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Obama the Dancing Bear?

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March 01, 2008 9:24 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Aboard Barack Obama's press plane, the senator strolled back and chatted casually with the press corp somewhere in the air between Providence, R.I., and Cleveland, Ohio.

Obama spoke of the rigors of being a candidate in the limelight and of a campaign trail that he’s said has been significantly harder since the Iowa caucus in early January.

"I call myself a dancing bear," he jokes of his campaign life. "They let me out of my cage. I do my dance. They let me back in my cage. They feed me occasionally. They let me work out. And every once in awhile I break lose, before they get the tranquilizers."

The senator, whose last day off was Valentine's Day, said that doing the consummate candidate’s photo opt of kissing babies on the ropeline makes his day.

"Although I’m worried about the parents ... passing them over like it’s a mosh pit," Obama laughed and demonstrated parents passing babies with their arms outstretched high.

Obama confirmed that that he has never dropped a child in these situations.

"I suspect that would not be good for the vote totals," he said. "I can see that on Youtube."

The father of two talked about missing his own children, and told the story how his oldest daughter, Malia, had recently been Betsy Ross in a school presentation. He recalled how she told him, "I had to do this like 40 times, I just kept saying the same thing over and over again" to which Obama said he can relate.

"I said it’s like running for president," he said.

Obama said that he wouldn’t be running if his children -- 9 and 6 years old -- were in their teenage years.

"Parents are embarrassing enough, right?" the candidate said.

The dancing bear campaigns throughout Ohio this weekend before heading back to Texas on Monday.

March 1, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (59)

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When will Hillary realize that she may have to turn around and try to endorse the man she is ripping apart? What will she say then? That she didn't mean anything she said and he will be a good president? She doesn't understand what an idiot she will look like. Obama is a gentleman who gives up hope.

Posted by: anie | Mar 2, 2008 2:10:13 AM

I find Obama's comments above to be interesting. Obviously, his handlers have a lot of say over him. I just wonder who these people are? They used to call Bill Clinton "Slick Willie". Well, from what I see and hear, Barack has him beat by a mile! Barack is sooooo full of himself. As far as being a change, that is also a joke. He is the consummate political hack who honed is political skills as a community activist. If he is the nominee, he will lead the Dems to defeat. I intend on writing Hillary Clinton's name as a write in candidate if Obama becomes the nominee. This is too bad because I really thought the Dems would have a quality candidate this go around. That will only be true if Hillary wins the nomination. If not, the Dems will be in trouble come the fall. I will vote my conscience before I vote for Obama.

Posted by: Florida | Mar 2, 2008 2:31:17 AM

Odd comment coming from a candidate. Doesn't anyone want to hear about issues?

Posted by: GM | Mar 2, 2008 3:08:36 AM

Thanks, Rick. After critiquing both you and Jake about having more Clinton in your basket more often these days--post Clinton-whine, it's nice to see a positive piece about Obama. Thanks.

Posted by: Jerome | Mar 2, 2008 3:19:29 AM

That's news!!! Obama a bear or something??? Give me a break. Who cares. Just another attempt to give Obama supporters their "little" lift for the night. What a joke.

Posted by: Neal | Mar 2, 2008 3:44:38 AM

Obama's comments about being dancing bear show how disconnected he already is from his public self, how little he believes in what he's saying. He wants the power, but he just can't connect with the reality that it means every day he'll be the one who's expected to care about the issues and work on solutions. If he doesn't care about it now, once he gets the power he craves, what will make him care then? Nothing. Vote for someone who's shown she can continue to care and work on issues, year in, year out, because that's what it will take to turn this country around, not someone who already says he feels like a dancing bear. The guy sounds depressed, not presidential.

Posted by: Christine | Mar 2, 2008 6:14:55 AM

disconnected? oh give me a break!
11 states can't be wrong, do your own homework people and leave the republican talking points to the real republicans!

Posted by: LA in Indiana | Mar 2, 2008 6:28:23 AM

keep bill and hill out of the white house! they had they're chance, it's Obama's turn!

Posted by: LA in Indiana | Mar 2, 2008 6:29:28 AM

geez, its too early....the clintons had their chance, its time to move forward not backwards.
Obama 08

Posted by: LA in Indiana | Mar 2, 2008 6:30:53 AM

You're right, Carl, it is a non-article. But it somehow appeals more than the non-article about Clinton suddenly disappeating only to reappear on SNL. With that kind of action one gets the impression that 3AM phone call just might go unanswered because she slipped out the side door in the night to make good on her celebrity status. Not the kind of joke I'd find humorous.

Posted by: SE Croft | Mar 2, 2008 6:57:15 AM


Judging by the comments I just hope this thing will be over soon. The two parts are stiffening and the amount of crap flying is doubling by the day.

Obama and Clinton are both fine candidates with similar solutions that would represent a clean break with W, but at this point the only way for Hillary to win goes through ripping the Dems apart (lawsuits, arm-twisting the DNC to seat FL and MI delegations, etc.) and most likely losing in November.

