Obama Abandons 'Presumption of Good Faith'

[Linnea]

Obama Camp Hammers Clinton on RFK Remarks

Ending the "smallness of our politics" is the stated mission of Barack Obama's White House run.

In "The Audacity of Hope," Obama recalls how he softened his website's harsh rhetoric on abortion in 2004 after he received an email from a pro-life doctor.

"[T]hat night, before I went to bed," wrote Obama, "I said a prayer of my own -- that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that the doctor had extended to me."

No such "presumption of good faith" was extended to Hillary Clinton on Friday.

When Clinton referenced RFK's assassination while discussing previous Democratic nomination fights which stretched into June, she was quickly scolded by the Obama campaign.

"Senator Clinton's statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign," wrote Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton in a missive to reporters.

Burton's e-mail included a link to a New York Post story which noted that Obama, who received a Secret Service detail early in the campaign, has been the subject of threats.

The Obama campaign's decision to target Clinton's RFK reference forced the former first lady to express regret for her remarks.

It also ensured that the dust-up would be covered on all three network newscasts.

"I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation, particularly for that family, was in any way offensive," said Clinton.

Shortly after Clinton's comments drew negative coverage on the network newscasts, the Argus Leader came to the former first lady's defense.

"The context of the question and answer with Sen. Clinton was whether her continued candidacy jeopardized party unity this close to the Democratic convention," wrote the Argus Leader editorial board. "Her reference to Mr. Kennedy's assassination appeared to focus on the timeline of his primary candidacy and not the assassination itself."

The kicker:

"How's it going Sunshine? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you everybody. It's good to be in Sunshine!"

--Barack Obama in Sunrise, Florida.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/ ... 455&page=1

[majda]

"Her reference to Mr. Kennedy's assassination appeared to focus on the timeline of his primary candidacy and not the assassination itself."

My take exactly. Let they who are without 'sin' cast the first stone. Obama has no exclusive right to that stone. There's a lot of dirt going around, and all of the main candidates need a good shower.

[HB3]

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/02/11/v ... 0-minutes/

The heavy presence of security around Obama was also a silent reminder of the change that took place with the announcement. Michelle Obama, the candidate’s wife, acknowledged it in an interview to air on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” in which she was asked if she fears for her husband’s life as a black candidate.

“I don’t lose sleep over it because the realities are that . . . as a black man . . . Barack can get shot going to the gas station,” Michelle Obama said in the interview, set to air Sunday night. “You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.”

[Linnea]

Threads as this one are mostly ignored. heh

They are not as sexy as hatred and bash. Yah. This country continues to flounder.

[Shirleypal]

Threads as this one are mostly ignored. heh

They are not as sexy as hatred and bash. Yah. This country continues to flounder.

I agree Linnea, buying into the smoke screen, it would be nice to discuss something of substance like maybe the issues we care about.

[majda]

“I don’t lose sleep over it because the realities are that . . . as a black man . . . Barack can get shot going to the gas station,”

I find that repugnant frankly. Guess when your skin is anything other than white, the news media is afraid to run with it. No double standards for candidates, right?

[majda]

I agree Linnea, buying into the smoke screen, it would be nice to discuss something of substance like maybe the issues we care about.

I posted the following in the Hillary gaff thread. Seems no one wants to talk about issues. Guess dirty politics stuff is more exciting. Wonder how many people around the country might be getting tired of these transparent diversions by the media? The media is the enemy here IMHO. They are distracting people away from what's REALLY important! We should be holding the candidates feet to the fire right now, and demanding DEFINITIVE answers to questions that damn well matter to the citizens of this floundering country!!! Buying into this media crap-fest means we're just playing into the hands of 'certain' people who are laughing at us.

We need to wake up and start pointing fingers at the REAL bad guys in this country who have been robbing us and raping us for far, far too long! This makes a good diversion away from the real issues. We're in trouble. Big trouble. I want to know who will change this horrible financial crisis we are in. I want to know why we're being shafted on energy prices. I want to know why food prices are through the roof. And most of all, I want to know why we have no leadership in this country, and I'm not talking about the Whitehouse. Where in the Hell has the house and senate been? I'm tired of being bled to death.

[SETIsLady]

I heard Obama on the local news here since he was in my neck of the woods yesterday and he said he didn't hear the news clip, so I have a feeling his campaign people spoke before they spoke to him. He spent all of about 5 seconds on the topic and then moved on.

Now today, he has come out to defend her.

On Saturday while campaigning in Puerto Rico, Obama seemed to inclinded to excuse Clinton's remark as a simple misstep.

"I have learned that when you are campaigning for as many months as Senator Clinton and I have been campaigning, sometimes you get careless in terms of the statements that you make and I think that is what happened here. Senator Clinton says that she did not intend any offense by it and I will take her at her word on that," Obama told Radio Isla Puerto Rico.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/An ... 42008.html

[majda]

Hope that shuts everybody up, but it probably won't. It's just too juicy not to chew on awhile longer; to see if anymore media mileage can be gotten from it.

[Psychicwolf]

I heard Obama on the local news here since he was in my neck of the woods yesterday and he said he didn't hear the news clip, so I have a feeling his campaign people spoke before they spoke to him. He spent all of about 5 seconds on the topic and then moved on.

Now today, he has come out to defend her.

Then that's the end of it, as far as I am concerned.

[Linnea]

Obama did very well by himself with those comments. I am impressed.

[cherry]

She spoke the truth.

[tiffany]

Obama did very well by himself with those comments. I am impressed.

Yes I am impressed also. Too bad when Obama had his gaffes with bittergate and the like, she did not do well by her comments.

[moonchild2]

Yes I am impressed also. Too bad when Obama had his gaffes with bittergate and the like, she did not do well by her comments.

You can bet your boots Tiffany, that if Obama were the underdog right now, he would not be quite so chivalrous towards Hillary. He would be jumping all over this gaff. He's going to win the nomination, he knows it, so why get negative at this point?

I still love Obama, he's brilliant!

[vigo]

Glad he spoke up and acknowledged that we are all capable of missteps. Especially when under the pressure cooker of all seeing eyes. Good for him.