Politico: Barack Obama Mocked John Edwards

[jsamuel]

Some political moments are so bizarre that you have to believe they actually are sincere.

One such moment came this weekend, when Barack Obama mocked John Edwards in a speech.

Obama had done it before, but that was before Edwards suspended his campaign last Wednesday.
(Suspending his campaign may not turn out to be a bad thing for Edwards. In 2004, Howard Dean achieved his sole primary victory — his home state of Vermont — two weeks after he suspended his campaign. Maybe some candidates would win more states if they never began campaigning at all.)

...

For the record, this is what Edwards actually told Russert his biggest weakness was: “I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me.”

Which you can either view as a very human and sincere moment or you can say, “Oh, puh-leeze, gag me with a spoon.”

Obama apparently viewed it the latter way. But why is he bringing it up again now?

It may be because Edwards has failed to endorse Obama, and Obama is irritated with him for holding out. And perhaps Edwards is asking for too much in return. (Real negotiating goes on for these endorsements, by the way, with real jobs mentioned.)

Or Obama could have just been making a joke. But it is a joke that strikes at the heart of the collapse of Edwards’ campaign: his inability to sell himself as an authentic champion of the poor — and I am not just talking about his expensive haircuts.

...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8321.html

[MadBadger]

1. Its a joke that Obama's been using on the trail for awhile. And its funny, cuz its true.

[jsamuel]

2. He is mocking a candidate that is no longer in the race.

Because he said he cares.

[MadBadger]

9. On a question asked about his weakness, Obama said his desk is messy...Edwards said...

I care too much about poor people sometimes, and Hillary said I am too impatient, because I just want to get things done soo bad.

[jsamuel]

19. not even true - "I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me."

that is the real quote

[mrreowwr_kittty]

21. I know! They were such phonies!

Obama's answer made me like him even more. He confessed to something that a lot of us can relate to.

[BlackVelvet04]

54. It was a stupid question.....

the answer to which would and could be used later against the candidates. Answering it the way Obama did showed how naive he is. The other two candidates saw the question for what it was and answered accordingly. Obama fucked up.

[jackson_dem]

150. They were phony on a dumb question

Obama is a phony on Kyl-Lieberman which he said nothing about in the senate, issued no press release on, skipped the vote, and ignored completely even though it was the subject of a heated exchange between Hillary and Gravel and denounced strongly by Edwards during a debate the same day of the vote. He then claimed he was strongly opposed to it after seeing the anger at Hillary among the base over it, even though he took no position on it and co-sponsored a similar bill earlier in the year.

[jackson_dem]

147. Maybe Edwards should have said "Present"

[OzarkDem]

7. Its not true, he's misquoting Edwards

what does that say about your candidate?

[MadBadger]

12. Fine, what did Edwards say, provide me the quote.

[OzarkDem]

25. "I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me."

[redqueen]

27. Thanks for knowing what the hell you're talking about.

Wouldn't it be so nice if others cared as much? I guess it's easier to just nod and follow along...

[OzarkDem]

43. You too

Democracy is hard work.

:hug:

[flyarm]

93. Obama stole everything he says from Edwards..too bad he can't even get quotes right! eom

[redqueen]

98. Hahahahahahahaha

Well but he's not trying to quote the man... he's not stealing THIS time... he's mocking.

Sooo classy!

[foxer]

172. He got the weighing the pig quote right, word for word

[foxer]

173. Got the weighing the pig quote right, word for word

[surfermaw]

167. I I know the night after Edwards left the campaign, he said he was for jobs to help the economy

That was Edwards answer in the S.C.,debate

[joshcryer]

14. I find it insulting, dismissive, and degrading.

Why pick the most important issue that your competitor uses to mock?

[rodeodance]

125. It is demeaning.

[Recursion]

135. You didn't find Edwards' or Clinton's answer insulting?

I did.

[foxer]

166. and Obama's too. Stupid answers to stupid question

Russert is know for asking stupid questions and being smug about it. Like when he asked the UFO question, Kucinich should have answered that yes he did see UFO's, two hit the twin towers and one hit the pentagon. What ever happened to the Leage of Women Voter's debates? They asked real questions and were quite informative. Why didn't Keith Obermann get to host a debate?

[IsItJustMe]

80. Seems very arrogant to me. Just like someone else I know. It's not good to kick a person when they

are down on the ground.

It's not smart to disenfranchise Edward's voters. It's just not.

