Some Obama supporters are annoyed by the presence of a four-leafed clover on his “O’bama” t-shirts, which are on sale.
Dave Hunt, the owner of Coogan’s in Washington Heights, New York has been a long time supporter of the current president and was surprised to see a four leafed clover on the new t-shirts.
“That is my particular pebble in my shoe, when four-leaf clovers are interchanged with three-leafs,” the lifelong Democrat told The New York Times.
“People do it all the time. But if they were going to go to the trouble to do a T-shirt with the O and the apostrophe — which I think is very clever – someone on the staff should have gone to the trouble of finding out how many leaves to put on the clover.”
According to Irish history, St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to illustrate the Holy Trinity to natives in Ireland.
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Last week the Obama campaign sent an email to its supporters informing them about the new design which was released to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day.
"St. Patrick's Day is around the corner. This year, show your support for a presidential candidate with Irish roots: Barack Obama,"
"You might recall that back in 2007, as he was on the campaign trail, the President found out about his Irish ancestry. Last year, he traveled with the First Lady to pay a visit to Moneygall, the town of 300 people where his great-great-great-grandfather was born, and jokingly told a crowd there: 'My name is Barack Obama, of the Moneygall Obamas, and I've come home to find the apostrophe we lost somewhere along the way.'"
When Hunt received the solicitation from the Obama campaign he sent the following response.
“Please,” he wrote, “a shamrock is three leaves not a Four leaf clover!!!”
The t-shirts available on his official website, are priced at $30.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.pilib04 | Feb 26, 2012, 09:09 PM EST
Like the President designed the tee shirt. I blame the moron who couldn't take the time to research what a shamrock looks like. I would have gotten a lot of the shirts for family members, but not really interested in the four leaf variety.
arx754 | Feb 25, 2012, 05:19 PM EST
To any Irish "upset" about the t-shirt, I say, "Good for you! You obviously live a problem-free life to be able to waste your time on such a non-issue". PS - I'm going to get one of those t-shirts. Cool!
GregShox | Feb 25, 2012, 12:45 PM EST
Incidentally, folks, shamrock is clover: Trifolium repens and Trifolium dubium. It's not a special kind of plant all on its own. It's just clover and it grows all over the world.
ciaradexy | Feb 25, 2012, 12:28 PM EST
VernonC-His Irish roots are offset by his islamic roots? What nonsense! Hes an irish as most of the Americans on this site and as he's never been raised by a muslim or in an Islamic country so your comment is cr@p!
kaydog1 | Feb 25, 2012, 12:19 PM EST
Obama has previously referred to himself as "the fourth Kennedy brother", but if it's a four-lobed SHAMROCK, then they ARE talking about him as the fourth member of the Holy Trinity. Ironic, to say the least, in view of his islamophilic behaviors and loyalties.
VernonC | Feb 25, 2012, 12:15 PM EST
Whatever his Irish roots are they are offset by his Islamic roots and the long association with the minister Wright that Goddamns America that may have had Islamic roots himself, if not roots then a favorable opinion of the Islamic version invented/copied by America and Christian hating individuals.
GregShox | Feb 25, 2012, 12:05 PM EST
Yes, the apostrophe would be very Irish except that it was dreamed up by some Brit as a way of turning Irish-language names into English. But apart from that, yes, it's Irish. Sort of.
Bosey86 | Feb 25, 2012, 11:50 AM EST
Oh my - clover? How about it's a Shamrock....
IrishDragoon | Feb 25, 2012, 10:57 AM EST
Good one, ktrush512! You too, faberm1!
ktrush512 | Feb 25, 2012, 09:35 AM EST
Obama obviously thinks of himself as the 4th person of the Trinity.
ciaradexy | Feb 25, 2012, 07:39 AM EST
Matty, hes about as 'Irish' as most of the Americans on this site.
Matty O | Feb 24, 2012, 09:16 PM EST
Barack Hussein Obama is no more Irish than the gravel in my driveway.
faberm1 | Feb 24, 2012, 08:36 PM EST
Give me the shirt 4 leaves and all. You can have the President.....I'll keep the shirt!
TayandCake | Feb 24, 2012, 08:08 PM EST
bloody heck, must be a slow news day. The shirt looks great, where can i get one, 4 leaf SHAMROCK and all =^)
Mairin67 | Feb 24, 2012, 06:37 PM EST
Still unbelievable that there are people who still don't understand that there is a difference between a shamrock and a four leaf clover..especially those who claim to be Irish....and I'm not talking about Obama here. The Irish culture does not come from the Lucky Charms cereal box which I'm sorry to say, most Americans get the connection from....the same as how most Americans forget the "Saint" in St. Patrick's day.
Murph46 | Feb 24, 2012, 03:20 PM EST
Seamus Martin did you dare to play the Lucky Charms card you divil! Ha!
EphraimKibbey | Feb 24, 2012, 02:42 PM EST
I grew up in an American home proud of its Irish roots although two generations before the kids were regularly told never to tell anyone that they were from Ireland. I think alot of lore got lost in between. Although I knew the Trinity story, I did not learn that there was a difference between shamrocks and clover until my English/Scotish/Irish rooted wife brought home a potted shamrock plant for one of our St. Patrick's Day parties. They are now all over our house. I think many Irish Americans, that are several generations from their roots, are ignorant of the difference. This is a "teaching moment" for many and hopefully the administration will run its next attempt at "Irish Outreach" past the IC experts.
