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Today’s faves: ‘Come, on!’ moment, Obama-mania and sold-out yarmulkes

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Western Europe, Germany, Palestine, Democratic Party, Green Party, Republican Party, Civil Rights & Ethnicity, Gender, History, International Relations, Labor & Immigration, VwV Top 3

Voices without Votes continuously aggregates interesting links about the election from world bloggers. Our authors take turns picking their top 3 personal favorites every weekday.

In today’s favorite round up, a German blogger writes about the irrelevance of Palin’s wardrobe, meanwhile an American in Palestine talks about her recent Obama-filled trip and an Obama supporter has sad news for Jews wanting to purchase an accessory.

1. Sarah Palin’s $150k wardrobe

While citizen media throughout the blogosphere are commenting on the importance of Palin’s pricey wardrobe, German blogger lists [1] two points on why it’s an irrelevant piece of information. Claire writes about her “ ‘Come, on!’ moment”:

“Turns out that the RNC has paid a lot of money for Ms. Palin's clothes.

Let me tell you why this doesn't matter:

1. It's the RNC's money, not hers. If they want to make sure that their candidate looks good that is their prerogative. They have got plenty of money. Personally, I think it is money well spent as I have envied many of her coats.

2. No one talks about the costs of Obama's suits or McCain shirts. If you are going to talk about one you should talk about them all.”

Claire also adds a note for the Republican nominee:

“Oh, and one more thing, Sarah. Don't claim to be “just like me.” I don't tote around Louis-Vitton. Although I wish I did.”

2. Obama-mania trip home

American blogger living in Palestine, Marcy Newman writes [2] about her recent trip home and her experience with “Obama-mania” at the American Studies Association conference.

“I’m still reeling from the experience of not only coming back to the U.S. in the midst of a racist, offensive presidential campaign, but also the ways in which this affected the American Studies Association (ASA) conference. Normally this is a conference I look forward to. Some of the smartest people–and some of the most politically radical people–are usually in attendance. This is a conference where Angela Davis and Ruth Gilmore–two of the most important voices on the prison abolition movement regularly discuss this subject, for instance. But this year even those voices that one might normally expect critical analysis from seem to be swept up in Obama-mania. Starbucks sipping, Obama button wearing colleagues abounded. Yes, it took some walking and seeking to find non-Starbucks coffee, but of course the local variety was far superior.”

Newman then speaks about her support for third-party candidates Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney and how progressives paved the way for people like Obama.

“It’s not so much that I expected everyone to embrace progressive or radical candidates like Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader. But at ASA I did expect to hear critical analysis and discussion that brought them into the fold. By excluding other candidates these scholars participate in the same sort of exclusionary practices that the duopoly American government upholds by keeping third party candidates out of debates or off ballots. But it just seemed that everyone was so fixated on Obama and had such rose-colored glasses or people were just so mesmerized by this phenomenon that even McKinney’s name never came up. Even in a Stuart Hall panel where Hall’s important legacy in cultural studies came up the discussion related to the election centered on discussing whether or not “we should take credit for the emergence of Obama.” Mind you, they made it clear that taking credit is not the same as celebrating or endorsing, and certainly the work of radicals and progressives paved the way for a candidate like Obama. But this is precisely the point: all sorts of radical political movements made his candidacy possible but his candidacy speaks to none of the issues of any of those movements from anti-racism to labor.”

3. Obama yarmulkes out of stock

Newman can rest assure knowing that a little less “Obama-mania” will be found in some areas, as Jewish blogger Matt Walters reports [3]that Obama yarmulkes are sold-out.

“We regret to inform you that we are now sold out of Obama-kah yarmulkes and due to the holidays of Sukkot and Simchat Torah, our manufacturer cannot provide a new shipment in time for us to re-distribute the yarmulkes to you before the election on Nov. 4.”