[Catchawave]

85. You don't get it ? Arrogant like Bush comes to mind....n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

3. He doesn't even bring up Edwards' name.

He talks about his "opponents" giving easy answers to what their weakness might be.

[jsamuel]

4. yeah, he just says "care about the poor" - like that is for anyone else

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Exactly.

It was a lame response by Edwards about a weakness.

Caring for the poor too much is not a weakness.

But if you think he was mocking Edwards, so be it.

[redqueen]

16. He said he got overly emotional about it.

Being overly emotional is a weakness.

But nevermind... cause it's just "lame" anyway. :eyes:

[gaspee]

50. Oh, silly girl!

Being overly emotional (or emotional at all) is only bad if you're a woman. Silly girl! Men are allowed to have emotions. If women have emotions, it just proves how weak they are! Can't have them with their finger on the button at that time of the month. Hahahahahaha

:sarcasm:

Just in case...

[redqueen]

52. Hahahahahahaha

Nice one. :)

[redqueen]

8. That's not exactly true.

He's gone into detail on at least a few occasions.

Obama then said Russert had asked Edwards the same question.

“And he says, ‘Well, I am just so passionate about helping poor people,’” Obama said dryly.

Classy.

[flyarm]

96. yeah he can't keep papers straight is that why a crook helped him buy his million$$+ house? eom

[foxer]

158. And his answer wasn't easy? That's his greastest weakness?

[OzarkDem]

5. He's a very thin-skinned, divisive person

its a knee-jerk reaction for him. He does it over and over again. I don't see how he plans to build coalitions with others with this style.

[rodeodance]

126. Divisive yes.

[OzarkDem]

151. Reminds me of Bush and Nixon the more I watch him

He's insecure and strikes out at others when he feels threatened. Sad thing is, he's not always threatened by others, just perceives it that way.

[rodeodance]

170. yes, and yes.

[LSK]

6. well my time is up in GDP for today

Thanks for posting this meaningless useless crap that I have come to accept as the norm here.

See you tomorrow for my 2 minutes hate.

[redqueen]

11. There's a hide thread feature. (nt)

[LSK]

37. how about a hide forum feature?

:D

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. i'll join you....LOL

this is beyond ridiculous.

[JimGinPA]

13. He Used That Line Before Edwards Dropped Out

You can fool some of the people some of the time...

[redqueen]

18. And you're here to guarantee he hasn't said it since?

Are you 100% positive?

[jsamuel]

24. he just said it

[redqueen]

26. I'm not positive, I haven't seen a direct quote of his most recent insulting jab.

Or the date that Super Classy Obama most recently said it... but it sure wouldn't surprise me.

[Recursion]

92. He said it last night in Boston; he gave his standard stump speech

and he's been using that line in his speech since whichever debate that was (LV?)

*shrug* I thought it was a very insincere answer on both Edwards' and Clinton's part and he was making fun of them for it.

[redqueen]

99. It's standard procedure... he got points for flubbing it... or answering honestly

however you view it.

So why the petulant, childish mocking... STILL?

[Recursion]

109. Well, I didn't find it "childish"

I found, as some posters (even those saying Obama was wrong), that Edwards' and Clinton's answers were "childish"; the sort of thing you'd expect from a high school student running for class president. I found his making light of that difference refreshing.

Like I said in another thread, Obama and Clinton seem to have stumbled across a very, very deep aesthetic/stylistic chasm in our party, one that we're having trouble articulating and that is hitting us at a very basic level.

[redqueen]

111. Or executives interviewing for a high-profile position.

Like I said: it's standard procedure... from college apps all the way to the top. Obama seems to be the ONLY person at his level who was seemingly unaware of this fact.

It's childish to change someone's words around for the purposes of mocking someone. It's classless to continue doing it week after week after week.

[Recursion]

113. Sorry, I've made hiring decisions at decently high levels

(Senior sysadmin, senior programmer kind of stuff.) And when I hear that I think "this person never got past the old-economy BS that makes you lie to your coworkers." Maybe outside of the .com world stuff is different.

I doubt a schlocky answer was ever the sole reason for my not hiring somebody, but plenty of them contributed.

[redqueen]

115. "Maybe outside of the .com world stuff is different."

I think so, yes.

[Recursion]

130. Well, we think of the rest of the economy as dinosaurs

(Or "prey" if they can be snapped up.)

