I think both Senators looked bad today

[Truthiness Inspector]

I think Senator Clinton came across as angry. Her speech/reaction could have been thought through a little (or a lot) better and been more diplomatic.

I think Senator Obama came off as patronizing, pretending to be unruffled by a hysterical woman (the impression I sadly think he was trying to deliver) when clearly the comments did in fact bother him.

Politics can be ugly, and today was evidence of that. Let's hope it gets better and not worse...trying to be an optimist here.

[MADem]

1. I thought she looked GREAT at the SOBU! NT

[MadBadger]

6. All those golf claps she received.

[LadyVT]

21. Me, too

[Madam Mossfern]

2. How do you think Obama should have responded?

I thought he came off as unflustered. I didn't read that as patronizing. What do you think he should have said or done that would be better?

[FrenchieCat]

3. Looking at this video, Barack didn't seem that bothered.....loved his big smile.....so great!

Video of Barack, looking classy and cool and with a biggo smile!
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/02/23/obama.speech.cnn

[texas_indy]

11. Yep, Obama came out a winner big time today. He looks presidential, she did not. (nt)

[Johnny__Motown]

4. if you were falsely accused the way he was you would be bothered too

[Cha]

5. Your username has a certain Orwellian ring to it.

..and how the heck do you know what Obama was thinking? hilary's excessiveness was in plain view but you pretend to read Obama's mind to make your equal opportunity point..doesn't fly.

[dchill]

25. "Orwellian ring"

In a Colbertian kind of way. :)

[Cha]

29. Exactamundo!

:)

[Drunken Irishman]

7. What did you think Obama should have done, gone to her level?

And attack her? I think he did pretty well and looked very presidential, where she looked like an amature.

[jenmito]

8. Huh? Obama came off as patronizing by "pretending to be unruffled"? So you're faulting him

for responding in a calm way? He'd look bad if he responded in the same angry way SHE acted. But he responded appropriately. Do you have something against an unruffled response? :shrug:

[Truthiness Inspector]

15. You have a good point

And I apparently didn't articulate myself very well. For me (not everyone, just me) it bothers me when someone pretends to be calm when he/she is actually angry.

Open anger isn't appealing either, which is what Senator Clinton displayed.

I don't think either one came out a winner today, which was my initial point. I'd like to see the candidates stick to the issues they are passionate about and that they are offering to us, the people. If/when their platforms are misrepresented, offer clarificaton and substantiation. I realize I'm being overly optimistic on this matter, because it is politics after all.

[tabasco]

19. You said:

"it bothers me when someone pretends to be calm when he/she is actually angry.

Open anger isn't appealing either..."


Ohhhhkay. So I suppose there's nothing Obama could have done to please you. Funny that.

There's a word, "tact", in the dictionary. Look it up. It is a good leadership trait.

[Truthiness Inspector]

22. Tact is good

They both could have used it to their advantage.

They could have also been more diplomatic, as the matter here is about policies not personalities.

A tactful response by either of the two parties could have been, "While this mailer/response is upsetting, I offer X, Y, and Z. Clearly we differ on opinion here, but here is why my position is the correct one..."

I think they were on opposite ends of the continuum here. One showing open anger and the other trying to conceal that same anger. They were both angry, no doubt.

[jenmito]

26. How do you know he was PRETENDING to be calm?

What if he really WASN'T angry? Do you know him personally? We saw how Hillary acted. She may very well have NOT been angry but pretended to be angry to look strong. You don't know. Neither do I. We can only go by what they do and say.

[Forkboy]

9. Expect to get blasted by the histrionic supporters of both.

You're trying to be fair, never a popular position to take in GD-P. :)

[yourguide]

10. Well, should indicate more to come:

If someone could post this as a new thread I would appreciate it. It explains her Jekyll-Hyde behavior


http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8651.html

Clinton plans mix of sharp and soft

By: John F. Harris and Mike Allen
Feb 23, 2008 07:41 PM EST
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Aides wrestle with strategy dilemma on how sharply HRC should make case that Obama is unprepared.


As her campaign makes what could be its last stand, aides are wrestling with a strategy dilemma centering on how sharply Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) should make the case that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is unprepared to be commander in chief in an age of urgent national security challenges.

Mark Penn, the campaign’s chief strategist, has argued that Clinton should press this line aggressively, emphasizing substantive contrasts, according to Democrats with long ties to the Clintons.

Other advisers fret that Clinton — facing an uphill climb at best — should not advance arguments that would give the likely Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, ammunition in a general election if Obama winds up as the Democratic nominee.

Friends say former President Bill Clinton thinks health care is a more promising front: It is an issue liberals care about. And there is scant prospect that McCain would attack Obama for being too cautious and incremental on health care.

But McCain surely would invoke any comments from Clinton that Obama might imperil national security through inexperience or naive views.

The stakes for the Clintons, immediately and for the long term, are high. If Hillary Clinton attempts to disembowel Obama and fails, there might be a backlash that could reduce her stature in the Senate and Bill Clinton’s reputation as an elder statesman.

The more gentle strategy was on display at Thursday’s debate in Austin, Texas, where Clinton railed on the inadequacy of Obama’s health care plan but generally did not go for the jugular on his fitness to be president.

Aides say that in the final week, she’ll emphasize both a ready-to-be-president message and her softer side, which they call their “showing Hillary” approach.

On Saturday, Clinton showed her determination to fight on, furiously denouncing Obama's attacks over health care and trade.

Aides say that in the next several days, she’ll hold high-profile events devoted to national security, the economy and poverty.

“In the coming week,” Penn told Politico, “Sen. Clinton will show that she is the one ready to be commander in chief, manage the economy and defeat John McCain. She will both present her plans on direction to take the country, in settings like an economic summit, and show how Sen. Obama has said one thing in his speeches and another in his negative mailers.”

[ErnestoG]

12. Obama what? Would you have preferred he also go batshit nuts?

His response was perfectly appropriate. I swear, some of you people...

[alteredstate]

13. Obama handled himself extremely well today.

How do you think he should have responded to this attack?

[BeyondGeography]

14. Obama should have looked more rattled and shown less composure

:freak:

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. This whole primary season stinks and it is so very depressing!

And in the end, we will have President McCain. How depressing is that?

[tigereye]

20. no, I don't think we will have President McCain

he's a poor candidate who is disliked by much of his party.

[Straight Shooter]

17. Thank you for sharing your honest perception.

I'm willing to admit she came across as angry. I'd be angry, too. With Hillary, though, it's always damned if she does, damned if she doesn't. But Obama can do noooo wrong.

[sandnsea]

18. I think he was amused

and trying not to laugh out loud at her ridiculous rant. Politics can be ugly and Hillary's entire campaign has been evidence of that. It isn't going to get any better because she doesn't know how to make it better. That ought to be clear by now.

[AtomicKitten]

23. Pretending? He WAS unruffled by a hysterical woman.

[dchill]

27. Exactly.

The OP apparently finds something inherently sexist in anything the man does. She falls further behind every time her campaign gives her a new talking point. :)

[msongs]

24. if obama can put up with his wife, putting up with hillary should be no prob

michelle obama and hillary clinton are very similar in public deportment.

msongs

[Beacool]

28. As far as I'm concerned, Obama always comes off as patronizing.

His arrogant comments such as: "you're likeable enough, Hillary", "the claws come out", "when she periodically feels bad" are more than enough for me.