"For the first time in my adult life, I am proud to be an American."

[panader0]

Michelle Obama quote. Pat B. on MSNBC is going nuts about it, saying it was a horrible thing to say. Really? How old are you Pat B? How old is Michelle Obama? How much pride have you had as an American lately? I call B.S.

[Skittles]

1. I am guessing it is a poor choice of words

I doubt she meant it to sound like it did

[MADem]

6. I agree with you--just a bit of a verbiage fart, nothing to get ired about. NT

[Skittles]

24. they have to talk SOOOO much when campaigning

I cannot imagine everything I say being scrutinized by half the internet world - in cases like this I try to give the benefit of the doubt - did she mean the worst by that comment? To me that sounds ridiculous. Like with Kerry and his joke - something did not come across right.

[thunder rising]

11. I disagree ... I think it meant exactly what I've been saying and what the Dixie Chicks said and ...

If Pat (asshole) Buchanan has a problem with with it FUCK HIM.

[grantcart]

43. yeah but she was probably proud of the dixie chics it is nothing

but she needs to watch her phrasing. She is smart and she will learn from it.

[misanthrope]

30. I agree. Had she said...

"...I'm prouder now than I've ever been..." it would have been no big deal.

[theHandpuppet]

62. Yeah, I'm sure she didn't, either

I'm not going to hold something that trivial aginst her. Most folks here couldn't go on a campaign tour without eventually saying something that comes out all wrong. I'll leave the obsession over that gaffe to the GOP because it's the least of my worries.

[TwilightGardener]

2. "Really proud" is the real quote. MSNBC is using the doctored quote.

[sniffa]

7. yup

[itsrobert]

8. As opposed to "not really proud"?

Any way you slice it, a bad choice of words.

[Qutzupalotl]

Really = Very

[MonkeyFunk]

59. Sometimes

it can also mean "genuinely".

[Qutzupalotl]

69. So we're splitting hairs now?

You want to put a connotation in her mouth?

[MonkeyFunk]

72. LOL

you provided one usage of the word. I provided another.

Why am *I* the one splitting hairs? Why is YOUR connotation the "right" one?

She either meant she hasn't been very proud of her country, or she hasn't been genuinely or truly proud of her country. I'm not sure that one becomes an issue and the other one doesn't.

[Qutzupalotl]

81. Because it is

Who the FUCK would say they were faking their own patriotism all these years??

[BlackVelvet04]

9. Yeah, that really makes it sound soooooooooo much better....

:eyes:

[TwilightGardener]

16. "I'm not just baking cookies and standing by my man like some little Tammy Wynette"--

weird that Clinton fans are going after Michelle now, for an inelegant statement.

[BlackVelvet04]

37. It was a stupid comment for Hillary to make........

see how that works? You admit to the reality of things.

[TwilightGardener]

49. Everyone says things that are taken wrong, or are a bit too honest at times--especially

when you're not a politician yourself and are caught up in your campaign experience. Michelle has been a very-closely-watched and scrutinized woman during this race. She has held up pretty well, for being new to the national scene. I admire her, and her comment didn't offend me in the least, but some will make hay out of it anyway. I didn't think Hillary's comment was a big deal either--it didn't offend me.

[BlackVelvet04]

58. I didn't offend me either.....

I knew what Hillary was saying and I don't think (at least I hope not) that Michelle meant it the way it came out. It was a stupid comment and should be acknowledged as such and then it can go away.

[TwilightGardener]

63. I'm guessing she was speaking in a particular context that I didn't hear.

Either way, she'll learn from this that sound bites are sometimes not your friend, I'm sure.

[goodgd_yall]

56. Misquote

Since we're into setting the record straight on this thread, the actual quote by Hillary was:

"some little woman, standing by my man and baking cookies, like Tammy Wynette."

[TwilightGardener]

57. Well, OK--fair enough. I was going by memory.

[burythehatchet]

28. Indeed, it does.

[BlackVelvet04]

34. LOL sure it does. n/t

[burythehatchet]

44. Yes, we agree. n/t

[Divine Discontent]

50. you DO recall the Tammy slip of Hillary, right?

She became First Lady...

ha

[TwilightGardener]

52. Maybe controversy isn't all bad, after all! I didn't think that Tammy comment

was bad at all--I got mad at the press at the time for harping on it, actually.

[Divine Discontent]

86. that was my first time to vote

and it made me laugh, I assure you.

She's good enough to be pres, but I prefer the other dude.. lol

sure wish John would be VP or Atty General (preferably the prior, so he can sway policy).

