Obama: Hillary Throwing "the China" at Me

[ruggerson]

Obama: Hillary Throwing "the China" at Me
April 20, 2008 9:57 AM

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-hillary-t.html

In Downingtown, Penn., Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, took the remark by the Clinton campaign -- that she would be employing the "kitchen sink" strategy against him -- a step further.

"You know over the last several weeks since she fell behind, she's resorted to what's called 'kitchen sink' strategies," Obama said, per ABC News' Sunlen Miller. "She's got the kitchen sink flying, and the china flying, and the, you know, the buffet is coming at me.

"And, you know, look, I come from Chicago, I know politics is hard, you know, it's not for the feint of heart, I understand that," Obama continued. "But when we end up involved in these constant distractions, these petty, trivial slash-and-burn, back-and-forth, tit-for-tat politics so that we no longer talk about the things that the American people care about, that may be good for the television ratings, but it's not good for you."

Forgoing for a moment any discussion over the "china" metaphor -- certainly one that, intended or not, feeds into the "harridan" caricature of Clinton -- how on earth can Obama with a straight face decry these "distractions" when his campaign that very same day organized a conference call to harp on Clinton's Bosnia-sniper-fire gaffe?

On that call, veterans of the conflict in Bosnia who support Obama attacked Clinton as having no credibility because of that false story. Said Gen. Walter Stewart (Ret.) said, "One of the inherent duties of the president of the United States is to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day. Now we can assume, and let's keep in mind that Senator Clinton has said she was under sniper fire -- or she joked about, which to me was the cruelest part of all this, she joked about it with Jay Leno.

"We can make an assumption here that the honored dead within the Tomb of the Unknown was killed by a sniper. Imagine the lack of moral authority she has now to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day. I'll say this as a Vietnam veteran, hundreds -- we can speculate about how the 'Unknown' died -- but you go over to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and will certainty, there are hundreds on that wall that died under sniper fire. That's the incident, I think, in a nutshell."

Is Clinton's Bosnia-sniper-fire story not a "distraction," while Rezko, Wright, Ayres, Bitter-gate, and the flag pin are "distractions"?

[dkf]

1. Wasn't there a story years ago about Hillary throwing a lamp at Bill?

Something about this rings a bell.

[ruggerson]

2. I'm sure that's why he said it

feeds right into the angry bitch meme they've been pushing.

[dkf]

11. Here it is...from snopes. I guess it couldn't be debunked.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/lamp.asp

Come on...the guy has got a sense of humor. I think its funny.

[ruggerson]

21. I guess you missed this part

As to where the rumor might have come from, in May 1993 columnist Molly Ivins wrote about the following, which she'd harvested from an article in Time about the Clintons' first one hundred days in the White House:

"A Republican consultant told a network newscaster that his job was to make sure Hillary Clinton is discredited before the 1996 campaign. Each day, anti-Hillary talking points go out to talk-show hosts. The rumor machine is cranking out bogus stories about her face (lifted), her sex life (either nonexistent or all too active) and her marriage (a sham). Many of the stories are attributed to the Secret Service in an attempt to give the tales credibility."

Ivins makes the point that prior to this story's being bruited about Hillary, she'd heard it about another (unnamed) political wife. Unless lamp-heaving is a common occurrence at such rarified heights, that tends to support the thesis that this snippet is more mean-spirited gossip than reality.

[dkf]

35. Well gosh, all those stories still exist.

And I'd say she has done botox, and that consensus is theirs is a marriage of convenience.

Are you saying all these are untruths?

Looks to me like these "stories" are not so bogus...

[ruggerson]

39. She's done "botox"?

what far rightwing site did that come from?

[dkf]

48. Just take a look at some pictures and its pretty obvious.

http://www.plasmetic.com/celebrity/celebrity-news/hillarys-overnight-change-thanks-to-botox.html\

http://plasticsergeant.com/home/celebrity/lip/hillary-clinton

[ruggerson]

49. that's truly pathetic

[la la]

68. make-up, lighting and need for some rest...... n/f/t

[dkf]

79. I think she's getting a lot less rest nowadays than 2006.

The schedule is worse now, not better.

[pnwmom]

82. The china throwing comment is sexist, and beneath Obama.

I think he should apologize.

[Why Syzygy]

44. Me too. He's funny. M$M can't stand someone with genuine, intelligent insight.

[cliffordu]

30. IT's ALL OBAMAS FAULT!!!!!

[ruggerson]

36. That's the mantra they used for the last eight years

on Free Republic about Bush.

[dchill]

32. Gee - doesn't it really more appropriately fit the twin kitchen...

memes? The "Throw the kitchen sink" meme and the "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" meme? Remember them? Who came up with those? Distraction, my ... hat.

