Thursday, July 30, 2009

The Beer Summit

Yes, I know, I'm way behind in making a comment on the beer story of the week, the sharing of brews between President Obama, Henry Louis Gates, and police Sgt. James Crowley. I'll avoid the political aspects and just say this: Damn, Bud Light, Mr. President? I'm so disappointed.

Actually, I'm not. Picking the everyman's beer was the obvious politically shrewd thing to do, especially when his approval rating has been sagging lately.

Which is why I'll likely never make a good politician. I've often contemplated making a run for office (my actual job is covering politics for an Austin newspaper), but faced with Obama's circumstances, I would have said "hell no" when my advisors suggested Bud Light. Public image be damned, I'm ordering some Saint Arnold or Real Ale or Boulevard, or if I really want to kick it into gear, some Breckenridge 471 Double IPA or Stone Arrogant Bastard! I suppose if I really felt like I needed some "common man" cred, I'd at least insist on some Shiner Bock.

But hey, I could probably spin it. After all, after the InBev sale, Obama was committing the rather unpatriotic act of drinking a Belgian beer. All those beers I just named were brewed by U.S. companies! God bless American beer!

4 comments:

hiikeeba said...

While I have also made the "Belgian Beer" joke, I have to wonder what we would be saying if this had happened before the InBev buyout. Would we be chastising the president for not having a craft beer? Oh wait. We are anyway. Or would we be talking about the strength and independence of America? I don't know either, but it is fun to think about.

assurbanipaul said...

Budweiser is an OK beer. Not my preference, but nothing wrong in choosing that if you like it.

But "light" beers are an unholy adulteration and should be shunned like a leper. Drink real beer or drink water.

Bill Night said...

You just lost my vote by failing to name an Oregon beer.

Lee said...

Yeah whatever — like Oregon doesn't get enough praise as a beer capital (like, say, a three-part series I published on this blog?).