There will be a quiz in four years

November 9, 2008 7:22 AM

Now that we can dispense with trivia about the U.S. elections, it's time for everyone to get better acquainted with President-Elect Obama: 50 things you should know about Barack Obama vs. Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know. (via Buzzfeed)

Caveat lector: Some facts are more reliable than others.

posted by Doktor Zed (112 comments total)

Cocaine and marijuana as a teenager? How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?
posted by punkfloyd at 7:37 AM on November 9, 2008

Casablanca, Godfather I and II, Lawrence of Arabia and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest are his favourite films

"And I refused to be a fool dancing on the strings held by all of those big shots. That's my life I don't apologize for that. But I always thought that when it was your time that you would be the one to hold the strings. Senator Obama. Governor Obama. Something....Wasn't enough time, Barack...Oh, wait a minute"
posted by jonmc at 7:38 AM on November 9, 2008

How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?

Well, that didn't work out so well for them last time, so maybe they took a pass.
posted by jonmc at 7:39 AM on November 9, 2008

He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali

*seethes with envy*
posted by jonmc at 7:43 AM on November 9, 2008

Don't miss Christopedia's exhaustive entry.
posted by BeerFilter at 7:43 AM on November 9, 2008

Cocaine and marijuana as a teenager? How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?
You didn't know?
posted by dawson at 7:46 AM on November 9, 2008

Wait, wait...He's black?
posted by RussHy at 7:47 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

Cocaine and marijuana as a teenager? How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?

I swear they didn't want this thing.
posted by gman at 7:51 AM on November 9, 2008

Oh god, he's a Melville fan. All my hopes and dreams are now shattered.
posted by Caduceus at 7:53 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I am forever skeptical of lists such as the Telegraph's when they appear with no citations. It just looks too much like an e-mail forward.
posted by proj at 7:56 AM on November 9, 2008

But he also likes Emerson's Self-Reliance, so I guess he's alright. Assuming either one of those lists is actually accurate, since they're contradicting each other on the book front (which is all I really care about at this point).
posted by Caduceus at 7:59 AM on November 9, 2008

I thought the whole point of the election happening was that these posts would come to an end.
posted by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 7:59 AM on November 9, 2008 [14 favorites has favorites]

They tried to use the drug thing. They just didn't do it well. They were trying to build a case that he has untrustworthy past associations, so they talked about how if the liberal media was really doing its job, it would be looking for his drug dealer.
posted by Tehanu at 8:00 AM on November 9, 2008

they talked about how if the liberal media was really doing its job, it would be looking for his drug dealer.

Read both pages of this comic for the probable results of that.
posted by jonmc at 8:04 AM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

I thought the whole point of the election happening was that these posts would come to an end.

I think you're fucked if you don't think we're going to see any more Barack Obama posts, man. He is, for good or ill, going to be the most scrutinized president in decades, if not ever.
posted by Caduceus at 8:06 AM on November 9, 2008

The one fact you know: Metafilter is obsessed with him.
posted by gman at 8:10 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

More accurately, Metafilter wants to marry him.
posted by Tehanu at 8:19 AM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

The billionth digit of pi, formerly known as "9", was renamed "Barak" on September 9th, 1999. The spelling error was not discovered for nine weeks.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 8:19 AM on November 9, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Cocaine and marijuana as a teenager? How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?

Obama did the best thing possible in this situation, which is to discuss it openly yourself before somebody else discovers it and frames the whole conversation.
posted by troybob at 8:24 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

Bringing up marijuana didn't work against Clinton but also bringing up cocaine didn't work against Bush.
posted by DU at 8:24 AM on November 9, 2008

He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds

Please tell me he plans to invite Bill Bradley over.
posted by jonmc at 8:24 AM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

51. He killed Chuck Norris using only his pinky, even though his pinky had a hangnail.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 8:28 AM on November 9, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Bet you didn't know he's a beer now.
posted by Tehanu at 8:33 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

The one fact you know: Metafilter is obsessed with him.

