Barackstar

I was walking by the lakes the other day, and I saw this boy playing with his friends. They were all maybe about 12 or 13. Now that's an age where what your friends think of you matters. That's an age where--particularly here, it seems--kids start claiming a sense of style highly influenced by their peers. So what was this boy wearing?

An Obama t-shirt. Specifically the ubiquitous "Hope"/Fairey image, which we could argue is losing all meaning and impact based on its now-iconic status--much like Che Guevara--but that's a post for another day.

The point is, when was the last time you saw a teenager wearing the face of a US president in a non-ironic way? In Europe, he's crazy popular. In Denmark, his name is spray painted on buildings. Not "Suck it Obama," but honest to God... just "Obama."

That there is a collective sigh of relief in Europe over Obama's election is hardly news. And I'm probably the 40 billionth blogger to say it, but I understand how deeply reviled Bush must have been here when I see things like this:



And this:



I know that Barack Obama isn't the Second Coming--there can be no such thing in politics--but gosh it's nice to have him there... especially while I'm over here.