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Stephanopoulos: Obama Hits Back Against Attacks Against His Community Organizer Work
September 07, 2008 10:06 AM
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reports: In an exclusive "This Week" interview airing this morning Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., spoke out against recent Republican attacks on his past as a community organizer.
"It’s curious to me that they would mock that, when I, at least, think that that’s exactly what young people should be doing," Obama said on "This Week."
"When I got out of a college as a young person, 24, 25 years old, I moved to Chicago and worked with churches, who were dealing with steel plants that had closed in their neighborhoods, to set up job training programs for the unemployed and after-school programs for youth, and to try to deal with asbestos in homes with poor people -- community service work -- which John McCain has been talking about putting country first and extolling the virtues of national service," Obama said.
"I would think that’s what we want all our young people to do. I would think that that’s an area where Democrats and Republicans would agree," Obama said.
Obama hit back against his Republican rival John McCain's attempt to portray himself as a change candidate.
"For folks who suddenly have tried to grab the change banner, you know, they’ve got a very traditional view of what service means," he said.
"You know, it means, running for office and being a politician, I guess. Or serving in the military. I mean, those are the two options that I think they’ve talked about. I think there are a whole lot of people -- young people, in particular -- who are teaching in under-served schools or working in a hospital in need, you know, volunteering for their community, that think that’s part of the change that we need. That’s part of the energy that we’ve been able to mobilize in this campaign," Obama said.
Asked if he detected racial undertones to these attacks, Obama said he did not.
"I didn’t hear that," Obama said.
September 7, 2008 in McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (53)
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Palin is Katherin Harris all over again. And where is Katherine Harris now?
Complex issues need intelligent leaders, not pitbull hockeymoms.
Posted by: bc46 | Sep 7, 2008 11:10:40 AM
They refuse to allow interviews, so no one can find out her views on all issues.
If she can't handle the press, how do you expect her to handle country issues.
Be afraid, be VERY afraid.
Posted by: bc46 | Sep 7, 2008 11:15:03 AM
The more he try to SPIN it, the more his polls numbers are falling ...
Even before the full effect of RNC Convention Bounce is kicking in, the average of all polls (CNN, CBS, Gallup, Ramussen, Hotline) is showing Obama leading by a wafer thin margin of 1.8%. McCain is now 44.6% snapping away at Obama 46.4%
I know a lot of Obama supporters are going to say they do not believe in polls....they are afterall .... JUST POLLS !!!
Posted by: McCain/Palin 2008 | Sep 7, 2008 11:16:32 AM
Its the economy, stupid.
Posted by: bc46 | Sep 7, 2008 11:19:16 AM
Oh, you want to talk about stealing words? Obama is FAMOUS for it!
"Just words?" -Deval Patrick
"Yes we can" or as the world first heard it (in Spanish) "Si se puede" -United Farm Workers
And during his debates with Hillary, he did the old, "Yeah...what she said..."
Posted by: Bobby | Sep 7, 2008 11:20:25 AM
lol right Bobby. Intelligent answer.
Posted by: bc46 | Sep 7, 2008 11:21:00 AM
McCain/Palin can deliver (lines) lies with the best of the republicans, that doesn't help the economy in this country.
If you think unemployment is high now, put the republicans back in office and watch them destroy this country.
Posted by: bc46 | Sep 7, 2008 11:22:33 AM
The Dems are not afraid to face the press... because they know they will get softball questions, without having to answer any of the real questions of the day... case in point, George S. not asking the obvious follow-up question regarding how Obama intended to pay for the trillions of dollars of new programs he is proposing. Obama has never led anything, absolutely not a single day of executive experience... and even as a member of the Senate, was only there for 100+ days before he began campaigning for president full time. No significant legislation (even as a member of the Ill State Senate)... He's made a career out of...having a career. He's managed to accomplish nothing of significance, and write two books about it.
Posted by: Bil Z | Sep 7, 2008 11:29:57 AM
McCain/Palin are not criticizing Obama's community organizing work! They are just communicating in a jesting way that her leadership experience as a small-town mayor is more than equivalent to Obama's as a community organizer. If you objectively take the two sets of job requirements and compare them side-by-side, which of them requires executive activity and final the-buck-stops-here responsibility? And what did Sarah give up to be mayor in her community that would have been more lucrative?