[panader0]

33. Thank you. I knew it was bull. But even if it was what she really said,

I would agree. I haven't been proud for a while. We have the world's greatest political documents and ideals, but have a huge gap between them and our actions.

[mohc]

71. If the word "really" were not significant to the meaning of the quote

They would not be leaving it out in many of the places it is being quoted. Anyone that wants to comment on this needs to watch and listen to the speech, with at least a minute or so lead in to the quote. It is fairly clear she is using "really" to mean "very". I suppose Mrs. McCain could come and say she has always been and will always be very proud of her country, but the mere fact that "really" has been left out in the discussion of the speech shows that it is being twisted.

[Saturday]

3. It truly was a terrible thing to say especially for a nominee's wife!n/t

[thunder rising]

14. I loved it!

[rzemanfl]

46. If she'd said that. She didn't. This is a doctored quote. Why do

people still persist in believing the media?

[maddiejoan]

4. you don't have a husband running for POTUS

so --yeah --whether it's valid or not, it was stupid.

[lisa58]

40. I shudder to think what I would say...

...if my husband was running for president.

I'd make the news every night - and it wouldn't be flattering!

[stillrockin]

5. What has there been to be PROUD of in recent memory?

[sniffa]

12. or "really proud" of, as she actually said

and you're right.

[burythehatchet]

20. Try and estimate how many times over the next 24 hours you and I will

be making that correction. :mad:

[juajen]

67. We do have a lot to be proud of, even if we hate some of

the things going on as a result of this administration. Why do you think the world is still in love with the Clintons and hate the Bushes. Most of this world knows right from wrong.

That said, we had two Presidents who fought hard in many venues for relief for ravished countries. We have wonderful people from past Presidents and Vice Presidents to movie stars, to students from all over who lent their help, money and hearts to people destroyed by Katrina.

As you can see, I could go on and on.

Additionally, how proud are you of the wonderful Gores?

In conclusion, in America, our hearts are usually in the right place. We help the poor, disadvantaged, starving and homeless. So, even if we are discouraged right now because of the damage Bush & Co. have done to our country, and devastated over what we have done to Iraq, we have hope we can make the bad better, and the good wonderful.

[itsrobert]

19. Maybe we are confusing "thankful" with "proud"?

I'm both thankful and proud of my country.

[stellanoir]

26. bingo

If I was an African American I would truly feel encouraged by the resurgence of hope.

The reemergence of overt bigotry has been really disturbing of late. I thought we were long over that.

[Sapphocrat]

66. Call me corny, but...

...I was extremely proud of all my fellow Americans for the way we pulled together immediately after 9/11. There was no black, no white, no Left, no Right, no straight, no gay... We were AMERICANS, all of us.

I was also brought to tears by the unbelievable outpouring of support we got from every other nation on the planet -- even our worst enemies -- in the days that followed. I was simultaneously humbled with gratitude and indescribably PROUD to be an American.

If you can't think of anything to be proud of "in recent memory," I feel extremely sorry for you.

[MADem]

76. Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize.

So did Al Gore.

Things were good, and we were well regarded during the post Cold War era.

Million Man March?

She's been an adult for awhile.

That said, it was just an unfortunate choice of words. It WAS unfortunate, but who hasn't said the wrong thing every now and again.

[burythehatchet]

10. You quoted it incorrectly and completely changed the meaning.

[lisa58]

13. I completely understand why she would say that...

...Pat Buchanan is a white isolationist who thinks things were better BEFORE the civil war. A young girl from the south side of Chicago would be prouder now than ever before, of course she would, from her perspective this is probably true.

[FrenchieCat]

15. That's the Right Wing Version......the real version, the factual version and the

actual version is, "for the first time in my adult life, I am REALLY proud to be an American"....not that I haven't been proud of America all along, but at this time, I am REALLY proud!

Capiche?

[juajen]

79. Except that she did not say the last part at all. You are putting words in her mouth.

We could do the same, you know, put words in her mouth. But, we will not. She made a mistake. She has to live with it. Or maybe we could have a score card. If you forgive our goof, we'll forgive yours. HA! I didn't think so.

[rug]

17. She's buying into the old politics that the government is America.

[burythehatchet]

23. Yeesss, follow that....dig deeper...you're on to something there n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

18. Well, good for you!

[izzybeans]

21. Pat B. is one reason why there has been very little to be proud of in my adult life.

Fuck him.

[Cha]

61. You got it, izzybeans!

America is amazing right now with people all over the country joining in caucuses and voting in primaries who have never voted before..it's truly exciting! Michelle Obama ..right on sistah!

