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Obama: Rested and Ready to Rumble?
August 17, 2008 8:04 PM
ABC News' Andy Fies reports: Is there a vacation effect at work with Candidate Obama?
In his first appearance since hitting the beach in Hawaii, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., hit a minefield of social issues in front of Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church congregation. While he was not as well received as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who followed him, he was very much at ease, even exchanging a high five with Warren during the interview.
He just seemed more relaxed than he did in the days between his return from Europe and his vacation.
And could it be that he spent time during the vacation absorbing the catalogue of criticisms tossed at his campaign lately? Much of his talk this morning -– his first campaign event since his return -- appeared to be a point-by-point response to those arguing he has not forcefully battled McCain’s more negative message.
He was focused and blunt in his attacks on his opponent, three times stopping just short of calling McCain a liar. Of McCain’s call for offshore oil drilling, Obama said, "He's not telling you the truth about what it's gonna take to free ourselves from dependence on foreign oil." Obama zeroed in on McCain’s opposition to alternative energy tax credits and added, "Then he's got the nerve to stand up there on television and talk about how he believes in alternative energy. It's just not true!"
And in some of these "honesty" attacks, was Obama even throwing in subtle -- or perhaps not so subtle -- reminders of McCain's advanced years for good measure? Near the beginning of his remarks, he asked, "Are you gonna have somebody who's going to tell you the truth about how we're gonna change America, or somebody who's gonna run the same old tired campaigns that have been run every few years?" He continued, "Basically what John McCain has done is he's hired the same old folks who brought you George W. Bush."
As if in answer to those who say he hasn't connected with ordinary voters, he seemed to try extra hard today. He added a new refrain when he spoke of his past, which some have called "exotic":
"My story is your story," he said. "We have a common story of previous generations working hard so we can have a better life."
Maybe he just woke up and read Patrick Healy's front page story in the New York Times or Frank Rich’s column in the same paper. But the concerns they report have been swirling around the campaign for weeks.
Maybe on the beach in Hawaii, Obama woke up and smelled the fear.
August 17, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (65)
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I used to be a democrat, not anymore. Although I'd never vote for McCain, I'd choose him over Nobama!
Posted by: brian | Aug 17, 2008 8:13:11 PM
I got removed, so here once again!
What A loser! I used to be a democrat, not anymore. I'd never vote for McCain, but I'd choose him over Nobama. I'll be writing in Paris Hilton I guess. She's a much better choice than these two.
Posted by: brian | Aug 17, 2008 8:16:50 PM
Well it's time for the Obama campaign to fight back and go on OFFENSE.
Posted by: vickie | Aug 17, 2008 8:17:47 PM
Nice sping, but Obama's performance was decent, but certainly not great or even good.
Please just look at how he stumbled over the abortion rights questions. Sad. He's pro choice, but understands pro lifers and wants to work with them to make sure there are no more abortions (but, of course, he won't make it law).
Poorly argued, trying to pander. Just like his oil drilling concession. He's against it, but will drill in the name of "unity" and in order to reach compromise.
Why elect a man who caves on his principles when necessary for him to secure a nomination?
Posted by: JA | Aug 17, 2008 8:19:45 PM
Everything Obama said was the opposite of what he has been saying all year!!
Posted by: JED | Aug 17, 2008 8:32:21 PM
Mcain said enough to scare any woman who believes it is between God and themselves what they choose. Funny watching a man (McCain) say we need less government, but he has no problem flexin his muscle when it comes to government exercising its right when it comes to birth) (OF course! There is no free market in that!) Screw banks and healthcare, we'll just regulate births.
WTF?
If you are republican, you better hold on, if abortion becomes illegal- be ready to take care of an onslaught of poor children in the welfare system. You heard me, and I warned you-
What a woman chooses is between her and God- it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.
Posted by: Sally | Aug 17, 2008 8:33:26 PM
That was very funny kim! I think that for many of the people on these blogs Obama has to use really small words. Sort of like those rapid fire stupid responses we got from McCain last night.
The old man with the yellow teeth will never be president!
Posted by: roxanne | Aug 17, 2008 8:34:40 PM
JUST SAY NO!
Posted by: NoToObama | Aug 17, 2008 8:35:44 PM
This Obama is a liar himself, trying to call McCain a liar. That's hypocrisy everyone should see about this Obama.
Posted by: country voter | Aug 17, 2008 8:38:08 PM
Since everyone is entitled to their opinion, here is mine:
What I saw last night watching the forum at Saddleback was two very different types of leaders. Sen. McCain would be reactionary and Sen. Obama would be calculating. Sen. Obama is a thinker and in my opinion, that's what we need in leadership. Someone who is willing to consider all points of view. As far as the abortion issue is concerned, Sen. Obama stated that while he does not support abortion, he doesn't believe that laws should criminalize a women's right to chose what to do with her own body and that the woman has to bear the burden of making such a gut-wrenching, moral decision. What he did say is that more focus should be on preventing unwanted pregnancies in the first place. Plus, I heard on CNN this morning during Rick Vargas' conversation with Pastor Warren that McCain wasn't in the "holding tank" as previously reported and that he wasn't even at the church during Sen. Obama's turn with Pastor Warren. I found it odd that on one couple of the questions, McCain answered the questions before Pastor Warren even asked the question. McCain was clearly pandering to the evangelical crowd at the church especially when he kept referring to them as "my friends."
