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Obama Apologizes to Nancy Reagan For 'Séance' Crack
November 07, 2008 7:46 PM
Earlier today at his press conference, President-elect Barack Obama was asked by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times if he'd spoken to "any living ex-presidents" to get ready for his new job.
"In terms of speaking to former presidents, I have spoken to all of them that are living," Obama said. "Obviously, President Clinton."
Some in the audience of reporters started laughing at the fact that Mr. Obama had felt the need to say he spoken to the presidents "that are living."
"I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any séances," Obama explained -- before adding that he'd "reread some of Lincoln's writings," and, "President Carter, President Bush Senior, as well as the current president have all been very gracious and offered to provide any help that they can in this transition process."
Obama obviously felt that he needed to say sorry to the widowed former first lady, who's recuperating from breaking her pelvis.
“President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan today to apologize for the careless and off-handed remark he made during today’s press conference," said Obama transition team spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "The president-elect expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share and they had a warm conversation."
Incidentally, Nancy Reagan never held a séance at the White House, though she was reported to have consulted with an astrologer when planning her husband's schedules. It was Mary Todd Lincoln who regularly held séances.
When she was first lady, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., worked with spiritual adviser Jean Houston to access an "Eleanor Roosevelt-like consciousness" from within her own psyche. Clinton wrote in a column that Roosevelt "usually responds by telling me to buck up, or at least to grow skin as thick as a rhinoceros."
- jpt
November 7, 2008 in Obama, Barack | Permalink | Share | User Comments (367)
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And seventh, his stimulus hint is bad...I hear it is to payback all his crooked buddies like the Middle East who Obama wants to give $2 billion to "to improve the ME's opinion of us." You know pay terrorists to be nice aka appeasement. Watch out for Obama, he is a scam man.
Posted by: chattyway | Nov 9, 2008 2:53:57 AM
First, Obama was late to his own press conference. Secondly, he only took a few questions and all of them came from obama friendly's. Third, he had no economic plan which is frightening and again showing this guy as clueless. Forth, he launced an attack against an old woman who just broke her hip, like his grannie that supposedly gave a damn about that just died---- And fifth, he spent more time talking about the stupid dog than he did of anything of revalence. Hey newsflash Obama......we have alot of problems coming up.
Posted by: chattyway | Nov 9, 2008 2:51:07 AM
Why does ABC keep erasing my posts. Must be becasue they really work for the Obama campaign.
We will try one more time.
Obama turned his own gaff into an attack on an 80 year old women who's recovering from a broken hip. Way to unite us Messiah
Posted by: jon | Nov 9, 2008 2:40:28 AM
Obama realized that he was getting laughed at with his talking to the living presidents so instead of taking it on the chin her turned his misstatement to an attack on an 80 plus year old women and her dead husband.
Your a joke Obama, Putin and Osama are throwing victory parties right now
Posted by: jon | Nov 9, 2008 2:33:37 AM
He is not even in office yet and he is screwing up. The Nancy comment just shows how lost he is and now so are we.
Posted by: Dorothy | Nov 8, 2008 11:35:52 PM
Glad he apologized, that showed class.
What ticks me off is that in all the press coverage nobody mentioned it.
It makes me think a little of Emperor's New Clothes, huh??
Because the ONE I guess is still in Chris Matthews words someone the press will "do everything I can to make this thing work, this new presidency work"
If Joe Biden, the court jester had said it, Jake would add it to his wonderful list of gaffes. But Jake was so enamored of his question on Iran, which like someone has said here was good question but sloppy answer. Great question and Jake's beat isn't even foreign policy.
But on the soft sell of how Barack will enter the White House, he inexplicably chokes. On dogs, what nonsense and an interesting but unnecessary self depreciating remark. On fellow Presidents, whoo why did he go tripping on "living presidents" to the limit of a sloppy crack at Nancy and the late Ronald Reagan......
Posted by: robert b | Nov 8, 2008 11:02:35 PM
Now President elect knows the truth ... even George Washington Thomas Jefferson...even Lincon had advisors who used political seances and Crystal balls .... Look at George Bush... he misinterpreted the Grand Canyon as a place to mine energy...not the reality of the mining of his political career into a Grand Canyon....mine is like land mine ... with people not diggin his ... politics.
Posted by: E L | Nov 8, 2008 9:29:37 PM
Obama has the potential of being the worst President in history. He does not
have the experience to make the hard decisions. He will run to Biden, who is
totally entrenched in the old policies of Washington. SO MUCH FOR CHANGE!!!
