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Obama tells Tenn.'s GOP: 'Lay off my wife' [Barf Alert]
Yahoo News ^ | Yahoo News

Posted on 05/19/2008 8:38:48 AM PDT by indcons

Democrat Barack Obama has a message for Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife." ADVERTISEMENT

Obama, his party's presidential front-runner, and his wife, Michelle, were asked in an interview aired Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" about an online video last week by the state's GOP taking her to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.

"The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

He called the strategy "low class."

The video, posted on YouTube, centered on remarks Michelle Obama made while campaigning in Wisconsin last February, when she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country."

The four-minute video replayed the remark six times, interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans on why they are proud of America. In a news release that included a link to the video, Tennessee's GOP said "the Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America." It urged radio stations to play "patriotic music" during Michelle Obama's visit to Nashville last Thursday.

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.

"Whoever is in charge of the Tennessee GOP needs to think long and hard about the kind of campaign they want to run, and I think that's true for everybody, Democrat or Republican," Obama said in the ABC interview, adding: "These folks should lay off my wife."

Obama said his wife "loves this country. For them to try to distort or to play snippets of her remarks in ways that are unflattering to her is, I think, just low class. I think that most of the American people would think that as well."

Tennessee's Republican Party 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."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Tennessee
KEYWORDS: audacityofdope; audacityofmendacity; barackhusseinobama; fourth; lendmeyourears; michelleobama; nobama; obama; obamawife; obambi; tn2008
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To: F15Eagle

The saying is actually “In for a penny, in for a pound”, referencing English money.

However...your statement, on the whole, is factual.

If you’re going for the highest office in the land, EVERYTHING is open for scrutiny.

And scrutinize, we will!


41 posted on 05/19/2008 9:21:07 AM PDT by hoagy62 (Happily watching the Left go full-goose bozo.)
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To: indcons
Obama is the Alpha Victim, anything said about him is abuse of the innocent, is denial of hope, is unfair and mean.
42 posted on 05/19/2008 9:23:53 AM PDT by bvw
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To: SolidWood

Someone should remind Barry Hussein Obama and his liberal pals that John McCain’s son is on active duty in the United States Marine Corps.


43 posted on 05/19/2008 9:25:31 AM PDT by july4thfreedomfoundation (The road to victory in Iraq is through Iran.)
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To: TCats
In both instances she kept talking despite the obvious discomfort of Obama with her talking and answering questions that were directed to him. She's very bad news IMO.

Especially if memories of our last "co-presidency" make you cringe!

44 posted on 05/19/2008 9:25:52 AM PDT by Tamar1973 (Catch the Korean Wave, one Bae Yong Joon film at a time!)
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To: Grampa Dave
This is so good, it bears repeating

1. When you run for the highest office in America, you don’t get to set the tone of the discussions and set the limits about what is said about you and have an open field with your opponents.

2. When you send your loud mouthed, Black racist, spoiled America Hating B$tch of a wife out to knock America, the other candidates and to campaign for you, she becomes a legitimate target of how America feels about her and her bitter comments about America.

3. Last but not least, when you say this bs about leaving your Bitter wife out of the campaign, there must be something really bad that she has done. So are you trying to preempt the disclosure of what else she has done, said or worse?

Put some ice on it and stop your whining, you thin skinned elitist bastard, or should we say thin skinned Elitist Sweetie?

45 posted on 05/19/2008 9:25:53 AM PDT by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do it, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: indcons

McCain soon to follow Barry with additional criticism of the Tennessee GOP.


46 posted on 05/19/2008 9:27:05 AM PDT by Hat-Trick (Do you trust a government that cannot trust you with guns?)
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To: indcons

“they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family.”

Is this a threat?


47 posted on 05/19/2008 9:28:01 AM PDT by proudtobeanamerican1 (Media -)
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To: indcons
I think it's stupid to keep going back to that - it makes it look like we don't have any substantive problems with Barack Obama, so we have to pick on something his wife said months ago.

This is the crap that helped to keep us from winning in Mississippi -- no vision for the future, just trying to make the other guy look worse than our guy.

That said, it certainly is acceptable to attack Michelle Obama so long as she keeps giving speeches attacking us. We should be focusing on what she is still saying about how Americans are ignorant and only her husband can fix it "“You’re not talking to each other, taking advantage that you’re in this diverse community. Because sometimes it’s easier to hold on to your own stereotypes and misconceptions. It makes you feel justified in your own ignorance. That’s America. So the challenge for us is, are we ready for change?”, or how we have lost our way and Obama can help us find it.

As to the things you added in the comment, the American people don't like republicans right now. The answer is to give them a reason to like us. Making fun of the candidate's ears, or his middle name, won't make them like us more.