This comparison is playing a little too easily into the "generational" analysis that's gotten probably too much mileage already. But maybe there's something to that; I feel very much at home in businesses where that kind of answer is actively discouraged, and I'd feel very much in an alien landscape in a company that encouraged that sort of thing (fortunately, being a UNIX administrator, I'm pretty much bound to be in the former). In my imagination, that kind of company (the mythical "dinosaurs" we've spent the past 15 years trying to not be like -- like most techs I started working pretty young) is made up of old men in red and blue diagonally striped ties (see the "pastel tie" thread...).

Then again (and not to generalize too much), the kind of -- I won't say hostility, because for the most part it's not, but I guess ambivalence or hesitancy -- against Obama I'm seeing, now that we've brought up this subject, does in a very basic level remind me of the ambivalence or hesitancy when we would go consult in an "old economy" company. I'm not really sure how the parallel would work; at the job site it was pretty clearly because we were making changes that could very well cost someone his or her job. And talking about "displacement" in a larger sense gets back too much, again, to the over-touted "generation" difference (I know too many young HRC supporters and old Obama supporters to buy into that too much). But -- and here I'm going to very subjectively talk about my response to people's expression of worry about Obama, which may well not correspond to their intention or feelings when they make that expression -- I can't get over the sense of "who do these kids in blue jeans think they are?" that I very distinctly feel in both situations.

Or I'm just projecting my work experience onto the current political situation.

[redqueen]

I think you might be.

Only you would know for sure.

FWIW, my hesitance to support Obama isn't because I'm a old-style corporation-lovin fuddy duddy or just an 'old woman' (as some idiotic 'look at me! i'm so hot!' obama supporter here once oh-so-thoughtfully theorized)...

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. Edwards deserved to be mocked for that answer!

He was asked to admit a weakness, and unlike Obama who talked about a real weakness (messiness), Edwards gave a phony, self-aggrandizing bullshit platitude. So did Clinton. Obama is joking about in speeches as a way of contrasting his relative lack of political "slickness".

[redqueen]

23. Edwards and Clinton answered the way every high school student

and job seeker in this frickin country are coached to answer it.

Great job getting the "phony" canard in there. Well done! :thumbsup:

By the way, being overly emotional IS actually a weakness. And that's what John said he did... so... whatever.

[KittyWampus]

36. canard? you just admit two candidates used a canned, insincere answer that's the norm

for MOST job seekers.

And yet you object to the use of the word "phony".

LOL!

[redqueen]

40. There's a link in my sig. "The Press vs. John Edwards"

Yes, "phony" is a label the whore media apparently so successfully painted Edwards with, that even democrats are using it. Just like they do with Hillary.

And yes, I just "admitted" (:wtf:) that politicians do political things. It's kind of sad to see Obama's still so burned up by flubbing his answer (despite its winning him people's adoration... people whose critera seem equally meaty as those who thought Bush would be a "nice guy to have a beer with") that he's still insulting a candidate who isn't even in the race anymore.

Classy.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

44. All politicians are phony from time to time.

Edwards was phony at that particular moment. It's not a reflection on the man as a whole, IMO.

[redqueen]

47. Then why tag him with it?

If they're all phony, why feed the right wing spew?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

41. Well, Edwards WAS phony with that answer.

Very obviously so. Not one of his finer moments in the debates, that's all.


Sorry if this is touching some kind of nerve with you this morning. :shrug:

[redqueen]

45. What's touching a nerve is the right wing spew, the classlessness of Obama

to still be insulting someone not even in the race... and the apparent ignorance of SO MANY on this thread, who are shamelessly attempting to defend such a childish, classless move on Obama's part.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

56. Ooookay. (stepping backwards quietly......)

Bye now. Try to have a nice day.

[redqueen]

58. Classy!

[The Traveler]

51. **yawn** Incredible insights around here

Edwards' answer spoke to what he saw as a flaw in the process by which he arrives at decisions. In this case, the emotional response he mentioned in the oft mocked debate response.

Now, a thinking person (rare around here these days) would consider all the implications of that remark and observe that one person you do NOT want making decisions on the basis of emotional response is the President of the United States. Not being an idiot, Edwards knew that when he answered the question so he was actually being honest about a possible real downside to his inner approach to things.

But, of course, people who cannot think things through will interpret this in different ways. See what happens when someone actually tries to give an introspective answer around here?

