Barack Obama never misses an opportunity to get a personal dig in at Hillary Clinton. While he tries to remind us all of her negative campaign style, his negative approach is to kill her with a thousand cuts. More subtle, but no less effective.
Before you all start attacking me, hear me out.
No matter what Hillary Clinton says — negative or positive — Obama seems to find a way to minimize her in a way I am sure he would not do if his opponent had a Y chromosome.
Here is this week’s example:
This sounded less like a counterpunch against a worthy opponent than a weary husband complaining to his buds about the nagging little woman. “Turned the knife?” When was the last time you heard any candidate make a remark like that about another male candidate? And do you think for a minute Obama would have done the shoulder-brush move if he was talking about the male war hero? Or the former male vice-presidential candidate?
Don’t think so.
The little digs and jabs that Obama continues to engage in make me as mad as the “misstatements” that Hillary can’t seem to avoid.
So I have to wonder — if Barack Obama really thinks it’s OK to say this and this about a woman Senator, how much of an advocate is he going to be for the rest of the women in this country if he’s elected?? Michelle Obama said on the Colbert Report this week that her husband will change the lives of working women for the better. But if he can’t contain his disdain and disrespect for Senator Hillary Clinton, what should make me think that he’ll be any more generous to the rest of the women in the country?
You say it’s just her? He’s not like that if it’s any other women? I have a hard time believing that this is just about Hillary. The slights seem to come too naturally.
So both of you, enough!! Barack, you’re really ticking off a lot of us out here with the thinly-veiled gender attacks on Hillary. You wouldn’t talk like that to Michelle — well, you might, but you’d only do it once.
And Hillary, you need to rein yourself in, too. I don’t want to hear any more news reports about misstatements.
Barack, I really want to be able to wholeheartedly support you if you are the candidate — we can’t afford more GOP time in the White House — but you’re going to have to lose the snark and the smirk when it comes to dealing with Hillary.
I’ve had enough smirk for the last 7+ years. I can’t do anymore.
OK, I’m going to duck and cover now.
April 19th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I know I might be wrong, but I really think it is Hillary that affects him in such a way that he feels he must retaliate or defend himself. Hillary is no dummy, she’s not a “poor woman”. She can hold her own like the best of them.
But it is about time they hang up the boxing gloves against each other. It’s not helping either of their campaigns.
April 19th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Well, with the stockpile of ammunition both of them have they could continue this way for years;
The Clinton Legacy
http://clinton-legacy.org/
Gun Ban = Obama & American Hunters & Shooters Assoc.
http://conservativesuperiority.com/2008/04/18/gun-ban-obama-american-hunters-shooters-assoc/
The “Voice of Change” Chokes America http://conservativesuperiority.com/2008/04/12/the-voice-of-change-chokes/
Barack Hussein Obama
http://bhobama.blogspot.com/
April 19th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
You know I’ve been quiet about this on my blogs, but I did let slip a line the other day and I have gotten so many emails in lieu of comments, people too afraid to speak publicly about doubting Barack. I agree, I’d like to find a way to feel supportive of the candidate we send in to the ring against McCain. Feels a bit like they are two boxer doing the hugging leans and obscuring the true fight rather than standing up and showing what they are made of.
April 19th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
…same old same old: important guy denigrates and puts down a woman not really worthy of competing with him. The condescension is so familiar. Did we all date him or are we related (blood or marriage)? This is the first time I’ve come across a woman wondering how it will go for women with this REALLY GREAT guy who voted “present” on issues important to me. Thanks for the reminder. Nice writing!
April 19th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Amen, Pundit Mom.
April 19th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
They’re both pissing me off. Royally. They’re helping the Dems grab defeat from the jaws of victory.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Pundit Mom- Hillary has been knee capping Obama for months, I am not sure why that eludes you. I think he has shown great restraint. A point in case, during the ABC debate when she was confronted with the Bosnia gaffe, he did not go after her-she told that story 4 times, and he could have really laid waste to her by mentioning that, but he didn’t. I have no problem with someone supporting Obama, but when you say that Obama is attacking Hillary, I think you need to do some fact checking
April 20th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Sorry, Pundit Mom, but I agree with Lynne Black’s comment. I think Hillary is being given too much slack by some women in the cause of feminism. I am not an anti-feminist. I was an original subscriber to Ms. magazine when it first came out. I used to like Hillary. But her tactics in this campaign have soured me on her. At the beginning of the primary season, Barack was trying to take the high road. But Hillary and Bill started double-teaming him non-stop. Was he supposed to just sit back and take it, as John Kerry did with the swift-boaters? No! I do believe her campaigning tactics represent “more of the same” that we don’t need.
