Media's Fist Bump Focus Shows They're Obama Fixated and Out of Touch

Photo of Noel Sheppard.

Since Barack Obama declared himself the Democrat presidential nominee Tuesday, supposedly impartial press members have been sycophantically gushing over the "fist bump" he and his wife shared that evening just prior to his victory speech (video embedded right).

Such has been reported by NewsBusters here and here.

On Sunday's "Reliable Sources," CNN's Howard Kurtz and guests discussed the media's fascination with the bump, and demonstrated just how separated from American society these folks really are.

After showing video clips of how various outlets reported the bump, Kurtz asked CBS National Correspondent Byron Pitts the following:

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Now Byron, I'm not cool enough to grasp this, so tell me: is this what all the brothers do?

Are you kidding me, Howard? Where have you been living if this is the first time you've seen this kind of handshake? Maybe even more absurd was Pitts's reply:

Neither am I. Neither am I. In fact, I had to ask a young intern in our office the name of that, what they did. It's not called the "fist pump" or, what did they call it, "a little knuckle." Actually, the kids call it "giving a person DAP." So, Barack Obama gave his wife a little DAP. I think it was a nice moment, and it sort of symbolized that he's different. That they do different things. That perhaps he represents a different generation. That there's a generation of Americans, not just black -- black, white, Latino -- who are, you know, that's how they greet each other, that's casual, that's cool. And I thought it was just a nice image, and reflected a way that this is a new time, that perhaps I think sometimes that we in the news media don't fully appreciate perhaps where Barack Obama has taken the nation or the kinds of people he has attracted.

Byron, are you being serious? Like Kurtz, was this REALLY the first time you saw such a handshake. Do you really think this shows where Barack Obama has taken the nation, or are you so in the tank for this guy that you'll say anything that makes him look good?

Regardless of the answer, the fist bump is nothing new, is not generational, nor is it racially based. I am a 48-year-old white professional man that has been greeting many of my white professional male friends this way for several years. I even greet some of my female friends this way.

In fact, when the editor of this website picked me up from my hotel in DC a few months ago to attend a NewsBusters gathering, we greeted each other this way.

Taking this a step further, at the extremely upscale athletic club I belong to in my hometown -- which is patronized by successful, high-income folks mostly between the ages of 35 and 65 -- the most common physical greeting between men (and between many women!) is this bump rather than a handshake, and has been for several years.

As such, the folks in the media that seem mesmerized by what happened between the Obamas Tuesday are either so out of touch from regular Americans that they've missed this new greeting, or they're totally misrepresenting the facts in order to once again unprofessionally gush over the man and woman they want residing in the White House next January.

Whichever is the case, this folks should all be embarrassed and ashamed. 

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.


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Is Kurtz a Racist?

Did Kurtz really ask "Is this what all the brothers do?" Does anyone else find that to be a racist statement?

Just wait until

Obama shows up on Inauguration Day with grillz on his teeth!  Here's a great sample!

http://www.grillzsto...

Jeff Lebowski

www.angrywhitedude.c...

Yo Yo Yo! J-Leb

Goot one my Homeboouy!

 

You better reconize.

Struggler

J-Leb in da house representin' dog!

Peace out!

J-Leb

Jeff Lebowski

www.angrywhitedude.c...

Hey jeff... I just looked

Hey jeff...

I just looked at your site you have linked...very interesting, wished I had more time in the day to post everywhere I would like to...saved it anyway for future use.

"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson

Thanks Bigtimer

I just wrote a private note to you.  Please take a look.

 

Jeff Lebowski

I Needed A Translation

According to Wikipedia:

Dap is a form of handshake that became popularized in the white mainstream society in the 1960s originating among African Americans. The term dap may have originated as an acronym for Dignity and Pride, (or may have been backronymed) and was popularly used by African American soldiers during the Vietnam War even though as a tradition it has existed in the African-American community for centuries. Though it can refer to many kinds of greeting involving hand contact, dap is best known as a complicated routine of shakes, slaps, snaps, and other contact that must be known completely by both parties involved, otherwise, an awkward but friendly improvisation occurs as the participants essentially mirror the jazz culture with creative forms of ordering the various moves of the hands with snaps, slaps, mutual knuckle bumps and finger waves (jazz hands).

