CSBG Archive
Momentous Mistake by Barack Obama
- by Brian Cronin
- in General
- 36 Comments
The other day, Senator Obama said:
“When it comes to the economy – when it comes to the central issue of this election – the plain truth is that John McCain has stood with this President every step of the way. He hasn’t been a maverick, he’s been a sidekick.He’s like Kato to the Green Lantern. Ya’ll remember that, those of you who are over a certain age.”
At this point, we do not yet know what effect this momentous blunder by the Senator will have on his campaign going into Tuesday’s election, but surely, it will result in at least a five point drop in the polls.
There are rumors that Obama will try to recover from his tremendous error by correctly naming every member of each incarnation of the Masters of Evil, but the damage is most likely irreversible.
Thanks to Dan Kelly for the heads up (here‘s a link to the quote).






36 Comments
Steve
November 3, 2008 at 5:40 am
Sadly, not Obama’s only superhero-related gaffe!
http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20081027.html
Hangmanjury
November 3, 2008 at 6:11 am
I bet Obama didn’t confuse Hornet with Lantern so much as Kato with Pieface.
Tom Fitzpatrick
November 3, 2008 at 6:19 am
Just as bad as McCain likening himself as Jack Bauer of “24″.
VOTE for Hilary Rodham-Clinton!!!! She’s the MAN for the President of U.S.A!!!!
Too bad, I’m Canadian, so I can’t vote for her!
Kane
November 3, 2008 at 6:46 am
Hmmm…for a man who has actively courted the Superman association, such a mix-up is shameful, indeed. I’m willing to forgive if for no other reason that I cannot escape the imagine of McCain as Grandpa Simpson (“Get off my lawn!”)–even if I am “over a certain age.” Perhaps Barack is not as old as I thought…
But, yes, maybe he did confuse Kato and Pieface. Pieface was an Eskimo (making his name kind of upsetting) and Kato was Japanese, then Filipino, at one time Korean and also played by a Chinese-American. Gee, come to think of it, that is pretty confusing.
And it would be kind cool do a pulp version of Green Lantern that looked like the Green Hornet.
–K
Dan
November 3, 2008 at 6:56 am
Hey, at least he even KNOWS who Green Lantern is!
Dan Bailey
November 3, 2008 at 6:56 am
Far, far worse is the fact that whoever transcribed the quote misspelled “Y’ALL.” Idiot(s).
Blackjak
November 3, 2008 at 7:42 am
Sadly, I reckon he REALLY meant “Pink Panther” in a doubly-wrong reference to Inspector Clouseau and Cato…
Wonder if McCain really minds being compared to Bruce Lee?
Blue Exile in a Red State
November 3, 2008 at 7:46 am
We regret the mix up. An honest mistake was made in preparing the Senator. During the crafting of the speech we at different times intended to use GL and Tom Kalmaku or the Green Hornet and Kato.
The Hornet was proposed due to his television exposure to those of we voters of a certain age.
The Lantern was proposed in part due to Kalmaku’s Native Alaskan heritage as counterpoint to Caribou Barbie’s market penetration and profile.
At the last minute a decision was made to go with the Green Hornet instead of the Green Lantern.
As with all last minute decisions in this kind of pressure cooker environment, mistakes were made.
The mistake wasn’t Senator Obama’s. It was mine.
Therefore, I would like to announce my retirement from my post as unofficial comic book advisor to the Obama campaign immediately. I would only hope that the voter’s don’t take this error out on the great campaign of this great man.
My error. My mistake. I apologize.
Mark “Puff” Anderson
unofficial Senior Comic Book Advisor to the Candidate
The Committee to Elect Obama President of the United States via Comic Book References
DanCJ
November 3, 2008 at 7:55 am
Wasn’t Kato Inspector Cluseau’s sidekick?
Blue Exile in a Red State
November 3, 2008 at 8:04 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kato_(The_Green_Hornet)
I unfortunately don’t remember the old movies or serials, but I do remember the television series with Bruce Lee.
I saw a reference to a 1994 Hong Kong made movie which featured a Green Hornet character who was Kato. I think I need to track that down and see what it’s like.
And there are rumors of a new Green Hornet film coming with Seth Rogen in the title role.
Mark Puff Anderson
Dan K
November 3, 2008 at 8:05 am
“Wasn’t Kato Inspector Cluseau’s sidekick?”
That was Cato as played by the irreplaceable Burt Kwouk.
Thanks for the shout-out Brian.
Sam
November 3, 2008 at 8:21 am
I like the mistake. Works with Obama’s “DC heroes” theme. I’ve always said Obama has run the most consistent campaign, he doesn’t need to be muddying the field with pre-Action Comics pulp heroes.
Grico
November 3, 2008 at 9:12 am
Well i think it would have been more of a gaffe is he had said Green Lantern and Pie Face. Calling someone pie face would have a more negative impact.
Apodaca
November 3, 2008 at 9:23 am
Your reply cracked me up, “Puff”.
