Obama's 'Yes, We Can' Trend and Swift Boating

Not only has Barack Obama's "Yes, We Can" theme caught on like wildfire on the Internet but it apparently has created some commonalities between the Democratic presidential hopeful and some foreign leaders, as well.

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiyev's favorite catchphrase, in Tatar, is Bez Buldyrabyz!" That has the same meaning as "Yes, We Can." Media in Tatarstan (which, by the way, is a Russian republic located in the East European Plain,) picked up on the similarities between the two men after they saw the "Yes, We Can" music video on YouTube that features Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and a slew of other famous faces like Scarlett Johansson, Kate Walsh of ABC's "Private Practice" (formerly of "Grey's Anatomy), and that guy who plays "Sucre" on FOX's "Prison Break" (Amaury Nolasco). Internet portal E-Kazan.ru alleged Obama borrowed the phrase, but Shaimiyev's spokesman said it's probably just a coincidence.

Elsewhere, The Politicker notes that Walter Veltroni, who quit his job as Rome's (Italy) mayor to run for prime minister with the new Democratic Party, is now using the slogan as his campaign motto. In his campaign videos on YouTube - which feature U2 singing "One"in the background - all of the video text shown is in Italian, except for the very last phrase - "Yes, We Can" - which is in English.

After the jump, Michelle Obama is now proud of her country and her husband says he's already seen signs of "swift boating."

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Meanwhile, Obama's wife, Michelle, has had an apparent slip of the tongue that has some of the right wingers in a frenzy. Apparently, while speaking before a Milwaukee crowd Monday, Michelle Obama said: "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am proud of my country and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change." (You can watch the video here)

Blogs like Redstate.com are in a tizzy, saying an "African-American, Princeton-and-Harvard educated attorney , who has achieved a great deal in her life ... and who is married to an African-American man who is a U.S. Senator, has never been proud of her country before?" The Weekly Standard also analyzes her comments.

Jill Zuckman of the Chicago Tribune, said on MSNBC Tuesday Michelle Obama's remarks are nothing to get all riled up over, saying she's not used to speaking to huge audiences at such public events before, and didn't mean anything by it. "I don't think she was saying she was ashamed of the country before," Zuckman said.

(As a sidenote, Newsweek has an in-depth profile of Michelle Obama and her role in Barack's campaign in its Feb. 25 issue)

Update: At a campaign stop later Tuesday, John McCain's wife, Cindy, took a direct slap at Michelle Obama. "I'm proud of my country," Cindy said at a rally introducing her husband. "I don't know about you, if you heard those words earlier. I'm very proud of my country."

And in other Obama news (because we just can't seem to get enough of him these days), the White House hopeful told NBC's Matt Lauer in an interview that he's already experienced some of this year's "swift boating" by his opponents. That's the phrase which has become mainstream political jargon after the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth clobbered John Kerry in his 2004 White House bid.

"First of all, I've had to go up against the Clinton machine," Obama told Lauer (an oft-used phrase by the senator from Illinois when he tries to convince voters he's one tough cookie who can successfully fight against well-oiled Washington competitors). "We've been battle tested over the course of this primary."

Obama again brought up the "scurrilous" e-mails that have circulated about him, including ones saying he's a Muslim and that he doesn't pledge allegiance to the American flag. "That may not come explicitly from the Republican National Committee but I think we'll probably see some of that coming from the underground."


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