Day Forty-three, May 8

In another post that will suggest I'm somehow running out of things to be genuinely hopeful about when it comes to Obama, today I'd like to give some recognition to one of the lesser-reported aspects of Barack's lifestyle: his taste in beverages. First up, his breakfast drink of choice. In a country gone mad for caffeinated beverages, here is a man who stands up to the Starbucks' and Folgers' of the world. The following is an excerpt from a discussion between Chris Matthews and David Schuster on the April 11th episode of Hardball:

SHUSTER: Well, here's the other thing that we saw on the tape, Chris, is that, when Obama went in, he was offered coffee, and he said, "I'll have orange juice."

MATTHEWS: No.

SHUSTER: He did.

And it's just one of those sort of weird things. You know, when the owner of the diner says, "Here, have some coffee," you say, "Yes, thank you," and, "Oh, can I also please have some orange juice, in addition to this?" You don't just say, "No, I'll take orange juice," and then turn away and start shaking hands. That's what happens [unintelligible] --

MATTHEWS: You don't ask for a substitute on the menu.

SHUSTER: Exactly.

MATTHEWS: David, what a regular guy. You could do this. Anyway, thank you, David Shuster. I mean, go to the diners.

Hear that, coffee addicts? Your vitamin c intake is limited at best, and your days are numbered! As a fellow abstainer of the java (and OJ addict), I can't help but feel my hope glands swell ever so slightly, yet sillily, whenever I pour my glass of Tropicana every morning.

But gloating about your candidate's preference of juice over coffee is a little smug, right? That's why I'm also taking advantage of the recent photo of Obama toasting his North Carolina victory in Raleigh bar with a beer in his hand.


That beer he's sipping? None other than Pabst Blue Ribbon. Although I have a 'take it or leave it' policy on PBR, and I doubt he'll be keeping it on tap in the White House, still, it's a nice gesture. And a smooth, canned aftertaste!