It's not surprising that any group of thoughtful people herald the arrival of a time when intelligence is again considered a positive trait. There's going to be plenty to analyze and criticize in the next four years, and it's not like the people here are going to accept 'trust me' as adequate justification for policy. But there's no harm in letting us enjoy the moment.
posted by troybob at 8:36 AM on November 9, 2008 [15 favorites has favorites]

He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't

Finally a president I can relate to. Obama's smoking status is the only thing I really like about the guy. Council on Fuming Relations
posted by Curry at 8:41 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

The one fact you know: Metafilter is obsessed with him

We were obsessed with Bush, too, but in a totally different way. We have a presidential fixation.
posted by jonmc at 8:42 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Metafilter: Change you can bereave in.
posted by gman at 8:44 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Get your war video on the victory.
posted by boo_radley at 8:47 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

Conservapedia on Barack Obama: A Marxist Muslim terrorism-supporting hypnotist gains control over America's nuclear weapons!
posted by martinrebas at 8:50 AM on November 9, 2008

Conservapedia on Barack Obama: A Marxist Muslim terrorism-supporting hypnotist gains control over America's nuclear weapons!

These are things we already know.
posted by gman at 8:51 AM on November 9, 2008

A Marxist Muslim terrorism-supporting hypnotist gains control over America's nuclear weapons!

And yet it is still an improvement.
posted by troybob at 8:56 AM on November 9, 2008 [24 favorites has favorites]

Just who is this Obama guy?
posted by cjorgensen at 9:03 AM on November 9, 2008

The billionth digit of pi, formerly known as "9", was renamed "Barak" on September 9th, 1999. The spelling error was not discovered for nine weeks.

You mean Barack weeks.
posted by trondant at 9:07 AM on November 9, 2008 [8 favorites has favorites]

I got a chuckle out of the Telegraph's claim that Barack Obama collects Spider-man and Conan the Barbarian comics. I wonder if he has a copy of Savage Dragon #137.
posted by MegoSteve at 9:11 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

He reads Spider-Man comic books? I'm totally glad I voted for him now.

Unless he liked the One More Day thing. In which case, fuck him, I'm moving to Canada.
posted by middleclasstool at 9:11 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

A Marxist leftist Muslim who doesn't put his hand over his heart for the National Anthem?

What the fuck's wrong with that?
posted by dunkadunc at 9:11 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Cocaine and marijuana as a teenager? How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?

Obama did the best thing possible in this situation, which is to discuss it openly yourself before somebody else discovers it and frames the whole conversation.

I seem to remember a quote along the lines of, "Well, yeah I inhaled ... I thought that was the whole point of what I was doing."
posted by mannequito at 9:18 AM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Or how about a Freedom Stealing Abortion Supporting Left Wing Socialist Radical for whom the evangelicals are fervently praying and giving thanks through gritted teeth?
posted by peggynature at 9:19 AM on November 9, 2008

Where did those lists come from? Tiger Beat.
posted by Bitter soylent at 9:20 AM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

I remember that too, mannequito. It was on Leno, and he said "well, Jay, that was sort of the point back then".
posted by rossination at 9:24 AM on November 9, 2008

Looks like someone pasted Obama's Wikipedia entry over the funnier Conservapedia facts. (Here's the previous, more Trustworthy version.)
posted by martinrebas at 9:25 AM on November 9, 2008

Actually, I bought that Clinton did not inhale; when I first tried weed I hadn't smoked, so I didn't know you were supposed to inhale. And Clinton and I share the same birthday and are both from the South, and I like head, too, so I figured why not have that in common?
posted by troybob at 9:26 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

"He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream"

Ice cream. Frosty, sweet, and delicious. We all remember those care-free days, sitting on the front porch enjoying a scoop of vanilla with grandma. Everyone loves ice cream...

Except for Barack Obama.

