Concluding a Thursday NBC Nightly News story on summer movies, correspondent George Lewis previewed the new Star Trek film, set to open on Friday, and found it relevant to highlight how “some Trekkies have compared the Spock character, the product of a mixed marriage between a human and a Vulcan, to President Obama.” Those “some Trekkies” would be Newsweek's Steve Daly, author of last week's cover story, “We’re All Trekkies Now,” who proposed in a soundbite: “In a certain sense, Spock the character has dealt with some of the same prejudices and problems that our new President does.”
In the piece for the May 4 edition of the magazine, Daly asserted: “Spock's cool, analytical nature feels more fascinating and topical than ever now that we've put a sort of Vulcan in the White House.” And “like Obama, Spock is the product of a mixed marriage (actually, an interstellar mixed marriage), and he suffers blunt manifestations of prejudice as a result.” Daly also hailed how “with the willfully hegemonic Bush administration now gone, the tenets of [original Star Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry's fictional universe feel very much in step with current events,” since:
The Obama foreign policy, at least for now, emphasizes cross-cultural exchange and eschews imperialistic swagger. That sounds very much in sync with the Federation's Prime Directive, which stipulates that humanity should observe but never interfere with alien cultures (no Iraq-style invasions, in other words).
From the end of the last story on the Thursday, May 7 NBC Nightly News:
GEORGE LEWIS: Some Trekkies have compared the Spock character, the product of a mixed marriage between a human and a Vulcan, to President Obama, who said on the campaign trail last year-
BARACK OBAMA: I grew up on Star Trek. You know, I believe in the final frontier.
STEVE DALY, NEWSWEEK: In a certain sense, Spock the character has dealt with some of the same prejudices and problems that our new President does.
LEWIS: Even as audiences seek escape by their new problems by boldly going to the movies. George Lewis, NBC News, Los Angeles.
A brief excerpt from the May 4 cover story, “We’re All Trekkies Now: 'Star Trek' is way cool. How'd that happen? Because the geeks have inherited the earth, and the White House”:
....Spock's cool, analytical nature feels more fascinating and topical than ever now that we've put a sort of Vulcan in the White House. All through the election campaign, columnists compared President Obama's unflappably logical demeanor and prominent ears with Mr. Spock's. But as Spock's complicated racial backstory is spun out in detail in the new "Trek"—right back into childhood — the Obama parallels keep deepening. Like Obama, Spock is the product of a mixed marriage (actually, an interstellar mixed marriage), and he suffers blunt manifestations of prejudice as a result.
As played by Zachary Quinto, the young Spock loves his human mother, but longs to assimilate completely into his Vulcan father Sarek's ways, eschewing messy emotions the way all Vulcans do. Young Spock is constantly being told by Vulcans and humans alike that he's either seething with inappropriate emotions—indeed, he takes Kirk by the throat at one point—or that he's not emotional enough and shouldn't be so repressed. Obama may or may not be a fan—the White House says he isn't, but Trekkies have claimed him as one of their breed ever since he said, "I grew up on 'Star Trek'—I believe in the final frontier," at a campaign stop last year. If he does check out the new movie, I can imagine he might feel a special empathy for Spock's position, given the chattering class's insistence that he needs to show more emotion, too.
There's one more intriguing allegorical overtone to the new "Trek," perhaps completely accidental. With the willfully hegemonic Bush administration now gone, the tenets of Roddenberry's fictional universe feel very much in step with current events. Whether you're happy about it or not, the Obama foreign policy, at least for now, emphasizes cross-cultural exchange and eschews imperialistic swagger. That sounds very much in sync with the Federation's Prime Directive, which stipulates that humanity should observe but never interfere with alien cultures (no Iraq-style invasions, in other words)....
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Liberals invite alien cultures to come get a free house and food
May 7, 2009 - 20:10 ET by Daniel BakerThey also send their smut to sale to the alien cultures.
-------------------------------------------
Liberal judges are the high priests of redefined marriage. Good men want freedom, Evil men want license
Ok I will give Obama that he and Spock have unique ears.
