Obama clarifies wife's remarks: "proud of the *politics* of America"

[Alhena]

This is exactly how I was hoping he would explain her remarks.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-02-19-michelle-obama_N.htm

Obama defended his wife on Texas radio. "What she meant was, this is the first time that she's been proud of the politics of America," he said. "She has seen large numbers of people get involved in the process, and she's encouraged."

[Tatiana]

1. Batting cleanup, Mr. Obama hits a home run for the win.

Nice re-framing there.

[Cha]

Of course that's what Michelle was

talkin' about..but, exploding heads would rather have a red meat controversary to kick their ratings.

I imagine Michelle is sleeping well tonight!

[Neshanic]

18. You better get some sleep as your mind reading must take effort.

[TheDonkey]

19. even with the media going crazy and Pat Buchannon having a fit, Americans said STFU

about this faux controversy according to the WI results.

[maddiejoan]

2. I'm sure the McCain campaign

will graciously run her explanation along side the video clips in the negative ads they will use.

[RummyTheDummy]

8. Will those be on before or after the Obama ads about McCain's 100 years in Iraq plan?

Now ask yourself which issue voters care more about?

[maddiejoan]

You might be shocked when you learn the truth.

[RummyTheDummy]

25. The truth is obvious, to anyone who can grasp reality.

[maddiejoan]

61. okay, cookie

http://www.redkid.net/generator/fortune/newsign.php?line1=The+truth+is+obvious%2C+to+&line2=anyone+who+grasps+reality&Crack+Me+Open=Crack+Me+Open

[MercutioATC]

22. 100 years? Try 10,000....

...and we have video :)

[Mojorabbit]

I want the ad

that shows McCain singing bomb bomb Iran. That will be a winning ad for sure.

[grantcart]

43. before the 100 years after the bomb bomb bomb Iran ad

[ProSense]

9. So what?

Quit yer flinching, Chicken Little!:

So Michelle Obama said something the Freepers don't like and they're inventing mean names for her.

So Barack Obama borrowed some bon mots from a buddy and Little Green Footballs smells blood in the water.

So Red State and Rush want Hillary to win because they think they can beat her.

So. What.

You there, with your finger on the pulse of the American Taliban, sitting in a puddle of your own urine and wringing your sweaty hands: get a grip.

I know you're not used to being in this situation. I know the smell of victory is foreign to you. I know that the prospect of a woman or a black man in the Oval Office is so intoxicating that you fear you'll wake up from the dream, but it is real.

You're a Democrat, it's 2008, and you have the wind at your back. The only way we can collectively fuck this up is to start taking our cues from the magykal fascistical clusterfuckmagorium of the wingnutosphere.

So what if they find Michelle Obama's remarks scandalous? Peace, love and understanding make these Orcs vomit. Do you understand?

So what if they think they can exploit Barack Obama's so-called "plagiarism?" In the span of two years, their party has enthusiastically fallen in line behind child molesters, puppet regimes, war criminals, tortures and torture-enablers, traitors, domestic eavesdroppers, and all other manner of scofflaw.

You don't bite your fingernails to the cuticles worrying about whether their indignation has legs. You tell them to shove their red herrings and spittle-flecked accusations right up their ass.

I can't believe how much weenified pantywaist nonsense I've read on this site today. These braying nincompoops took you by surprise somehow? They bray, that's what nincompoops do. Their brayings hold in them as much meaning as the odd toenail clipping session. Their words and thoughts are dead cells, sloughing off the body as dead cells do, and they don't need to be ruminated upon, unless you have nothing better to do than chew toenails.

more

That's the response to John "Weather vane" and Cindy "Snooty" McCain.

[maddiejoan]

16. So what?

Because if Obama is going to be our nominee -- He's going to have to be a lot more careful.

[ProSense]

27. Careful about what? The RW penchant to spin and distort?

Fun With Quotes:

Hours later, the full quote was up. Still later, there was an update acknowledging that the full quote had not been posted.

“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country,” she told a Milwaukee crowd today, “and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change.”

I’m not sure what Michelle Obama meant, but being a black person with privilege and access often makes you more aware of American inequality, not less, and it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s what Michelle was referring to. Try living in say, New Orleans or Newark for a few years and see how proud of your country it makes you.

link

Of course, context didn't stop Taylor Marsh for being completely nauseating, and here is a rebuttal to her crap:

Michelle Obama Speaks for Me

I have to say it. In response to the lovely and talented Taylor Marsh’s “Michelle Obama Does Not Speak for Me“:

Michelle Obama speaks for me…

For the first time in my adult life, I’m overflowing with pride in my country because of Senator Barack Obama’s run for the White House. Oh I’ve been been brimming with pride in my country (post 9/11 unity) during my adult life. But never overflowing with pride. Just look at it ladies and gentlemen:

A person of color has a legitimate chance to be POTUS. And the entire rainbow of colors are supporting him. For a black man such as myself, what’s not to overflow about? History in the making. Don’t care if he gets the nod or not, Senator Barack Obama has already made tremendous positive impact on America and how the world sees us.