SeamusMartin | Feb 24, 2012, 01:57 PM EST
An expression one can hear from time to time is "the luck o' the Irish". A green four-leaf clover is suppose to be/bring good luck. Well it is simple the clover and the shamrock have been confuse by many in the US. So many folks have developed the idea that the four-leafer is associated with the Irish. Most clovers only have three leaves, but once in a while one can find a four. Can the same be said of the shamrock? I don't know. But I do know the magically delicious cereal, Lucky Charms (with Leprechaun character) has four leaf clovers in it. Besides all you politcos... who cares?!
Francoyne | Feb 24, 2012, 01:31 PM EST
As i indicated in my email to Neill, he needs to learn a little more about Ireland if he wants to represent himself as being Irish. I thought he might want to make amends for his early release of the article without any correction. Obama doesn't know much about Ireland. And what he cares about is getting the Irish American vote. I wish him well. I like reading Irish Central, but a little less than I did before this story.
cillowen | Feb 24, 2012, 01:18 PM EST
they do as they please with the irish - not having the equivalence of an anti-semitic smear phrase we're fair game to anyone to spew as they do. The damage done by the occupier and propagandist fellows and mimiced by nigh all others is devestating to a physce. Self hatred in time ensues as a consequence.
walleyeman | Feb 24, 2012, 12:54 PM EST
He should have just put two leaves. Would have looked like the jug eared snake oil salesman
Murph46 | Feb 24, 2012, 12:32 PM EST
No Towline,it's a hell of a lot worse,he isn't in a bar in Dublin -he is in the White House!!! At least for now!!!He is hands down the worst president sine Jimmy Carter! Gas is now $5.00 and he can't blame that on Bush!
Townline | Feb 24, 2012, 12:19 PM EST
@lecorri...obama isnt in a bar in dublin shouting in your ear about his great great grandad that came from county connaught and that hoe AWEsome everything is : )
Porickseantuny | Feb 24, 2012, 11:40 AM EST
What's worse than using four leaves is to ignor the fact that St. Patrick used a shamrock which is not just 3 leaved clover.
ciaradexy | Feb 24, 2012, 11:32 AM EST
Obama being 'irish' is a gimmick as much as Americans claiming they ar irish. All potential US presidents seem to cling to some sort of ethnic group or religious even just to get votes and Americans seem to lap this up. Vote for who you think will be the best president and NOT for someone who owns a redsetter or drinks Guinness.
lecorri | Feb 24, 2012, 10:23 AM EST
I'm wondering where all the 'real Irish' that complain vociferously about 2nd gen Irish Americans claiming to be Irish-american when this man is like 4 or 5 generations away from his irish roots?????
jetsnoone | Feb 24, 2012, 10:12 AM EST
Not a mistake, they do it on purpose as the shamrock represent the trinity... Moslems don't believe in the trinity so they feel better with the clover.
Rebelforce | Feb 24, 2012, 10:10 AM EST
It doesn't inspire much confidence in the competence of the Obama administration if they can't even recognize the difference between a shamrock and a clover.
PhlutiePhan | Feb 24, 2012, 10:06 AM EST
Jodi Kantor recently released her book about Obama. It is quite clear that Michelle held deep resentment for Irish Catholic politicians. The Irish are only a means to an end for the Obamas and their world socialist political ambitions. They are building on the massive moral harm brought on this country by the Clintons. Now, they are taking it the next logical step in the destruction of organized religious belief. Political attacks on various St. Patrick's Parades around the country are not ones of concern about crime and property destruction. It is one of deep concern for the rich cultural influence of the Irish and their religion on the familial landscape of this once great nation. Move the Irish out of the way and then "open the can of worms".
Murph46 | Feb 24, 2012, 09:56 AM EST
hype & unfulfilled promise=O'Bama
Bailey2000 | Feb 24, 2012, 09:51 AM EST
I think they are quite funny.....I dont think Obama has ever said he was Irish except in the humourous way of anyone whose links to Ireland are pretty tenuous. Looking at the emerging GOP candidates you may as well get used to him :)
jamthecat | Feb 24, 2012, 09:50 AM EST
Oh, this is silly. I'm not crazy about Obama (he's shown himself to be anything but a progressive president and was far too willing to kiss GOP ass and not stand up for programs he claimed to have believed in) but when complaints reach this point...it's just absurd. A four leaf clover is a lucky charm, for crying out loud; so what if he put that on these t-shirts instead of the three leaf one?
kansascrank | Feb 24, 2012, 09:47 AM EST
I'm looking over a four-leafed clover, that I overlooked before.....it's an old song. get over it.
colkelley | Feb 24, 2012, 09:46 AM EST
The shirts are as phony Irish as Obama is a phony President.
DLW12183 | Feb 24, 2012, 09:44 AM EST
He needed the 4th leaf to signify himself. Just ask him and he will let you know how important he is!!
johhnyb | Feb 24, 2012, 09:38 AM EST
To be fair to the President - he hasn't a clue.