Here's another possible interpretation. Poor Barack. He is so inadequate at introspection he believes his worst character flaw is an organizational deficiency.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

59. You could interpret it that way

Or you could conclude, as I did, that Edwards was giving the kind of pandering, cheesy non-answer that people typically give when in situations where they're putting their best face forward.

Honestly, it's not that big of a deal. And neither is Obama's joke.

[JPZenger]

146. Its just a joke, and it was funny

Lighten up people. Obama has been joking that the other two candidates pretended that their strength was actually their weakness. It wasn't an attack on anyone.

[BlackVelvet04]

60. Unlike Obama who showed the stupidity of the rookie

he is, Edwards KNEW the question was designed to get him to say something that could and would later be used against him. He and Hillary didn't give them what they wanted. Obama did because he's naive and that's why the republicans will eat him for lunch.

[Recursion]

94. I can imagine the right-wing attack machine now:

"He has a messy desk! SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!"

I can also imagine a lot of voters' eyes glazing over when they hear "I help the poor so much I sometimes throw my back out" or whatever and noticing that rather than that schlock Obama honestly discussed one of his weaknesses, which is something voters want to know about a potential President.

[BlackVelvet04]

119. No....

he's a terrible administrator who can't be trusted to keep track of the details.

And trust me....his messy desk isn't his worst fault.

[foxer]

169. "I lose things" is a heart felt answer? It's just as phony

[Iceburg]

17. Obama's derisive sense of humor ... shallow, McCainish, unpresidential ...

Hillary's and Obama's Top 10 Campaign promises on Letterman
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/04/open-thread-711/

[mrreowwr_kittty]

48. Obama: The Candidate For People Without A Stick Up Their Ass

I'm happy to be in his camp. :)

[Iceburg]

63. One of the Obama-McClurkin cured gays, I presume? Good luck in "the camp" kid/nt

[mrreowwr_kittty]

Somehow I think a camp for ex-gay fundies would actually be more enjoyable

Than spending any amount of time with some of you humorless stick-up-the-ass drama queen DUers.

And that's just sad.

[jlake]

20. Obama is a thug.

How classless is it to mock Edwards?

His cruel remarks to Hillary and this show a very unflattering, petty side of Obama.

[Tarheel_Dem]

30. all in the eye of the beholder.....

The use of the word "cruel" is a bit over the top, IMHO.

[jlake]

34. Guess so. Bush fooled alot of people into thinking he was a nice, caring guy too.

[Tarheel_Dem]

42. and hillary fooled a lot of us into thinking she was a Democrat too...

your point?

[jlake]

77. You are a thug as well.

[Tarheel_Dem]

164. takes one to know one, i guess?

don't know quite how to respond to such a childish jab....

[Recursion]

95. Wait, I thought he was a doe-eyed naif who wasn't nearly tough enough for the GE?

Seems like it's kind of damned-if-he-does and damned-if-he-doesn't.

[jlake]

104. He should be trashing Republicans - NOT Democrats not even in the race anymore.

:eyes:

[Recursion]

108. You seriously think *that* was "trashing"?

Hell that's barely an "attack"; he called them out for giving an insincere answer.

If you think that was savage you're going to have a rude eye-opening in the general election...

[jlake]

110. I don't think it was very harsh - but uncalled for and divisive criticism that

should be turned toward the GOP.
Trust me - I know the savage treatment that is coming at our candidate in the GE.

[Catchawave]

97. Obama's "Tammy Faye" moment is what comes to my mind :( n/t

[redqueen]

101. What are you talking about?

:shrug:

[Catchawave]

174. Oops....meant Karla Faye Tucker

The woman Bush mocked when she pleaded for clemency.

[redqueen]

177. Oh... yeah...

I remember that. x(

[cali]

38. bwahahaha

that's as stupid as Hillary is a witch.

Obama's been making that joke since Nevada when both Hilly and JE answered a question about their faults with a strength. It's certainly not proof that he's a thug.

Only the utterly delusional or terminally stupid would make such a claim.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

66. This is projection

Somehow the fact that John Edwards did not succeed in his presidential bid has become Obama's fault and people are focusing on the most trivial things to justify that belief.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

68. He's uppity too. nt

[jlake]

129. There you are again injecting race into the debate.

:eyes:

[Recursion]

141. "Thug" is a very racially charged word, in some contexts

Though originally it described a gang of I believe Dravidians in India (someone correct me), it now can have very powerful racial overtones when used to describe an African American male.

