# "The One" **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566 "2011-07-19T12:21:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/81 "2011-07-21T17:46:24Z")
For that matter, why didn’t anyone get it into their heads to start a Kerry or Gore location trend? Why did the Obama one catch on, when we all know a Kerry one wouldn’t? Let’s be honest here. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/82 "2011-07-21T18:17:52Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > For that matter, why didn’t anyone get it into their heads to start a Kerry or Gore location trend? Why did the Obama one catch on, when we all know a Kerry one wouldn’t? I think you just proved that there was more enthusiasm for Obama than for Kerry and Gore, and that there was more support for Obama online. Congrats- until now, only everyone knew that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/83 "2011-07-21T18:33:35Z")
Right. And some segment of that enthusiasm can be overenthusiasm. I have never claimed that this was terribly important, but it does crop up and can be a bit embarrassing when it does. Like with the “I Pledge” video - not many people will defend this today. They will say it went too far. Because it did. But that doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen, or that it wasn’t part of a trend. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/84 "2011-07-21T18:39:35Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I think you just proved that there was more enthusiasm for Obama than for Kerry and Gore, and that there was more support for Obama online. [/QUOTE] It was more than just some additional enthusiasm in many cases, not just here but all over the internet. And some people went completely nuts over Obama and certainly were setting expectations very similarly to the second coming of Jesus. That these folks weren’t in the majority of folks who supported Obama has nothing to do with the core of where this meme is coming from. It’s not something made up out of whole clothe by the evil Republican propaganda machine, as the OP was saying…there is a kernel of truth, even if it’s exaggerated (this IS political attack after all) and blown out of proportion. Much like ALL political attacks, this one works (such as it does) because people can relate…we all remember the folks who were squeeeee-ing with pleasure and wriggling with delight over Obama both in the primaries and in the general election. Hell, I was pretty enthusiastic about the man, and I don’t generally squeee or wriggle all that much over politicians. The OP is pretty plainly stating that s/he seemingly has no idea where this meme comes from and knows of no Dems who acted like this…this despite the fact that OP’s joing date was in 2002. I find that incredibly difficult to believe, both because of the numerous examples of near worship from 'dopers during the run up period as well as numerous examples in blogs, left wing web sites and even MSM publications such as the Rolling Stone example given earlier. -XT ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/85 "2011-07-21T18:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] The Shiva imagery is deliberate. The point isn’t that Obama is a god, it’s that he isn’t, and that he would have to be one to do all the things a modern president is expected to do. It’s not a good example of irrational enthusiasm for Obama. [/QUOTE] I agree that this was probably the point, but understand that I also know a bit about Shiva. If you didn’t and were just looking at the cover you wouldn’t have the same analysis of what was being shown you there. I do agree that it probably wasn’t a good example of irrational enthusiasm about Obama, however. > [@](#): > > Yeah, I think it’s fair to say that’s divine imagery. I said upthread that some Democrats had wildly unrealistic expectations for Obama and I probably understated that a little. Given how much RS hated Bush, you’d expect them to do that for Obama. Sure…and there was certainly a lot of reasons to pin a lot on Obama. The point is that some folks went overboard, and now the Republicans are using that as ammunition to attack Obama and his supporters over it. Pretty standard tactics, and ones that have been used since the founding of the nation. What’s annoying here is that suddenly this is some sort of new tactic from the evil Republicans, based on threads like this one and others. It’s all about oxes and gores, or gores and oxes, as I attempted to explain in Bo’s fine thread he proudly linked too earlier. It’s annoying to the OP because this time it’s his guy who is getting oxed by the gore, but it was hardly noticeable when the shoe was on the other horse. -XT ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/86 "2011-07-21T19:11:34Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I’m sorry, but mention the messiah-esque qualities some over the top enthusiasts ascribe to Obama and most people are going to nod their heads as they recall specific instances…unless they are either in active denial or have been living under a rock with those guys from the Geiko commercial. They might not know this specific instance, but I’m guessing if you said ‘The One’ in the context of Obama they would understand the underlying subtext of what was being discussed, whether they agreed about it or not. I hardly think I was living under a rock in 2008 and 2009, but sorry, I’d have been more likely to connect it with Justin Bieber than Barack Obama, if not for the harpings of the wingnuts. As **Chronos** already suggested, there’s a big difference between giddy infatuation (which I’ll agree wasn’t in short supply) and Messiah-worship. > [@](#): > > Obviously some people DID go overboard about Reagan, both during and after his presidency, and the left has latched onto that as a potential attack point, one that they can use to grind away at his image by showing that people went silly over him. Of course, I don’t recall any of the media portraying Reagan in god(s) like settings or with divine imagery, but basically it’s the same exact tactic. Hey, it was the RNC that [quite recently](http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/rnc-web-site-pays-tribute-to-ronaldus-magnus.php) referred to Reagan as “Ronaldus Magnus.” Ditto [the Freepers at Free Republic](http://www.freerepublic.com/~ronaldusmagnus/). Or [Rush Limbaugh](http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/menu/ronald.guest.html) ("“The World Heard the Truth from God.”) Or the [American Conservative Daily](http://www.americanconservativedaily.com/2011/02/the-wisdom-and-wit-of-ronaldus-magnus/). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/87 "2011-07-21T19:15:10Z")
