Posted on 05/15/2008 6:11:02 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
The Tennessee Republican Party "welcomed" Michelle Obama's visit for a fundraiser Thursday night with an online video that takes the Democratic presidential front-runner's wife to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.
Michelle Obama was campaigning in Wisconsin last February for her husband, Barack Obama, when she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country."
The four-minute video posted on YouTube is built around the remark, replaying it six times and interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans, identified mostly by their first names, on why they are proud of America.
Michelle Obama later clarified the remark, saying she meant she was proud of how Americans were engaging in the political process and that she had always been proud of her country.
"The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America," the party said in a news release that included a link to the video. It also urged radio stations to play "patriotic music" during her visit to Nashville on Thursday.
"I'm Bob Pope and I'm proud to be an American because mainly of the First Amendment—the right to worship God anywhere I choose to—and the Second Amendment, I've got the right keep and bear arms," he says, standing in front of a bank of guns mounted on the wall.
Obama's campaign accused the Tennessee GOP of engaging in smear politics and unfairly going after the candidate's family.
"This is a shameful attempt to attack a woman who has repeatedly said she wouldn't be here without the opportunities and blessings of this nation," spokesman Hari Sevugan said in a statement.
The state GOP was roundly criticized in March, including by likely presidential nominee John McCain, for a news release that used Barack Obama's middle name—Hussein—and showed a photo of him wearing what it said was "Muslim attire."
The release ultimately was removed from the party's Web site at the urging of the state's two Republican senators and Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, who said he "rejects these kinds of campaign tactics."
The "welcome" video also takes aim at Barack Obama's fiery former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
"I'm proud of my country because of the freedom of religion, so if my pastor goes on a wild political tirade I can just walk out," says a man identified as Tate R., a graduate student at Vanderbilt University.
Obama broke with Wright, his longtime pastor, after he repeated incendiary anti-American comments at a news conference last month in Washington.
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On the Net:
Tennessee GOP video: http://www.youtube.com/tennesseeGOP
John McCain will be right along to disavow this video shortly.
McCain will have to crack the whip on these racists. This revolt in TN can not stand!
michelle obama beats her husband. I just know it.
Want to make a difference?
Send the TN. GOP some dough.
At least they have GONADS.
God Bless Jim Rob, gotta catch up on that thread!
Good idea.
Its a mistake to go after his wife. IMHO
And Nancy Reagan was fair game?
The MSM will not go after Michelle.
They will do everything to protect the Obamas.
So clearly she wasn't proud of her country when her hubby became a Senator.
What does that tell you?
Senator McCain! Senator McCain! Where are you? Can't you stop this awful stuff? Oh.. is it true, Senator McCain, that you are a war criminal, baby killer like Senator Rockefeller intimated?
Hmmm.. what if..
"Now you listen to me. I am going to say this just one more time. I did not have matrimony with that woman, Michelle Obama."
“Obama broke with Wright, his longtime pastor, after he repeated incendiary anti-American comments at a news conference last month in Washington.”
Beggin’ yer pardon, Jet Jag; But in reality, Obama “broke” with his longtime pastor when the longtime pastor retired!
Obama never ACTUALLY broke with ANYONE; Not Wright, not Ayers, not Looie Farakhan, NOBODY!
Hey, quoting Michelle is not criticizing. It’s pointing out a fact. And you can bet everything you own that she meant exactly what she said.
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