The Obama Name Game

[NYCGirl]

And for my third post today, something completely different. Happy Valentines Day!

From the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/14/AR2008021400245.html


Barack Obama! Has there ever been a presidential candidate whose name has lent itself so readily to rhyme and wordplay? Oh, sure, there were Eisenhower ("I like Ike!") and Barry Goldwater (whose name could be spelled with the periodic table of elements -- Au H2O!). But the senator from Illinois has given us "Obama mamas," and "Obamomentum" and "Obamania." (Or is it "Obamamania"?) Also: "Barack Attack." And our own little contribution to the canon, on the occasion of his induction to Mme. Tussauds's,"Bar-wax Obama."

The latest revelation about Obama -- who could be the first president whose name ends in a vowel (other than "y" or silent "e") -- may explain some of the particular frenzy surrounding him, starting with those steamy "Obama Girl" videos last summer.

His last name spelled backward: "Amabo" -- Latin for "I will love."

John Miller, chairman of the classics department at the University of Virginia, confirmed the translation. "It's just standard Latin for 'I will love,' without any particular object in mind," he told us. "It refers to love in various senses, but especially the erotic sense, because there are other words for 'esteem' or 'friendly' love."

Make of it what you will. Happy Valentine's Day.

[thevoiceofreason]

1. Great post

[Catherine Vincent]

2. I read on youtube comments the other day that in Kenyan, Obama

stands for crooked. Of course this was probably some yahoo on youtube.

[AtomicKitten]

3. Wonderful post! Happy V-Day to you too!!!

K&R

[rurallib]

4. I hate you for reminding me of the four years of Latin I got shoved

down my throat. Still like Amabo though!

[Bucky]

5. Barack Obama is also an anagram for "Maraca Kabob"

... not to mention "A Cab Bra Amok"

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. Ok, amabo means "I will Love", but when you say it backwards

Then Satan's voice is heard saying "Paul is Dead" in Aramaic.

Doesn't the Washington Post have any REAL news to cover? Like which athletes are taking what substances?

Ah, well, Happy Valentine's Day to you, too!

:hi:

[frazzled]

7. Interestingly, I've noticed lately that no signs at his rallies contain his name

They are always: "Change We Can Believe In" or some such slogan. At least on the signs we can see on television.

By contrast I noted that all the signs at the recent Clinton rallies consisted solely of her name: Hillary. At least on the signs we can see on television.

I find that very interesting, and we haven't really talked about it.

(As a side note, I understand why she can't really have "Clinton" on her signs, but it's sad that the only woman candidate has to use her first name. As a woman of a certain age myself, I find it kind of demeaning. But I get why she has to do it.)

[islandmkl]

8. the brand on the package versus the message

[NYCGirl]

9. Valentines kick