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Yes, He Can? (Be Commander in Chief)

August 27, 2008 9:52 AM

BILLINGS, MONT. -- At a convention-watching party at the home of Eran and Carlee Thompson in Billings, Mont., last night, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., watched the speech of his rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., intently, often clapping.

He perked up during the jabs at Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. He shouted "Yeah!" when Clinton mentioned his wife Michelle and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.

After Clinton mentioned that McCain opposed equal pay for women, Obama said, "Oh, that doesn't work."

When she concluded, Obama, and the family with whom he was watching the show, applauded. "That was excellent," Obama said, "that was a very strong speech -- laid out the case -- you heard her -- we gotta keep going."

After leaving the house party, Obama called Clinton and said how grateful he was for her support, telling her she gave a terrific speech.

He also told her that he loved her line "No way, no how, no McCain."

But what Clinton did not say last night -- that Obama would be a great commander in chief, fully prepared to take that 3 a.m. call (as opposed to a 3 a.m. text message) -- did not escape the notice of his critics.

“Sen. Clinton ran her presidential campaign making clear that Barack Obama is not prepared to lead as commander in chief," says McCain spox Tucker Bounds. "Nowhere tonight did she alter that assessment. Nowhere tonight did she say that Barack Obama is ready to lead. Millions of Hillary Clinton supporters and millions of Americans remain concerned about whether Barack Obama is ready to be president.”

It's a concern shared by voters, less than 50 percent of whom say Obama is prepared to be commander in chief. When she withdrew from the race in June, Clinton was criticized for making a similar omission. She had to have known people were looking for her to say that he's up for the job. She didn't.

Obama has tried to shore up this perceived weakness with his international tour, and his selection of Biden as his running mate.

To little avail, as yet.

Today, Obama will focus on this issue, meeting with a local veteran and his family and then holding a town hall discussion on “Securing America’s Future” with veterans and military families in Billings, Mont. His convention, miles away in Denver, will also be focusing on the same subject.

Will it work?

- jpt

August 27, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (358)

User Comments

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Americans amaze me. Stupefy is probably a better word. Voted twice, yes I said twice for Georgy Porgy, and now they have a guy who is obviously better educated, more eloquent, more reasonable, and stands to enhance the image of the US in the international community thereby buying a lot more good will that will help in issues like trade, cooperation against terrorists, cooperation in the event of war, etc. and you people are actually considering a throwback military man like John McCain. Nice guy, war hero and all that, but you guys actually think this guy will make your day to day lives better?

Even more amazing is this "Hillary supporters for McCain". How childish! The woman has unequivocally thrown her support behind Obama and you childish, short-sighted and in many cases racist "supporters" just can't seem to get over yourselves. If you're really a "supporter" then do what she has been imploring you to do for the last 3 months and again last night at your convention: Vote Obama! For pete's sake, how can you be a supporter if you don't even listen to words coming out of her mouth? Have you forgotten that the last Republican voted in (twice, did I say you voted him in TWICE!!!) got you into this mess (aided and abetted by Mr. McCain, I might add), and you think Obama could possibly be worse than another one? That's at least 4 more years, people! That would be equivalent to three strikes in baseball, wouldn't it? I mean, haven't you lost enough already? Or do you need to sink even deeper into debt, war, lose ALL your houses and get taken over by Canada (only half-joking about that one) before you finally WAKE UP?

I mean, I hate to tell a neighbor what to do, even though unfortunately your vote also affects us, but shake out of it already! You used to be a country to look up to. Now you're turning into an international joke.

Vote for Obama, and Canadians, Europeans, Georgians and most of the civilized world promise not to play "American Idiot" anymore.

Stupefied!

Posted by: Leon in Canada | Aug 27, 2008 6:05:34 PM

Hooo ahhhh:

Hillary gave this magnificent speech last night in behalf of a candidate who's not fit to stand in the same check out lane at the local Jewel....
and you have the audacity to say that SHE blew it?

No, hoooo....

YOU blew it!

YOU and your reverse-racist bloggers in rompers..... who blame anything and everything wrongon anyone but B O... blew it!

It's not the color of his skin that turned us off but rather the lack of flesh on his platforms.... and his outrageous views on partial birth abortions!

It's the way Obama was forced down our collective throat by petulant Pellosi and double darn Dean along with a press which has emigrated from the fourth estate!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!
but:
Damn the unDemocratic Party!

COUNTRY A L W A Y S
BEFORE BROKEN DOWN DONKEY KONG DNC!