[SCARY MUSIC]

BARACK OBAMA

WRONG ON ICE CREAM
WRONG FOR YOUR FAMILY
posted by Rhaomi at 9:32 AM on November 9, 2008 [40 favorites has favorites]

> How did the Republicans miss that opportunity to check if he inhaled?

The Dems could counter-jab with McCain's party-boy past. Obama's old habits have already been brought up, batted about in the press, and closed so it's old news, while McCain's habits would be fodder for a news cycle or two while the election was hot. I imagine Obama's staff had a couple references from McCain's and Palin's pasts in their rolodexes, ready to call if necessary.

A detente on the matter of youthful experimentation was the best option for both parties. Otherwise it would have turned the election in an even nastier direction with no benefit to anybody.
posted by ardgedee at 9:33 AM on November 9, 2008

More accurately, Metafilter wants to marry him.

Is Metafilter a community web log, and is Barack Obama the president elect? Or is Metafilter a shy 12 year old girl, and is Barack Obama her math teacher? I can't tell!
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 9:45 AM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside

I hope this is one of the first things on his list of stuff to fix. The economy can wait.
posted by pracowity at 9:46 AM on November 9, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

The billionth digit of pi, formerly known as "9", was renamed "Barak" on September 9th, 1999. The spelling error was not discovered for nine weeks.

You mean Barack weeks.

Dickety!
posted by darkstar at 9:51 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

More accurately, Metafilter wants to marry him.

Great, we got PILF.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:54 AM on November 9, 2008

Oh god, he's a Melville fan. All my hopes and dreams are now shattered.

Oh god, he's a fan of The Wire. All my hopes and dreams are now resurrected.
posted by well_balanced at 9:59 AM on November 9, 2008

Whose horse was named Barack? quiz.
posted by hortense at 10:15 AM on November 9, 2008

Regarding the Conservapedia page, I seriously believe that it's equal parts wingnuts and agents provocateur involved -- and it's partly because of these agents provocateur that Obama enjoyed the fruits of basically all of the thinking Republicans crossing party lines to vote for him. Of course, that's a very small percentage, but they're out there. Look at the likes of Chris Buckley.
posted by chimaera at 10:23 AM on November 9, 2008

> Regarding the Conservapedia page, I seriously believe that it's equal parts wingnuts and agents provocateur

I'd believe that except for how readily the editors there delete trolls and vandals. The editors are either willing to let the most obvious lies stay up as long as they reinforce the idiology -- in which case they're no better than Stalin's propagandists -- or they're the most gullible idiots on the Internet.
posted by ardgedee at 10:31 AM on November 9, 2008

John McCain is also a fan of The Wire.

No word on Sarah Palin's favorite shows (likely: Northern Exposure; unlikely: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego).
posted by designbot at 10:42 AM on November 9, 2008 [6 favorites has favorites]

> BARACK OBAMA: WRONG ON ICE CREAM, WRONG FOR YOUR FAMILY

[low sustained notes]
[v.o.] William Frailty, nine years old, was invited to an ice cream social at his school.
[grainy photo of the kid]
[v.o.] But he suffered a brain freeze and ice cream headache with his first spoonful, and went into shock.
[grainy photo of ambulances outside a school]
[v.o.] They attempted to rush him to the hospital, but Billy's parents didn't have health insurance, so they left him outside the entryway, spasming and gasping for air, where he was run over by a SUV sporting a Bush/Cheney bumper sticker.
[grainy photo of weepy parents]
[v.o.] John McCain would have you believe that ice cream is perfectly safe, but John McCain accepts billions of dollars each year from the dairy industry.
[grainy photo of John McCain]
[v.o.] Thanks to John McCain, these dangerous and mandatory ice cream experiments happen thousands of times a year, all around the country.
[McCain's photo is splashed with milk. Music stops.]
[v.o.] Would you let John McCain decide what's best for your child?

