Althouse: A baby's first word was "Obama."

August 30, 2010

A baby's first word was "Obama."

Something I overheard the other day.

52 comments:

MadisonMan said...: Were they bragging or complaining?; 8/30/10, 9:22 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: OMG If Obama has lost Mad Man...heh; 8/30/10, 9:26 AM
Leland said...: I'm thinking the parents complain too much.

But for certain, Michelle's words are holding true:

"Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."

We have to consider him always, even in a baby's first word.; 8/30/10, 9:29 AM
Scott M said...: I don't believe that for a second. After four children of my own and ranks of nieces and nephews, the first word is almost always Da or dada or mama.

D sounds are easier for developing children to make. It has nothing to do with love for the father. If the child doesn't hear dada, though, it will do ma or mama first. There's always the possibility that the first real word will be NO! lol

However, a baby's first word being a 3-syllable proper name? Highly unlikely. The parents or parent would have to say it over and over and over again...arguably child abuse.

Infantile indoctrination anyone? lol; 8/30/10, 9:30 AM
AllenS said...: Oftentimes, a baby will say Obama when they are throwing up.; 8/30/10, 9:32 AM
AllenS said...: When you get older, and have too much to drink, you'll say Barackkkkkk when you have your head over the toilet bowl.; 8/30/10, 9:33 AM
jr565 said...: the baby's second word was "Sucks"; 8/30/10, 9:35 AM
Anonymous said...: "... you'll say Barackkkkkk when you have your head over the toilet bowl."

No doubt that's how he'll be remembered: President Puke.; 8/30/10, 9:35 AM
Sixty Bricks said...: hearsay; 8/30/10, 9:36 AM
GMay said...: Hell, he already owes what, $36k to the government? I suppose it's best he knows who his current master is.; 8/30/10, 9:36 AM
Shanna said...: Those parents might need to talk to their babies about something other than politics!; 8/30/10, 9:44 AM
knox said...: Imagine the sense of inadequacy if your child's first word was "Biden."; 8/30/10, 9:44 AM
Calypso Facto said...: Comes from "sucking on the government tit".; 8/30/10, 9:44 AM
Ann Althouse said...: 1. It was meant as praise for the baby.

2. It was probably garble + "mama."; 8/30/10, 9:47 AM
Scott M said...: 1. It was meant as praise for the baby.

If my 10-month-old's first word was Obama, I would have grounded him until he registered libertarian.; 8/30/10, 9:48 AM
AllenS said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/30/10, 9:50 AM
Kevin said...: All Hail Dear Leader!

Let His Sacred Thoughts Resonate For A Thousand Thousand Years!; 8/30/10, 9:53 AM
KCFleming said...: "A baby's first word was "Obama."

Curiously, by the next month their checking account had been overdrawn by a trillion dollars.; 8/30/10, 9:53 AM
Anonymous said...: The parents should build a shrine and start selling baby slobber water to adoring pilgrims.; 8/30/10, 9:54 AM
Michael said...: Interesting. My youngest son's first words were "George Herbert Walker Bush."; 8/30/10, 9:55 AM
TWM said...: Shall we start a new conspiracy that Barry is the daddy?

Nawwwww, that's so John Edwards isn't it?; 8/30/10, 10:03 AM
MayBee said...: 2. It was probably garble + "mama."

My guess too. That the parents would rather hear "Obama" than "Mama" out of a baby "ama" sound says something about the parents.; 8/30/10, 10:05 AM
Meade said...: It was reported to us by the beautiful baby's older adorable sibling who said (and I sort of quote) "I mean, you got the first mainstream Hoosier who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking baby. I mean, that's a storybook, man."; 8/30/10, 10:07 AM
Pastafarian said...: What does is say about a mother, who would interpret "mama" as "Obama", and would be excited about that?; 8/30/10, 10:08 AM
Pastafarian said...: MayBee, you beat me to it.; 8/30/10, 10:08 AM
Fred4Pres said...: I remember once in Egypt the secretaries got all excited when one of them saw the name "Mohammed" written in the left over tea leaves at the bottom of her cup.

I opened a diaper once for one of my kids and it spelled Obama. How about that?; 8/30/10, 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: It was just gas.; 8/30/10, 10:15 AM
Mary Beth said...: Random babbles and the parents heard what they wanted to hear. I wonder what they would have heard if they played it backwards.; 8/30/10, 10:20 AM
KCFleming said...: Did the baby's head spin around, eyes turn red, and say it in a scary voice from hell?
Was there projectile vomiting?

