DENVER—Without credentials to see Barack Obama accept the presidential nomination at arguably the most historic Democratic National Convention in 40 years, I had to settle for the next best thing—Obama Girl.
Amber Lee Ettinger, who became a YouTube sensation with her video “Crush on Obama,” rented my downtown Denver apartment for the week of the convention—along with reporters and bloggers from Time magazine, The Huffington Post and Media Bistro. I moved to my college roommate’s house for the week.
In the video, created by Ben Relles of barelypolitical.com and posted online in June 2007, Ettinger croons to Obama: “I cannot wait ’til 2008/Baby you’re the best candidate.” She ends the verse with the now famous line ” ‘Cause I got a crush on Obama.”
“I felt like this whole year I’ve been the Democratic cheerleader for Barack Obama,” said Ettinger, a model, actress and singer based in New York. “Obviously, I’m just here to support him and see him get his nomination.”
The 26-year-old Ettinger, billed on her Web site as a “viral video star and political hottie,” was in town to shoot new footage, socialize and do what she has done best for the past 14 months: Being Obama Girl.
But being Obama Girl, especially at the DNC, is tough work.
She said she was often interviewed on news programs as early as 4 a.m., and she was booked as a celebrity guest at several late-night parties during the week.
“We went to a few parties where I was hosting, so that was fun,” she said. “We got to just take a lot of pictures, sign autographs, interview people, get interviewed. It’s been pretty much that all week long.”
In between, Ettinger did a photo shoot for GQ magazine, worked for Spike TV and even performed in a skit for NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”
“It’s been really busy,” she said.
Luckily, of the four women who crammed into my one-bedroom, 600-square-foot apartment, Ettinger scored the only bed.
Her single complaint—I have only one mirror in the bathroom and a small one in the kitchen.
“I had to have someone go out and get me one, because there’s no way one girl can be in the bathroom and everyone else sits around and twiddles their thumbs while she gets ready,” she said.
If that’s all she’s worried about, Ettinger strikes me as remarkably down-to-earth. Oh, and did I mention that she’s smart and drop-dead gorgeous?
I have to say, having met her in person, I think I got a crush on Obama Girl.
Maybe I’ll make a video.
———
On the Web:
