08.08.08 - Part IV in a series analyzing, evaluating, and exploring the political and social implications of a 30 lb, 21 inch tall, gold-plated statue of Hindu monkey god, Hanuman, being sanctified and sent by a group in India to American presidential candidate Barack Obama. Parts I, II, & III detail the background of this idol gift.

Disclaimer: No offense or disrespect is intended to the Hindu faith or Hindu people. If, while reading this piece you feel as if you are personally being attacked it's possible you are a narcissist or a person with poor judgment, or both.

After all, Judgment is number 4 on my list of serious campaign issues, the question "Is that a monkey in your pocket? touches on. The monkey question, raised by news reported in The Times of India: "The idol is being presented to Obama as he is reported to be a Lord Hanuman devotee and carries with him a locket of the monkey god along with other good luck charms." So Obama has  A monkey locket in his pocket but how's his judgment? Let's examine some recent examples:

4. Judgement
   
   • According to hindu.com, the online version of, The Hindu India's National Newspaper, after various ceremonies, "The idol was later kept in the sanctum sanctorum of the Sankat Mochan Dham, where it will be kept for 10 more days. Mr. Bhama said several temples in New Delhi had already expressed an interest in keeping the idol for worship on their premises before it begins its journey across the Atlantic." It is expected to arrive to Obama by August 24th, the day before the Democrat National Convention. What kind of carbon footprint will that leave?
     
     Shouldn't Obama, as a candidate for President of the United State of America, have enough leadership acumen to say, "Thanks very much, I already have a monkey locket in my pocket, you don't need to ship the 30 pound statue idol."
     
     
   • Is this Hanuman god idol going to be prominently present on the convention podium? Didn't Obama already learn his lesson about messing with American icons when he co-opted the Presidential Seal graphic motif for use on a campaign poster? To the right, see the AP Photo of the Obamanized version of the preemptive presidential seal.
     
     
   • Unless you've been sharing cave space with Osama Bin Laden, you are aware that Obama made a showy speech in Germany. I'm troubled and don't understand American presidential candidates campaigning on foreign soil. Obama was able to go to the gym but not meet with troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
     
     
   • Obama on July 30, 2008 in Springfield, Missouri presented his energy plan:*
        
     Obama suggested that by simply maintaining proper tire pressure and having the car tuned up, that as much oil would be saved as would be obtained from domestic drilling. See the video clip. Where he says, "There are things you can do individually, though, to save energy. Making sure your tires are properly inflated - simple thing. But we could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling - if everybody was just inflating their tires? And getting regular tune-ups? You'd actually save just as much!"
     
     Congratulations to Obama for uttering the energy equivalent of, "Let them eat cake?" To be fair, the cake quote has been misunderstood over the centuries. One of the best summaries and explanations I found was in an UrbanDictionary.com posting. A couple weeks back, a caller to the Rush Limbaugh show answered a question about the, "Let them eat cake," quote typically attributed to Marie Antoinette. The caller mentioned that the cake did not refer to pastry, but rather to burnt bread bits and scrapings retrieved from the bottom of the oven. As for who said this, according to Wikipedia, prior to Maria Antoinette gracing the throne philosopher/writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote, "At length I recollected the thoughtless saying of a great princess, who, on being informed that the country people had no bread, replied, 'Then let them eat pastry!' "Some attribute this sentiment to Maria Theresa of Spain, who would become Queen of France. Antoinette lost her head and Theresa had some inbreed issues. Not sure if either of these ladies ever carried a monkey locket in their royal pockets.

[ Previous Part I   |  Part II   |  Part III   | You're reading Part IV |  Part V   |  Part VI   ]
Here are public domain depictions of Hindu God, Hanuman:

Serious Campaign Issues/Question List
Is that a monkey in your pocket?
1. √ Religion
   
2. √Monkeys
   
3. √Special Interests
   
4. Judgment
   
5. Demographics
   
6. Silliness
   
   

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