BARACK OBAMA: TOUGH ON DAIRY. WORKING FOR YOU.
posted by ardgedee at 10:42 AM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

On second thought, Barack was a good high school player, but Bradley was an NBA player, so even now, he'd probably eat him alive. But Barack's old enough to remember the Knicks championship season, so he'd probably want to do it anyway.
posted by jonmc at 10:43 AM on November 9, 2008

Among the lists of Obama's favorite music - and heroes - I see the names Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Politics aside momentarily, this could turn out to be one very cool presidency. Just a thought, but I think it's a good bet that we'll see Wynton Marsalis playing at one of the Inaugural events.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:43 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

likely: Northern Exposure;

I loved that show. Chris In The Morning, like Johnny Fever before him was one of my role models.
posted by jonmc at 10:44 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

The Telegraph list is pretty priceless.

He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers.

I'd like to think this was because of Obama's love for the Lorenzo Lamas show of the same name, but might just be a jokey twist on "maverick".
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:46 AM on November 9, 2008

but might just be a jokey twist on "maverick".

I would have loved it if James Garner (who reportedly leans leftward) did a pro-Obama ad.
posted by jonmc at 10:47 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

ardgedee, there are open racial slurs on the Conservapedia page now. "He is the first nigger . . . to be elected President of the United States. He was also the first mulatto to win enough support for the presidential nomination of any major American political party."

I'd like to think that's just the work of Anonymous checking to see how long that kind of thing would stay up on Conservapedia, but frankly that's having an unwarranted amount of faith in Conservapedia.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:49 AM on November 9, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Service_codenames

Obama's codename was given in June of 07, long before he or McCain were considered the major political candidates.

Also, McCain's code name is Phoenix, which I can't help but think is a shot on the number of times he's crashed a plane.
posted by mrzarquon at 10:50 AM on November 9, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

(or a guess a nod to his time spent in a box)
posted by mrzarquon at 10:51 AM on November 9, 2008

Christopedia, sorry. That's a different outfit.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:51 AM on November 9, 2008

Obama's codename was given in June of 07, long before he or McCain were considered the major political candidates.

Hm ... so the name really was inspired by Reno Raines after all. Theory: PROVED!
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:57 AM on November 9, 2008

Chris In The Morning, like Johnny Fever before him was one of my role models.

And nowadays, Chris is a Republican. Or at least he's dating one.
posted by Dreama at 10:58 AM on November 9, 2008

"He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream"

Well, we know that's a lie.
posted by peacheater at 10:59 AM on November 9, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

OMG, are you guys saying that Conservapedia isn't a parody site?!?
posted by troybob at 10:59 AM on November 9, 2008

And nowadays, Chris is a Republican. Or at least he's dating one.

Bummer if it's true, since that show not only supported gay marraige, it actually featured an episode where one was performed.
posted by jonmc at 11:06 AM on November 9, 2008

Bench presses 200 lbs! And likes The Wire!
posted by k8t at 11:18 AM on November 9, 2008

What's the deal with the backward text at Christopedia? It's that way in some of the boiulerplate, too (i.e. the discussion page heading).
posted by NortonDC at 11:23 AM on November 9, 2008

What's the deal with the backward text at Christopedia?

Christopedia is a sacred and blessed website. Heathens and infidels attempting to read it will see the text as backwards.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:27 AM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

52. He is it in it, to win it.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:28 AM on November 9, 2008

BARACK OBAMA : WRONG ON ICE CREAM

Yes, grinding the President-Elect up into jimmies and sprinkling them on ice cream does seem wrong. What of it?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:57 AM on November 9, 2008

He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal.

I can't tell you how relieved this makes me feel. It might seem like hyperbole to say "he's like us!" when, hello, dude has a book deal and comes from a prestigious educational background, but...dude. He had student loans that he couldn't afford to pay off well into his adult years. When's the last time you heard of a president being unable to afford something in the years before his election?
posted by mynameisluka at 12:25 PM on November 9, 2008 [11 favorites has favorites]

He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers.

