Games Republicans play.

September 2, 2004 3:21 AM

Let's Play "Spot the Crosses!" Can you find any in this picture? Others can... and they're pissed!
"My God, where do they come up with this stuff? Does it look to you like it's a cross? I don't think so." - Karl Rove
When Cheney was speaking, our nation's Great Seal was "crucified" -- which is kind of appropriate, come to think of it...
posted by insomnia_lj (45 comments total)

Well... there is clearly a cross on the little table, but without seeing the other sides it's impossible to say if it's design or just the way the pattern is.

Why do people care about these things?

Those selfish Xian bastards should have chosen a symbol that's less likely to turn up in geometric patterns....
posted by twine42 at 3:46 AM on September 2, 2004

It seems pretty clearly to me to be a cross. I doubt it was an accident or an oversight.

And since when did people making speeches need a gavel anyway?
posted by sycophant at 4:14 AM on September 2, 2004

The beams in my old synagogue formed a cross. No one really cared or noticed...
posted by PenDevil at 4:16 AM on September 2, 2004

The gavel stand is there for when the chair of the convention (House Speaker Dennis Hastert) and other officials call the convention to order each session.
posted by Vidiot at 4:42 AM on September 2, 2004

Subliminable.
posted by ColdChef at 4:42 AM on September 2, 2004

It's deliberate, like the "twin tower" monitors on either side of the stage.

Welcome to the new theocracy. I often wonder if Bush is the antichrist that all those Christians have been warning about.
posted by jpburns at 4:47 AM on September 2, 2004

a taste of their own medicine, and they don't like it. [insert smile and giggle here]
posted by evening at 4:57 AM on September 2, 2004

yup--it's an altar--although bully pulpit is probably more apt.
posted by amberglow at 4:57 AM on September 2, 2004

The Jews - they know Bush is Christian? No?

Sure, the cross is deliberate. But so what? Most of the time Bush opens his mouth he espouses Christian belief with references to God here, and the Almighty there, without so much of a murmur.

I can't understand why the controversy with this, but not with what Bush says.
posted by Blue Stone at 5:25 AM on September 2, 2004

The smaller podium looks like a cross, but next to the larger altar it looks like the tried, and failed, to maintian the same design across the two. Also what Blue Stone said. I don't even care that he spouts out his Christian beliefs, I do care that his Christian beliefs are being used to establish a government.
posted by substrate at 5:32 AM on September 2, 2004

I designed a school that was part of just such a cross controversy. The school was patterned with three masonry materials of two colors. At one particular point, the background was red brick in lieu of its customary beige. That change in background allowed the pattern to be "read" as a corss. People hit the roof. The issue was a local controversy for over a month -- finally the school board found they could have the high school VoTech students change the offending bricks. We, the architects, nor our contractors were going to budge. Where the background bricks were beige, nothing was changed yet the same pattern exisits. No one complained about the windows on the school, many of which are paired double-hungs. What do they form graphically? A big ole cross.
posted by Dick Paris at 6:42 AM on September 2, 2004

Remind me not to hire your firm for my next building project Dick.
posted by filchyboy at 6:55 AM on September 2, 2004

Crosses or not, they're criminally ugly.
posted by Hypharse at 7:06 AM on September 2, 2004

Democratic Jewish Group Doesn't Like Republican Convention! Film at 11!
posted by techgnollogic at 7:06 AM on September 2, 2004

Whether it's a big deal or surprising or not is up for debate. But it's clearly a symbol put there intentionally. This convention has been in detailed planning for a year - what, do you think they just grabbed the first lectern and gavel stand they could find sitting around backstage, and only noticed afterward the distinctive and unmistakable pattern created?
posted by soyjoy at 7:22 AM on September 2, 2004

This is clearly on purpose. But I'm not sure it matters so much.

The podium is quite obviously built to echo a church pulpit. And that's fine.

As someone said above, it's not like people don't know where Bush stands.

But Karl Rove is an idiot if he can look at that little table and say "Does it look to you like it's a cross? I don't think so."

Of course it does. A more mature and less politically motivated speaker would have acknowledged the similarity and shrugged it off as a simple coincidence. His overly strong denial is proof positive it was purposeful.
posted by Ynoxas at 7:28 AM on September 2, 2004

I'm not so sure they noticed at all. Neither one looks like a "cross" in the "Jesus" sense of the word. The little one looks like a 't' while the big one looks like a 'T'. The crossbar on the smaller one really makes it distinctly un-cross like to me. But then again, I don't own a tin foil hat, so... :)

Does anybody have a similar picture of the DNC podium?
posted by fizgig at 7:32 AM on September 2, 2004

Of course it does. A more mature and less politically motivated speaker would have acknowledged the similarity and shrugged it off as a simple coincidence. His overly strong denial is proof positive it was purposeful.

Rove: Maybe it does look like a cross...

ALL: It is a cross! It is a cross!
posted by biffa at 7:35 AM on September 2, 2004

The study cubicles in our Rutgers library were comprised of four corrals that curiously looked like swastikas from above. Clearly, this is a commonly reported phenomenon. Did I think it was purveyed by a neo-nazi design company to keep jewish kids out of the library? Obviously not.

