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A Poi Choice of Words
February 26, 2008 5:23 PM
I missed this story when it first happened.
Apparently before the Hawaii caucus, Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii -- a supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY -- assailed the Honolulu private school, the Punahou School, attended by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, in an attempted to paint Obama as a rich elitist.
In an interview with The Honolulu Advertiser before the caucuses, Inouye said: "If you ask the people in Hawai'i what they know about Barack Obama, I think the honest answer is, 'Very little.' He went to school in Hawai'i but he went to Punahou, and that was not a school for the impoverished….to suggest that Punahou maybe set his life plan in place, I find it very interesting," said Inouye, who attended public school.
Obama responded in an interview with KITV: "Shame on Danny for trying to pull that stunt. I went to Punahou on a scholarship. I was raised by a single mom and my grandmother."
Inouye has apologized to Punahou President James Scott and he sent a copy of the letter along with a note to Obama.
''It was just a misstatement,'' said an Inouye spokesperson. ''It was never the intent to disparage Punahou in any way. It is without a doubt one of the finest schools in our nation.''
- jpt
February 26, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (10)
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consider this - you're absolutely right. we'd better hope the mandatory apologies don't extend to bloggers. but if any, i mean any, criticism of saint obama is regarded as racist and/or heretical, which seems to be the case, we're all in trouble.
Posted by: so saddened | Feb 28, 2008 12:20:26 AM
I've admired Sen. Inouye for a long time, ever since I heard that he keeps the door to his office in the Senate always open, believing that there is nothing that should be discussed behind closed doors. So, it saddens me that he is not above such sleazy political tricks like atacking a candidate through his history. Not a proud moment for the senator, or fot his state!!
Posted by: chuck | Feb 27, 2008 8:51:24 AM
TOBY, I live in Illinois----the Rezko trial starts on March 3. If the news media does not cover it, you can be sure that I will be blogging on here about the play-by-play.....I hope they supeona obama to testify under oath about what he knows about his friend Rezko.....
Posted by: Is bush an ex-Presidnet YET??? | Feb 26, 2008 8:03:30 PM
I am sick of all of these people criticizing obama, but the next day, all of a suddenly they "apoligize", or are made to apoligize. Oh, but when OBAMA criticizes, there is NEVER an apology, even if one is obviously called for. Like the Army General that said lately that obama's story of the soldiers was "ok by him"-----please----think, people....if obama were to become President, these people criticizing him would have to PAY-----he'd make sure they did, one way or another.
Posted by: Consider this..... | Feb 26, 2008 7:58:31 PM
"Punahou is really an exceptional school, you don't even need to get inside of the school to see that. But I suspect Obama went to the school because of the Affirmative Action" Mary
And what makes you say that, aside from racism? He also went to Columbia and Harvard law and got good marks in both.
Posted by: Mike | Feb 26, 2008 7:24:39 PM
Mary, only pin heads make such a comment. Did he get into the school? Yes he did. FYI a scholarship isn't Affirmative Action. Please don't delete my comment.
Posted by: Chan | Feb 26, 2008 7:04:32 PM
The second time Im trying this did you miss about the REZKO trial starting this week. Can not find it anywhere on ABC websites. Whats wrong? not a favorable light for the chosen one.
Posted by: TOBY | Feb 26, 2008 6:40:56 PM
Punahou is really an exceptional school, you don't even need to get inside of the school to see that. But I suspect Obama went to the school because of the Affirmative Action.
Posted by: Mary | Feb 26, 2008 6:03:11 PM
Punahou is and always has been an exceptionally fine school, turning out many truly gifted graduates.
And I *still* miss Emily (sigh)....
Posted by: Mark | Feb 26, 2008 5:54:44 PM
Hey,Jake lets discuss some important stuff.What do you think of Sen. McCain's chances against the future Democratic Nominee?
Posted by: Chan | Feb 26, 2008 5:54:23 PM
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