John McCain’s campaign mocked Barack Obama’s celebrity status with a TV commercial that included comparisons to Paris Hilton. McCain was blasted by many folks for being juvenille (true !) and by Bob Herbert of the NY Times for being racist (huh?).
But, McCain got off clean on a very serious charge: plaigarism.
Seems that McCain’s camp hijacked the Hilton reference from … who else, Obama himself
In 2005 Obama said: “Andy Warhol said we all get our 15 minutes of fame,” says Barack Obama. “I’ve already had an hour and a half. I mean, I’m so overexposed, I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse.”
Busted, Senator McCain
See the Washington Post article “The Senator’s Humble Beginning Rising Star Barack Obama Is Resolutely Down to Earth”, February 24, 2005
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48523-2005Feb23.html
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Other tidbits from the Post article:
“I just got elected to the U.S. Senate. I haven’t done anything yet.”
“But he comes well steeped in the basic physics of hype.”
“One of the keys to being well liked in Washington is to appear humble … All of this comes naturally to Obama.”
Even in jest, itis a rare instance where Obama lets slip with something that could be construed as immodest:
“I am genuinely somebody who doesn’t get caught up in the hype,” he says.
“You want to make everyone aware that you’re a workhorse.” As opposed to a “show horse.”
Obama is following what is known in Hill parlance as “the Hillary model,” named for the former first lady whose transition into the Senate is considered a prototype of how celebrity senators should proceed.
He invokes a favorite line: “Those who travel the high road of humility don’t face heavy traffic.”
For the full article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48523-2005Feb23.html
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Observation: you just can’t make this stuff up.
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