Posted by: Vickie G. | Aug 17, 2008 8:38:59 PM
Warren just admitted Mccain was not in a cone of silence. I thought as much. Those answers to the 3 wise men were too quick for everyone. It shows that he was not smart at all.
Posted by: vuzous | Aug 17, 2008 8:46:02 PM
While, I am African American MY STORY IS NOT OBAMA'S STORY. This guy is a walking slogan.
Also who says that poor women get abortions at all? On the contrary, most abortions are performed on middle and upper class white women. Take a look on the south side of Chicago or Bed stuy does anyone in those neighborhoods look like they give a damn about Roe V. Wade being overturned? Can they afford an abortion?
Posted by: Samantha | Aug 17, 2008 8:47:17 PM
He should have pretended as if he never heard the questions. Mccain is a CHEAT and would do anything to win the elections. We should also check the Georgia angle. I suspect a FRAUD TOO. Why would a country with an army of 20000 go into war with an army of 1 million?
Posted by: vuzous | Aug 17, 2008 8:49:52 PM
WE WISH OBAMA A GREAT WELCOME BACK FROM HIS HOLIDAYS. GREAT LEADERSHIP WITH VSION AND WELL INFORMED LEADER WHO WILL LEAD AMERICA AND THE WORLD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. GOD SAVE AMERICA FROM McSAME, NO NEED FOR A 4 MORE YEARS OF FAILLED POLICIES AND LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
Posted by: BKMC | Aug 17, 2008 8:51:15 PM
I'm sick of canned, rehearsed candidates like McCain.
Obama obviously spoke from his heart.
McCain just repeated all the one liners his advisers taught him. I don't think McCain even believes in God. When he talks, he sounds so practiced and empty.
And i can't believe he managed to squeeze in his "drill here, drill now" stump-speech bark. What an idiot. McCain is the one who voted against a bill that would have required oil companies to sell our oil to us, Americans, before selling our oil to foreign countries.
Posted by: jds | Aug 17, 2008 8:51:44 PM
I take it that Mr. Clampet is still looking up the word elaborate. Well, It's time for Murder She Wrote. See you at the convention kiddies!
Posted by: cami | Aug 17, 2008 8:54:44 PM
First, the story from Obama’s Supporters was that McCain was rehearsed, just reeling off his stump speech, that he had given those same answers countless times at townhall meetings, etc.
Now, the spin is that McCain cheated, listened in on Obama’s performance so he could prepare his answers beforehand.
Neither story explains why Obama was a bumbling, stumbling fool who could not come up with one coherent answer, no matter how much "thought" he had given the question.
Obama Supporters are flooding the blogs with posts of how “well” he did last night at the forum in a desperate attempt to control the message. America will no longer be fooled. Right now, clips of Obama at the Forum, raw and uncut, is running 24/7 on the cable news cycle. The Forum is now in television repeat mode and has made it to the Internet.
I think Obama’s free ride is just about over.
PUMA! 9.2 million Voters and counting, coming to the polls with You!
Cluck…
Posted by: LeeLee07 | Aug 17, 2008 9:46:59 PM
"Above Your Pay Grade?" Give me a break. Whatever happened to "The Buck Stops here" Senator?
CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, The Washington Post, and The New York Times have tried to keep the American voter in the dark in terms where Obama stands on many important issues. Thank goodness Rick Warren, a Pastor has done what many reporters have refused to do; that is ask Obama some tough questions regarding where he stands on the issues facing this nation. It is ironic that the Main Stream media has caused the Church to inherit a permanent place as a legitimate venue in future Presidential election debates. Thank you CNN! Your hidden agenda just backfired!
And what about that wimpy answer from Obama regarding his pay grade? Why can't you just be a man and tell it like it is Senator Obama? Why do you feel obligated to hide your true intentions behind an accomplished speechwriter and an unusually good ability to read flowery speech from a teleprompter?
Posted by: GeraldD | Aug 17, 2008 9:51:20 PM
obama sounds like sour grapes to me. he fumbled at the forum and now he is trying to re assert himself with insults toward his opponent. obama sounds angry, resentful and bitter. this guy cannot stand the fact that unlike his 'follower's' the rest of us don't faint at his presence.
although i have not yet decided who if any of the candidates i will support obamas performace last night was dismal, clumsy, and timid. mccain shoots from the hip and that scares me also. pathetic choices, that is where we stand.
Posted by: sonia trevino | Aug 17, 2008 9:51:46 PM
Obama IS smelling fear now...he knows he's going to lose the General Election!
McCain 08!
Posted by: alex | Aug 17, 2008 9:58:11 PM
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