Exorcism, clearly.; 8/30/10, 10:23 AM
From Inwood said...: Look on the Bright side:

It coudda been "Osama".

Wait is "Obama" the Bright Side?; 8/30/10, 10:28 AM
Unknown said...: Agree with Ann and Scott M, believe when you see (hear) it.; 8/30/10, 10:31 AM
Meade said...: Baby's 2nd word: is

3rd word: a

4th word: muslim; 8/30/10, 10:31 AM
al said...: @ Mary Beth said...
Random babbles and the parents heard what they wanted to hear. I wonder what they would have heard if they played it backwards.

It's Bush's fault.; 8/30/10, 10:32 AM
DADvocate said...: I'm with Scott M. I suspect if that's really true. Babies say Dada before Mama for a reason, certain sounds and syllables are easier to say. A word like "Obama" beginning with a vowel and having lots of vowels would be fairly difficult.

But, then again, my child's first words were "Attenion KMart shoppers."; 8/30/10, 10:34 AM
Scott M said...: Howard Johnson is right!; 8/30/10, 10:40 AM
From Inwood said...: I wonder what Andrew Sullivan think's the Palin baby's first word was?

And if it was "Mama", was it to Sarah or Bristol? Inquiring minds want to know™!; 8/30/10, 10:40 AM
FormerTucsonan said...: And was this revelation followed by the statement: 'I was so proud, I almost dropped the bong...'?; 8/30/10, 10:43 AM
The Elder said...: The child's mother was just trying to tick off her own father. She succeeded, as she always does.

Pogo's comment that the child's "checking account had been overdrawn by a trillion dollars" hits the mark.; 8/30/10, 10:48 AM
Meade said...: Elder siblings say the darnedest things.; 8/30/10, 10:53 AM
Clyde said...: @ Mary Beth

"Paul is dead."; 8/30/10, 11:24 AM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Maybe they played his speeches in utero.; 8/30/10, 11:35 AM
TosaGuy said...: eh....ohh...gaa...doh...ohh....baa...maa.

Yep, first word right there.; 8/30/10, 12:01 PM
A.W. said...: i think i just threw up in my mouth a little.

i remember reading a person in post-revolutionary times saying that a child's first words should be George Washington. I thought THAT was insane, and Washington was actually an impressive guy. Obama ain't even the batboy in that league. he is not fit to lick washington's shoes.; 8/30/10, 12:12 PM
reader_iam said...: This thread just made my day so far. Hilarious! (Selling baby slobber water and the quip about Biden are especially brilliant.) Nothing like a bout of chuckling to start the afternoon off right. Thanks!; 8/30/10, 12:34 PM
Donna B. said...: If baby's first word is not some variation of Dada, Mama, or no, it's likely to be the family pet's name or an older sibling's... the last two often followed by NO!

I wonder what face Art Linkletter would have made if a kid said his first word was Obama.; 8/30/10, 1:17 PM
traditionalguy said...: This sucking baby obviously mistook Obama for the call sign of his favorite tit at meal time.; 8/30/10, 1:23 PM
The Dude said...: Baby actually said "Dumbass!", hence the confusion.

WV: calma - I used Calma workstations for many years.; 8/30/10, 2:02 PM
Trooper York said...: "Meade said...
It was reported to us by the beautiful baby's older adorable sibling who said (and I sort of quote) "I mean, you got the first mainstream Hoosier who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking baby. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Obviously she has never met Hoosier Daddy!; 8/30/10, 4:04 PM
Trooper York said...: "The Elder said...
The child's mother was just trying to tick off her own father. She succeeded, as she always does."

Nothing is worse than those family arguments.

I know this one lady that keeps bugging her son to get gay married so she can have grandchildern.

Imagine that.; 8/30/10, 4:07 PM
Deb said...: "When you get older, and have too much to drink, you'll say Barackkkkkk when you have your head over the toilet bowl."
I thought that was Ralph.

wv: unloses. Ripe with possibilities; 8/30/10, 7:42 PM
AllenS said...: Deb,

You talk to your toilet bowl, I'll talk to mine.; 8/30/10, 7:46 PM
Anonymous said...: ...was the child's name Damien by any chance?; 8/30/10, 8:54 PM