[Yael]

6. And an ashtray

[sniffa]

14. Did you see the police report on "The Smoking Gun?"

That was crazy.

[Yael]

24. Apparently ,missed that one

Will go look now.

:evilgrin:

ETA -- search didn't bring back anything on their site.

[Hepburn]

45. I would venture to say that over the years as to Bill cheating...

...Hillary has thrown a LOT of things. JMHO

[pnwmom]

84. Yeah, the Rethugs were pushing that sexist meme. Now it's Obama's turn. n/t

[NC_Nurse]

3. Yes. She has chosen this low road and he must respond. Also, she LIED.

That's a much bigger problem than knowing someone distasteful or not wearing a stupid pin. She has been exaggerating her experience and lying to make
herself look bigger and braver than she is. That is wrong.

[Yael]

4. Difference

Clinton lied about Tuzla. Massive character flaw.

Rezko, Wright and Ayers are people Obama knows.

Bittergate wasn't a distraction -- people are bitter.

The flag pin is simply stupid.

[Cant trust em]

41. The Tuzla lie is amazing because it is a creation of something that didn't happen

The way differing stories happen is that people forgot about something that actually happened. What she did is insert a fictitious memory that never took place. Please someone let me know what alternate world running to a car with her head covered happened in.

[Yael]

46. Dare I say it, but where was Chelsea in all of this?

I don't claim to remember everything (or even most things) that happened when I was 15, but I would remember being under sniper fire.

It is complete brand-taintage, IMO.

[Why Syzygy]

52. IIRC, she has supported HilLIARy's version. But she is in the picture that's been publicized.

[Cant trust em]

89. I can imagine it.

"Yael, remember that time when we got shot at and had to run for our lives?"

"Nope"

"What do you mean "Nope"? Were you drunk?"

[Why Syzygy]

50. This story is being brought by a Vet with his own personal concerns.

Obama didn't cook this up. Big difference. Not even in the same league.

[DJ13]

5. More pro-Hillary crap from ABC, no surprise

[Cant trust em]

7. Rezko isn't a "distraction", but the others are

As an Obama supporter I do think that he's got some explaining to do about his relationship with Rezko. There is definitely a possibility of some substantive impropriety there. The others seem to be more of gossip column issues to me.

[Hepburn]

53. As an attorney, now retired, let me say this:

Over the years I have represented a lot of people I could not stand and with whom I did not agree about a lot of things.

Our system is one of trial by judge or jury...not trial by attorney. Remember...at the time of the Rezko representation, Obama was an associate in a law firm ~~ he had little if NO say so over what cases were assigned to him. His job was NOT to pick the client, but to provide good legal representation to a client of the firm for which he worked.

So...the Rezko thing to me is no big deal.

[Cant trust em]

90. But then you go into a real estate with him?

Clearly that's a little more than just attorney/client relationship.

[tabatha]

8. Love the sense of humor

"You know over the last several weeks since she fell behind, she's resorted to what's called 'kitchen sink' strategies," Obama said, per ABC News' Sunlen Miller. "She's got the kitchen sink flying, and the china flying, and the, you know, the buffet is coming at me.

[Why Syzygy]

55. That's actually a compliment, you know?

She's doing SUCH A GOOD JOB with the "kitchen sink" strategy, she is going above and beyond the minimum requirements!

[tabatha]

92. yeah like that once 20% lead in PA

[la la]

what he should have said......

the *dishes* flying at me---the *kitchen cupboards* coming at me......his words sound so...................elite!!1!!!!

:evilgrin:

:hide:

[otohara]

91. I Know, It's So Refreshing

how fun

[yourguide]

9. I think he meant the country of China...

she's just going to throw it at him before he can bring up how much Bill made from them.

[ruggerson]

10. What's interesting here is that at the debate a few nights ago

Obama claimed they only have brought up the Bosnia/sniper story when his campaign has been asked about it.

Yet here, they bring it up on a conference call, unprompted.

[writes3000]

16. They've HAD to go this negative just to keep pace with the Clinton campaign.

Obama and Axelrod ackonwlegded it today.

I bet the SDs are keeping score. Who do you think is ahead in their tally of negative campaigning?

[ruggerson]

33. Do you remember very early on

when Hillary was the prohibitive favorite and Obama kept repeating, over and over, even at one of the early debates: "Senator Clinton will say anything to get elected." Feeding into one of the worst rightwing stereotypes against her.

That's not negative campaigning? Of course it is. And I'm not begrudging him doing it. That's how you knock off a frontrunner. And that's what she's attempting to do now. Difference is, she's not running around claiming she represents a new kind of politics. He is.

