[Berlin_Freeper]

If Obama is not bright enough to make sure his tires have enough air so that he is not a danger to other people, then he should be ticketed.

Maybe that will make him more thoughtful and considerate to the wellbeing of bikers, drivers and pedestrians in the future.

[LasVegasMac]

Oh, for crying out loud!....this stuff is getting stupid....I’m wearing jeans and a golf shirt right now myself....so what?

Then you must be gay, too!

lol.....j/k

Hey wait a minute, I wear jeans and....

[swain_forkbeard]

No big deal. He’s just a dork.

[AppyPappy]

That’s because you don’t ride a bike. You are supposed to clip your pants leg to keep it out of the chain. It’s proof that he is a Marxist Muslim.

[Beckwith]

What’s wrong with cinching one’s waist? :-/

It's bad for the proper functioning of the bowels -- it tends to make one full of sh!t.

[dead]

You are supposed to clip your pants leg to keep it out of the chain. It’s proof that he is a Marxist Muslim.

And a gay furriner.

[M203M4]

I see the deflated rear tire, but not the fashion problem. A helmet is a helmet, there is no getting around it looking dorky. The jeans are normal, the shirt is normal, and tucking in the shirt better be normal!

Now, the picture of Obama holding his crotch during the anthem is a winner. That picture of his wife wagging her finger and looking like the embodiment of PMS is another good one. Obama in the arab-looking attire is another image which should get more play.

I still await an Obama moment like Dukakis on the tank, Kerry "catching" the football, water-surfing, wearing the bunny suit while crawling out of the tube, etc etc etc. But this bike one is not it - it is boring like a box of saltine crackers.

[twntaipan]

Now THAT is funny!

[NathanR]

I believe it is this.

He has disconnected the kiddie bike, so it is not there. He probably hadn't ridden in long time, so the tires were low. Much more real than Kerry IMO

[jonrock]

Notice the tire is flat or almost so

[TheBattman]

Who rides a bike wearing jeans?

I usually do. The bugs around here will eat you up if you don't.

[John123]

He has disconnected the kiddie bike, so it is not there.

So you mean Obama was riding around with a dangling bar from the back of the bike? Isn't that dangerous over 1MPH?

[wilco200]

Just to round out the discussion, it also looks like he retrofitted the stock seat with one of those extra-wide cushy deals the ladies enjoy.

[Grizzled Bear]

Romano, though, argues that the "bike moment" will be a plus for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee because it "makes him look like a normal, nerdy American dad."Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts went wind surfing during his 2004 presidential campaign

Presidential candidates enjoy being compared to John Kerry. It really helps their campaign!

**Snicker**

[Grizzled Bear]

Depends. Post a picture so we can see if you tuck in the shirt, cinch the belt really tight and look goofy.

[John123]

He can’t bowl; looks dorky on a bike... can he even dance??

Does Obama have rhythm? Or is that racist?

[peeps36]

That's a bicycle trailer that Berry uses to hall his ego around. He could also use it to carry all the baggage we have yet to learn about him. It could come in handy for him if he wanted to take his Koran and prayer rug for a ride.

[CougarGA7]