The Chinese have learned English from his speeches and celebrated the way he rolls up his sleeves. Now President Barack Obama is finally coming, and he’s being greeted with “Oba Mao” T-shirts and a statue of him that bursts into flames.
Sunday’s arrival of a U.S. president admired for his charisma is already a source of profit and brief fame for some Chinese. Strangest is the burning Obama, tucked away in a Beijing warehouse. Artist Liu Bolin hopes Obama can take time from his visit to drop by. “He’s so hot right now, so I wanted to translate that through my work,” said Liu, who was inspired by the idea of the first black U.S. president.
The bronze Obama bust is modeled on Time magazine’s “Man of the Year” cover and is speckled with holes for gas that ignites every couple of minutes.
It’s a positive work, Liu said.
“Yes, setting something on fire can have negative connotations, but this piece represents energy and life that Obama has given to the world,” said the 38-year-old, who made a similar piece for former revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. “We’re eager to see what he can do for China and U.S. relations.”
I wonder if the Chinese people get that comparing the President to Mao might make some here squeamish?
this display would gag a maggot
Obama is not that popular in China. Nothing like Europe or Africa.
With the exception of a handful of Maoist leftists (probably all 4 of them holed up in Berkeley somewhere), Mao’s not too popular here in the States. Obama himself seems to be a pragmatic moderate. What was the “artist” (Phil Dragoo??) thinking? Is he REALLY just trying to get the US Right Wing riled up?
#3. “Is he REALLY just trying to get the US Right Wing riled up?”. It’s huntin’ season – he’s flushing the game.
@#3 “Obama himself seems to be a pragmatic moderate. ” ???!!!???
Obama tries to portray himself (particularly pre-Presidency) as such. Actual actions? Nothing pragmatic. Nothing moderate. Nothing even bi-partisan. Name one pragmatic moderate action? And just in last two days he launched another two far-left agendas, so far-left he is hiding abroad from the public reaction.
In 3 years they can have him! I am sure by then most American’s will be sick of him.
#5 – “Nothing even bi-partisan.” Oh come on! If he kissed any more Republican ass he’d have to start hanging around airport restrooms.
I would have guessed Mao was way unpopular in china. But… yahoo says http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091005210846AAC9plV
and wikipedia says “officialy held in high regard” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong
I would have guessed Mao was way unpopular in china. But… wikipedia says “officialy held in high regard” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao_Zedong
I’ll have an Oba sandwich please. Hold the Mao.
#7. Ha-ha….good one.
I think this is pure unsubstantiated bullshit. Who says he is popular in China, and who the fuck cares. Where is the bullshit meter when we need it. This is American propaganda and probably has no factual connection to China.
The real issue is how Marxist is the US President?
I have an opinion on that, and I am sure half of America agrees with me.
Faxon I don’t think half of the US know what Marxism means….. so I’d have to challenge that statement….
I’d bet there is a good percentage of people that use the term and have no idea what it truly is….
As for the post… heh funny pic.
Interesting. I read an article in the NYTimes a few weeks ago about how Obama is also very popular in Japan as well (and driving a desire to learn English.)
I’m not exactly his biggest fan but that burning statue was a bit much. It’s a really weird way to pay tribute to him (essentially by burning in effigy).
I figured out the last part MAO (my ass off) but I can’t figure out the beginning part OBA, any takers?
I swear I can just hear Rush Limbaugh having an orgasm just by looking at these news.
Sure this didn’t come out of UC Berkeley? Looks like ordinary campaign material I saw all over the place here last year.
What’s with the hair? He looks like he has Lisa Simpson’s haircut.
OBA MAO?
ROFLMAO!
Get used to it… Your ass is owned by foreigners. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
#22 It’s “interesting” to see Obama visiting China when they are the US’s biggest debt holder.
#23 – qb
That was sort of the point with my post. You can’t go continue with Bush’s Either you’re with us or you’re against us mentality, when you’re dependent on foreign
aid… sorry… loans.I wonder why he is so loved in China? Maybe because he reminds them of he great Mao?
What a bunch of propaganda BS.
He’s getting ancient Chinese tips on how to suppress a public uprising against a tyrannical government bent on selling it’s people into government servitude.
He’s negotiating swapping our middle class for China’s new up and coming middle class.
A Tyrant in an empty suit.
Apparently, he’s in servitude to the new emperor of the japan as well.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/11/obama-emperor-akihito-japan.html
This guy is just full of surprises..
-s
#23, qb said,
“#22 It’s “interesting” to see Obama visiting China when they are the US’s biggest debt holder.”
—
Not to worry, i’m sure he brought some of our electrogravitic technology we employ in the B2 bomber to give to china to compliment the commerce secretaries recent eager missile tech offerings to further delay china’s “diversification” of USD assets.
-s
Mom! ‘Bama’s playing dress up again!
http://tiny.cc/VJgWu
So, the real reason the poster is up there is to troll for right-wing nuts. It seems to have succeeded. Left wing nuts should be coming up next.
By the way, I’m a middle of the road kind of guy, try to vote for the best candidate for a position, and consider people in both wings, especially the extreme ones, to be totally worthless.
Dubya was a perfect example of right wing worthless (you can thank his people and their political/financial manipulations for the current recession), as was Jimmy Carter (see the hostage crisis with Iran).
Obama and Hasan. Peas of the same pod. One kills with his guns. The other kills with his policies.