Ask Tough Questions? Yes, They Can!

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Ask Tough Questions? Yes, They Can!
Ask Tough Questions? Yes, They Can!
By Dana Milbank
Tuesday, March 4, 2008; A02

SAN ANTONIO It took many months and the mockery of "Saturday Night Live" to make it happen, but the lumbering beast that is the press corps finally roused itself from its slumber Monday and greeted Barack Obama with a menacing growl.

The day before primaries in Ohio and Texas that could effectively seal the Democratic presidential nomination for him, a smiling Obama strode out to a news conference at a veterans facility here. But the grin was quickly replaced by the surprised look of a man bitten by his own dog.

Reporters from the Associated Press and Reuters went after him for his false denial that a campaign aide had held a secret meeting with Canadian officials over Obama's trade policy. A trio of Chicago reporters pummeled him with questions about the corruption trial this week of a friend and supporter. The New York Post piled on with a question about him losing the Jewish vote.

Obama responded with the classic phrases of a politician in trouble. "That was the information that I had at the time. . . . Those charges are completely unrelated to me. . . . I have said that that was a mistake. . . . The fact pattern remains unchanged." When those failed, Obama tried another approach. "We're running late," the candidate said, and then he disappeared behind a curtain.

Before he beat his hasty retreat, however, Obama found time to assign blame for the tough questions suddenly coming his way. "The Clinton campaign has been true to its word in employing a 'kitchen sink' strategy," he protested. "There are, what, three or four things a day?"

Spoken like a man who had just been hit on the head with a heavy piece of porcelain....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/03/AR2008030302769_pf.html

[SteppingRazor]

1. I gotta admit that "heavy piece of porcelain" line is pretty funny.

But I also think that all this Rezko and NAFTA stuff will blow over as quickly as it came. Well, especially the NAFTA thing. With an ongoing trial, Rezko questions will continue to surface, but there's no reason to think Obama is guilty of any wrongdoing there. Hell, at this point, it doesn't even look like the man will be called to testify, much less actually be accused of anything.

[islandmkl]

3. there you go...raining on their parade...

[leftofcool]

2. When all else fails, do not take personal responsibility

blame your opponent for your NAFTA fiasco, and never mind the memo came from the Embassy itself, not the Clinton campaign, blame your opponent for your own Rezko troubles and dealings, in fact, blame your opponent for everything. Politics as usual.

[Bumblebee]

4. I would suggest HRC should now stay regardless as "insurance" during

the Rezko trial but I suspect it won't be a popular suggestion here. Somehow it has become more important that it should be Obama, no matter what, even if the GE may be in doubt because of the heightened scrutiny and his still thin skin about it. Eugene Robertson -- who IS an Obama supporter, but of a sober kind -- said rather astutely in the WP that Obama has a potential to win by a landslide -- or lose by a landslide. Clinton, at best, can win only by a squeaker. But, boy, do I prefer a squeaker to 2 more conservative judges in the Supreme Court!