May 7, 2009 - 20:20 ET by dark_dsSpock? Ok I will give Obama that he and Spock have unique ears. But isnt Spock always using logic in his world view? I dont think Logic enters Obama's mind.
_______ Him and the Unicorn he rode in on
Hell
May 7, 2009 - 23:46 ET by RowaneObambi can't SPELL logic.
Liberalism is by definition
May 8, 2009 - 07:07 ET by BDLiberalism is by definition the triumph of emotionalism over logic.
Especially....
May 9, 2009 - 08:27 ET by SFCMAC...without his Teleprompter.
"On the Eighth Day God Created the United States Army and the Devil Stood at Attention"
What a joke
May 7, 2009 - 20:24 ET by well99Did Spock accept money for his campaign(Rezko)?While people(Obama's district) were living in squalor without heat due to the donor not living up to what he had been paid by the state to do(restorations).
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353829,CST-NWS-rez23.article
Well99 what's wrong with you
May 7, 2009 - 20:39 ET by HeavyChevyWell99 what's wrong with you Obama has been compared to Mr.Spock....SPOCK for crying out loud, how cool is that!! Forget about the economy, the war, people struggling to make ends meet Obama is now Spock!
Man where is your priorities?! You know what just step away from the keyboard until you get your act together I just about had enough of your attitude.
HC
May 8, 2009 - 09:57 ET by well99I will try not to let it happen again.I dont know what came over me.Hail to the Dear Leader...I mean Spock.
Help
May 7, 2009 - 20:27 ET by CaringwhiteguyHelp me out here Trekkies. Did Spock believe he was some sort of messianic infallible leader?
"Help me out here
May 7, 2009 - 20:30 ET by HeavyChevy"Help me out here Trekkies. Did Spock believe he was some sort of messianic infallible leader?"
No.
Dammit now you know I'm a closet Trekkie...curse you!
HC
May 7, 2009 - 20:41 ET by well99Scary but I prefer Star Trek:Enterprise myself to the others.
So did I Well99
May 7, 2009 - 20:49 ET by HeavyChevyAt first I thought I was going to hate it (like the politically correct "Voyager") but Enterprise I actually enjoyed, but ST:TNG will always be my favorite then DS9 last but not least Enterprise.
HC
May 7, 2009 - 20:58 ET by well99I would go with DS9 second and ST:TNG 3rd.Didnt get into Voyager.ST:E is the best in my book..what can I say Jolene Blalock...lol
Jolene Blalock?
May 7, 2009 - 21:04 ET by HeavyChevyOkay I can't argue with that logic.
The Obama foreign policy,
May 7, 2009 - 20:41 ET by motherbeltThe Obama foreign policy, at least for now, emphasizes cross-cultural exchange and eschews imperialistic swagger. That sounds very much in sync with the Federation's Prime Directive, which stipulates that humanity should observe but never interfere with alien cultures (no Iraq-style invasions, in other words).
HAHAHAHA! Of course, he doesn't mention that they disregarded the Prime Directive just about every week; they always had a good reason for it...they just "knew" it wasn't meant to mean they should ignore things they knew they could make better!
Which, of course, is exactly Obama's outlook. He is certain that he can "fix" private sector businesses, that he can "save" banks, etc. He certainly doesn't shy away from sticking his nose in, thinking that he can do better than they.
And let's talk about the law. Does Obama believe that our Prime Directive: a nation of laws, not of men; and equal treatment under the law for all, is inviolable? I think not, if he thinks the Supreme Court should have gotten into redistribution of wealth, among other things.....
So maybe no Iraq-style invasions; but Obama is certainly willing to be James Kirk ignoring the Prime Directive, so to speak, in his own country.
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
they disregarded the Prime
May 7, 2009 - 20:55 ET by PeskyDanethey disregarded the Prime Directive just about every week;
As someone who has found the whole trek genre entertaining over the years, I used to think it was pretty funny how they managed to circumvent what was supposed to be their sacred little cow. Every once in a while they seemed to come across another starship captain who violated the so-called prime directive in his own self-interest. Kirk would always lecture the other guy about how you're suppose to give up your life, the lives of your crew, and allow your ship to be destroyed in order to keep from violating it. Of course, as you mentioned, Kirk always managed to interpret that rule in the most convenient way when it came to him.
