Obamarama? Vroom!

It's a bit crass, but it could be a very effective method of targeting voters who otherwise wouldn't give Obama a second glance. I mean let's face it, the typical NASCAR fan is probably a socially conservative, blue-collar worker - not Obama's strongest demographic. If he can find a way to appeal to them, that's just smart campaigning.

Amanda,
I would argue that it's not more crass than any other political advertising. It's far better than the TV attack ads we are bombarded with.

Holly -- it is crass, or even vulgar, from an absolute standpoint of taste, but honestly, these days it's not out of the ordinary.

For over 20 years now we've had crass, commercialist corporate names being added to sporting events and for a number of years now to professional sports facilities. With NASCAR we even have drug companies (Viagra) involved.

NASCAR already has a government presence. The Army at least used to be a NASCAR sponsor.

Obama is hyper-hipster-populist "American Idol" slick packaging at its finest and he is reaching out beyond "progressives" [sic] and other traditional liberal Democratic voters (which includes the Jewish American vote, the likely reason why he did his appearance before AIPAC). He's tried to reach out in his own gentle, liberal way to the Religious Right. Why not reach out to NASCAR dads and moms and their kids, too?

I think it's another clever marketing (and yes, outreach) maneuver by him.

Would McCain or anyone else in the GOP ever have thought of such a thing?

Heh. Way to go after the bitter voters clinging to faith and guns who haven't yet been mollified by his statements about the death penalty and the DC gun ban case. As I understand it, this is the sport of the working men and women of America (Dems & others) who might still be a bit skeptical.

There's a school of thought that assumes they are a lot dumber than they are --- that they'll respond like Pavlov's dogs to a gimmick --- but perhaps that's too cynical.

I guess whatever works, eh? I just hope this doesn't blow up in his face like the bowling and the imported beer in Penn.

Politics is all about symbolism, and crass is in the eye of the beholder.

I find all sloganeering to be equally crass (McCain's 'victory', etc).

I give Obama credit for innovative thinking in this case. Standing in front of flags with hand over heart is getting a little formulative.

CHANGE

HOPE

FAITH

GUNS

[US FLAG]

OBAMA

That's what will be plastered on the sponsored race car.

Poconos, note. Now let him go to Charlotte or Talladega and let's see him handle the Confederate battle flag, object of demonic and demented hatred by the far Left.

"That's what will be plastered on the sponsored race car".

yes, but at least it will be a racing car,
Vroom can say a lot more than words, for a change There you go, CHANGE.

It's certainly a CHANGE from the old ways of campaigning (pun intended). And if enough people complain about it before the race, or after the race, he can always say he regrets it, just like putting his kids on teevee.

And if Viagra can be plastered on the car, why not someone campaigning for office?

"And if enough people complain about it before the race, or after the race, he can always say he regrets it, just like putting his kids on teevee."

i agree.
Flexibility is certainly a welcome CHANGE from rigid adherence to policies long after it's obvious they don't work.

I don't care for NASCAR and the sport, but I think this is cool....

Just like Obama got down in the trenches to help Iowans build levees during the flood, Obama is trying to reach out to all Americans (in whatever way it takes). Unlike McCain who is so far above the people that, even if he wanted to, McCain doesn't know how to begin to try to make a connection.

Oh, and even though I think it's cool, I also know it's a political stunt. But what isn't a political stunt in any race for an elected office?

Oh, and let's not forget that the Clinton campaign (when it was still in the race) was happy to receive the endorsement of Sara Fisher, the first woman to earn a pole position at an IndyCar series event.

Here's a link:

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog...

At least neither Hillary nor Obama actually want to play race car driver like Bush played pilot to land on the aircraft carrier to declare the end of major combat operations in Iraq... remind me again how many years ago that was and we're still in a war? :)

How could Barak Obama and the Black population and most democrats support Nascar. They have no black drivers. (Come to think of it the truck seriies might have a black driver) If you look up and down pit road there is probably 1 percent of the entire pit road that is even something other then White Males.

Give me a break. Supporting Nascar. Im surprised the NAACP and ACLU has not sued Nascar already and mandated that Nascar have 7 Black teams, 8 Hispanic teams, 2 Asian Teams and 1 terrorrist team run by either Al Queada or Hamas. .Opps I just gave them ideas.

Neocon,
There is/was a black driver in the truck series. I remember going to a truck race and being appalled by the crowd that felt the need to boo him during the driver introductions. He was a nice guy, unlike the crowd apparently.

And there are many a black men involved in the ownership and sponsorship of cars out there. Including some famous rappers and basketball players.

I'm actually quite moderate about a lot of things as well as open-minded and I see this move by Obama as slick advertising as well as open outreach. Needless to say this is not how others view Obama.

I don't consider this move by him to be divisive, but look at these two reactions:

a) "I don't care for NASCAR and the sport, but I think this is cool...."

b) "Give me a break. Supporting Nascar. "

Now I've been pessimistic about McCain's chances (he's if anything another Dole, not the Big Lie "another Bush"; I also call him the Sacrificial Lamb this year), and I still am intrigued by the Golden or Divine Proportion and wonder if Obama will be reaching it in November, beating McCain at least 62-38, but McCain's "Survivor" campaign does plod on, staff gaffes and all, and Obama's support is not unanimous.

* * *

"sponsorship [...] rappers and basketball players"

Toxic baggage! Very poor role models, and arguably worse than Jackson and dinosaur Dem black "leadership"!

I'd rather see black drivers, and I suspect we'll see them someday. And no, the response isn't going to be hostile unless the ACLU put the guy behind the wheel from another ACLU junk lawsuit or Jesse Rent-A-Riot Shakedown Jackson makes demands. There already are female drivers and the response is not hostile. When I was still in Iowa I was once in a sports bar (which I don't do, but I was celebrating my upcoming departure to Michigan) and there was a race in progress, I believe in Japan. Those of us in there were watching and with just two or three laps to go Danica Patrick took the lead. Were we hostile? Hell, no. "She's in first! STICK IT OUT! JUST STICK IT OUT!" She stayed in first and won the race and the place exploded in cheers. So much for evil unsophisticated "white male domination and oppression forever" nonsense.

"Im surprised the NAACP and ACLU has not sued Nascar already and mandated that Nascar have 7 Black teams, 8 Hispanic teams, 2 Asian Teams and 1 terrorrist team run by either Al Queada or Hamas. .Opps I just gave them ideas."

They and the other PC dolts are waiting instead for the next major manned [sic?] space mission.

"How could Barak Obama and the Black population and most democrats support Nascar. They have no black drivers"

HMM.
Maybe black Democrats forgot they should stick with their own kind and stay out of white men's business?.

google says you are all wrong...http://www.nascar.com/2005/kyn/02/14/bhm.2/index.html

well except about the truck driver, who qualified for the cup series.