I'd like to think he was given that because he ran a BBS in early 90's.
posted by o0o0o at 12:28 PM on November 9, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

I like to think the Secret Service codename means Obama's a renegade of funk.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 12:49 PM on November 9, 2008

He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside

Well, that explains why Joe the Plumber went for McCain.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 1:11 PM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

Among the lists of Obama's favorite music - and heroes - I see the names Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Politics aside momentarily, this could turn out to be one very cool presidency. Just a thought, but I think it's a good bet that we'll see Wynton Marsalis playing at one of the Inaugural events.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 10:43 AM on November 9

Have you seen the Cool Blues: The Barack Obama Quartet album cover?
posted by jjj606 at 1:41 PM on November 9, 2008

He reportedly speaks Spanish - any other bilingual presidents come to mind? Not sure about Clinton, and I imagine some of the early ones may have spoken French.

This is a very good thing. Having a second language can allow you subtlety of thought which would be otherwise unavailable. Or so I hear.
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 1:50 PM on November 9, 2008

He reportedly speaks Spanish - any other bilingual presidents come to mind?

Maybe Bush Sr? I remember seeing Jeb do some broadcasts when I lived in Florida and he was actually pretty fluent.
posted by jonmc at 1:51 PM on November 9, 2008

"Don't miss Christopedia's exhaustive entry."
posted by BeerFilter at 1:43 AM on November 10

Wow. So much hate. Funny though. Not in a "ha-ha" kind of way but in a "heh, what sore-losers" kind of way.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:54 PM on November 9, 2008

I thought Dubya could speak Spanish, what with him being governor of Texas and all...
posted by PenDevil at 1:57 PM on November 9, 2008

His favorite book choices seem selected for optimum political acceptability.
posted by Jess the Mess at 2:02 PM on November 9, 2008

Jess The Mess; If it's any consolation, I hear he has a copy of Truly Tastless Jokes IV as well.
posted by jonmc at 2:06 PM on November 9, 2008

Also, McCain's code name is Phoenix, which I can't help but think is a shot on the number of times he's crashed a plane.

....as opposed to him being from Arizona?....
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:27 PM on November 9, 2008

Regarding the Conservapedia page, I seriously believe that it's equal parts wingnuts and agents provocateur involved

I'd agree. I know at least one person who engages in subtle trollery on Conservapedia, and who says there are many, many more people doing the same.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:32 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Any other bilingual presidents come to mind?

I imagine a lot of the early presidents spoke Latin and/or Greek.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 3:02 PM on November 9, 2008

JFK knew a little German.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 3:19 PM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

More on bilingual presidents. I assume many of the Founding Fathers-era presidents were bilingual in French, since it was such an important world language at the time.
posted by mynameisluka at 3:31 PM on November 9, 2008

He collects Conan the Barbarian comics, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of his favorite films. He has read every Harry Potter book. His best-selling books weren't ghostwritten. He plays Scrabble. The Wire is one of his favorite shows. He had a pet ape.

Everything I hear about him makes him seem more awesome. He ate roasted grasshopper in Indonesia, and no doubt absorbed their special insect powers.
posted by JHarris at 3:43 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

What are the chances that there'd be exactly 50 things we should know about him? AMAZING.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 3:54 PM on November 9, 2008

likely: Northern Exposure;

was that the one with the detective mountie with the wolf side kick, or the one with the polar bear that is constantly taking off its pants?
posted by clearly at 4:02 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

He earned that motherfucking Grammy, just FYI.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 4:06 PM on November 9, 2008

James Garfield, who not only was ambidextrous, but could write in different languages at the same time with both hands (likely classical Greek or Latin).*

I also heard he was crazy about lasagna.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:08 PM on November 9, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

Obama surfs
posted by inconsequentialist at 4:39 PM on November 9, 2008

Calvin Coolidge was big into languages. He translated Dante on his honeymoon. Republicans!

