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Was Barack Obama, the president of the United States, an extra in the 1993 rap video "Whoomp, There It Is"? Sure, the president is and was a hip-hop fan. And yes, there is basketball in the video. And yes, there is a guy who displays a toothy smile that is quite similar to Obama's. (Check out the photo on the right or watch at 1:02 in the video, copied below.)
But the short answer is no. Politifact, however, has the long answer.
It writes:
Bumping and bouncing through the blogosphere Tuesday was the claim that President Barack Obama appeared in the 1993 music video for Whoomp! (There It Is), the catchy ode to raucous dancing and sexual promiscuity that became a fixture at sporting events. It includes the refrain "Can you dig it?... We can dig it."
One post on a Tea Party blog (Tennessee Sons of Liberty) read:
"Pay close attention to his ears poking out, the shape of his nose, and skin color."
A Huffington Post commentator had this retort:
"Are you sure that's not him? Because all black people look the same."
Politifact settles it and gives this a "Pants on Fire":
We tracked down half the Tag Team, the rapper DC the Brain Supreme who also goes by the name Cecil Glenn. He first heard of the Obama video rumor on Saturday, and has since received calls from New York magazine and Inside Edition.
Glenn said he doesn't think the man in the video is Obama. "It doesn't add up. It's hard to say he was in Atlanta and said, 'Ooh, I want to be in the Whoomp! (There It Is) video.' ... I can't be for sure because that was a real big video shoot and thousands of people showed up."
The fact checkers went back and looked at where Obama was in June 1993 when the video was shot:
Obama, a recent law school graduate, was working at Miner, Barnhill and Galland in Chicago, said Judd Miner, a firm partner. Miner didn't recall Obama, then 31, taking time off to travel to Atlanta that month.
"I've never heard of this before," Miner said.
Miner also couldn't link the earring-clad man in the video to the young lawyer that served for years at his firm. "Barack never had an earring."
The White House was more blunt:
"It is not him."
(Hat tip: Ben Smith.)
Leave a Comment:
Slow news day, huh?
Gingerbread Mamma:
It is a slow news day when we get this! lol!!!
First of all, I can't imagine it was him...but if it was...so what? I think it would actually be kinda cool. I was in high school when that song came out and can remeber it playing before taking the court in our basketball games.
Grimey... you're giving you 'age' away again! ;0)
HI Red:
You've been all over the place today. I've haven't logged into any other program today-- too busy trying to multitask and keep up with this one! lol!! see you later!
Hiya GF!
Yeah I'm getting around today.. LOL! I'll fill you in on the details later.
And off topic - but no offense FR Crew this one stinks!
Earlier this afternoon MSNBC had some IDIOT the ex-something or other from BP (didn't catch his name) who did nothing but WHINE about President Obama putting his 'boot' on BP's neck - this dude should be thankful because if it were me... I would be putting that 'boot' on something a little more 'near & dear' to these guys...
Everytime they open their LYING mouths they step in it!
You were in high school and I'd been in Calif for 20 years--I honestly don't remember this song. BUT I was rockin' to the beat so maybe there's hope for the older generation afterall.
Red:
I heard that and I think that they are finally getting the message "the MAJORITY" of American isn't on the same page with them. We are in support of our CIC. I think that it's really funny....every time they start lying on him we should bust them down-- the power is in the clicker! lol!! lol!!!
Agreed Anita!
I'm sick of the LIES and I want to know when they're going to stop this freakin thing!!! If they were to stop it today... we're still in for months if not years of collateral damage from their GREED!
Yes we are and excuses be damned in my opinion. Rachel Maddow did an excellent job when she broadcasts her show live there on last week. Anyone that doesn't get what's really happening to Louisiana due to State Lawmakers selling them a bill of good and encouraging them to seek assistance to support their addiction on a federal level-- must have forgotten that we don't support the habits of smokers...what makes them think that we'll support their addiction to off-shore drilling when it's more TOXIC than smoking. They can't have their cake and not share the burdens of responsibilities of those decisions and it shouldn't be a party pack for the rest of us either.
And? My great Niece told me some slang words that are used on the B-Ball court now that I find unbelievable-- this is NOTHING and it old. LOL!!! BTW...she's 12 years old and stands 5'6 already she play B-ball! lol!!!