What’s that? No. You’re lying! Let me check… Well I’ll be…

For the first time in my adult life, I’m exploding with pride in my country. A black man and a white woman have a legitimate chance to be POTUS. Look at how far we have come!

Dearest Michelle, you speak for me a thousand times over.

Or here, a better response on Taylor Marsh and the right wing's BS.

[Window]

45. Thank you ProSense for sharing this.

Those quotes are great.




Peace:thumbsup:

[maximusveritas]

3. Yeah, but she needs to say this herself

O'Reilly was talking about this today and surprisingly made some sense. She should have come out immediately and clarified it instead of having someone like Axelrod do it. That just let it fester and spread.

[Alhena]

14. I disagree- the plan was to give it no more press than necessary

since it was election day. I'm sure a lot of Wisconsin voters hadn't even heard about the remarks, which is the way the campaign wanted it.

*Now* is the time for Michelle to clarify her remarks- as far as possible from the next primary. But we obviously know what she will say now.

[maximusveritas]

23. I'm not sure a clarification from Michelle would have generated significantly more press

It was going to get covered anyway, so it was better to get it covered with the clarification added. It's obviously tricky in these last-minute situations (which was the Clinton campaign's whole idea), but I do think it would have helped. Something to think about for next time at least.

[Hoof Hearted]

42. It would have generated more respect.

She needs to clear it up.

[Hoof Hearted]

40. Bingo!

[Window]

48. She probably will address this.

Obama was on a radio show and you whatever else he was talking about, you just know they were going to ask him about Michelle said.



Peace:thumbsup:

[Johnny__Motown]

4. It is defiantly spin, but it works for me

[Alhena]

5. Here's a longer quote from Obama ...

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/5554214.html

Barack Obama, interviewed on WOAI radio in San Antonio, Texas, expressed frustration that his wife's comments became political fodder.

"Statements like this are made and people try to take it out of context and make a great big deal out of it, and that isn't at all what she meant," Obama said.

"What she meant was, this is the first time that she's been proud of the politics of America," he said. "Because she's pretty cynical about the political process, and with good reason, and she's not alone. But she has seen large numbers of people get involved in the process, and she's encouraged."

[Cha]

13. She'll really be proud when she sees this..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4675112

[Emit]

20. ! wow. Thanks for posting this

I didn't catch that thread. :thumbsup:

[Cha]

33. Very emotional

scene after 8 agonizing years!

[Alhena]

21. Situations like this show just how good Obama is politically ...

in a few short paragraphs he defused the situation about as well as humanly possible. All in a day when he's giving multiples speeches and interviews, likely working on little sleep.

I have really been impressed with his coolness under fire- he was calm and composed explaining the plagiarism charges. And he didn't gloat about his big win during his speech- just mentioned the win and then moved on to the problems facing Americans.

The guy is really, really good in case anyone hasn't noticed.

[Cha]

34. We have ourselves a real

candidate who will be able to handle the rw attacks in the General just as well if not better.

[Alhena]

26. Just clicked on your link, that is amazing. Go Prairie View!

[Window]

49. Beautiful!

Thanks for sharing.



Peace:thumbsup:

[More Than A Feeling]

6. Nice save.

I hope she put this behind her immediately.

[Beausoir]

7. Clean up in aisle 3.

This is going to be fun to watch.

[maximusveritas]

10. Fun?

Is that you Hillary?

[Beausoir]

17. Just you wait and see. Clinton played pattycake with the Obamas. Things are about to get serious.

And yeah, it will be fun to see it play out.

Better gird your loins.

[ProSense]

30. "Clinton played pattycake with the Obamas." Was she trying to fall behind? n/t

[TheDonkey]

11. It's a good save. Michelle is classy

I think what she said was authentic but unfortunately there are too many narrow-minded thin skinned sheeple that get nervous to hear that America might *gasp* not be perfect.

