How Cool is Barack Obama? (Photo Essay)

by L. Wilson

Published: March 8, 2008

It all started with this photo. As if Sen. Barack Obama needs help with his rockstar image, a Reuters photographer captured the senator in an unparalleled moment of coolness, which hasn’t gone unnoticed among Photoshop users across the internet.

Seeking to improve upon perfection, various users have used the photo as the basis for making the picture even cooler, spawning an unofficial photo contest.

One of the first Photoshop alterations made, this one puts Senator Obama in front of the White House. I’d say that certainly makes him cooler.

The author of this alteration certainly took it to another level: the action hero. One can’t help but wonder what exactly has met its fiery demise behind the senator. The Clinton campaign?

Wow, OK – how do you one up action hero Obama? Clearly by adding an exploding helicopter, nunchucks, and a skateboard.

How do you one up Obama with exploding helicopter, nunchucks, and skateboard? This user thinks the answer is, “add a shark of course!” I tend to agree.

I’m still convinced that one of the reasons Obama does well with white voters is because some of them confuse him with the cool, yet non-threatening, Will Smith. Well, if the whole president thing doesn’t work out, there’s always Men in Black III.

Wow, um. I don’t know what to say about this one. Are they hanging out, or getting ready to lynch him? In either case I’m going to go with “not cool.”

I’m completely prepared to believe that Obama was one of the original Blues Brothers. The struggling band’s popularity exploded one day in 1978 when Barack called in sick, so they stuck with it being a two-man show.