While I will always find the original series campy, in real life, speaking as a military officer myself, someone like Kirk would have been ostrasized to the point where they would be rendered ineffective. In fact, he might have even been blanket partied in the cadet barracks and never made it to his commisoning ceremony.
A bit off topic, apologies to all.
True, but then what would we be watching?
May 8, 2009 - 02:14 ET by KC MulvilleIf the Enterprise stayed out of everyone's business, there wouldn't be any show. They'd do all their investigations from the shielded anonymity of space, hundreds of miles in orbit. OK, the first episode might be cool where they showed off their snooping equipment. What then?
It's five year mission ... to seek out new life and new civilizations ... but not to disturb them? It's like Heisenberg's Principle: the act of observation changes the observed. Frankly, Kirk's libido was the driving reason for half the stories. He had his own Prime Directive.
True, KC, that was my
May 8, 2009 - 05:52 ET by motherbeltTrue, KC, that was my point.
What I had in mind but didn't write was that that was the whole basis of the show!
And yes, I did love the "campiness" of the original series. All-time favorite episode: The Trouble With Tribbles
And now, once again, we have a Captain Kirk in command, who, while preaching non-interference abroad (according to Newsweek) believes in major interference in things in his own country.
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
best old series episodes
May 8, 2009 - 13:11 ET by UndercoverConservativeAnything with Harry Mudd in them :)
WWW.GS2AC.COM. 2nd Amendment Grass Roots Action in the Bay Area, CA. We're not all "Breakfast Cereal" folks here! :)
No....Sarek
May 8, 2009 - 13:20 ET by BlondeMark Davis is subbing for Rush right now, and discussing Star Trek....(and did a hillarious bit about Lost in Space, too).
I hope he fails, too.
Mine will always be Mirror,
May 8, 2009 - 14:55 ET by PeskyDaneMine will always be Mirror, mirror,- thought the "evil" Spock who turned out not to be so evil after all was the coolest. Yes, I can name good chunk of the episodes. Feel free to bitch-slap me now.
Superman, Jesus and now Spock
May 7, 2009 - 20:48 ET by PooveyPresident Obama has been compared to Superman, Jesus and now Spock, Who's next? Aquaman for his ability to communicate with the sea and it's creatures or maybe Capt. Planet?
If drool were gold, the MSM would be swimming in capitol and MSNBC would dwarf Microsoft.
probably Shaft.
May 8, 2009 - 07:42 ET by Cooperprobably Shaft.
Good one.
May 8, 2009 - 14:59 ET by PeskyDaneGood one.
They don't even know that "Trekkie" is the wrong designation
May 7, 2009 - 20:54 ET by gopcongressThe Democrats are not even aware that the preferred term for an aficianado of the Star Trek franchise is "Trekker," not "Trekkie." When I was a kiddie (early 20's) back in the early 80's we made a big point about that. Perhaps a bit snobbish, but I also was a Libertarian dude too.
So let the Dems think they are trekkies...they have no clue as
______________________
Moderate... Democrat... Liberal... Progressive... Socialist... Communist—The progression is clear as day.
I've never heard 'trekker.'
May 7, 2009 - 20:58 ET by balboaI've never heard 'trekker.' Even the movie is called "Trekkie."
Well-intentioned persons
May 7, 2009 - 21:14 ET by SlyrrWell-intentioned persons (not sure who or why) have tried to change the term used to described star trek fans from 'trekkie' to 'trekker'. The reason (I think) is because 'trekker' is more gramatically correct to describe someone who treks.
But they're fighting a losing battle here. Sure, you can be a purist and say 'it should be trekker, dangit!'. But the fact is, 'trekkie' was what they were called first, it's catchier, and it's just stuck. Plus, people just don't LIKE 'trekker' - they like 'trekkie'. Go figure.