Because I don't do the faux-outrage schtick, I want to make clear I'm not saying you implied those overtones, just that it can be in particular a perilous word to use, and that thecatburglar was (rather gently) pointing that out.

[mnhtnbb]

127. He has a very high opinion of himself, bordering on arrogant a$$hole.

[jlake]

131. Bordering?!?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mnhtnbb]

138. I was waiting to see if I'd get flamed or affirmed. Thanks!

:hi:

[ursi]

28. the victim-playing around here is getting old, Even John Edwards is not playing victim like this.

[redqueen]

29. Hey I never welcomed you I don't think... welcome to DU. You've sure racked up a lot of posts!

:hi:

[flyarm]

31. WOW ..amazing coming from a dem candidate who's wife says she doesn't know if she could vote DEM

if her hubby loses..

isn't that sweet...and people for Obama have the damn nerve to tell me i have to vote for Obama is he is our candidate..when your candidates wife doesn't know if she could vote for Hillary if her fucking husband loses!!

so who will she vote for ? McCain??????????

let these twits keep it up..they are losing adults in the bucketfuls!!


and Obama mocks the poor?? lovely...from a spoiled papmpered brat from the most expensive private school in Hawaii...how lovely..and this from a guy who goes to South Carolina and fakes a southern accent..what a phony ass!

fly

[Tarheel_Dem]

39. you, sir, are a liar. I ask you to revisit that quote/video clip

Michelle Obama never said she wouldn't "vote" for HRC, but that's a great soundbite for the haters. Your post is so full of lies, I won't even bother.

[Straight Shooter]

32. The crux of the article is key to the story.

In a humorous riff, Obama mentioned a debate in which Tim Russert had asked him, “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Obama went on: “Well, I’m always losing paper. And so I have to have somebody around me to help me file things and keep my desk clean.”

Obama then said Russert had asked Edwards the same question.

“And he says, ‘Well, I am just so passionate about helping poor people,’” Obama said dryly.

This is known as making a joke at someone else's expense. Sounds like faint mockery. I bet Rezko doubled up in laughter when he first heard Barack make that joke.

Notice that Barack was the one who brought up Edwards' response so he could mock it. It wasn't Russert who brought it up and then asked Barack to comment.

[Catchawave]

176. And that wasn't what Edwards said :)

JE never mentioned poor people. I'm calling it a mock, and a bad one at that.

[1776Forever]

33. Come on - So Edwards can do NO wrong? He did fluff off the question - Obama was honest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edwards has faults too but none he wants you to see or admit. AND I am disappointed that he and Gore and other did not come out and give their support to Hillary or Barack! What do they want to do just want in the wings for whoever wins??? :argh:

[jsamuel]

35. Obama misquotes him and he is being honest? REAL QUOTE

"I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me."

Also well after Edwards is out of the race, so there is no need to go after him anyway.

[redqueen]

49. Shameful...

just shameful.

[BlackVelvet04]

69. He was stupid.

It was a rookie mistake.

[IsItJustMe]

83. Come on, "loosing papers" is honest. Yep, horrible weakness.

[gaspee]

46. Or it could be

that Obama is an ass.

One of the reasons I don't like him is that he reminds me of the idiot in chief - cruel and mean and petty. This is not the first time he has behaved this way...

[Tellurian]

73. and wait...should he ever gain the 'seat of power'..

that smirk of a smile will turn into a permanent 'sneer' you'll see posted everywhere as the norm for the would be dictator..

[TexasObserver]

53. No, he didn't mock John Edwards.

What an absurd accusation.

[redqueen]

57. What makes you think it wasn't mocking?

He paraphrased Edwards' answer in a condescending manner.

What do you call that?

[Seabiscuit]

84. Oh, brother. And if he said: "Why is Chelsea Clinton

so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno" you'd think that was just peachy keen as well.

Another jackass supporter of an ass-hat of a candidate.

[Name removed]

163. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Occam Bandage]

55. Oh, come on. Edwards schmaltzed out of that question. "Oh, I care TOO MUCH about the poor!"

[mrreowwr_kittty]

62. "Schmaltzed" Very good word. Accurate.

I can't believe there's an entire thread being devoted to this non-issue.

[jsamuel]

71. for the 20th time in this thread - REAL QUOTE

"I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me."