Jazz Hands?! 

How did Bob Fosse get into this discussion?

I must be getting old.  I can't keep up with the various changes to DAP. 

RRAM Tough! 

Next they're going to the

Next they're going to the Extended Dap, otherwise known as the Homie Handshake

Really...are these sycophants just going to idolize everything this pair does?

Nevermind.

How about fixated and out of control ?!

The Official Obama

The Official Obama White House Greeting.  He's going to need a couple more hours added to the Oval Office schedule to accommodate the lengthier meet and greets.

All this Obama idolatry reminds me of parents of newborns who geegaw over every new movement, every new sound, baby's first poop and pee as if it were divine.

I'll wager some of Obama's falsely enraptured sychophants would swoon for his used handkerchief.  Idiots already bid $20,100 for Obama's partially eaten waffle and sausage!  As a side note, in the video of Obama with his waffle, note that Obama doesn't leave a tip.  Wonder if he paid for his own meal.  Nothing like free swag, huh Barry?  What happened to not taking money from lobbyists and the like?

RRAM Tough! 

To be fair, one of his

To be fair, one of his staff reached over and tossed some bills next to the plate (bill or tip, I don't know).

But you're right; this guy got applause for blowing his nose!! Good grief!! You have to wonder if they aren't having sick people touch the waffle in hopes of being healed!

 

MSM missed the real story

Give credit where credit is due. Michelle has so much hate inside her it goes against her natural instinct to clench her fist and give a little "bump". A full blown sucker punch is more her style. Probably be a different story if her husband was "a whitey".

DIP/DAP/DUMP/BUMP

Is this what replaces Clintonism?

JDW

If you mention ANWR it means you don't care about the environment but when congress says ANWR it means you don't care about the gasoline prices

   I've mentioned this

   I've mentioned this before but I remember after the election of JFK my Republican father throwing down the newspaper in disgust saying "What do I care what Jack and Jackie had for breakfast?". 

  No minutia is too minute for Camalot II.  Our media will read like issues of a star struck teen magazine.

OK, MidAmerica, then you

OK, MidAmerica, then you are going to need duct tape before you look at Drudge!

OHMIGOD!!! He is soooo coool!!! He went for a family bike ride this weekend!!!! He's going to make riding a bike cool again!! When have we ever had such a wonderful politician...redefining "quality time"!! Making hanging out with the family the cool thing to do!! He is such a groundbreaker!! Oh, I'm sorry, I meant "Lightworker!"

  Hi... yeah I just came

  Hi... yeah I just came from Drudge.  It's just so Kennedy-esque, as when little John-John and Caroline played around the Oval Office.  Probably no co-incidence but this sort of thing really gets to the women (family man) and his big job right now is to get hillary's women cooled down and on board.  or maybe I'm just being cynical.

  By the way, I have biked the path along the Lake.  It's a lot of fun but can be treacherously busy with bikers,walkers, and roller bladers all doing different speeds.  But the city scenery is terrific.

The Bump

You know, when I saw this, my first thought was someone told them not to kiss onstage.

ghetto president

just what the country needs, right?

whats your deal?

A fist bump is hardly confined to the black community or the "ghetto". I'm no fan of the PC police, but I find it difficult to believe you would have said that about a white couple.

My two cents…..  I

My two cents…..  I interpreted the reference to ‘ghetto’ President as an ironic comment.  Obama does not come from one of America’s aristocratic families, but he was schooled at a series of select private institutions favored by the offspring of the privileged. In fact, there are more than a few hints of elitism in Obama’s words, demeanor and elegant sweeping mannerisms.  I wonder how a knuckle bump between John and Cindy would be received by the MSM.  (possible interpretation…. liberal blogger observes such an exchange between the McCains and comments with sarcasm, “Ghetto president.  Just what the country needs.  Right?”)

I assumed that fist bump greetings originated in the ghetto and that those outside the ghetto eventually adopted the practice because it was cool and fun and a nice variation to the dreary germ-spreading handshake. 

It sure beats the lengthy Gore smooch staged at the 2000 Dem convention.

I watched part of Wolfie's

I watched part of Wolfie's show this morning, he had on Diane Feinstein and Kay Bailey Hutchinson debating each others candidates views positions and such, anyway at the very end they did the fist bump or whatever the heck it's called, he a made a big point out of this...I thought it ridiculous...