It's just like the 'global warming' people going into a screaming panic now that the weather is getting cooler and people are laughing at them and their stupid doctrine. They're trying to switch the buzz-word to 'climate change'. Problem is, they spent years and YEARS pounding the term 'global warming' into the media and everyone else's brains, and that's the term they're stuck with now. Too bad, enviro-nazis - you wet your bed, now sleep in it.
trekkie is like groupie
May 8, 2009 - 09:31 ET by SickofLibsBut I'd rather be called a Groupie than a Grouper.
Victim of Prejudice?
May 7, 2009 - 20:57 ET by Redrowan2000Excuse me but didn't this man just get elected president of the United States?.. Yeah Americas a bad country and we won't get any better till we do that kow tow that was so popular during the many Chinese evolutions. We are all bad and have no hope of redemption. Give me a break. If this guy falls flat on his face White America will be to blame. They are greasing the skids already.
"Don't let the bastards grind you down."
Red
Red
Obama is no Spock
May 7, 2009 - 21:03 ET by nkviking75Anyone who really thinks about this comparison will find it sorely lacking. Spock was not one to use mob tactics to get his way. In fact, Spock lacked the ambition to attain power. He was driven by the desire for knowledge. While he could step up to the role of acting captain when needed, he never believed that his gifts were best suited to that job. Our president is arrogant, ambitious, and manipulative. He's willing to run roughshod over everyone and anyone when he believes it's necessary. Obama certainly doesn't base his arguments on logic.
I think you could make a better case for George W. Bush as Capt. Kirk, although it's far from a perfect analogy. Bush, like Kirk, is strong and decisive and will do what is necessary to protect his nation.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
If Obama is 'Spock', then the media is 'The Matrix'.
May 7, 2009 - 21:05 ET by SlyrrThe media has been referred to as 'The Matrix' on Rush Limbaugh's show and in some blogs. And I can't think of a better way to describe it.
The media/matrix is an artificial reality created by sinister persons to pacify the masses and construct a caccoon which prevents reality from seeping in and enslaves the people who enter into it. It tries to be reality, but in actuality it presents nothing but lies and decption to the people who let themselves get suckered in. And the people who construted the Mediatrix were it's first victims. Most of them now have their heads so firmly buried in thier backsides they wouldn't know the truth if it jumped out of the grass and started poking them in the eyes.
Ultimately, the matrix kills people and grinds them up into a fine paste to provide nourishment for the living. Sounds just like what they want to do to unborn babies, don't it...?
If Obama truly had to deal
May 7, 2009 - 21:11 ET by Radical1979If Obama truly had to deal with predjudice, he would not have gone to Harvard, been editor of the law review, was paid huge andvances to write his books, been elected to the U.S. Senate, or President of the United States. People who are discriminated against cannot do those things.
Typical of Obama, his administration may look diverse, but I don't think he is listening to diverse points of view. He is doing what he wants to do when he wants to do it.
That sounds very much in
May 7, 2009 - 21:45 ET by MidAmericaThat sounds very much in sync with the Federation's Prime Directive, which stipulates that humanity should observe but never interfere with alien cultures (no Iraq-style invasions, in other words).
Obama is the enemy of freedom. His foreign policy will turn a blind eye to despots everywhere because obama himself believes that a governments responsibility is to take away as many individual choices as possible because people cannot be trusted to make the right ones. He believes only a government ruled society can be fair and moral.
Your credits are no good here
May 8, 2009 - 02:52 ET by upcountrywaterSoon they will be, They will be.
Onion review
Reagan VS 0bama
Prime Directive Applies to Primitive Species
May 8, 2009 - 06:03 ET by freecitizenAccording to the Prime Directive once a culture achieves warp drive and becomes part of the galactic community, it no longer applies and all bets are off. Star Trek is all about warfare and political espionage. We don't watch it to see research scientists observing cultures from behind blinds.
BTW, if the libs followed the Prime Directive it would also prevent them from providing aid or assistance, or sharing technologies that would allow them to improve their quality of life. That knife cuts both ways.
Liberal: remove all that's Right, and this is what's Left.
