Waikiki v. Chicago: The Epic Battle Continues

By Karl Klockars in News on Dec 30, 2008 8:40PM

Earlier this month we bitch-slapped New York Magazine for thinking that they could lay a personal and geographical claim to our President-Elect. Now we have to collectively face off against a more potent foe: the state of his birth*, Hawaii. There can be only one, Highlander. So who will reign supreme?

The Tribune today is reporting on an increase in tourism and a re-raising of Hawaii's profile as an Obama locale thanks to the 12-day vacation our President-Elect is currently on. (And don't think we're not jealous of the pool of reporters stuck with that gig. Who do we have to Blago** to set up a Honolulu-ist site?) Obama t-shirts are prevalent, bus tours make stops outside his childhood apartment as well as people stopping into the Baskin-Robbins where Obama worked in high school. There's even a portion of the official state tourism website devoted to the PE.

But...there was no rally at the Aina Moa Recreation Area, was there? That's not a Hawaii Warriors cap perched on his head. And there's no parallel to the Hyde Park "Camp David" so far as we can tell. However, if the PE were still here for his Christmas Vacation, we certainly wouldn't have those beefcake photos from a few days ago. Win some, lose some. Let's make a deal. Like Lincoln & Kentucky, you guys in Hawaii can take the "Obama's Birthplace" and put that on your license plates. But we'll go ahead and continue to claim the lion's share of the credit. Wait, what's that? We said what a few weeks back?

"Of course, it's silly for anyone to "claim" Obama anyway. That's part of the wonder of his backstory. Obama is a man of multiple races and multiple places. Part of his pragmatism that appeals to so many people is as a result of his background that saw him live in different parts of the world and exposed to a variety of ideas and religions. After all, as his birthplace, doesn't Honolulu have the best claim on him to begin with?"

Oh yeah. All right. We can share. Unless he really screws up. Then he's all yours, Hawaii. And keep Dog the Bounty Hunter, too.

* If you REALLY BELIEVE that's where he was born, that is.
** Has anyone used this as a verb yet? We have now, I guess.