Posted by: America-centric | Aug 27, 2008 6:05:09 PM

John "I took $112,000 from the Keating gang" McCain

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 6:00:57 PM

John "I can't remember how many houses I have" McCain

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 6:00:20 PM

John "fellow Republicans don't even like me" McCain

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:59:35 PM

LeeLee, my point remains unchallenged: If you truly cared about your candidate and this country, you would not go against her wishes, her causes and her principles, and vote 180 degrees in the opposite direction. So don't tell me you put country first, you clearly do not.

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:57:54 PM

Hillary supporters can't revolt at the convention, BUT THE REVOLT WILL TAKE PLACE QUIETLY IN THE VOTING BOOTH WHEN WE ALL PULL THE LEVER FOR SENATOR JOHN SYDNEY McCAIN, OUR 44th President!

Posted by: Debra | Aug 27, 2008 5:47:09 PM

You have that right, Belle. I will be a happy camper indeed.

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:46:36 PM

Well said, Cynthia Spence. 100% right on the money.

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:45:07 PM

The reality is that for many of those who have been polled and articulate that they are concerned about Obama's readiness to be Commander in Chief, they are not being truthful. Those who continue to report this know that it is a more palatable way of saying that they are uncomfortable voting for a black male. The news media have been so cowardly in not addressing this real issue for many white males and females including some in the media. The reality is that this is "huge." It requires a complete paradigmn shift for the nation. The idea of the President of the United States of America not being white and male is huge, even for Black folks and other persons of color. Admit it !!Some who are not that advanced in their thinking about the place of women as leaders were even willing to give that up because at least Hillary is white. I wish that the media would be willing to provide honest discussion of this issue. The polling that is being done by many in the media would not stand up to any scientific research standards. Some media outlets have even had the nerve to report on data collected from 5 people to conclude that Hillary's supporters will not support Barack Obama.

We all know that Barack Obama is probably one of the most intelligent and competent leaders that have been placed before the American and world community. The other reality is that the President is expected to lead with a team of other qualified individuals. He is definitely ready to lead and to bring other competent and mentallly sound individuals to his circle of advisors.

Posted by: cynthia spence | Aug 27, 2008 5:42:17 PM

That made me laugh aloud.
-----
By the end of the first week in November, then, you should be a "happy warrior" indeed.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Aug 27, 2008 5:40:18 PM

Jeff, not only that but McCain plays the POW card every chance he gets. He thinks nothing of exploiting, and thus cheapening, his experience for a political advantage. No matter what the question, he brings it up. He could be asked about high gas prices and his answer would be something like: "Well for five years while I was a POW I did not have a car, could not drive, so I am just glad to be able to buy gas." The guy is shameful in this regard. And I am a vet too, 1970-72.

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:39:09 PM

So, what qualifies McCain to be a military leader? Getting himself shot down and spending the Vietnam War in prison is hardly great fodder for a resume for Commander-in-chief. Frankly, I'd be apprehensive about following the guy into an ice-cream parlor. He may have guts, but that doesn't mean he knows squat about achieving victory or any other military goal.

Posted by: Jeff | Aug 27, 2008 5:35:50 PM

Tell me again why we care about Ayers.
-----
Exelon. Annenberg Challenge. Weathermen.

The corporate RIGHT running the LEFT.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Aug 27, 2008 5:30:57 PM

"We should all try to learn from Hubert H. Humphrey"
-----
Oh yeah: that great Democratic president who was elected because he betrayed the demands of "his" party's voters.

Yeah, LET's learn from Humphrey.
QUICKLY.

Posted by: Belle Starr | Aug 27, 2008 5:28:01 PM

Tell me again why we care about Ayers. Some people don't even know who he is nor do they care. Must be a generation gap.

Posted by: oo | Aug 27, 2008 5:27:13 PM

PARTY UNITY MOVEMENT ACTIVIST

I thought It was a good way to take over their name so we all can be PUMAS but with a different message. PUMAS FOR OBAMA/BIDEN08/12

Posted by: Orlando B. Fremont Ohio | Aug 27, 2008 5:25:17 PM

We should all try to learn from Hubert H. Humphrey: "We [Democrats] need to forgive each other, redeem each other, and move forward."

Posted by: Hoo-Ahh! | Aug 27, 2008 5:24:37 PM

Roll Call - Hillary has already released her delegates after a hastily called "meeting."

Let's see how the corrupt DNC and the Obama crew handles this. We are all watching.

PUMA!

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 27, 2008 5:11:21 PM

Wait a minute. Why are we even talking about who has enough experience to be commander in chief when we've had a complete idiot as commander in chief for the last 8 years. Obama will do just fine because he has two things Bush does not possess--intelligence and common sense!

Posted by: Julie Bailey | Aug 27, 2008 5:10:36 PM

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