NBC Nightly News is in outer
May 7, 2009 - 21:46 ET by TN MomNBC Nightly News is in outer space! Obama is the one who is prejudice: Just look how he cut funding for the poor, minority, African American children of the DC Voucher program..
The Irony Of NBC Using A Show THEY Cancelled...
May 7, 2009 - 22:27 ET by The7SticksThat's rather rich of NBC to make a reference to a TV show THEY cancelled in its third season. Bet it's bitting them in the "Kobayashi Maru", if you know what I mean.
Your mom wanted to watch Star Trek in prison.
May 7, 2009 - 22:53 ET by JWFDenied.
Star Trek Socialism.
May 7, 2009 - 22:55 ET by JWFIt dawned on my when I was 12 years old watching the reruns.
That is why the liberals are glomming all over this again.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Prejudice???
May 7, 2009 - 23:44 ET by RowaneWHAT effing PREJUDICE? The commie bastid is in the White House, is he not?
Brent... Where do you
May 7, 2009 - 23:59 ET by Clear thinkerBrent...
Where do you find these boneheads?
We would be a whole lot better off with Spock as our president. At least he would use logic to fix problems.
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Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
Have to say it
May 8, 2009 - 02:17 ET by KC MulvilleTo the reporters cited, who see a meaningful parallel between Obama and Star Trek ... as Shatner said on Saturday Night Live ... get a life! Get out of your community organizer staff lounge and go kiss a girl.
race card
May 8, 2009 - 05:18 ET by m1xramThat has to be the strangest way that the race card has ever been played. How long has it been? We were all missing it so much.
Great, Ruin another one of my pleasures
May 8, 2009 - 05:55 ET by freecitizenDamn libs always have to ruin everything I enjoy. Can't I just watch me some SciFi without you fouling it with your political taint. Is there anything that isn't political to a lib?
Liberal: remove all that's Right, and this is what's Left.
Farscape was a conservative show.
May 8, 2009 - 06:03 ET by JWFRugged individuality. Free markets. Free trade.
Star Trek - socialist.
Hell, even lefty wikipedia knows it.
Heaven is often described as something similar to a socialist utopia, but the most familiar utopian socialist society would be that of the United Federation of Planets in the popular television series Star Trek, particularly as depicted in Star Trek: The Next Generation. There is no money, no want, no poverty, no crime, no disease or ignorance in human society; virtually everyone works for the advancement of all humanity as well as the rest of the Federation. The advent and use of the replicator helped in Earth's transformation to a socialist utopia due to its ability to produce mass quantities of any goods at little cost.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utopian_socialism
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Star Trek - Socialist
May 8, 2009 - 09:48 ET by BlondeQuite right....and Obama as Spock, too true.
Spock's death scene, in The Wrath of Khan: "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one".
That's Obama all right, redistributing the wealth. I love the latest from the community organizer, the threat to California to cut off their bail-out funds if the state doesn't reinstate the pay cuts for union workers. Chicago mob rule, writ large.
I hope he fails, too.
Reality-challenged
May 8, 2009 - 06:27 ET by Blogger Guy00001Liberals have a hard time separating reality and fiction.
I agree Obama is Spock and not Kirk
May 8, 2009 - 07:11 ET by jeffinsacWhile they hit up on some traits, they forgot the most important
part of the comparision.
Newsweek got it right when they stated Emanual was Captian Kirk and Obama is Spock, because Spock is 2nd in command and takes his orders from Captian
Kirk. :-)
Only in that Spock is cold,
May 8, 2009 - 07:44 ET by CooperOnly in that Spock is cold, callous, and emotionless can I see the comparison.
I could definately picture Spock NOT visiting the wounded crewman down in sick bay.
Once again Mark Davis' "steaming shovel full" emerges...
May 8, 2009 - 07:57 ET by ThalpyOnce again Mark Davis' "steaming shovel full" emerges. Prejudice was here yesterday, today, and it will be here tomorrow--along with the legions who are unwilling to get over it. If we manage to survive somehow, people five hundred years on will still be carping about prejudice; trying to find good reasons for their failure rather than ways to succeed.
