by Mark Silva
"Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change'' - Barack Obama, president of the United States.
""If you want to change the world, the change has to happen with you first'' - Barack Obama, president.
These are among the quotations featured in Pocket Obama, a pocket-sized collection of Obamaproclamations compiled by The History Company, collecting $5.95 per edition for a text that critics are likening to Quotations from Chairman Mao.
The publisher's note of the book that came out in January calls it "an unofficial requirement for every American citizen to own, read, and to carry this book at all times.'' Of course, they would say so. They are selling the thing. As American goes about the business of picking itself up and dusting itself off, they say, this is like a broom.
The solid blue cover of the paperback has lent fodder to critics who want to view it some sort of subversive tome.
"The (Amazon.com) criticisms have been rather polarizing, with a clear separation between five-star and one-star reviews,'' one reader of the Swamp notes:
"You are kidding me?? Why not sell parts of Hilter great speeches while your at it...good grief!!!"
-- Jeri Muir "Loves reading," USA
"Oh happy happy joy joy! Now we can be automatons just like our brave revolutionary brothers and sisters of communist China. Those brave soldiers carry their little red books of Mao quotes everywhere they go. Now we can show the Obama Brigades that we are loyalists, too!''
-- Captain Crunch, Oregon, USA
Are you kidding me? "Pocket Obama"? When did I wake up in Red China? Obama voters, what have you done to our country?!?
-- D. Pulaski "ZZ," Massachusetts
"Darn, they're out of stock?? Now, I'll have to wait 'til I get my stimulus check to buy one. Oh, I almost forgot, I actually work for a living! I won't be getting a check from THE ONE.''
-- Sharon J., California
Comments
I'm going to buy some of these and hand them out to the rabid reich-wingers on here.
Jeffy, RNC Bruce, heartburn etc - you're pocket Obama quotations books are in the mail. From now on, everytime you get red faced wondering why your slug Repuglican heroes are in the minority I want you to take a deep breath and read an Obama quotation.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 19, 2009 6:29 PM
Mark,
Are you sure there are any five ✰ reviews? The list of reviews reads like the crazed rants of The Swamp's resident wing nuts.
Posted by: Bubba ✔ | February 19, 2009 8:33 PM
In some literary circles a presidential
pocket book trumps a presidential
joke book.
Posted by: T=Mak | February 19, 2009 9:21 PM
I got dibs on the "57 states" quote.
Posted by: Terry | February 19, 2009 9:52 PM
Send one to Inky with a pack of kool aid.
And spell check.
Posted by: Sue Speller | February 19, 2009 9:57 PM
I want to know why our White House staff was so cold and heartless to a little old woman who visited them reciently.
One of our Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania residents of limited means traveled to washington yesterday. With her she carried two of the most wonderful dolls knitted lovingly of her oun hands to be given to the presidents children.
You see it was something she could give from the heart so she worked hard and splerged on a bus ticket but when she got to the white house the men who have no heart or tact took the dolls and in front of her eyes tossed them into the garbage. All her hard work and caring out with the garbage.
She cried all the way back on the bus and was in fact still crying when she met my husband who sold her the ticket.
We can't believe that white house staff could not wait the two minutes till she left the room to be as cold and heartless.
What does hurting her feelings get them?I once was thrilled with Obama's but this has poisoned how happy I was with his presidency.
I speak fluent Farsi and have lived in the Middle East. I love the changes being made to get people health care and fix our foreign policy.
I hope someone wises up and realizes that it is people like this little old woman who got Obama in there. I hope someone does something to correct this because our entire city is hearing about it ...
These men handled this horribly. They could have explained that they could not accept the gift for safty reasons or they could have put the items on the counter till the women left and then did what they wanted, giving her the ability to brag that she had given the doll's. It would have been the high point of her life...
I am far removed from the small group of bystanders who watched her be hurt by this incident,cry on the bus and then to my husband.
What is the problem with giving all you can or doing for others?
I am saddened by this...
Can someone fix what was done to this woman?
Posted by: Careen Pourmonir | February 20, 2009 6:46 AM
Does it include yesterday's O'Bungle howler from his Canadian trip, where he intoned what a “great pleasure it is to be in Iowa, er, Ottawa.”?
Posted by: Inconvenient Truths | February 20, 2009 8:43 AM
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 19, 2009 6:29 PM
Bubba-
Thanks but no thanks- the quote that stands out for me and pretty much puts everything else the president says in context is his constitution bending goal of "spread(ing) the wealth"...
Could be me, but selling a "bible" of the great leaders quotes is creepy on crack.
You have to love a political movement that requires cliff notes to know what to think-will you be selling flowers at the airport in your barefeet soon?
Posted by: heartburn | February 20, 2009 9:51 AM
billy r, did you post this story about the dolls? If this is true one of you obamamanics should alert your hero and rectify this act before Rush hears about it and it becomes a national story promoted by the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 20, 2009 10:06 AM
billy r, did you post this story about the dolls?
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 20, 2009 10:06 AM
No...I always sigh my posts bill.r. Quite frankly I googled to see if there was anything on this....zippo...nada......
Posted by: bill r. | February 20, 2009 10:53 AM
Inconvenient Truths: It's good to see someone is keeping track of any imperfection when the man talks. Keep up the good work. In fact, stay occupied on this task. Do nothing else - make sure you write it down too, and make a blog about it. Keep the information going. Spend all of your time on it. Do nothing else.
Posted by: Joe | February 20, 2009 11:41 AM
If someone can make a million selling Bartlett's quotations, why not Obama's...
Next we'll package Inky's Wisdom.
Posted by: Flo | February 20, 2009 12:00 PM
Next we'll package Inky's Wisdom.
Posted by: Flo | February 20, 2009 12:00 PM
i wil like by a copy of short storys. That change I can beleeve in!
Posted by: bill r. | February 20, 2009 1:14 PM
Next we'll package Inky's Wisdom.
Titled Eeenkie's Wisdumm
Posted by: Sue Speller | February 20, 2009 5:02 PM
I want to know why our White House staff was so cold and heartless to a little old woman who visited them reciently.
One of our Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania residents of limited means traveled to washington yesterday. With her she carried two of the most wonderful dolls knitted lovingly of her oun hands to be given to the presidents children.
You see it was something she could give from the heart so she worked hard and splerged on a bus ticket but when she got to the white house the men who have no heart or tact took the dolls and in front of her eyes tossed them into the garbage. All her hard work and caring out with the garbage.
She cried all the way back ...
This is my reply:
As a reporter who lived and worked in DC for 13 years, and is totally familiar with procedures relating to visitors, I find this story complete fantasy.
1. No administration's representative, D or R, would toss a gift "into the garbage." no garbage can available; no such procedure.
2. All gifts to the President or the White House are examined for safety reasons before delivery to anyone. A young man who was an acquaintance served as one of the men who risk their lives daily to examine all packages and gifts before delivery. I will not say where this office is located but it exists.
As for having a heart, during the campaign, I sent a book to Sen.Obama I received a thank you note from one of his aides.
After examining, someone higher up than my young friend determines its delivery. Not all gifts can be delivered to the Presidential family. However, if not, they are delivered to an appropriate charity where others can benefit from all our kind gestures.
Your letter is simply untrue. 'Hannah Brewer, reporter and grandmother -- one who crochets charity items. I believe you are a Republican paid blogger,
God bless and keep our new President.
Posted by: Hannah Brewer | June 13, 2009 3:25 PM