[redqueen]

22. They've been trying to make hay out of that all day...

it's nuts... free airtime for Obama, and sympathy for both Obamas because it's such a bullshit 'issue'.

This just shows that she's not a polished politician... this will only help, much like Barack's "messy desk" answer.

[Mike Nelson]

25. I think she probably has, or will, explain

what she meant.

[stillrockin]

32. There is nothing wrong with what she said. It is the truth.

[El Supremo]

27. The MSM and the Repukes are just using it as a wedge issue.

Like:

We are more patriotic.
They want to surrender.
They burn flags.

Same old tired crap.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

29. Why is it that these fucking conservatives can rail about our sinful culture

And how this country is going to hell until the cows come home and NOBODY calls them unpatriotic for it?

Fucking Falwell and Robertson claimed that God was bringing terrorist attacks and hurricaines to America because we suck so bad.

FUCK!! :nuke:

[calmblueocean]

82. What an excellent point.

Ask the conservatives if they think our country is immoral, and see what they say.

And how come they can all wave the freaking stars-and-bars flag, and that's sacrosanct? That was a seditionist republic that supported slavery -- it's like wearing a t-shirt with a swastika on it. But they're the *reaaaaal* patriots. :crazy:

[thereismore]

31. she said REALLY PROUD, not PROUD. nt

[Barack_America]

35. Misquote. You're taking Buchanan's lead.

The real quote is "REALLY proud to be an American".

What proud vs. really proud is, is subjective and personal.

[ExtraGriz]

36. have to give her a break

i dont think she meant this in the way the press are using it to portray her....but she still will have to deal with the hounding press until they have their next target in sight

[Ian David]

38. Pat Buchanan's family arrived in America and immediately worked to overthrow the government...

by joining The Confederacy.

It's been downhill for the Buchanan's since then.

[rzemanfl]

39. Bullshit. They left out "really" which left things like moderately

proud, middlingly proud, averagely proud, slightly proud, a little proud, a tiny bit proud, etc., etc. available to Michelle as feelings before now. This is this the kind of crap we can expect from Buchanan, Dobbs, O'Liely and their ilk.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

41. Yeah Pat how proud are you about Little Rock, F B I killing blacks

in their sleep, Southern cops and dogs, J F K, M L K, Bobby, Viet Nam, Iraq.

[lisa58]

54. He (Pat) loves Nixon...

...so the JFK, Bobby, Viet Nam - he probably has no problem with.

[Political Heretic]

42. I've never been poud to be an american in my adult life.

Sad, isn't it? :(

[goodgd_yall]

45. The RW is having a great day today with what Michelle said.

I'm seeing a first glimpse at the nature of the kind of attacks that the Republicans are going to use on Obama if he becomes our nominee. There was also talk about Obama's not wearing the flag pin.

[Buck Laser]

47. F_CK Pat Buchanan!

If this is gonna be typical of the issues the right has in its bag of tricks, they might as well give up right now.

[Hoof Hearted]

48. I don't watch MSNBC anymore, but it was on ABC radio today

And I've seen it discussed on CNN a few times already.

[Life Long Dem]

51. You really don't understand, really?

[Romulox]

53. Are we allowing Pat Buchanan to administer loyalty oaths to the candidates' spouses now?

:eyes:

[jgraz]

55. Bullshit story. This'll be off the news once the WI returns come in.

[mtnsnake]

60. That gaffe by Michelle will come back to haunt Obama if he gets the nod

What a pitiful thing to say, and I can't believe how some people are trying to claim she was taken out of context. Gimme a break

[Cheeseburger Walrus]

65. Manufactured drama...

...nothing more, and probably much less.

[BlackVelvet04]

68. Stick your head in the sand and pretend

none of this matters. It WILL matter if he gets the nomination. It will be played and dissected over and over again.

[Cheeseburger Walrus]

73. Hundreds of other

similarly imagined trespasses will be bellowed at the sky by the terminally offended, regardless of the nominee.

[calmblueocean]

90. What a well-worded post. Welcome to DU!

If there's one thing you can bet on from the Republicans, it's a well-honed sense of perpetual outrage at anything and everything Democratic candidates say.

[Cheeseburger Walrus]

91. Thank you...

...CALMBLUEOCEAN! I appreciate the welcome, and am grateful for the aside. Have a lovely evening! :hi:

[juajen]

77. Most of what's slung at Hillary Clinton is manufactured drama.

Unfortunately, it still sticks.

