THAT NUMBER

Barack Obama is being gently ribbed around the internet for saying that he wanted to be president of the 57 United States. 

Well, it was a slip.  But where did he get that number?

A good friend points out that there are 57 countries in the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).  Hmm.

Okay, okay, that was unfair.  I know.  But a little mischief doesn't hurt.  Besides, it's Mother's Day, and there's very little real news. 

Or...maybe Obama had John Kerry on his mind.  He's married to Teresa Heinz Kerry, whose fortune came from her late husband, who was heir to the Heinz food empire, which has...57 varieties.   

Also, 57 has another historic meaning.  It was on September 4, 1957, that the Ford Motor Company introduced the Edsel - a new model that was about "change."  Except that it wasn't.  It was poorly styled and used old ideas.  Double hmm.

Back later.

May 11, 2008.