[PM7nj]

12. ABC sinks to a new level by the day. nt

[ElsewheresDaughter]

13. sexist much O?

[amandabeech]

17. Yes. n/t

[Yael]

19. You really have to do some amazing mental gymnastics

to get that out of the article.

:freak:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

51. Or take a bite out of that huge pretzel they made.

[Straight Shooter]

26. I caught that, too.

What kind of renaissance man brings up 1950s stereotypes of angry wives throwing dishes? Not just any dishes, the china.

Imagine if Hillary had referred to his technique of alternating dissing and complimenting of her by saying, "Well, one day he's smacking me around and the next day he's bringing me flowers." :eyes:

[dkf]

38. My friend's wife did that to him.

She also threw his weights at him (I saw the bruises) and once chased him around with a knife.

He has subsequently gotten divorced.

[Straight Shooter]

88. Domestic abuse and its manifestations are nothing to joke about.

I hope your friend is doing well, and that his ex has obtained the psychological/psychiatric treatment she needs.

[Why Syzygy]

56. It's a play on the KITCHEN sink strategy. CHINA is in the kitchen.

I am really beginning to worry about HilLIARy supporters. I didn't realize the ignorance that exists among us.

[Yael]

70. No, no, china is in the buffet.

She had to empty it before she threw it.

[pnwmom]

85. Doesn't matter. You wouldn't be making that kind of excuse

if it had been HRC making a racist comment.

[Straight Shooter]

86. Referring to "china" as throwing the dishes at him.

But why don't you stretch it a little further for Obama and defend it by saying the china was in the sink.

[Skidmore]

42. Has it escaped your notice that Hillary started the kitchen metaphor

by stating her strategy was a " throwing the kitchen sink" one? She's the one who's always talking about "heat" and "staying out of the kitchen" and "knowing a lot about the kitchen." Odd since she also says she doesn't bake cookies.

Get over it. Everytime she pulls out the old sidearm and shoots herself in the foot, she can live with it.

[Milo_Bloom]

15. IN short... yes.

Clinton's sniper-fire story is an accurate represenation of the fact that she will say anything and do anything to get herself into power, whether it is true, false, nonsense or otherwise.

Clinton's sniper-fire story calls into question every single promise she has made, every single statement she has made. Does she mean them or is she just saying something for the purpose of making herself look good at the moment.

Rezko, Wright and Ayers are idiotic guilt by association arguments.


Bitter gate is similar to Kerry's "flubbed joke". It is looking only at the specific words used and not the meaning behind them.


Flag pin? What does this reflect on that is relevant?

The sniper-fire line is about an INTENTIONAL lie told... over and over again. Then lies told to cover up the lie.. the more lies told to cover up the second lie. Sleep deprivation, misspeaking, late at night, early in the morning... finally when all lies had been vetted, FINALLY she admits she lied and acts like being caught in whopper after whopper after whopper isn't a big deal.


So, yes, the sniper fire story is NOT a distraction while the other items you listed are.

[TheWraith]

18. You know the difference between the Bosnia lie and the other things?

Clinton deliberately lied, four times, even after she had been called on it by the press, about something she knew to be false in order to make herself sound tougher.

The others are guilt-by-association, pretending he meant something other than what he said, and pseudo-patriotic crap.

[DarienComp]

20. Why do I get the feeling that if Obama had said "kitchen sink" first, he'd be called sexist?

[Yael]

23. Even if he said it second

You apparently missed post 13.

[DarienComp]

29. Oh for God's sake.

"Kitchen-sink strategy" is a term that came from the Clinton campaign, people.

[Why Syzygy]

58. I'm starting to really worry about them. I don't see how

people can be so out of touch with reality and functional. Or are they paid professional LIARS for HilLIARy? (of course paychecks are 5 weeks behind)

[Rosemary2205]

34. My family and friends must be weird.

Almost every man I know spends considerable time, by choice, in the kitchen. So that whole sexist thing is a mystery to me.

But the "kitchen sink" strategy has nothing to do with women. It refers to taking anything along that isn't bolted to the floor. And kitchen sinks are definitely hard to remove. "When he went fishing he packed everything but the kitchen sink" - "They broke in and stole everything but the kitchen sink" - I've heard it with "tub" and "bathtub" too.

[Warren Stupidity]

60. well he did say 'tit'.

As in 'tit-for-tat'. I'm surprised our friends haven't latched onto that as well, so to speak.

[Yael]

71. "so to speak"

LOL!

[grasswire]

22. wow, a typo at ABC

It's not "feint" of heart.

[Why Syzygy]

59. caught that too....

must have been thinking of how they "feign" news coverage.

[Demobrat]

25. You honestly don't see the difference between

flat-out lying about being under sniper fire and being attacked for not wearing a flag pin, or the wording of your pastor's sermons? Really?

[Rosemary2205]

27. This is more proof Barack is an elitist

If he was one of us he'd have said "dishes" not "china". Damn snob.

:rofl:






"You know over the last several weeks since she fell behind, she's resorted to what's called 'kitchen sink' strategies," Obama said, per ABC News' Sunlen Miller. "She's got the kitchen sink flying, and the china flying, and the, you know, the buffet is coming at me.

[DemGa]

28. Pure unabashed hypocrisy from Obama

Some seem blinded by it - willing to accept the contradiction.

They accept the assaults on character and join in themselves - the implications are in fact somewhat frightening. St. Obama is doing something for them that they put away their better instincts.

[JackORoses]

31. he said she threw the buffet, as well. is that sexist?

[Rosemary2205]

37. How many women are strong enough to pick up and throw a buffet?

:)

[Yael]

40. You are not cherry picking close enough

You see, it was a joke and, oh nevermind.

:P

[OzarkDem]

69. Doesn't matter what Obama says

He's already proven he's sexist in many, many ways.

[Yael]

73. Even ones we just make up.

:freak:

[Why Syzygy]

43. whoop-de-doo speeches vs. REAL supporter's REAL lives . Put it on the scale.

ABC SUX.

[ErinBerin84]

47. I don't buy this as a sexist

reference, since it refers to the "kitchen sink strategy". If he had pulled it out of thin air, maybe you would have the case. I also didn't think that Bill Clinton's "steal cars" thing was neccessarily racist as much as it was just a fucking stupid thing to say.

[QC]

54. But isn't that what harridans do? Throw dishes at men?

We really need to go easy on Obama, though. This is the first time he has run against a real opponent before (rather than suing everyone else off the ballot or running against Alan Keys), so he probably didn't know that real campaigns can get a little heated.

[Why Syzygy]

62. Sure they do and sure she is. What's the point? We're supposed to pretend HilLIARy

has all her rails on the tracks? huh

[QC]

66. I don't pretend that either candidate is worth much.

As it always does, our primary process eliminated the most electable candidates right away and left us with the weakest. Now we have to make do with the most divisive figure in American politics or a prefab, platitudinous televangelist who falls apart under pressure. Joy!

[Why Syzygy]

74. Both of my favorites were considered "unelectable" from the beginning.

I feel good with Obama. In the event of a Clinton coup, I worry for our world.

[QC]

80. I know the feeling. Last time I supported Dean, Clark, and Edwards

at various time. All of them got eliminated early on, leaving us with Kerry, who did about as well--and fought about as hard--as I expected him to.

I wish I could have your faith in Obama, but I expect him to fold even faster than Kerry did.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

81. I think a Corporate Clinton Coup will happen

She will get the nomination. The PTB will then be pleased as punch, no matter who wins the General. They will be snuggled in their corporate beds, with visions of mushroom clouds dancing in their heads.

[Tatiana]

57. He should have mentioned the "silverware" too! n/t

[Beausoir]

61. Obama is a sexist pig.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

64. Kitchen sink --> kitchen --> china.

Understand?

[Yael]

67. You may want to type slower

and use longer arrows. Gives a little more time for the point to sink in before moving to the next concept.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

75. No way, they need to understand on day one.

[journalist3072]

72. Agreed. His disgust of women is appauling. eom

[ErinBerin84]

77. Whatever you say ...

I've had people tell me that Obama is a sexist pig for having held the chair out for Hillary Clinton at debates, so the arguement loses a bit of steam along the way for me. I can only imagine the cries of sexism I would be hearing if Obama had ever staged a "SHAME ON YOU, HILLARY CLINTON. MEET ME IN OHIO!!!" moment.

[Writer]

63. *Groan*

People are following this campaign with their eyes wide shut.

[Armstead]

65. She is getting a lot like Maggie....Of Maggie and Jiggs fame

[la la]

76. does that mean

Obama is *Jiggs*?

not one of the better analogies, in my opinion!

[Armstead]

78. No Bill Clinton is Jiggs

Obama is just someone else who she decides to set her sights on because he won't kowtow to her

[pnwmom]

83. Obama makes a sexist comment and you're blaming HRC? n/t

[Mags]

87. Poor O he hasn't any to compete against him before who had

a real political base. He just doesn't know what to do. He either got someone off the ticket, in Chicago, or he had to run against the transplanted Allen Keyes. Talk about inexperienced. A one shot wonder, the Pied Piper.