[Cheeseburger Walrus]

83. Teflon skin...

is a prerequisite for politics at this level. Senator Clinton has been under fire before and no doubt will again. It's raining from above, and coming from both sides.

[riverwalker]

64. Kerry redux

The Clintons are doing to Michelle what they did to Kerry and his "stuck in Iraq" gaffe. Everyone knew what he meant to say, but Hillary piled on along with the RW to attack Kerry at a vulnerable time.

[Obamanaut]

70. I can understand what she said and/or meant, based on my life.

Mrs ret88 and I have been married for over 40 years, and for most of them we've been content. Some of the time we were happy, but mostly content.

During our lifetimes we've seen social and cultural changes, and most of the time we've been content with them. I was saddened by Abu Ghraib. I was saddened by the assassinations of some of our really great leaders, by the murders of civil rights activists in our younger years, by the senseless death and mutilation of thousands of our own young men and women and many more thousands of innocent civilians who are caught up in the middle of it.

But now, in my lifetime, I am excited and proud to be able to witness a campaign of historic significance because of the participants. This is neat stuff!

[Sal Minella]

78. Very nicely said. REALLY nicely said! Thank you.

[Hoof Hearted]

89. Do you also understand that it won't matter, that they will do to her what they did to THK but

several times over?

Johnny's already worked it into his speech.

She gave them one hell of a sound bite/ video clip and they will run with it.

[THUNDER HANDS]

74. it's a bad quote

Even though I know what she means, it's stuff like that which can get swing people away from a candidate.

[Kokonoe]

75. This is the politics everyone is so tired of

We know what she meant and so do the people who think it was so horrible.

[calmblueocean]

80. Exactly. We all know what she meant. Every freaking person in this thread does.

We all have to pretend to be outraged. Good grief.

Somebody better alert me to what the new patriotism standards are right now, or else I'm likely to say something too, and get deported to Gitmo. But I'm proud of that! I'm proud of Gitmo! Super-ass dig-a-ding-dang-dong proud! And the more folks we kill, and torture, and the more wars we start, the pah-ROUDER I is!

:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:

[Neshanic]

84. No, tell me what she meant. I don't get it. The Obama gang "gets it".

Don't emulate republicans with spinning things that are that blatant. You are not that good.

She said something that she thinks about obviously, and surprise! She said it.

[calmblueocean]

88. Here's the way Republicans act.

It's a well-known Rethug trope to pick out a single word or a single quote, and swoon over it, working themselves into fits of transparently phony outrage.

Remember John Kerry's "botched joke"? Check.

Remember the debate where Kerry mentioned Cheney's gay daughter, and the endless accusations that came after that? I do.

This is what they do.

Michelle Obama says she's feeling "really proud" of this country for the first time in her adult life because it feels like people are ready to make big changes and work together. How shocking! OMG! Swoon! How dare she!

They want to turn her expression of pride in the country into an expression of being ashamed of America, the same way they tried to turn Kerry's joke about Bush into a joke about the troops. Personally, I'm sick of these kind of meaningless media seizures. I'm tired of people who buy into these waves of passing mania that come and go like clockwork. I felt this way back in 2004 when the media orgasmed over the Dean Scream, destroying a fine candidate over what was basically a microphone quirk, or how they did the same thing wil Al Gore in 2000, turning him into the "invented the internet" candidate.

The reason they keep doing it is because it works. They use outrage to snowball tiny gaffes -- and things that aren't even gaffes -- into whole movements of hollow rage and ridicule. Maybe you want to do that too. Some people do. Count me out.

[Kokonoe]

93. well said

[Neshanic]

94. ""really proud" of this country for the first time in her adult life"

Pretty basic there. So sad we could not fit the bill for a millionaire lawyer.

[Barack_America]

85. So MSNBC has now edited out the "REALLY".

I shit you not. First their clip had an audio issue at that word. So apparently they fixed it by just removing the key word.

Good Lord. :eyes:

[calmblueocean]

87. I've been trying to figure that out all day.

I couldn't tell whether it was clips from different speeches, or what. If it's true that they actually edited out a word, that's just unconscionable.

[Barack_America]

96. I'm still not sure if it was the same speech myself.

If it has been edited out, it was well done.

[ShortnFiery]

92. Excellent point. Far too many racist RWers wrap themselves up in the flag and "blow smoke"

it's B.S. spin. Pat needs to retire. :(

[Splinter Cell]

95. Is she wrong?

When you have to fight to the death to move the country forward and it seems like you have to drag everyone kicking and screaming along the way, it's hard to be upbeat.

I love my country, but sometimes it's hard.