Gora Obama

By Nathaniel Hoffman ⋅ February 6, 2008 ⋅  Send ⋅  Print ⋅ Post

In Boise Tuesday night, Obama got a nod from the Basque Country. Maybe his first. Boise Mayor Dave Bieter, of Basque descent, led the crowd in a resounding cheer of “Gora Obama!”

You’re not going to hear this anywhere else. [escucha]

Idaho is home to one of the largest Basque populations outside of the Basque country. After Bieter linked Obama to the Boise State Broncos, even Edwards and Clinton supporters found the chant irresistible.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter
after standing for Obama Tuesday.

Gora appears to be synonymous with andale or yalla… another way to say woo-hoo in one of the most original languages in the world. I have not seen the Obama camp take any stands on independence for the Basque country, a popular position in Idaho. But he’d probably be in favor of self-determination.

You don’t have to pick,
but you might get wooed.

I prowled the Qwest Arena all night, mike in hand, looking for a story. There were 7,000+ Super Duper Tuesday stories on Google News this morning. The storyline across Idaho was that even in small towns, many more Democrats caucused than in the past. That was the point of moving the Idaho caucus up to Super Tuesday anyway and the logic behind the accelerated primary season across the country. Obama won over the Boise crowd handily, with Clinton not even attaining viability.

Lining up in the snow.

I did get to ask Bethine Church, widow of the late Sen. Frank Church a question I’m saving for Hillary Clinton, if I ever bump into her. I just want to know if she has any reservations about following her husband into office. Church, a loyal Clintonite, had a ready answer: I almost did it too. [escucha]

Wrong century. Wrong convention.
Good try.

I ended the evening in the bar at the Grove hotel. Some cold rum. CNN. Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Kieth Roark was having an intense conversation at a small table. Mayor Bieter and his wife ate at the bar and watched the returns. A woman named JJ invited us to Zimbabwe to destroy demonic altars with her fun church group. She was serious. I retrieved my bike, hitched a ride home in a buddy’s pickup truck and went to sleep with only a little more information on where this presidential race is going.