[Occam Bandage]

74. Yeah. And that's schmaltzing out. "I...I just care too much."

[jsamuel]

75. It is a misquote that Obama uses to mock Edwards (a candidate no longer in the race).

[Seabiscuit]

143. Don't expect

"ignored" to acknowledge the obvious when he/she/it's struggling with cognitive dissonance.

[Azathoth]

76. Ah, so Edwards' biggest weakness is that he's not a psychopath n/t

[Yanez Houston Jordan]

61. I want to like Obama, but just as I try to get past Donnie McClurkin and his crappy health insurance

etc., Obama does something to remind me that he's more hype than substance.

I'm glad that I have until March 4 to choose a candidate because, as things stand today, I'd vote Edwards notwithstanding his suspension of his campaign.

[Seabiscuit]

64. Obama just keeps showing himself more and more behind the mask of Mr. Nice Guy.

Nothing this guy shows me is anything authentic and righteous. He is mean spirited as they come just like his friends Dubya and Reagan. :puke:

[Azathoth]

65. Edwards' and Clinton's answers are the reason people think politicians are completely inauthentic

Their answers were blatant attempts at pandering, maudlin and insincere.

The fact that Politico is suddenly 'discovering' this joke -- after Obama has been using it for weeks -- is very telling.

[Marie26]

67. Good luck with that Edwards endorsement. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

165. I don't think either campaign is sitting around waiting for one....

Obama certainly doesn't seem to need it. As a former Edwards supporter, the group that I belonged to here in N.C. didn't have to think twice about where our support was going, and it certainly ain't HRC. Never a question....

[sniffa]

70. And I care too much about what some self-important DUers think

That is my biggest weakness.

Vote Sniffa!!

[ShortnFiery]

72. Oh, the political ruling class, politico.com, that George W. Bush promotes in his press conferences?

THAT Politico.com? Oh boy, I'm a hangin' off of every word they print. :eyes: :thumbsdown:

[AtomicKitten]

88. especially when it is regurgitated here ad nauseam

:thumbsup:

[RestoreGore]

78. To me Obama comes off as very arrogant and cocky

Jfk he ain't.

[Bluenorthwest]

79. All three played politics on that question

I'm messy as all get out and I'd also bet the ranch that Michelle would not honestly pick 'being untidy' as Barack's biggest fault. I can see with my own eyes larger faults in him than that one. The other two also pulled the punches on that question.
A three way draw. As usual.

[stevenleser]

81. This is a loser for all concerned, IMHO...

... if you go to any one of those outplacement firms that coach you on how to interview for a job, they tell you to give the same kind of answers that Hillary and Edwards gave to that question. I think virtually every interview you are asked that question. You are supposed to turn it around and make it into a quasi-strength.

Its nice that Obama decided to be honest, but it is also understandable that Edwards and Clinton gave the standard interview answer. Neither one did anything particularly bad or good by doing this, but both groups and candidates are being silly about it afterwards, IMHO.

[jsamuel]

82. The only one being silly about it afterwords is Obama.

[redqueen]

102. How are the candidates being silly about it?

Please tell me what you mean by that...

[mrgorth]

86. This thread

is a disgusting lie. He's not "mocking Edwards". It's a fucking anecdote.

[jsamuel]

87. Obama mocked Edwards using a false misquote.

[Indenturedebtor]

89. Oh come on

I was an Edwards supporter at the time, and still would be if he was in the race, and he and Hillary gave yuck responses. Obama gave an honest response and HRC tried to nail him for it over the next few days and at the debate.

Lets put the victim card back in the deck please. You all know deep down that Edwards and Clinton fluffed that off, and in a way were dishonest.

Furthermore it does seem to be a viable distinction: Obama did answer the question honestly.

[redqueen]

105. So because he answered honestly, it's okay for him to derisively mock other candidates?

Seriously?

[Recursion]

132. Why not?

Now, obviously, having a messy desk is probably not actually his worst weakness. But let's say it was. If he was answering honestly and the other candidates didn't, then yes, I think he does have every right to mock them. He put something out there and they spun.

HINT: this is exactly something likely-nominee John McCain does, too.

[redqueen]

136. Right. (nt)

[foxer]

171. His was just as much fluff, They just had more time.

[Recursion]

90. *shrug* I thought it was a good moment

This isn't an interview for administrative assistant or high school class president. I thought Clinton's and Edwards' answers were disingenuous and I thought Obama called them on it. He wasn't claiming that Edwards doesn't actually care about poverty (he's praised them for that); he was just pointing out it's an insincere answer to the question.

