Barack Obama: Hip To Be Square

When a political candidate orchestrates maneuvers so calculatingly hip-cred bolstering as a daytime talk show dance party, giving Brad Pitt the snub in order to avoid coming off "too Hollywood" somehow rings hollow.

The effect here (foreseeable, if not calculated) is to paint Obama not as unHollywood, but as grander even than Tinsel Town's finest.  Better (amazing as it sounds) than the best of our celluloid betters.

Not only is Obama the candidate for you independent-minded youngsters - the subtle message whispers - on account of his necktie-eschewing ways and his popularity among those movie stars you fancy, but on occasion, Barack is just slightly too cool for that school too.  A-listers are great and all, but hipness is Mr. Obama's world and Brad's just living in it.

You do have to give Obama credit for doing his homework though.  He knows the Bill Clinton playbook so cold, he just showed you a Sister Souljah moment and an Arsenio-saxophone moment in the span of 24 hours.

(HT: Michelle)