Dana Milbank on Obama: 'The Honorable Beach Babe From Illinois'

January 10th, 2007 11:22 AM

The mainstream media swooning over Illinois Senator Barack Obama continues unabated.

In yesterday's Washington Post, Dana Milbank breathlessly writes about a recent picture of Obama at the beach that appeared in that serious public policy journal People Magazine:

"We see his well-defined pecs, his perfectly hairless torso, just a bit of padding around the abs and a drawstring dangling from his form-fitting surfer trunks. The aspiring presidential candidate splashes through the water and squints into the distance; he is transformed into Burt Lancaster in 'From Here to Eternity.'"

Equally excited about Barack's body is Chicago Sun-Times political columnist Lynn Sweet. In yesterday's column she wrote:

"Obama's physique is old news to Chicago Sun-Times readers. I've worked out several times next to Obama at the East Bank Club, but alas, could not follow him into the locker room."

We feel her pain at not being able, alas, to follow him into the locker room.

What is it with the mainstream media's disproportionate interest in the way their liberal heroes look? Last October Washington Post staff writer Shailagh Murray reported:

"By a combination of luck and design, Democrats seem to be fielding an uncommonly high number of uncommonly good-looking candidates."

Now we read of Obama's well-defined pecs as though they're of national significance.


Perhaps the mainstream media intends to persuade us he's not an empty suit after all.