Chicago — If you were one of the many people who checked out President-elect Barack Obama’s topless Hawaiian beach photos this week on the Internet, don’t worry, you’re not a presidential pervert.
“Everybody’s gonna talk about it,” says Charles Franklin, a political science professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison, who admits that he, too, visited paparazzi blog bauergriffinonline.com late Monday night to see our soon-to-be commander in chief in swim trunks, looking sun-kissed and svelte.
In the words of two unabashed commentators on the site: “Hellooooo Mr. President” and “Good work, America.”
Don’t feel bad, gawkers. The American public has shown an interest in political pectorals for decades, Franklin said.
There’s a famous beach image from the 1960s of John F. Kennedy coming out of the water. A photo of Bill and Hillary Clinton vacationing in bathing suits in the U.S. Virgin Islands circulated in 1998.
The difference today is that beach bod images can travel much more quickly. That may explain why the bauergriffinonline.com blog — after the Huffington Post linked to it and Politico.com posted one of its pictures — reported technical trouble, presumably from high traffic. Or why, when Marc Lamont Hill, professor of American studies at Temple University, posted a link to a shirtless Obama on his blog Tuesday morning, the number of hits spiked 60 percent.
Hill doesn’t expect to see politicians in thongs any time soon but says he wouldn’t be surprised if the more savvy public relations handlers learn to flaunt their candidates’ attributes ... such as Obama’s six-pack abs.
“Maybe they leaked a picture of him after he had done 100 push-ups,” he said.
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tangential_reasoners_anonymous (anonymous) says…
Whoa, Nancy... better attend to that pipe before it bursts.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
In other news:http://hotair.com/archives/2008/12/24/politico-obamas-blago-report-creates-more-questions-than-it-answers/
twinetowngirl (anonymous) says…
So....whats the big deal? It's not like he's naked or anything...Now that might be a good pic!! Now seeing Ted in a speedo....that would be cause for a public outcry!
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
Coins, plaques, statuettes, t-shirts, mugs.....................Any bets on how long it'll take before the shirtless Obama posters go on sale? Brad Pitt and Leonardo don't get this kind of fanfare. Barack's the new Elvis, for crying out loud. Said it before....never seen anything like it.
blue73harley (anonymous) says…
Damn! I thought the headline was refering to Michelle.
Confrontation (anonymous) says…
I think it's weird that Tommy Boy is getting so extremely excited/turned on over pics of Obama. Then, again, this does seem to explain everything.
labmonkey (anonymous) says…
After seeing Putin's picture a couple years ago and now Obama, Rocky IV would have to take place for Obama to win in a fight. Obama better start training in Russia now if he wants a chance...
Guardian (anonymous) says…
Ladies and gentlemen! Live from Hawaii! Elvis Obama!