Nov 12, 2008 12:26 pm US/Central
Obama's 'Mutt' Remark A Pardon For Evanston Man
Hecky Powell Got In Trouble For Using Expression While On School Board
EVANSTON, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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At his first news conference as president-elect, Barack Obama was asked kind of dog he was considering for his daughters. He mentioned shelter dogs, many of which, he said, "are mutts, like me."
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Ever since Barack Obama's first press conference as president-elect, Evanston restaurateur Hecky Powell said calls have been pouring in. "It just feels like Obama gave me a pardon," a not unhappy Powell said Tuesday.
At Obama's press conference, when asked what kind of dog he was considering for his daughters, he mentioned shelter dogs, many of which, he said, "are mutts, like me."
The comment was picked up by the national press as wry self-commentary on the new president's biracial status. In contrast, Powell's mutt comment -- uttered on March 24, 2003, while he served on the District 65 School Board -- landed him, well, in the political doghouse.
Critics took off on his mention of the remark -- made during a brief discussion of how District 65 statistically reports multiracial students -- as insensitive of the feelings of African-Americans and multiracial children.
Powell eventually issued an apology. He drew more criticism later, however, when in answer to his critics, he added a "Mutt Special" to the menu at his restaurant, Hecky's Barbecue.
Guess what? He's renaming the dish after perhaps the most successful self-described mutt in history, calling it the "Obama Mutt." Composed of rib tips, hot link sausages and chicken wings, the dish also includes french fries, topped with a slice of white bread.
All that's missing is "Hail to the Chief." The entree sells for a recession-busting price of $7.50, the enterprising Powell said.
He also has made a change on T-shirts, which formerly read "Proud to be Mutt." They now state that "Obama is proud to be a Mutt."
"I'm a mutt, he's a mutt. The majority of all Americans are mutts," said Powell, who touts his French, African-American, Creole and Native American roots.
"The mutt is an endearing term to our community," he said. "We use it all the time."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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