Style Section--While former President George W. Bush was often pilloried for the slightest imagined mistake, President Obama has snubbed the Dalai Lama so as not to offend China, given short shrift to Katrina victims in a recent visit to New Orleans, attempted to block a major media outlet from participating in the White House press pool, and even poked fun at the Special Olypics on a late night talk show. But unlike his predecessor, Obama's managed to make all those things "wicked cool.""I used to think making fun of the Special Olympics was bad," said one teenager. "But if Obama's doing it, it must be poppin' slammin' off the hook!"
Other former "outs" that are now "in" include signing off on secret deals with drug companies, politicizing all aspects of the government, and playing lots of male-only basketball.
One style columnist described how Obama was greeted with cheers from reporters when he launched into an impromptu freestyle rap dissing the Dalai Lama between rounds of golf.
"When Obama went off on how the spiritual leader of a free Tibet should 'save the Lama for his Mama,' I knew we'd entered a new era of political chic," she said.
Associated articles: Washington Times; http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28764_Page2.html; Politico 1