[Catchawave]

91. I self-deleted my thread, as the whiners kept kicking it.....lol.

Thanks for xposting this link.

[Little Star]

100. Nothing like stealing a kidney before the guy is dead.

[AtomicKitten]

103. Obama gave a self-depracating speech poking fun at himself -- no diss on anyone else.

The fact that this was discussed ad nauseam and regurgitated on a regular basis lends credence to the notion that folks here are running out of ammunition.

[Infinite Hope]

106. Big deal. n/t

[polichick]

107. I was an Edwards supporter when he answered this way in the debate...

And even I groaned ~ it was so obviously a political bullshit answer, as was Hillary's.

Obama uses it as an example of politics as usual on the stump ~ very effectively.

[redqueen]

112. Except it's not "politics as usual"...

it's something people are coached to do from the time they graduate high school (for college apps) all the way to the most senior executives, interviewing as candidates for high-level positions.

It's really amazing to see so many fell for Obama's attempt to make hay out of this quite meaningless non-issue. Speaks to his "charisma", I suppose. And stunning lack of awareness, to boot.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

114. i think it says more about a number of people on DU who try to make this into an big issue n/t

[redqueen]

116. He's the one who keeps saying it... if he'd stop with the childish attacks

there'd be nothing to discuss.

:think:

[polichick]

121. The way he uses it is not an attack, but an example...

And a very good one!

[redqueen]

123. Twisting someone's words and using them in a condescending manner

is an attack.

[flyarm]

140. it is an attack..go play your games with the *bots..you have it figured out well!!

how sad to see this ignorance from our side of the isle..how horribly sad...it makes me sick..i have watched this shit from the little lord pissy pants camp for years..now i see id daily here from the Obama camp..makes me puke..you are not doing your candidate a favor ..nor is he helping himself.

fly

[polichick]

148. Ridiculous...

Both Edwards (whom I supported) and Clinton had a chance to answer that question honestly ~ and both of them gave typical bullshit politics-as-usual answers. Your anger is misplaced.

[flyarm]

153. go play your silly games with someone else..please..this is politics..grownups know what was said

and done..politicians do not go into debates unprepared for every question..Obama hasn't figured that out yet..now go move along..your candidate fucked up and now he is trying to smear and mock others to cover up his own fuck ups...

it won;t fly and he is making a fool of himself..not edwards..but himself and you are making a fool of yourself supporting this type of bullshit!

like i said you are not helping your candidate...

i can't stand Hillary..but i now can't stand obama worse..because of the foolishness and childishness of his behavior and that of his followers!!

you act like a damn cult.

fly

[polichick]

155. And you act like a child having a tantrum...

Are you really a Democrat?? Adult Dems who care about taking back the WH support all of our candidates, not just our first choices.

[flyarm]

159. Elected democratic delegate for my state in 2004..and you??????? eom

[polichick]

162. 30+ year activist who finds the whining on this board absurd. nt

[flyarm]

133. seems to me TIME was making it into a big issue as well yesterday

and it seems to me Obama people will dismiss anything he does or says ..just like the *bot people have..am i surprised you are not offended by this..not at all..i expect it from the ipod kids!!


TIME- video of Obama Sun. mocking Edwards

http://thepage.time.com/2008/02/03/obama-forgets-edward... /
Uses old gibe about debate answer Sunday to mock former rival whose supporters he is supposed to be courting.
What a nice touch- mocking Edwards for his debate admission that his compassion for the poor is also his weakness.

Obama is making my decisions for me..


from an Edwards supporter...i can't even hold my nose for this bullshit!!..fly

[flyarm]

139. it says everything to me about the people supporting this bullshit from their candidate..

it screams *shbot ..to me..yes i have been around too long and seen the *shbots make every excuse for little lord pissy pants...and you Obama people are emulating them exactly..

don't blame others for recognizing what we have been watching for years on the repuke side.

We see it loud and clear..and you are playing the game like a good sheeple would!!

fly

[polichick]

118. It is politics as usual, whether you're talking business politics...

...or gov't politics ~ and it's still bullshit.

It's not at all a "non-issue" ~ people are sick of that stuff, and it will show at the polls.

[redqueen]

122. Yes, they are sick of meaningless crap, and so will vote based on... meaningless crap.

Yay!

[milkyway]

117. So you really think Edwards's biggest weakness is he feel's others pain too much?

That's regarded as a weakness by you and by Edwards?

