Trailhead : The Wire

Down to the Wire

Christopher Beam — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:32:00 GMT

Yesterday, Sarah Palin said that this election is going to "come down to the wire." She may have meant it's going to be close. But she also may have been suggesting that this election rests in the hands of the hit HBO series.

If so, McCain's screwed:

Cast of "The Wire" Campaigns in North Carolina for Obama
Stars Will Make Stops in Raleigh Sunday and UNC Chapel Hill and Duke on Monday

RALEIGH— Tomorrow, members of the cast of the Peabody Award-winning drama series, The Wire will attend a Backyard Brunch for Barack in Raleigh. Seven of the show's cast members will visit the Tarheel State in support of the change Barack Obama will bring across the country and in North Carolina.
Chad Coleman who plays Dennis "Cutty" Wise, Deidre Lovejoy who plays Rhonda Pearlman, Jamie Hector who plays Marlo Stanfield, Clarke Peters who plays Detective Lester Freamon, Sonja Sohn who plays Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs, Seth Gilliam who plays Sergeant Ellis Carver, and Gbenga Akinnagbe who plays Chris Partlow will all appear at the backyard brunch on Sunday.

Look for the attack ads citing Obama's shady drug-dealer connections. Some members of the cast also went knocking on doors, which obviously means kicking them down. On a side note, Akkinagbe, who plays Chris Partlow, confirms via a friend that Season 4 is "definitely the best one."

John McCain wants it to be one way. But it's the other way.

Update 3:51 p.m.: They also made this video.

Obama/Omar '08

Christopher Beam — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:59:00 GMT

An interview with Barack Obama in the Las Vegas Sun reveals yet another tidbit about the Illinois senator's Wire fandom:

Obama told the Sun his favorite character is Omar, a stick-up artist who steals from drug dealers and then gives the loot to poor people in the neighborhood.

“That’s not an endorsement. He’s not my favorite person, but he’s a fascinating character.”

TNR's Michael Crowley calls this moment "A small but telling example of why, on a superficial level, the media falls for Obama." Agreed, but keep in mind that Obama isn't staying current with Season 5, which in our book is sort of like missing the NIE on Iran.

P.S.: Remember, The Wire is popular among more than just liberal media types.

Obama Misses Wire Premiere; Could Hurt Him In N.H.

Christopher Beam — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:32:00 GMT

Back in November, Barack Obama delighted HBO fans across America by declaring that one of his favorite TV shows is The Wire.

So you'd think he would have put this campaign thing on hiatus for an hour to catch the Season 5 premiere last night at 9 p.m. Apparently not.

According to his deputy press secretary, Ben LaBolt, Obama was on the bus at the time. I asked if that means he'll be watching it on demand. "First comes New Hampshire," LaBolt said. "Then we'll worry about The Wire."

In the meantime, Obama can keep up by reading Slate's Wire "TV Club," to which, as of now, he has a standing invitation.