FDR was said to speak German (good one, Marisa).

Carter - some Spanish.

Bush jr. - Spanish.

I'm curious how much of his four Indonesian years rubbed on, language-wise.

But really, Pablo Picasso is a hero? Here's hoping this was a tossed off, potted answer. (Or bogus. They are other errors in the list.)
posted by IndigoJones at 5:10 PM on November 9, 2008

I remember seeing Jeb do some broadcasts when I lived in Florida and he was actually pretty fluent.

Jeb went to Mexico at age 17 in an exchange program run by his tony prep school, learned Spanish and met his wife, Columba.
posted by Dreama at 5:17 PM on November 9, 2008

He reportedly speaks Spanish - any other bilingual presidents come to mind?

Chris Rock said all black people are bilingual.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:01 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Bush jr. - Spanish.

Is George W. Bush's Spanish as awkward, clumsy and unnatural as his English?
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:57 PM on November 9, 2008

Obama surfs

Therefore, Obama is not Charlie.

Take that, right wing conspiracy nuts.
posted by middleclasstool at 7:14 PM on November 9, 2008

Obama cannot speak Spanish, as in, off the cuff.

QUESTION: Does McCain or Obama speak a language other than English?

ANSWER: Nope.

Obama picked up Bahasa as a child living in Indonesia and took some Spanish classes in high school and college, but he's not fluent.

McCain can read some Spanish, but he's not fluent.

I do want to hear some Bahasa. Shit, I wanna learn some Bahasa. So if I ever meet him, I'll just bust out the Bahasa and watch him smile. Of course when he asks "You know what Bahasa is?", I'll have to struggle avoid saying "that's an Indonesian pig that don't fly straight".
posted by cashman at 7:51 PM on November 9, 2008

'Bahasa' is actually Bahasa Indonesia, here. There is also Bahasa Malaysia, and several other variants. The word actually just means 'language' in Indonesian/Malay.

It's a remarkably easy language to pick up in terms of simple survival daily use, being gender-, tense-, plural-, article-, and participle-free.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:15 PM on November 9, 2008

Well that sounds pretty awesome. Thank you.
posted by cashman at 8:33 PM on November 9, 2008

As much as I lothed Bush, I gotta admit he did indeed speak quite passable Spanish.
posted by telstar at 8:55 PM on November 9, 2008

Preparation for his plan to abscond to Paraguay, no doubt.
posted by ryanrs at 11:46 PM on November 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'd like to think this was because of Obama's love for the Lorenzo Lamas show of the same name, but might just be a jokey twist on "maverick".

I'm hoping it's something like that, because if it turns out he's a big Styx fan, I'm going to have to rethink my position on Obama.
posted by psmealey at 2:49 AM on November 10, 2008

As much as I lothed Bush, I gotta admit he did indeed speak quite passable Spanish.

Don't go soft just because his 8 years of destruction are almost over.
posted by gman at 4:32 AM on November 10, 2008

Barack Obama: the guy I'd most like to have a beer with toke up and watch The Wire with.
posted by naju at 9:08 AM on November 10, 2008

(Derail- Does Biden speak any foreign languages? He being the Foreign Policy Expert and all.)
posted by IndigoJones at 9:56 AM on November 10, 2008

Holy crap. Obama can speak Bahasa? A pity it was Indonesian, but *damn*, not that I wasn't impressed before but daayum. Actually, to be perfectly honest, Bahasa Melayu/Malaysia/Indonesia isn't all that hard - simple future and past tenses and hardly any conjugation. Or what Stavros said.

But cashman, if you want to bust out "Yes, we can", just say "U.S.A. boleh!" (pronounced bow as in bow-and-arrow, and leh as in "meh").
posted by ooga_booga at 8:41 PM on November 10, 2008

Bahgus!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:39 PM on November 10, 2008

Holy crap. Obama can speak Bahasa?

I told you he was hardcore.
posted by psmealey at 5:30 AM on November 11, 2008