April 20th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
While I do agree that Hillary has done her fair share of attacking Obama, and I am tired of it on both sides, I do agree with Pundit Mom that Obama’s responses are condescending.
While “lynn black” says Obama has used “restraint” I view it as the typical male put-down of women. “Well, she can stay in if she wants to”; “She has a right to stay in the race”, etc. With the tone of “wink-wink” in his eyes and a snicker in his voice. He certainly seems unable/unwilling to take the high road, which would be a welcome change, as his campaign professes to desire.
I struggle to find my way to Obama should he win the nomination. I refuse to vote for McCain but will certainly let my disappointment in Obama be heard.
Thanks for a provocative topic, once again!
April 20th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Obama has to hit back when Hillary Clinton attacks. I don’t think that he likes having to do that, but if he doesn’t, he will go the way of John Kerry.
The real question should be…. why is Hillary Clinton even still in the race? She would have to win overwhelmingly in all of the remaining primaries and win by coup of the superdelegates. Who wants to win the nomination that way?
She should consider going back to the senate and improving her legislative record. She should be attacking Republicans, not Barack Obama.
April 20th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I have made so many comments on sites such as yours months ago, but he was such the “Rock Star” no one was listening ~ so I shut-up and lo and behold he has revealed his true self. Having worked on both campaigns (His as senator) I am here to say he and his wife are dismissive and haughty. I risk true crucifixion here as I am from Chicago’s South Side ~ but I must say, you are right on the money. His comments are probably not aimed at Sen. Clinton so as much as they are to his wife who is of the same fabric as Sen. Clinton but with a more serious ‘tude.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I’m disappointed in both of them, quite frankly.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I really like both of them but I am getting tired of all of this. I just want a democrat to win, I am moving if we are in for another 100 years.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Agree, sort of. I started out in team hillary, but now I’m on team get-on-the-same-page. Howard Dean’s got to get these two or their minions in one room and get them to sing kumbaya. Otherwise, it’s game over. It might already be game over. I’m a straight up politics junkie – I read 2 or 3 papers a day. But I am FATIGUED.
April 21st, 2008 at 6:40 am
My observation is that folks who want Clinton attack Obama. Folks who want Obama attack Clinton. Folks who vote Republican attack Democrats. Folks who vote Democrat attack Republicans.
It gets old. It is old. Each have their strong points. Each have their weak points. None of the above have now nor will they ever have, all the answers.
We can easily attack but we seldom openly admit to supporting a position held by those we generally oppose. We’ve turned compromise into a dirty word. Diplomacy is not far behind if behind at all.
Challenge: Before entering any “debate” with one of opposing views on the candidates or parties. First recite two to three positions of the opposition that you are in agreement with. If you can’t or won’t do that, then you are more of a shrill for your candidate or party. You are probably quite accomplished at parroting your favorite talk radio host.
You may be amazed how much we have in common once we cease exploiting our differences for our own political gains rather than focusing on what is ultimately best for our country.
peace
fm
April 21st, 2008 at 10:41 am
I miss John Edwards…
April 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I am just totally disgusted by the whole thing. Think about the opportunities we in this election are missing. I was so excited when all of this got started. A Woman candidate! An African American candidate! Think of the history we are getting to witness. Think of the history that could of have been created. And now it’s just a disgusting display of stereotypical politicking. I can’t even turn on the news anymore without hearing about another dig coming from someone. And the motivation behind the dig or the way in which the dig was presented? Well I could give a crap. It’s all disgusting. It’s all nasty. And it’s a complete disappointment.
April 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I was on the fence until I saw that video. My understanding is that the Obama campaign released it themselves, so they must be proud of it. There’s no way in hell I could vote for that vulgar misogynistic man.
And quick, tell me, which part DIDN’T he really do? The “finger”? The breasts trick? The “dandruff?” The snarky stand-up comic schtick? The little side”punch”? The audience loved it.
Where’s OUR firestorm? Oh, I forgot. We don’t count.