If I were a Dem in Texas or Ohio I'd surely vote for Obama.

Posted by: gianluca | Mar 2, 2008 7:38:47 AM

Well I would not vote for Obama it sounds like he has a problem he feels caged now ? and his dayghter will be a teen in the white house.

Posted by: Bishop | Mar 2, 2008 9:33:25 AM

Obama has right leadership, skills and judgment and experience to lead this country.. He can inspire people and offer hope and change of future over past, he has vision to bring people together.
Here are some examples for your reference:
1. Leadership: Unknown - no record for Obama holding any public executive positions in Federal and state government or city hall.
2. Skill: excellent - good at turning issues around by "I didn't mean it, what I meant is....",
3. Judgment: excellent - very good at house market and just bought his house away below market value
4. Hope: self described as a blank screen
5. Vision: to bring people together - sounds familiar
6. Inspiration: the same good as pastor
7. Change: Excellent - has made a lot of house improvement with the help of his pal Rezko
8. Experiences: Excellent - specialized in pressing two buttons: YES or NO...Sorry forget the third one "Present"....

Posted by: No-good-judgment | Mar 2, 2008 10:27:07 AM

Getting elected is a matter of getting your message out. Obama's got a consistent message and that's why he's winning. Try making 20-30 speeches a week and then see what you'd have to say about it.

Posted by: chaospress | Mar 2, 2008 10:53:00 AM

Man, he was being humorous and honest with these comments. Lighten up people. I know you're not used to having a real person in the White House, but please start adjusting to the possibility.

Posted by: chaospress | Mar 2, 2008 10:57:11 AM

Funny thing is Obama also in one debate said he was opposed to allowing his kids to see any type of sexual references on TV. However during the super-bowl he runs a pole dancer on his commercial showing her butt. The guy says one thing then does another. You bandwagoners are being misled. Gosh even the international papers are saying he's a big mistake. Stop reading main stream for fact, start looking at the small media print and the international papers for the real deal.

Posted by: realdeal | Mar 2, 2008 11:49:53 AM

After watching major network news programs this morning, I noticed "judgment" being coopted as a campaign buzz word by the Obama supporters with increasing frequency.

Perhaps we shall see whether Senator Obama has exercised good judgment with the outcome and aftermath of the Rezko trial that begins tomorrow.

Another item on the news programs that kept jumping out to me were the results of the polls of voters in both Ohio and Texas.

In every poll that considered the demographic of voter race, the black vote was going to Obama by 85 to 90% or more.

In addition, a large majority of the super delegates defecting from Clinton to the Obama campaign were surprisingly enough...black.

However, when considering other demographics with regards to the candidates, the obvious racial bias was not present.

We have all witnessed the Obama campaign, delegates, super delegates, and supporters play the race card with blinding speed whenever it serves their purpose, in most cases to answer questions about Senator Obama.

Anyone who dares to question Barak Hussein Obama, his past, his family, his record, his experience, his potential, or any other of a host of relevant subjects is labeled as racist, hateful, or fear mongering.

As the judgment of Senator Obama, his family, his campaign, and his supporters is adjudicated in the Rezko trials tomorrow, the race card will undoubtedly again be thrown with great haste.

Taking into consideration the obvious racial bias of black voters and supporters as indicated in the polls, we should ask "Who are the real racists?" and pose a pertinent and deserving question.

Will the rest of the electorate allow the race baiting of the Obama campaign and the racial bias and attacks of black voters to influence their choice of presidential candidate, or not?

Perhaps the silent majority will finally stand up and say "enough is enough," thus exercising a virtue truly lacking in Obama qualifications, good judgment.

Posted by: Ken | Mar 2, 2008 12:21:19 PM

If Senator Hillary Huckabee Clinton does not win Texas and Ohio by a large margin (15%), they need to shut it down for the good of the party. If they feel they are more important than the party then.........and hey, does Hillary Huckabee Clinton have a trial coming up?

Posted by: Fasteddie | Mar 2, 2008 12:35:08 PM

Well, Tom,

I guess some people do not consider polls from ABC, NBC, and CBS as valid sources of facts. In all fairness, polls only represent a snapshot of the preferences of those polled and can vary a few percentage points either way in most cases.

However, both major political parties and many voters consider polls as a valid consideration of a posed question until a new poll comes out. As such, polls do, in fact, constitute a major source of information consumed by the average American.

For the most part, the only items represented as facts we have concerning the four, current presidential candidates are the facts that they or their campaigns agree to.

I appreciate the fact that you would respond to my post.

At least, you and I are thinking.

Posted by: Ken | Mar 2, 2008 12:55:28 PM

Ken, you HAVE to be joking. ObamaVets was responding to a Hillary supporter who pulled the race card (and a very ugly one at that). He proved no point of yours AT ALL.

Posted by: Emily | Mar 2, 2008 1:08:34 PM

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