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Barack Obama, Wire Fan

So Barack Obama says his favorite TV show is The Wire. And his favorite character, he tells the Las Vegas Sun, is Omar Little, the charismatic, sawed-off shotgun toting, Honey Nut Cheerios-eating, gay stickup artist. “That’s not an endorsement. He’s not my favorite person, but he’s a fascinating character,” says Obama, displaying both admirable honesty and pop-culture cred, yet risking alienating the demographic (i.e., women) that will never forgive Omar for helping set up Stringer Bell. And all the culture warriors who will take issue with Obama calling the gangster "sort of a Robin Hood." But picking your favorite Wire character is all about moral ambiguity—a real minefield for a politician who thinks the answers to these kinds of questions really matter. All the cops are corrupt or boozers or philanderers. The politicians are weasels. And the drug dealers and journalists? Enough said. The only mildly politically safe Wire character I can think of is Lester Freamon, whose biggest sin is a love of miniature furniture. If you want to get a little more daring, you could go for rookie middle-school teacher and ex-police Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski—but don't forget that he's an accidental cop killer.

No wonder most candidates' professed favorite TV shows are pretty unoffensive. Hillary tells TV Guide she likes Antiques Roadshow, American Idol, and "HGTV makeover shows." Mitt Romney claims he watches The Office. Dennis Kucinich says his all-time fave is The Lone Ranger. And John McCain says his favorite TV character of all time is Maverick—get it?

If you've got ideas for which Wire character each candidate should endorse—or even better, which character reminds you of which candidate—leave a comment.

Comments

I think it's an outrage that Obama, a presidential candidate, has cited his favourite character as a mean faced gangster who sleeps with men.

Huh?!? Obama, i'm confused what message am i to get from this ? I saw you as a role model for my children. What do i think now ? Well, let's just say I'm a little afraid of what i'll hear out of your next "up close" and personal interview.

You blatantly flunked the moral acid test.

Even putting this character's sexual preference aside, a thug for heaven's sake. What values in a character like that could you possibly admire ?

Posted by: kisha on 03/10/08 at 3:12 PM Respond

The previous commenter has obviously never watched The Wire, which is the best show on TV. You miss the point of Omar's character with your classification of him. He is a real character who has depth and profundity. Yes he is gay. Yes he is a gangster. However, he is the only character in the show who never strays from a "code of conduct". He never targets "civilians" and only robs drug dealers.

Omar has to be considered one of the two or three favorite characters of all Wire fans. The beauty of the Wire is that the characters aren't "Law and Order" characters where the cops are all Jesus figures crusading to protect everyone and the bad guys are all sinister Lex Luthors who just kill for fun. There is no such thing as good guys and bad guys.

Loosen up. Barack Obama is voicing his appreciation of a character who is fascinatingly deep and complex. It's not an endorsement of his profession.

Posted by: Andrew on 03/10/08 at 7:08 PM Respond

kisha, i'm assuming you watch desperate housewives, and if you do that must mean you're a huge slut, right?

Posted by: john on 04/02/08 at 6:45 AM Respond

honestly kisha, you are so far off, and probably do not even watch the wire. if you watched the show you would see there is ALOT more to the character, and since obama is running on the DEMOCRATIC ticket, i dont think he should have an issue with any gay men.

Posted by: brian on 05/03/08 at 2:32 PM Respond

Thanks, Kisha. Your comment is hilarious. "You blatantly flunked the moral acid test." Oh God, I'm dying. So hilarious.

Posted by: telecom on 05/13/08 at 10:43 PM Respond

Hey brian,

So you think that a democrat should have NO problem with homo men..?
The democrat party REALLY has a problem when people think that ALL democrats are homo loving people... Not true, there are many who feel SOOOO strongly about this issue, that this is one reason the democrat party is fracturing into a bunch of little groups.

Bill

Posted by: Bill Nigh on 05/15/08 at 5:31 PM Respond