Barack Obama is Kobe Bryant
November 2, 2008 by MCBias
I promised The Last Poet at least one more political post with a sports twist, and here you go. Some time ago Modi compared Barack Obama to Chris Paul. But I think Barack Obama’s twin is better identified as Kobe Bryant, and here’s why.
By the way, the photo you see was done by Shepard Fairey. He is the same artist who did Barack’s campaign poster and was commissioned by Upper Deck to do that painting of Kobe Bryant.
Here are just a few of the comparisons one can draw between Barack and Kobe. Add more in the comments section if you want. I tried to write this in a non-partisan manner and would like you to keep the same tone in the comments.
* Barack and Kobe both spent a large chunk of their elementary school years in another country (Kobe in Italy, Barack in Indonesia).
* When Barack and Kobe both began their big league careers, there was concern that they had jumped in too soon. Kobe came straight out of high school, and Barack has only been a US Senator since 2005.
* Early in their careers, both Barack and Kobe faced difficult challenges from experienced incumbents on their own team. Shaq and Hilary had both been touted as potential champions for years, and were not afraid to belittle the inexperience and inconsistency of Kobe and Barack. However, in the end it was the veteran who was shown the door.
* There was a time when somewhat serious publications could question both Barack and Kobe’s “street cred” with a straight face. They were seen as a little too intellectual (Barack) or a little too privileged (Kobe) to truly gain the respect of the man on the street. However, after the battles both have been in over the last few years, questioning either person’s street cred now is rather laughable.
* Both Barack and Kobe are difficult to truly understand, even for reporters and their own fans. Slam magazine, which has profiled Kobe on numerous occasions, has said that they still don’t understand Kobe. On my old site, Kobe Bryant was the athlete who was tagged in my posts the most, and I wrote several blog posts trying to identify his personality. The LA Times had a reporter following Barack for much of the campaign, and the reporter admits that he still can’t get a read on Obama.
*Any other comparison points?
Eh, these “So-and-so is like so-and-so” posts can be intellectually lazy, but I really thought that there are some interesting connections between the two individuals.
You gotta be kiddin? right? The only similarities are the overseas thing and they both have two daughters, Otherwise you realllllllllly stretching. If you breakdown their overseas experience, you’ll see there are no commonalities.
MC,
Obama IS Kobe Bryant in his intellect and excellence. He analyzes issues the way Kobe reads defenses. Except while Obama CAN be Kobe, he prefers to play like Magic Johnson. Always directing the offense, but doesn’t ever care who scores as long as the game is won. Maybe it’s just the community organizer in him!
But off the court, he does not strike me as Kobe… as I have no idea who Kobe is as his interviews are rarely revealing in any way — his words or demeanor. But unlike Kobe, when I listen to Obama — I hear the man himself.
I have listened to Obama in countless interviews, debates, and so many of his speeches and there is a sincerity, understanding, and genuine quality to him rarely found in politicians. The sincere quality of Obama is not a partisan quality either as Mike Huckabee most certainly has it on the Republican side. In fact, as a human being I like and respect Mike Huckabee very much, I just disagree with him profoundly on too many issues. But Huckabee is a genuine man with genuine convictions — like Obama. I don’t need to follow either man on a jet plane like the LA Times author to know that “they are real”.
——————-
But let me turn to that LA Times article as the author displayed something that I do find annoying about many writers who cover politics — whatever their political persuasion. I thought his column was the classic case of “paralysis by analysis”. There is really no need to analyze “fly-swatting tendencies” when there is so many more substantial examples to go on.
I am convinced that those that don’t see the genuine aspects in Obama have either 1) not invested their own personal time to fairly listen to the man over the long haul; or 2) have reached a point of political cynicism in their career to where there is simply no return. Too many reporters (like the LA Times author), and perhaps the majority, have entered door #2 — and journalism is worse off for it.
The very biggest mistake that cynics make about the excited reaction of supporters to Obama is to say that we are wooed by his “charisma”. Charisma is not it at all. Bill Clinton had and has tons of “charisma”, but has always lacked that sincere quality that comes across with Obama. It is not even close, and is an entirely different quality. And that quality is “integrity”.
Sure, Obama is a politician and must play the game, but there are limits to that game. His 2002 speech denouncing the war was probably the best example of those limits. At the time he essentially ended his political career when 90% of Dems tried to save theirs by publically going along with the resolution — even many who disagreed in private. I would tell that LA Times author that the REAL Barack Obama could be found right there.
Only a Republican would compare Obama to Kobe.
McBias, you are one of the few conservatives I can deal with, but your tusks are showing on this one. Obama and Kobe couldn’t be more different. One person is cool in their skin, the other is not. It’s that simple.
It appears that you all are upset because you don’t like Kobe’s personality, and thus believe it was an insult to compare Barack to Kobe. I’d note that my comparisons center more around demographic details and how they are perceived rather than their exact personalities. That’s precisely because observers much more talented than I have tried and failed to understand them both.
I hope he is little less rapey than Kobe.
MC,
FYI – not upset at all. I do have a problem with that LA Times article because I thought that it is symptomatic of what I find wrong with political journalism across the entire field. But perhaps, I’ will write the guy directly.
Thanks for the clarification, MODI. I was just a little grouchy this morning because this was the warm-and-fuzzy politics post. (I mean, if I had wanted to be divisive, I would have compared to Barack to Kwame Brown or something, ha). The bash-everything political post hasn’t been posted yet, heh.
MCBIAS
I wasn’t mad, but if you compare anybody to Kobe I consider that an insult. From what I’ve seen of Kobe, I don’t think he’s a great man.
Now I will wait for KevDog to come beat my ass.
First off. I haven’t been ’round much because my twin girls were born last Sunday. So we’ve been busy.
In the spirit of my good mood, I won’t go into attack mode given how my boy Kobe has been attacked.
I really don’t see the connection much between Barak and Kobe except insofar as they both are extremely dedicated and excellent in what they do.
As BM, I’ll just say this, I’d be proud to have Kobe as my son. I think he has the stuff of greatness although he hasn’t been able to express it much yet. Any black man who can deal with the virtually lynching that Kobe has had to endure, keep his cool and continue to perform on the biggest stage with determination and excellence is by definition an extraordinary individual.
Any black person who publicly joins in that lynching as BM has done needs to seriously check out his priorities and his head.
Congrats!!
Welcome to the club of the Sleepless. We won’t be hearing from you for awhile. It’s a good thing you’re really already used to this level of deprivation.
Acid Flashback Bruh?
Kevdog
I didn’t like Kobe when he was the Golden Child. The rape thing has nothing to do with it for me. I actually don’t think he raped that woman. I think he just did her dirty after he hit.
Anyway, like I said earlier, I think Kobe isn’t comfortable in his own skin, and he’s never seemed comfortable. I also resented how he was hyped early in his career while my favorite player, Iverson, was generally reviled by the old guard. Those roles have been reversed, but I’ve always remembered.
Kobe just seems shady to me. Something just ain’t right about that cat in my mind.
T3
Thanks. I don’t sweat it because I know nothing short of being in a combat zone matches the hell of Residency.
BM
Fair enough. We see different things in the young man.
Some people don’t like Kobe just because Kobe is more illustrious than their love.
AI is a loyal guy. but im sorry to hear he transferred again. Maybe Denver isn’t a comfortable place.