Loren
November 3, 2008 at 9:29 am
I doubt that. Kato is certainly a dated pop culture reference, but the Bruce Lee association has cemented him as a sidekick of some note. Pieface, on the other hand, is ridiculously obscure once you get outside DC fanboy circles. Such a reference is guaranteed to fly over the heads of everyone in the audience. Plus, the use of Pieface wouldn’t suit Obama’s rhetorical purpose: Kato was a traditional standard sidekick, whereas Pieface was more of a supporting cast member like Jimmy Olsen.
Dan K
November 3, 2008 at 9:47 am
Phew! Obama just spoke in Jacksonville FL and, thankfully, didn’t repeat the same mistake. He did use the phrase “here in Ohio” but that’s hardly on the same scale as the “Lanterngate” gaffe.
Karlos
November 3, 2008 at 10:15 am
Man, I was behind Obama all the way – until this.
I simply cannot forgive such a shocking mix-up of pop culture references.
It’s almost as bad as when Jimmy Carter said, “Let me speak me with candour…and by candour, I don’t mean the bottled city from the planet Krypton”, back in ’79.
Ryan
November 3, 2008 at 10:43 am
Meh, at least he knows what the internet is.
mark
November 3, 2008 at 11:00 am
This is awesome. Barack Obama may be the first president with vague nerd interests.
Craig B.
November 3, 2008 at 11:01 am
Maybe he meant “He’s like Kato to O.J. Simpson.” You remember – Kato Kaelin? Famous house-guest? Anyone?
Rich
November 3, 2008 at 12:46 pm
As if anybody has forgotten Kato Kaelin. He was the Joe the Plumber of his day.
Joe Rice
November 3, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Man, I wish Kato would hang out with GL.
Mike Loughlin
November 3, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Kato was Green Lantern’s sidekick on Earth 73.
DBish
November 3, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Maybe he got confused with Kairo, GL’s sidekick from the old Filmation cartoons. Well I don’t blame him from trying I guess. Maybe all of these pop culture references were made so that he might snag a Stan Lee styled cameo in the next superhero movie.
scout
November 3, 2008 at 3:02 pm
“Barack Obama may be the first president with vague nerd interests.”
Well, MODERN nerd interests anyway. We’ve had plenty of nerd presidents. For example, one of young Theodore Roosevelt’s hobbies was taxidermy.
FunkyGreenJerusalem
November 3, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I wish he said like Ebony White to The Spirit.
It would have been the comic related gaffe that stopped a nation.
DanLarkin
November 3, 2008 at 8:24 pm
McCain’s older than Bush. The correct analogy is clearly to Stripesy and the Star Spangled Kid.
Ken
November 3, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Well, that’s it. Obama has embarrassed himself on the world stage. Imagine all the leaders of the Gulf states laughing at us over our future president’s blunder.
OBAMA MUST RESIGN.
Clayton
November 3, 2008 at 9:43 pm
If Obama somehow loses the election tomorrow, I now know to blame Hal Jordan. Well, okay, also systemic fraud and institutional racism, but mostly Hal Jordan.
Blue Exile in a Red State
November 4, 2008 at 5:18 am
Well, Clayton, if that happens, there’ll need to be an investigation into whether it was Hal Jordan or Parallax.
-alistairw
November 4, 2008 at 5:22 am
Clearly he meant Eddie “King” Roeser to Nash Kato.
No? No Urge Overkill fans? Oh well.
Blue Exile in a Red State
November 4, 2008 at 5:40 am
…but…but…Sister Havana isn’t eligible to vote in the Estados Unidos…is she?
Majestic
November 4, 2008 at 8:40 am
Sounds to me like he made a simple slip of the tounge. Green Lanter/Green Hornet. If he has the vague nerd tendencies we hope for in a president, we should APPLAUD the fact that he even has the name “green lantern” in his head!
HammerHeart
November 4, 2008 at 8:59 am
“There are rumors that Obama will try to recover from his tremendous error by correctly naming every member of each incarnation of the Masters of Evil, but the damage is most likely irreversible.”
Well, just imagine the international incident that could arise if Obama were in conference with Chinese authorities and failed to name the Radioactive Man! That would be a deal-breaker right there!
But the REAL tough question will come up when Vladimir Putin asks Obama which of the Winter Guard heroes (the Russian Avengers) is his favorite. When that inevitable question arises, Obama would throw away years of diplomatic efforts if he guessed “Darkstar” – Mr. Putin is obviously a Crimson Dynamo fan.
Jeff Ryan
November 4, 2008 at 11:30 am
Obama was just previewing the newest DC retcon. Presidential candidates work with DC comics to introduce new plot elements. Who can forget Bill Bradley in 2000 mentioning “President Luthor,” or Bob Dole in 1996 spilling the beans about Conduit really being Magog?
Man, Dole. if you hadn’t based your campaign on the popularity of Kingdom Come…
Hans Keller
November 9, 2008 at 8:33 am
That was a pretty big blunder, but believing that Redd Foxx’s line on “Sanford and Son” was “Weezy, I’m comin’ to join you!” was probably more damaging.