We instead need to focus on those other things -- policies he doesn't have, policies he DOES have that are faulty, and how our policies are better, ties to terrorists to the degree that shows he doesn't understand the nature of the threat, ties to his pastor to the extend it shows he has a distorted view of race in America and has no history of "healing" the divide, since he worships in a church that drives a wedge between the races.

There are appropriate ways to deal with issues that are harsh, negative attacks, but not mindlessly personal attacks. The people don't like the latter, and while in a normal year driving up the opponent's negatives would be a good strategy, there is NO WAY we can drive the democrat's negatives as high as the republican negatives, so we need to take a different approach -- driving up the republican positives.

48 posted on 05/19/2008 9:28:01 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT (Green, but not gullible)
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: CharlesWayneCT

Your post makes a lot of sense.

I do think his wife has injected herself into the game and is a fair target for political criticism.


50 posted on 05/19/2008 9:30:52 AM PDT by indcons
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To: chimera
Michelle Obama has of her own free will chosen to inject herself in this campaign and be a part of it.

Absolutely. Mrs. Obama has made herself an issue.

51 posted on 05/19/2008 9:33:27 AM PDT by Faith
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To: indcons
Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

Guess what Obi baby, when your sweetheart is going on national (TV,Radio,etc)she IS a fair game to debate and to define your true self.

If you don't like it get out of politics, 'cause I have news for for you DP Messiah, YOU are going to feel the HEAT!(along with your sweetheart, if she is not zipping her mouth).

PS Growing a thicker skin it will help!

52 posted on 05/19/2008 9:43:13 AM PDT by danmar (Tomorrow's life is too late. Live today!)
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To: indcons
"The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said.

Really? In a presidential campaign we're actually allowed to discuss anything about a candidate that might pertain to his qualifications to be president? Wow, thanks! Now someone just needs to tell Evan Thomas and Frank Rich over at the Times and Newsweek - they say we can't talk about anything that might hurt Obama.

"If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign

I've never seen a presidential candidate whine this much, not even John Kerry. The irony, of course, is that Obama has been getting the most favorable coverage I've ever seen. Newsflash: no one can make Michelle Obama an issue in this campaign except Michelle Obama. If what she's had to say is newsworthy, it will become part of the campaign.
53 posted on 05/19/2008 9:46:50 AM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: indcons
“...I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife...”

If you think you are going to ram her down our throats as the next first ‘lady’ then she better da*^ well start acting and sounding like one or we DO have a perfect right to take her to account... just like we take all CANDIDATES to account. If she plans to sit in the WH and bake cookies or redecorate... fine, but we all know very well that she will be in our faces 24/7 for as long as she can....so, YES we have something to say about the demeanor of our prospective first ‘lady’!!!!

54 posted on 05/19/2008 9:49:16 AM PDT by SMARTY ('At some point you get tired of swatting flies, and you have to go for the manure heap' Gen. LeMay)
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To: proudtobeanamerican1
“they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family.”

Is this a threat?”

Probably- Cindy McCain had a drug problem, stole drugs from a charity, threatened the whistle blower and won't release her tax information. Don't think those won't come up.

55 posted on 05/19/2008 9:50:48 AM PDT by bigred41 (Don't mess with Texas)
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To: indcons
Add a new one to the list: Not supposed to mention his wife's troubling rhetoric and record.

This is a dangerous road to take. Cindy McCain is just as vulnerable as Michelle Obama.
Are you sure you want to go down this road?
.
56 posted on 05/19/2008 9:56:22 AM PDT by radioman
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Barrack, your wife didn't get the same memo:

Michelle Obama talks about her role if she is First Lady

57 posted on 05/19/2008 9:57:33 AM PDT by D-fendr (Deus non alligatur sacramentis sed nos alligamur.)
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To: indcons

Lay off? Why? If she’s giving political speeches and is planning on being co-president, we have every right to go after her way of doing things and her ideas. If she’s going to talk tough, she needs to BE tough, not hide behind BO.


58 posted on 05/19/2008 10:02:29 AM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: beethovenfan
As a potential (God forbid ) first lady, she’s open to scrutiny and comment.

Nancy Reagan wasn't attacked for her drug problem. Betty Ford wasn't attacked for her booze problem. Do you really believe the wives of Republicans will pass scrutiny but Democrat wives won't?
59 posted on 05/19/2008 10:02:29 AM PDT by radioman
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To: Niteranger68
Or what Barry....you'll wet your prayer robe?

Yeah, Or What, Barry? The GOP needs to "think long and hard about the campaign" they want to run? Is that a threat Mr. Obamassein?

60 posted on 05/19/2008 10:05:52 AM PDT by subterfuge (changed tagline just for this thread..........)
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