No, it’s annoying to me because it’s tired and old and SOP, and righties who do it in 2011 think they’re making some great big valid arguing point, when all they get is liberal rolleyes. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/88 "2011-07-21T19:16:56Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > the numerous examples of near worship from 'dopers during the run up period Oh, yeah. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/89 "2011-07-21T19:27:33Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Oh, yeah. Cite? [Way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607540)[too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=505896)[easy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489424) ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/90 "2011-07-21T19:36:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > When you can find folks saying that Obama is God’s annointed sent to cleanse the country of evil, or praying to an idol of him, then that’ll be relevant to this thread. > [@](#): > > [Barack Obama isn’t really one of us. Not in the normal way, anyway. … Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve. They are philosophers and peacemakers of a very high order, and they speak not just to reason or emotion, but to the soul.](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/06/06/notes060608.DTL) > [@](#): > > [Nevertheless, his followers willing to wait for hours on end to hear him speak have been crowding out huge concert halls and sports arenas to get a glimpse of their new progressive avatar and drive long distances to obtain the Obama darshan or to simply be in his presence. One can just imagine what the peace and flower-power concerts in the 60’s might have been like. Many even see in Obama a messiah-like figure, a great soul, and some affectionately call him Mahatma Obama. Clearly, people are hungry for a change and want an inspirational leader who can serve up some hearty ‘chicken soup for the soul’.](http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-s-Satyagraha--Or--Di-by-Dinesh-Sharma-080626-187.html) > [@](#): > > [Lee predicted Obama would be elected in November. > > “When that happens, it will change everything. … You’ll have to measure time by `Before Obama' and `After Obama,'” Lee said during the panel. “It’s an exciting time to be alive now.” > … > “Everything’s going to be affected by this seismic change in the universe,” he said.]([HuffPost - Breaking News, Politics, Entertainment & Opinion](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/11/spike-lee-obamas-election_n_112142.html)) > [@](#): > > [Now, at least, I was on my feet as Senator Obama entered the room. Fate had blessed me in this moment, as I realized that the aisle that was keeping me from my seat was created for him and his secret service escort to make their way to the stage. Within seconds, he was a few feet from me. Cameras were flashing, everyone was cheering, and I knew this was my moment. I pushed my way up to the barricade as he shook hands with as many people as time would allow. I squeezed up front, but Obama was moving quickly and just passed me by. Then, in a moment of divine intervention, he saw me, clad in my red stop-sign of a dress, back-tracked ever so slightly in his procession, grabbed my hand, and gave that brilliant smile of his. I literally said out loud to the woman next to me who witnessed my good fate, “I’ll never wash this hand again.”](http://fashion.elle.com/culture/agenda/2008/07/18/joining-the-oba/) [![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkA8USJcfPw/SyVUaxwQ1fI/AAAAAAAAAgE/3ssRtMzWV1Y/s1600-h/obamachrist.jpg) ](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkA8USJcfPw/SyVUaxwQ1fI/AAAAAAAAAgE/3ssRtMzWV1Y/s1600-h/obamachrist.jpg) Those are taken from [http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/](http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/) You may also wish to note that liberal commenters have noticed the same phenomenon; some blame themselves ([“I was at an Obama rally in Las Vegas last month, hanging at the rope line afterward in the cold night desert air, just to see him up close, to make sure he was real.”](http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-stein8feb08,0,3418234.column)), and some blame Obama. ([“Barack Obama has a messiah complex and no one will convince me otherwise.”](http://motherjones.com/transition/inter25.php?dest=http://motherjones.com/mojo/2008/02/barack-obamas-messiah-complex)) And Slate made “Obama Messiah Watch” into a [recurring feature](http://www.slate.com/id/2184459/). But, please, feel free to insist it never happened. I deny that my generation was responsible for hair bands, so I understand. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/91 "2011-07-21T19:38:17Z")
First of all, that’s examples of a doper, not dopers. The plural means more than one. Second, anyone who thinks that saying someone has a nice smile is “worship” clearly isn’t very good at the whole religion thing. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/92 "2011-07-21T19:40:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > First of all, that’s examples of a doper, not dopers. The plural means more than one. Read the threads. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/93 "2011-07-21T19:41:08Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > [Way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607540)[too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=505896)[easy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489424) You kind of got put in your place in the 35th post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=505896). Those threads are mostly of dopers saying “I like the guy, but let’s not go too crazy here, okay” and you’re citing them as 1000% over-the-top Obama worship. There are women in there, basically saying “I think he’s cute” and other dopers saying “This is fun to have a president I can respect and admire for a change” but not much serious worship of Obama in the one thread I’ve read so far. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/94 "2011-07-21T20:36:01Z")