Really cool huh?

"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Wilson

I don't want my presidents

I don't want my presidents "cool". I want them dignified and maybe just a litle stodgy and old fashioned. I'd prefer a president to not practice pop mannerisms or language. Shouldn't a president rise above the pop culture, or is that something that is gone forever, now that politics (driven by the Democrats and their courtiers in the media) are more suited for the level of People magazine and Entertainment Tonight?

Gone With The Wind

Chris, I think that era is gone. Ever since Bill Clinton donned dark sunglasses and played the sax on Saturday Night Live, candidates have rushed to appear on the show. Most recently, John McCain was on SNL cracking old people jokes. It's sad that they have to lower their dignity to appear on that show.

Minor correction,

Minor correction, gotham...it was the Arsenio Hall show.

His MTV forum with the "Boxers or Briefs" question (he said "I can't believe you asked that!" But then answered it!) drove the final nail into the coffin of campaign dignity. We won't talk about what his later behavior did for Presidential dignity.... 

nor News Anchors

Agree. Also, I could say the same about news anchors, which is why I prefer to watch Brit Hume. (Brit, please don't take offense that I do not consider you "cool". I mean it as the utmost compliment.)

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.
- George Bernard Shaw, 1944

CN, does that extend to

CN, does that extend to doing the chest bump with Naval Academy graduates?

(Which I loved, btw. I really liked the whole thing.) 

But what Bushie do...

Does anybody else remember a time in Bush's term where he was giving diplomas, I think it was, at West Point or a military college, I think it was, and he responded to a graduate's body-language suggested idea to do a chest bump?

I thought according to some in the media and in the left-blog world, that was a sign of just how immature and white-bread macho Bush was ---- how he was just acting like some previlidged frat boy and not honoring the prestige of his office....

Oh well.....it's just the media....

Maybe the media just wants

Maybe the media just wants to make sure Ahmadenajad knows how to greet Obama if the opportunity arises to meet for tea.

When is Wolf Blitzer gonna

When is Wolf Blitzer gonna start wearing a clock around his neck ala Flava Flav?Next the press corps will start dressin' like poseurs so they can be "down".

 Helen Thomas to Obama:"What up wit choo Dog?"

Jack Cafferty disagreeing with Wolfie B.:"You betta break yo self fool."

Sheeeeit, bro. And all

Sheeeeit, bro. And all this time I thought DAP was a brand of caulk used in bathrooms and kitchens.

I think we are witnessing some form of mass madness. Here we have a run-of-the-mill lawyer with less than one full term as a U.S. senator under his belt being virtually worshipped as a messiah. It reminds me of how young children used to react to Elvis Presley or the Beatles. The only difference is that Elvis and the Beatles had some talent.

What is happening to our country? Oh, the humanity.

Noel, I think we're all

Noel, I think we're all missing the obvious possibility, as sagely pointed out by E.D. Hill: It's a terrorist fist jab! 

B

B,

I like that.

You know, I like the fist bump for sanitary reasons. Honestly. I haven't had a cold in two years, and I think it's partially to do with the bump rather than the handshake which is a classic transmitter of creepy crawlies! :-) ns

That's it! Obama is OCD, a

That's it! Obama is OCD, a common trait in Arab terrorists! Fox News is right again.

This particular maneuver...

is not to be used in lieu of the traditional handshake. It actually is only appropriate for certain circumstances e.g. you hit the slot machine for a couple hundred or sunk a big putt to win the hole in a better ball. It is an understated move for those who use the tu form as opposed to the usted. It was designed to replace the far overused and too flamboyant high five. As for winning the Democratic nomination, well, I'm not sure, maybe amongst his buddies afterward (who aren't in prison or that he can still be seen with in public which I'm sure doesn't leave many), but between a nominee and his wife in a contrived display of overt hipness it was embarrassingly stupid. And the way all his supernerd MSM sycophants are falling all over this is even more embarrassing. If only for this reason alone, he must be defeated.

PS The question Kurtz posed was extremely racist (unless you're a liberal).

Gee, and here I thought

Gee, and here I thought Howie Mandel came up with that hand thing.

Well, at least we know that BHO is pumped and ready to appear on Presidential Deal or No Deal.