SUBSCRIBE NOW WELCOME BACK. Do you want to continue reading where you left off? New Republic subscribers can pick up where they left off no matter which device they were previously using. SUBSCRIBE NOW

Go Home Dap Politics

THE PLANK JUNE 4, 2008

Dap Politics

BY DAYO OLOPADE

On the lighter side of my earlier post on race spokesmanship in American politics--the accompanying photo has exposed a seam in the almost-smooth transition to multi-ethnic, if not post-racial news coverage. Here, again, "the dap":

 

For the record, I thought it was incredibly cute, an intimate, yet tasteful (get a clue, Gore) expression of the Obamas excitement and mutual affection. Yet for those who have never watched professional sports, the "dap" apparently still requires translation. Chris Beam at Slate has a witty rundown of the various attempts at description in news outlets today.  

 

“Taking a fist-pound from wife Michelle, Obama stepped to the podium Tuesday”—MTV.com

 

“Michelle Obama (L) gives her husband, Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Senator Barack Obama, a knuckle-bump as a sign of support before he speaks to supporters.”—Monsters and Critics

 

“At 09:09:27 Central Time, Michelle Obama gave Barack Obama a pound in St. Paul, Minnesota.”—Lola New York

 

“I never realized how romantic and respectful and mutually appreciative and loving a frat-tastic fist bump could be. Could it be the new peck-on-the-cheek?”—The Frisky

 

“... Obama, who was joined on stage by his wife Michelle, with whom he shared a celebratory fist-bump.”—Reuters

 

“Obama, began with a loving fist to fist thumbs up with Michelle.”—Capitol Hill Blue

"Loving fist to fist thumbs up?" Oh, we have a ways to go.

--Dayo Olopade 

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Show all 21 comments

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

21 comments

Fox News: new video shows Obama fisting his wife in front of stunned onlookers.

- ratnerstar

June 4, 2008 at 6:19pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Ratner: wonderful.  If anyone was going to make that joke, it would be you.  Well done, sir.

- boneill

June 4, 2008 at 6:22pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I was ready to get behind him in the general, but this just reinforces the Obambi image. This is terrible, the worst thing those two could possibly have done.

- WoodyBombay

June 4, 2008 at 6:27pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

OFFs, VOFFs, TOFFs and any others just have to get over the fact that there's a whole lot more going on today socially than what you see on reruns of Andy Griffin shows.

(Old Fat Farts, Very Old Fat Farts, Terribly Old Fat Farts - and since I'm one of this group I can be politically incorrect if I want!)

- WaltB

June 4, 2008 at 6:30pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

a hezbollah style fist-jabbing? what a hilariously awesome combination of right-wing fear-mongering and right-wing elitism (likely to be followed by loud declarations of obama's elitism).

- perkowitz

June 4, 2008 at 6:31pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Thank you, bone.  Being this crude ain't easy, but it's necessary.

- ratnerstar

June 4, 2008 at 6:35pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Ratnerstar: That's Fox, always hip with the cultural references.

- liberal reformer

June 4, 2008 at 6:37pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

It's simply one more piece of evidence that Obama's is a divisive racist campaign designed to tell hard-working white folks their day is over.

And, before I forget, didn't the Ceaucescu's do that too?

- ironyroad

June 4, 2008 at 6:40pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I second that Ratner. Memorable stuff. You're sick, in a healthy way.

- The Ignorant Populist

June 4, 2008 at 6:42pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

I've always known it as a pound.

- geckahn

June 4, 2008 at 6:48pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

*bowing in the general direction of ratnerstar*

- drdannyu

June 4, 2008 at 6:56pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Awesome ratnerstar.  

- adaglas

June 4, 2008 at 7:05pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

bravo sir, bravo

- Maxblum13

June 4, 2008 at 7:22pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

This place already feels back to normal after that one ratner.  Thank you, I clearly needed that.

- Wandreycer1

June 4, 2008 at 8:59pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

It's true, wandrey.  This long, divisive primary battle has deflated some of the joviality from our beloved Talkback Nation.  Thankfully, it's nothing a good fisting joke can't cure.  (And we weren't even talking about boneill's love life this time.)

- drdannyu

June 4, 2008 at 9:17pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Actually, that really did have the feeling of air-clearing.  I love you guys.

- boneill

June 4, 2008 at 11:29pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

The Obama dap was a watershed moment in my household. For years, my wife and I have done that as a sort of sharing-the-victory thing. As we get older, we sometimes even do it silently instead of making the original 70s retro joke, "Wonder Twin powers, activate!"

So seeing the Obamas make the same gesture was an important moment. We finally live in an America where a couple who fist-bump can be accepted at the highest levels. I'm really, for the first time in my adult life, proud to be a knuckle-tapping American.

- rhubarbs

June 5, 2008 at 7:14am

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

As someone who has done it before, even given my kids dap, I actually didn't like it.  

I tried to put my finger on it and I can't quite do it.  Somewhere in my gut I find it a little too informal and I think I'm also slightly bothered by spotlights being placed on spouses.  Why do these "intimate" moments occur on camera?  Isn't there an offstage?  Reminds me of college football, once a crew places the spotlight on a player we are sure to see his parents 10 times.  Why?  

Also, for some reason I have a vague sense that M.O. might mess this up.  I don't know why.  I guess to me she doesn't appear to  have the calm and discipline that the "first" black anything (see Jackie Robinson) needs to have.   I don't mean this as an attack, most people don't, but more of a compliment to BO.

- Sirhc

June 5, 2008 at 10:39am

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

At my Jewish summer camp 25 years ago we were making up elaborate daps.  It's nice to see the African Americans picking up some of our culture.

- stgla

June 5, 2008 at 11:37am

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

Top Ten Euphemisms for "Fisting":

10. "pass the meat forceps"

9. "playing hide-a-hand"

8. "in the knuckle bunker"

7. "multiple digitasms"

6. "the ol' cervical salute"

5. "cave waving"

4. "finger-lickin' hood"

3. "a little wiggle room"

2. "celebrating Palm Funday"

and the No. 1 Euphemism for "Fisting":

1. "a little dap'll do you"

- williamyard

June 5, 2008 at 1:49pm

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

My heavens: All kinds of shouting back and forth about the New Yorker cover that was supposedly believed

- Anonymous

July 18, 2008 at 11:38am

You must be a subscriber to post comments. Subscribe today.

SHARE HIGHLIGHT

0 CHARACTERS SELECTED

TWEET THIS

POST TO TUMBLR

SHARE ON FACEBOOK

Close