[ShortnFiery]

12. Thanks Alhena. This makes perfect sense.

I honestly believe that "piling on" Michelle Obama may have turned out to help Obama's numbers. Governor Doyle said that WI people are not "as influenced" by negative campaigning. :-)

Michelle Obama is a wonderful human being and will be a very elegant and positive First Lady. :thumbsup:

[Neshanic]

15. And there it is. Just add "politics". All better!

[Diane R]

24. I've heard her speech, and that's exactly the context.

[jillan]

28. Shouldn't this be coming from her?

[Beausoir]

29. She has been effectively muzzled. He has to apologize for her. Same old politics.

God forbid a woman speaks her mind.

[ProSense]

32. "God forbid a woman speaks her mind." I think, and it's just a hunch,

that's exactly what she did! n/t

[JimGinPA]

31. A Perfectly Reasonable Explanation...

But most of the Hillary supporters here, the Clinton campaign and the repugs will bring this up continually. Not to mention it won't get nearly the coverage of their "gotcha moment". The good news is this will probably be an important lesson for the entire campaign.


One more thing, they need to issue a "talking points" list of Barack's accomplishments to any supporter planning to put their face in front of a camera so there are no more episodes like Tweety beating up that Texas state senator tonight.

[splat]

35. Explaining your spouse seems necessary on both sides

[usregimechange]

36. There you go Insanity and O'Lielly. Now shut the hell up!

[NMMNG]

37. Nice spin

[Political Heretic]

38. It was an easy fix, and they nailed it. Non-story.

[Hoof Hearted]

44. .

:rofl:

Oh, to be so naive and trusting again. . . .

mostly naive.

[Political Heretic]

52. :)

He'll be your candidate soon.

Unless of course your ego will keep you from considering the lives of our boys and girls in iraq, or keep you from considering our supreme court.

Not mine. If hillary wins, she's my candidate. Period.

[Alhena]

54. Exactly ...

I'd hope we could get some more Hillary supporters to switch for the best interests of the party now.

[Window]

39. Thank you for posting this.

Well done, Mr. Obama. I couldn't believe the faux indignation from those talking heads and Cindy McCain.




Peace:thumbsup:

[Sapphocrat]

41. What, the "little woman" needs hubby to speak for her? n/t

[cooolandrew]

47. Everyone knows she is no little anything. Beliveve that.

[Sapphocrat]

50. Hell yes, I know that.

But remember, I am a woman -- and as much as Michelle grates on me, it pisses me the hell off that HE has to take over and explain what his wifey-poo really meant.

She's a razor-sharp woman -- why can't she speak for herself? And take the knocks when she fucks up? And get herself out of her own shit?

[cooolandrew]

46. Good call by Barack.

[GoldieAZ49]

51. PERFECT!!!!!!

I agree, and I have 3 or 4 more years on Michelle, and I have never been prouder of the politics of America

The political tactics of certain candidates, not so much

[anamandujano]

53. Someone always has to explain what they really meant. It took

them long enough to think of it.

[Vinca]

55. I was thinking about Cindy McCain's comment and it seems to me

that blind patriotism is a disservice to the country. In light of a million dead Iraqis, thousands of dead and maimed soldiers, torture, GITMO, substandard care for veterans, increased poverty, the uninsured, loss of jobs and on and on and on, Mrs. McCain's statement is more cartoon Uncle Sam than reality. I'm glad Michelle clarified her comments, but Mrs. McCain's remark implies we are a country without problems, a country that is still revered, a country without fault. She needs to break out of her bubble and stop the limo by a bridge to speak with some homeless veterans.

[DemVet]

56. A day late and a dollar short, Barack.

You need to muzzle your old lady before she sinks your campaign. Talk to George Allen about that one.

[theHandpuppet]

57. You know, until now I haven't really said anything on this matter...

... except to post that I thought it was simply a forgivable gaffe that any one of us could have made during a long, hard campaign tour. But I really have to disagree with those of you who would suggest that just inserting he word "politics" makes it all better. If anything, I now find the comment personally insulting to the millions of citizens and representatives who have worked hard and fought well many difficult political battles for this country. There are people who have laid down their very lives for those ideals, and this is the first time she's been proud of the politics of America?

Well thanks a lot, Michelle. What a doofus I was to defend you.

[JoFerret]

58. We are going to be SO TIRED of both of them so soon

the novelty will wear off.the bubble will burst.

[Maribelle]

59. Too late. Sadly, Cindy came off as the primary princess, Michelle as the ill-tempered shrew

But worse than that, Michelle freely gave the McCain campaign sound bites to foster their long-held belief that Democrats are not proud of our country. And McCain will be playing those sound bites ad nauseam ad infinitum for the next few months, courting the exact ones where he was weak, the exact ones that pivot on this thing called proud patriotism.

[anamandujano]

60. Nothing like handing the enemy ammunition. Michelle makes a

hasty exit stage left.