As forthe "jesus podium", my prudence allows me to believe it's aesthetic; I'm inclined to think that people find reassurance in recognizable structures and symbols.
posted by naxosaxur at 8:02 AM on September 2, 2004

Which is why they designed them that way - to subconsiously push that religious image.
posted by agregoli at 8:13 AM on September 2, 2004

to subconsiously push that religious image

And to intentionally piss off the Jews and Muslims?
posted by DrDoberman at 8:18 AM on September 2, 2004

I'm just glad Bush is born again. Apparently, this was the original set design, as planned by Bush's handlers about thirty years ago. The glasses are the podium, the coasters are the steps up to the stage, and the white making up the logo is actually yards of coke, for each speaker to drop down on the ground to huff from.
posted by Peter H at 8:19 AM on September 2, 2004

I have to say, when I first saw the podium, I thought the side table was deliberately cruciform. But I din't think anyone else would pick up on it, and what does it matter, anyway? We all know the Republicans are not the party of any non-Christians, at least not anymore.
posted by bashos_frog at 8:22 AM on September 2, 2004

Honestly now. The Jewish organizations complaint? Noooo! Aren't you bloody tired of this paranoia?
posted by acrobat at 8:29 AM on September 2, 2004

Dude I totally see a penis in that podium. No kidding. Just a massive, throbbing cock.
posted by xmutex at 8:59 AM on September 2, 2004

More on my cross controversy /obvious self-link
posted by Dick Paris at 9:07 AM on September 2, 2004

Again, it may be no big deal, but I can't believe anyone living in this world today can think it's coincidental, accidental, serendipitous or any variation thereof. These people are masters of this exact kind of mass media. It perfectly sums up their message - yeah, we'll preach inclusiveness, as long as you realize you're sitting in our church.

For any of you pointing other places crosses come up completely innocently, thanks, we're all aware that the cross is a basic geometric shape. Those other places, however, are not carefully staged and broadcast into the homes of millions of Americans for the express purpose of conveying a carefully-honed political message, now are they?
posted by soyjoy at 9:08 AM on September 2, 2004

PS: I am not a Christian (although I was raised as one and the Catholic Church likely counts my warm body as a member).
posted by Dick Paris at 9:17 AM on September 2, 2004

Dude I totally see a penis in that podium. No kidding.

The phalluses are all over the convention.
posted by deanc at 9:22 AM on September 2, 2004

Of course there are cross patterns in the podium, and they're deliberate. As if anyone is going to believe that Rove didn't see (or, frankly, design) it.

A big deal? Hardly. It's as much inclusiveness as can be expected from the GOP...
posted by clevershark at 9:23 AM on September 2, 2004

I actually caught a strong twin towers vibe from that podium. More of an echo than a reproduction, but I think it's unmistakable. Now that I see the crosses, it's even more bizarre.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 9:24 AM on September 2, 2004

Dude I totally see a penis in that podium.

Surely you mean a Dick?!
posted by clevershark at 9:25 AM on September 2, 2004

Looks like cheap crap from This End Up.
posted by Dean King at 9:27 AM on September 2, 2004

I noticed this immediately on seeing the front page pictures, and simply assumed it was intentional. How could it not be, in an event so minutely engineered?

Having said that, I don't think complaints about it make a lot of sense. It's a clear staking of ideological ground, and the only interesting debate is whether it's a good move or not.

I tend to think it's not the best idea - most people who might vote based on whether a cantidate has a cross on their podium have already decided, and I imagine there's at least a few conservatives out there still who are bothered by this kind of thing. So it seems to me like poor strategy. But the people running these shows are not stupid, nor are they poorly-informed; this suggests my view of The Game is inaccurate at best.
posted by freebird at 9:28 AM on September 2, 2004

Apparently, this was the original set design, as planned by Bush's handlers about thirty years ago. The glasses are the podium, the coasters are the steps up to the stage, and the white making up the logo is actually yards of coke, for each speaker to drop down on the ground to huff from.

Peter H wins one million points.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 9:36 AM on September 2, 2004

a wooden podium that some Jewish groups find offensive because its decorative panels appear to form the shape of a Christian cross

As opposed to one of those Pagan Roman crosses used to kill Jesus?
posted by straight at 10:07 AM on September 2, 2004

Attention MetaFilter, I love you, but this is garbage. Not just garbage, but ridiculious garbage. Do you think Rove is trying to hypnotize us or anyone else into christianity? Like W needs to send a signal to the people who already know he's a christian? I've never been all that vehement about "newsfilter" but this is really low. Especially when people can see crosses, but can't see representations of 9/11, all depending on what their politics dictate.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:53 AM on September 2, 2004

Fruity sweet wrappers spark complaint

A Catholic college has complained about new Haribo sweet wrappers which it claims portray fruit in sexual positions.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:28 PM on September 2, 2004

Okay, I'm being harsh, but still.
posted by elwoodwiles at 12:34 PM on September 2, 2004

Oh, c'mon thomcat, I'd say it's pretty obvious that those fruit are fucking.
posted by graventy at 1:39 PM on September 2, 2004

elwoodwiles, i'm with you. This post reminds me of those horrid Magic Eye paintings from the 1980's:

Oh my god! I can see a flamingo! Can't you see it? It's right over there. Look harder. Do you see it? How about now? Now? Now? What's wrong with you? Don't you see the flamingo?! He's right in the middle there...right next to the penguin! Try squinting your eyes a little...wow, you really suck at this!
posted by naxosaxur at 1:46 PM on September 2, 2004

Dance, dance, dance, teach us to be true
posted by PrinceValium at 2:49 PM on September 2, 2004

He's not the messiah. He's a very naughty boy.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:13 PM on September 2, 2004

My reaction: "My God, where do they come up with this stuff? Does it look to you like it's a cross? I don't think so."

Especially the podium. That ain't no cross.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:10 PM on September 2, 2004

Try squinting your eyes a little...wow, you really suck at this!

Sounds like some-body sucked at Magic Eye.
posted by soyjoy at 7:49 PM on September 2, 2004