Posted by: EC | Nov 8, 2008 8:51:25 PM
I think Obama looked a little shell shocked at the news conference. He actually won the election. The well wishers are unbelieveable so many would be a little overwhelming even for someone with his great self esteem. I thought his remarks were for a moment self effacing. He walked into a room, and everrrrrryone stood up. Even his enemies stood up. He won the election, and with it all that goes with it. There is a great weight on his shoulders now, and he has no time to grieve his loss, Obama will be fine, and a great president.
Posted by: bll | Nov 8, 2008 8:43:45 PM
I'm willing to give Obama a break on this. Just tell him the he's supposed to be the straight man, Biden the one who should make the gaffs. Kind of like Abbot and Costello.
Posted by: garand911 | Nov 8, 2008 8:26:17 PM
Gabriel said - "HE IS GOING TO BE WORSE THAN W"
—————————————
My dear, that's impossible.
Posted by: RubyRed Republican | Nov 8, 2008 8:07:53 PM
This guy is a Joke. He is going to be worst then W.
We hated W that we decided we had to upgrade to something better. Not knowing that we were actually getting something worst; just like what happened to anybody that got Windows Vista.
Obama has no experience, thinks he is infallible, is cocky and arrogant as hell.
Posted by: Gabriel | Nov 8, 2008 7:48:55 PM
I know how embarrassed we were listening to the President-elect making fun of a former first lady,but just imagine what the foreign dignitaries watching his first news conference must think of him.
Posted by: worried088 | Nov 8, 2008 7:33:57 PM
Off the record Obama was heard telling Joe Biden; "Oh lawdy lawd! Oh lawdy Lawd! Do what he say!! Do what he say!! Hep me!! Hep me!!" Unfortunately Joe could not respond due to his foot being stuck in his mouth. Henry Waxman stepped in and did his best pig imitation to keep the group happy.
Posted by: Jim | Nov 8, 2008 6:43:39 PM
What happened to the brilliant, inspiring, illustrious Obama of the campaign trail? He sounded like a first year speech student, stumbling, grappling for words, with so many pauses and hesitations that he appeared almost dull of mind. All the canned speeches during the campaign were memorized and repeated over and over again, practiced [probably in front of a mirror] along with gestures and smiles, etc. First time out, we see the real Obama--trying to ad-lib and labeling himself [as a mutt] as no one else is allowed to do, in an attempt at self-deprecating humor, which fell totally flat. And he managed to insult a former first-lady who may or may not be insulted, but which was still in extremely poor taste for a president-elect. The brilliant? appeared dull. The intelligent? appeared, well, anything but. The demos will make all kinds of excuse, of course. The shining star is starting to tarnish. Who knows what's ahead, but this man won the presidency as if it were a popularity contest in high school, not as if he were a statesman--which he is not. He is a man who has had to hide a lot about himself, and many of the things we do know about him are terrible, especially when it comes to abortion and killing babies. God help us all!
Posted by: prolifer | Nov 8, 2008 6:01:08 PM
"President-elect Obama unfortunately chose an incendiary word when he answered a reporter's question about selecting a dog for his White House."
That is REALLY reaching. I mean, seriously, you want so badly to have dirt on him so you pull that one out?
Almost everyone I know who has mixed blood refers to themselves as a mutt. Did you just now crawl out from a rock?
Just the other day I called myself a mutt because someone asked me if I was Russian. I replied, "No, I'm a mutt like everyone else...norwegian, german, and scottish."
He did not turn to me and say "wow, you're a dirty mongrel???"
No, he said "Yeah, I'm a mutt too" and proceeded to tell me his heritage.
Its slang for "mixed blood" EVERYONE knows that...
...except you.
Keep digging.
Posted by: business owning woman | Nov 8, 2008 4:42:14 PM
readytopuke
"How do you know Palin made the Africa remark? Where is your documentation?"
There are video clips all over TV and the internet of her admitting to it. She claims her comments were taken out of context.
Posted by: WWW | Nov 8, 2008 4:41:44 PM
Jake got the punctuation wrong - watch the video. Obama actually said:
"In terms of speaking to former presidents, I have spoken to all of them. That are living."
After the first sentence, he realized he had just implied to talked to ALL of them, living and dead. So he wanted to clarify that without seeming too pedantic. I thought it was funny, and I respect Nancy Reagan very much.
Posted by: Tom J | Nov 8, 2008 4:39:33 PM
Just because you say you are a Christian does not mean that you are one...you are known by your fruits. I truly hope that he is a Christian as he "says" he is...or else we are all in big trouble.
Posted by: readytopuke | Nov 8, 2008 4:35:36 PM
All I can say is, "If you can't sy something nice about people then keep your blasted mouth shut".
Posted by: Bev Reagan | Nov 8, 2008 4:30:57 PM
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