"All through the election campaign, columnists compared President Obama's unflappably logical demeanor and prominent ears with Mr. Spock's. But as Spock's complicated racial backstory is spun out in detail in the new "Trek"—right back into childhood — the Obama parallels keep deepening. Like Obama, Spock is the product of a mixed marriage (actually, an interstellar mixed marriage), and he suffers blunt manifestations of prejudice as a result." Such bs!
"Mr. President, I watched
May 8, 2009 - 08:20 ET by BuxomAnnieMcGreggor"Mr. President, I watched Mr. Spock. I knew Mr. Spock. Mr. Spock was a FRIEND of mine!.... Mr President, you are no Jack Ken uhhhh hmmm Mr. Spock!"
"We retort..... you decide."
Life of Privilege
May 8, 2009 - 09:21 ET by slickwillie2001The Bamster knows very little about prejudice and racism in America, only what he reads in books by the race huckster community. The Bamster grew up in a life of privilege afforded him by his well-off white grandparents and the advantages of affirmative action at every step in his life and career.
And by the way, the Bamster's ears are much stranger than Spock's ears. If the Bamster is mixed-race, maybe there's a bit of Ferengi there.
I think you're on to
May 8, 2009 - 09:33 ET by SickofLibsI think you're on to something with the Ferengi thing -
after all, he married one.
Obama is like Spock?
May 8, 2009 - 09:36 ET by wiwfObama is like Spock? Suuuuuuuuure.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
As a Star Trek fan and a
May 8, 2009 - 11:07 ET by ForeverOnTheRightAs a Star Trek fan and a conservative I find this "parallel" between Spock and Obama an insult. This comparison that they are making is religious in nature, Obama worship. They make too many leaps of logic. Obama has been compare to too many people, FDR, Kennedy, Jesus and Abraham Lincoln. Someone needs to give these Obama worshipers a big smack aside the head and hopefully knock some sense into their heads. I have seen Christians read into movies parallels to Jesus and Christianity that I have thought where superficial and silly comparisons. This Obama-Spock comparison is just unbelievable and absurd.
in case no one's said it already
May 8, 2009 - 13:08 ET by UndercoverConservativeit's a perfect conparison. They're both fictional characters created to tell an imaginary story. Portrayed by actors who are doing what they're told to say and how to act.
What I want to know, is who writes Obama's lines, who wrote his script, and what ending to the "story" will be.
WWW.GS2AC.COM. 2nd Amendment Grass Roots Action in the Bay Area, CA. We're not all "Breakfast Cereal" folks here! :)
Riiiiight. Good call there, left wing journos.
May 8, 2009 - 13:09 ET by farstar99Because I can totally see Spock shrieking "SPARE ME THE PHONY OUTRAGE!" at the top of Obama's girly voice.
And Spock would lapel-grab a reporter for having the impudence to ask a question of His Royal Spockness when he wasn't in the mood.
You're totally right, moonbats!
The hyperemotional hate machine from Illinois is calm, cool and collected, just like <insert current cultural icon here to gain free publicity>.
the Obama foreign
May 8, 2009 - 13:59 ET by Jack BauerThis from the guy who said a year ago that the US should invade Pakistan.
There's one other link between Obama and Spock that's not mentioned. Neither was born in the United States. Or so rumor has it.
There's one other link
May 8, 2009 - 14:04 ET by bigtimerThere's one other link between Obama and Spock that's not mentioned. Neither was born in the United States. Or so rumor has it.
...and that rumor will persist until there is some real proof otherwise.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Obama & Spock
May 8, 2009 - 14:10 ET by grumpyoldbThey have it wrong on several counts.
Spock is a emotionless logical being, nothing else matters.
Obama uses fear, and false logic to obtain his goals
Spock uses the Vulcan neck pinch to knock out people.
Obama just starts talking.
Spock is a FICTIONAL CHARACTER.
Obama is a real lying politician....
A "Vulcan" in the White House?
May 9, 2009 - 13:28 ET by SFCMACHe acts more like a character from Star Wars–-Jar Jar Binks.
"On the Eighth Day God Created the United States Army and the Devil Stood at Attention"