Speaking for myself, the excitement felt upon Obama’s election was less directed at him individually, and more directed at the population of the U.S. – an emotional, congratulatory “way to go – we/you guys WERE able to get past skin color and a funny name after all”. Few of us had any illusions about him as a person (we knew he was smart, and inclusive, and in some ways a fresh start, so that was better than the alternative), although too many of us, it seems, still have illusions about what the president can and cannot _do_ (the office doesn’t weild as much power as some disappointed liberals think it does.) (For a good explanation of why we should try to avoid hero-worship in general, see Leonard Mlodinow’s book _The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives_ – especially the part about how ordinary Bill Gates is, just that he was in the right place at the right time.) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/95 "2011-07-21T23:51:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > First of all, that’s examples of a doper, not dopers. The plural means more than one. [Some discussion of another](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=501405), complete with links. But he was only the most around the bend about it. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > an emotional, congratulatory “way to go – we/you guys WERE able to get past skin color and a funny name after all”. Yes, we did get quite a few comments in 2008 about how we could show each other and the world that we’re finally over race in our daily and political lives by voting for the black guy. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/96 "2011-07-22T16:19:34Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > [Way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607540)[too](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=505896)[easy.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=489424) As Chronos already suggested, there’s a big difference between giddy infatuation (which I’ll agree wasn’t in short supply) and Messiah-worship. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/97 "2011-07-22T16:30:30Z")
> [@furt](#): > > [obamachrist.jpg (image)](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WkA8USJcfPw/SyVUaxwQ1fI/AAAAAAAAAgE/3ssRtMzWV1Y/s1600-h/obamachrist.jpg) > > Those are taken from [http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/](http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com/) Your examples are at least on point, because they’re crossing the line between infatuation and worship. But still, what do you have? From a blog devoted to collecting such stories, you’re able to cull: One celeb most people have actually heard of (Spike Lee); One local, non-syndicated columnist; One writer at _Elle_ magazine; and some freelancer I’ve never heard of. > [@](#): > > But, please, feel free to insist it never happened. I deny that my generation was responsible for hair bands, so I understand. Yes, there were people who got into Obama-worship. Nobody here is quarreling with that. But this is still very much down in the white noise, rather than something that was hard to miss if you didn’t spend 2008 in a cave. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/98 "2011-07-22T16:48:06Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yes, there were people who got into Obama-worship. Nobody here is quarreling with that. But this is still very much down in the white noise, rather than something that was hard to miss if you didn’t spend 2008 in a cave. Remember that one summer camp where the kids were praying to a cardboard cutout of him? It sure was creepy. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/99 "2011-07-22T21:00:03Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Yes, there were people who got into Obama-worship. Nobody here is quarreling with that. Um, you may want to read the thread. Chronos and PRR said pretty much exactly that. Note the quote. Nice try at moving those goalposts, though. > [@](#): > > But this is still very much down in the white noise, rather than something that was hard to miss if you didn’t spend 2008 in a cave. Uh-huh. And liberal reporters writers commenting on what they see as a widespread phenomenon, and Slate – that right-wing bastion – running a recurring feature mocking the ridiculous rhetoric people attached to him. Anyone unaware of it either wasn’t paying attention, is forgetful, or is dishonest. > **[Obama: Cult , Evangelicalism or Political Campaign? - TalkLeft: The Politics...](http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/2/7/112248/5633/elections2008/Obama-Cult-Evangelicalism-or-Political-Campaign-)** > > Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news. [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7281.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7281.html) [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/janetdaley/5633493/Obama\_the\_Messiah\_is\_going\_to\_produce\_profound\_disillusion/](http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/janetdaley/5633493/Obama_the_Messiah_is_going_to_produce_profound_disillusion/) [http://open.salon.com/blog/garybaumgarten/2009/04/27/messianic\_obama\_on\_display](http://open.salon.com/blog/garybaumgarten/2009/04/27/messianic_obama_on_display) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566/100 "2011-07-22T21:21:14Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Remember that one summer camp where the kids were praying to a cardboard cutout of him? It sure was creepy. > > -Joe No no, they were praying _for_ Bush, not _to_ him. Can’t imagine why. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one/589566.md?page=6)