Posted by: 4 Sarah Barracuda | Sep 7, 2008 11:37:06 AM
HYPOCRISY!
ELITIST RETHUGS!
NO POLICY,NO REAL AGENDA!
COUNTRY WRECKERS!
Beauty queen,and Pow Card.
Posted by: GEG | Sep 7, 2008 12:05:04 PM
This Rethugs,claimed she got an executive experience,they claimed that she is the reform,when in the other hand she got lots of baggage in her tiny town Wasilla,she build a hockey sports arena,but they have no sewerage and other important public utilities that benefited her town,she buried the town with $ 27 million debt.by the way this hockey arena was under question also because of the public imminent domain.her state senate GOP confessed to the CNN interview,that she will not going to seek any re-election because,she cannot stand Palin and the other staff that working for her,therefore she cannot work in the WH,
because,she don't know how to resolved conflicts,with other people.she cannot resolve any foreign policy problems,when the crisis strikes.
we cannot invite the devil in our dinner table.
Posted by: GEG | Sep 7, 2008 12:15:04 PM
none of these canidates have any executive experience.....all of these people depend on politics for their livihood......the government is their host......the people pay their checks....there is no adventuresome spirit.......no independent thinking......no heros.....no courage.........
Posted by: wm musson | Sep 7, 2008 12:15:46 PM
By the way i am a community organizer too,so mocking my noble work was not pleasing in the eye of the Rethugs.
Posted by: GEG | Sep 7, 2008 12:18:21 PM
If you watch the Daily Show,there was a clipped,that the Conservatives hang out at the basement of the convention building,wherein the strippers entertained them and they got a private function room,for the VIPS.
I have no problem with the strippers,but i can't stand the hypocrisy of the Rethugs,when it comes to the morality issues.preaching and poking on other people's privacy,is completely ridiculous.
Posted by: GEG | Sep 7, 2008 12:24:25 PM
Another thing,if the women is a rape victim,don't abort your child,it's not pleasing for Palin and GOPS,they are the only people,who can dictate your fate.
Posted by: GEG | Sep 7, 2008 12:27:32 PM
Why Americans are Puzzled that Obama is Puzzled
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_wsj-acorn_squash.htm
Posted by: LightSeeker | Sep 7, 2008 12:27:40 PM
GEG.
Unfortunately, Most Alaskans wouldn't agree with you and your trashing of Palin. After all, Palin is THEIR GOVERNOR!!
Posted by: Manitu | Sep 7, 2008 1:17:13 PM
OK, so executive experence is the only relevant experence? Look at George W Bush. Much more executive experence (4 years as Govener, not 1 1/2) than Sarah Palin and much better educated. How did that work out for us?
Posted by: Dave | Sep 7, 2008 1:22:23 PM
Please notice that OBAMA NEVER SAID EXACTLY WHAT HE DID AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND WHAT ORGANIZATION HE WAS WORKNG FOR? THIS REVALATION MAY BE PART OF AN OCTOBER SURPRISE AS APARENTLY, ALSO, A LOT OF INFO JUST HIT THIS WEEK (NEWSMAX) ABOUT OMAMA'S HARVARD EXPENSES BEING PAID FOR BY DR. KHALID AL-MANSOUR WHO HAD TIES TO THE BLACK PANTHERS, OTHER HATE WHITE AMERICA GROUPS AND THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY. OBAMA TIES TO HATE AMERICA GO BACK WAY EARLIER THAN REV WRIGHT!!
Posted by: Manitu | Sep 7, 2008 1:34:57 PM
Dave.
How did Bush work out for me? Cut my income taxes way back and kept our butts safe over here with no thanks to the defeatist dems. Sure GLAD these bunch of losers weren't around during WW11 and Cold War with USSR!!! Retired teacher, now auto parts driver.
Posted by: Manitu | Sep 7, 2008 1:40:31 PM
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