Obama town prepare to celebrate Obama victory
As one might expect, Obama town in Fukui prefecture is preparing an election day party to celebrate Barack Obama’s victory:
Banners with Obama ‘s picture hang on lampposts across the town, where a statue of the senator clad in a Stars and Stripes necktie and a Japanese-style headband that says “I love Obama” now greets residents and visitors.
A year ago, the world of US politics was far from the minds of most residents here. But now they plan to hold a watch party on November 5 when, accounting for the time zone difference, the election results will come in.
Some 50 Obama residents are honing their skills in hula dancing, hoping to put on an Election Day show in tribute to Obama’s original home of Hawaii. The “Obama girls” even travelled to Honolulu to take part in a competition.
“His name is the same as the City of Obama so I’m naturally sympathetic towards him. But I also like him very much,” said dancer Kiyomi Takahashi, wearing an “I Love Obama” T-shirt.
Meanwhile, in nearby Fukui City, the company that made the frames for Sarah Palin’s glasses is hoping for the increased sales that might come with a McCain victory:
CEO Satoru Masunaga is cheering for the hardline conservative vice-presidential candidate who, according to a company spokeswoman, has already delivered “a positive effect” to the 103-year-old brand, founded by Mr Masunaga’s grandfather.
In a recent interview with The New Yorker magazine, the CEO described the MP-704 model as “middle-class” but said that it made the 44-year-old mother of five look like “a real politician. She looks intelligent.”
The designer of the frames, Kazuo Kawasaki, said that although he was “quite right-wing” and approved of many of the Alaskan Governor’s political sentiments, he would prefer not to take sides.
Up until August, when Mrs Palin was chosen to join John McCain’s Republican campaign, Mr Masunaga reportedly sold 500 of the MP-704 glasses a month in the US. Since September, more than 10,000 orders have flooded in.
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