I remember parents in an uproar over the Rolling Stones "Satisfaction"!
My mother's pet peeve was the 'B!tch is Back'...speaking of Elton John... wonder if he played that at fat@ssse's recent nuptials? Could of been applied to either the bride OR the groom!
Red!!!!!
OMG!!! that was so too original!!! ROTFLMAO!!! Clarence Thomas and Rove were among the guest! lol!!! I didn't think that Limburger cared for Gay's! lol!!!
Red and Jody: When my Great Niece called hitting a basket popping panties! I fell out of my seat on Memorial Day! As did her grandmother. What is "whoop there it is"? it's REAL old school! lol!!!
Anita - I hope she continues to grow! I was the tallest at that age but then I stopped growing - by the time I was in high school I was just average!! I loved playing basketball - I have two hoops in my backyard right now!
Elise:
She's precious! I just love her. I have only 4 Great Nieces left that I can hug on and spoil and they are TT's girls; they all clamour over me for attention. What I find really special is how the two older ones (both 12) allows the youngest ones to get all of the attention when they are visiting-- but when they leave, oh it's all about who's left standing. They are a hoot and I spoil the crap out of them too. TT's are worse than Granny's; we are the spoilers and the keeper of secretes. LOL!!! Elise; Dia (that's what I call the one that plays B-Ball) is taller than I am and I think that she'll stay that way-- my Nephew (her dad) is tall and so is her mom (my Niece). I wear a size 6 in a shoe...Dia wears a 9 already... lol!!!
Okay, FR, if this is all we're gonna get for our afternoon feeding, then can I go back to something you guys said this morning?
"As Obama and Biden found out in the fall of 2008 with Sarah Palin, you have to walk a very fine line when trying to take down a female candidate".
I object on two counts - first of all, this is a pretty sexist remark. If females are capable of HOLDING office, then they're certainly capable of RUNNING for office, and that includes taking it as well as dishing it out.
Second, I don't recall either Obama or Biden walking any fine lines in dealing with Sarah Palin. I think they realized early on that it was to their advantage to just sit back and let her self-destruct.
Thanks for the musical interlude, though.....
You're right about Obama and Biden sitting back. I just finished David Plouffe's book and when McCain picked Palin, the Obama campaign was at first shocked because she wasn't on their radar but they also believed that it was a last-ditch effort to revive his campaign and that the McCain's staff could not have vetted her much (proved by the press and written about in "Game Change"). David Axelrod suggested they say little and sit back because anyone with such a meteoric rise (one week) was bound to fall to earth especially after the press started digging. Wise man.
Look closely, no mole on his left side near nose. I think it's his left since he's usually looking into the camera. It is a slow news day but a fun topic and agree with Frank "Grimey", it would be kind of cool if it were.
If the media is actually doing its job in this fast-paced world of ours, it SHOULD NEVER BE A SLOW NEWS DAY. Coverage of this triviality is proof positive that the media is controlled by the corporations who do not wish you to be aware of what is going on behind the scenes.
In all fairness...
Why didn't we ever see a thread about how 'W' is an identical twin of the Mad Magazine cover boy aka Alfred E. Newman while he was occupying the WH? LOL
Hmmm?
Hey Red luck to the 'Hawks tonight or do you want them to wait and close it out at home.
Thanks IR!
I want them to CLOSE this out tonight! I'll take the win on the road! If I'm not moving too fast tomorrow you'll know why ;0)
I wasn't even born the last time they WON a Stanley Cup! See Grimey... I'm showing my age too!
Feisty - Don't tell anyone I said this, but I'm secretly rooting for the 'Hawks too. Hard to believe it's been 35 years since the Flyers' back-to-back and only Cups (we're all showing our age today!) but I was there back then and for me, nothing will ever surpass that thrill. You guys have been waiting even longer, though, so good luck tonight (but remember, you didn't hear that from me!)
LOL! Thanks JoAnne... it's our little secret! ;0)
Red: I didn't see the thread but I did have a copy of the Nation Magazine with Bush's face on it! it was a scream!!! they were spot on.
Go HAWKS!!!!!
Not him. I'll bet a paycheck on it.
Maybe tonight I'll watch Terminator again and laugh again at seeing the (R) Governor of Claifornia naked and killing people on screen. Wonder if the teabaggers have an issue there...
Shame on YOU!!! lol!!!