Or maybe Edwards pretty much ignored the question and turned it into a chance to reflect postively on himself (something politicians have been known to do from time-to-time).

Obama's point is that he didn't have the sense to act like a typical politician, whereas Edwards and Clinton did. How is that "mocking" Edwards?

And you shouldn't be using a rightwing rag like politico.com to frame things for you.

[redqueen]

120. "(something politicians have been known to do from time-to-time)"

Is it REALLY this unknown? This tactic?

:wtf:

[mnhtnbb]

124. Just you wait, Obama. What goes around comes around.

[flyarm]

128. TIME- video of Obama Sun. mocking Edwards

i posted this Sunday and monday...

TIME- video of Obama Sun. mocking Edwards

http://thepage.time.com/2008/02/03/obama-forgets-edward... /
Uses old gibe about debate answer Sunday to mock former rival whose supporters he is supposed to be courting.
What a nice touch- mocking Edwards for his debate admission that his compassion for the poor is also his weakness.

Obama is making my decisions for me..

[Orangepeel]

134. Oh, please. Edwards and Clinton gave job interview answers and Obama whiffed it.

So now he is making a mildly funny and inoffensive joke. It isn't like he is talking about the hair.

[flyarm]

154. i do not find it funny nor innofensive..because Obama wasn't prepared for a grown up debate..

and now mocks others who were.


and why doesn't Obama discuss Romney spending $300.00 on make-up classes instead of his fellow Dem's??

oh yeah this is a man who said he doesn't know if his delegates will ge turned over to hillary if he loses...way to unite our party don'tcha think?

Obama is for Obama..period and he is a vengeful person,gee where have i seen that shit before??????????????

fly

[Orangepeel]

168. they should have asked him what kind of tree he would be

Obama gave a bad answer to a trivial question. Edwards and Clinton both gave a "good" answer -- which to that particular question was necessarily meaningless. It is clear to me, because I am not intent on misinterpreting what he said, that he was mocking the question rather than John Edwards.

[Seabiscuit]

137. This was a very poorly written article.

From the article it's hard to tell exactly what Obama's words were. The author throws quotation marks around a bunch of things Obama didn't say.

[Strelnikov_]

142. No, not really.

Obama is commenting on his missing the pat answer.

The 'pundits' are the ones spinning this as 'mocking'.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

144. Obama has a mean streak in him - very petty....

n/t

[twenty4blackbirds]

145. By their deeds you judge them, not by fine words

He didn't want to compromise his stance against corporations, the corporations tread on the poor - bankruptcy laws, anyone? hence he hasn't got much funding from corporations unlike the two D front runners.

And it is his weakness because the corporate media failed to give appropriate coverage to this candidate who came No. 2 in the first primary.

So his campaign is suspended (not ended).

I am oversimplifying, but Edwards really does care about the pain he sees around him, and he truthfully acknowledges that it is his weakness because he is determined to change things.

What I get now from the people mocking Edward's statement is that they need more empathy or simply a belief that yes, there is actually a rich white man who is committed to changing America one small step at a time. They mocked Al Gore when he was running too, because they were too cynical.

It is by their deeds you judge them, not their fine words.

(edit for better subject-line)

[TwilightGardener]

149. A mock-worthy answer gets mocked. Hee! It was so cheesy. Ack.

[Catchawave]

178. Making "funnies" at another's expense is so Bushey. Ack. n/t

[CreekDog]

152. My greatest weakness is

That I would sacrifice my own life for the cause of world peace, which would leave the world without someone like me. :cry:

:sarcasm:

[CyberPieHole]

156. Obama the great "Uniter" shits on Edwards and thinks it's FUNNY!

How very telling of Obama.

[Straight Shooter]

157. Like I said, Rezko probably doubles up with laughter every time he hears Barack mock Edwards.

[Catchawave]

179. Edwards didn't mention "poor people".

"seeing pain around him" reflects on losing jobs, have sick children and no insurance, foreclosures....these are hardworking people.

Someone has the full quote up thread on the subject line.

[Carrieyazel]

160. Obama must be sore because Edwards, Richardson, Dodd and Biden aren't endorsing

That tells you a hell of a lot right there about Hillary and Obama. Four of the candidates who have ended their campaigns have a problem with both of our annoited candidates.

[surfermaw]

161. Edwards isn't going to endorse Obama

[foxer]

175. Anybody know any post where they talk issues? I'm jonesing