Obama Rips Reporter Over Question About Michelle Tape Rumor

hotair.com ^ | June 5, 2008 | Allahpundit

[Free ThinkerNY]

Can’t blame him, although I don’t know how you solve this prisoner’s dilemma in an Internet age. One site floats the rumor, word spreads via e-mail, a few other sites blog it, another dozen sites reason that it’s gaining currency as a meme and already Google-able so there’s no reason to ignore it, and it’s off to the races. The media gets wind of it, checks it out, maybe runs a public advisory story debunking it (e.g., “No evidence of Michelle Obama tape”), and finally puts a question to the candidate himself to give him a chance to blow it out of the water. The story runs the next day, a million people read about it, ten percent assume that it’s at least partially true, and voila. How do you keep a conspiracy of silence when everyone in the world’s a publisher?

“We have seen this before. There is dirt and lies that are circulated in e-mails and they pump them out long enough until finally you, a mainstream reporter, asks me about it,” Obama said to the McClatchy reporter during a press conference aboard his campaign plane. “That gives legs to the story. If somebody has evidence that myself or Michelle or anybody has said something inappropriate, let them do it.”

Asked whether he knew it not to be true, Obama said he had answered the question.

“Frankly, my hope is people don’t play this game,” Obama said. “It is a destructive aspect of our politics. Simply because something appears in an e-mail, that should lend it no more credence than if you heard it on the corner. Presumably the job of the press is to not to go around and spread scurrilous rumors like this until there is actually anything, an iota, of substance or evidence that would substantiate it.”

[Free ThinkerNY]

[nmh]

Show that temper, boy.

Show people how stupid and thin skinned you are.

[nmh]

So, he won't admit that the rumor isn't true or doesn't exist. Wonder if Hitlery is blackmailing him, with the tape for a VP slot?

[GOP_Lady]

I remember the exact date that I was first proud of my country. It was three days before my 10th birthday — July 20, 1969 — when Americans landed and walked on the moon. It's too bad that Mrs. Obama can't even recall one situation in her lifetime.

[lt.america]

He's just setting the tone for the General Election. He will berate any reporter that asks him a question that he does not agree with and if you do not agree with him, you are a cynic, backward thinking, and don't get the whole campaign of “change”.

But, this is the guy that could be the next President of the United States if some folks don't wake up.

[Jeff Chandler]

I didn’t hear a “no”.

[Michael.SF.]

Actually his response reads as a mild reproach not a “rip” as I would have thought from the headline.

[CitizenUSA]

nmh: “So, he won’t admit that the rumor isn’t true or doesn’t exist.”

Geesh! On this, Obama’s right. If people have the video, bring it forth! What ever happened to investigative reporting? What we call journalism nowadays is a complete joke!

[alloysteel]

If the tape is out there, is is being distributed by the underlings in the Hillary committee. No Republican would EVER admit to possession of such a video moment, as it is totally radioactive, and would contaminate anyone who admits to possession.

But Herself, still the Cold and Joyless, has nothing to lose now.

Certainly more bloodless than an actual assassination.

[hosepipe]

Forget Michele the whole church is comfortable with blame it all on whitey.. probably many many black churchs are in this condition.. I personally don't know of ANY white churchs with a blame it all on blackie.. There may be some but I got a feeling they are very rare..

Worse the blacks that do this are not even embarrased.. including Obama... BOTH of them..

[CitizenUSA]

alloysteel: “No Republican would EVER admit to possession of such a video moment, as it is totally radioactive, and would contaminate anyone who admits to possession.”

It would contaminate the possessor? HOW?

If such a video exists, the only person contaminated would be Michelle Obama—contaminated by racism. That’s part of the reason why this rumor has legs. It’s believable. However, any journalist who brings it up should put up or shut up. What we call journalism these days is little more than an echo chamber for gossip.

[Salvation]

Great collage. We need to get the angry one from his Montana win speech added. LOL!

[Texan]

Send it to ABC via a Kinkos computer in Abilene, TX. They’re SURE to believe it then.

[cynwoody]

Presumably the job of the press is to not to go around and spread scurrilous rumors like this until there is actually anything, an iota, of substance or evidence that would substantiate it.

Oops. Did he say "until"? Is that because "until" is a little less of a lie than "unless" would have been? What does he know that we don't?

Another tedious non-denial denial. Billy Jeff is better at it.

[cjmae]

That’s not the Michelle that I know

[GOP_Lady]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[BunnySlippers]

Obama should provide the transcript and the video of the event to quell suspicions.

[jrooney]

He did not deny the existence of the tape.

[nmh]

He’s a slippery, sh**.

[cruise_missile]

That's not the Barrak Obama I know!

[Free ThinkerNY]

Good idea. Will someone in the media ask him that?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"If somebody has evidence that myself or Michelle or anybody has said something inappropriate, let them do it.”:

"For the first time in my adult life I am really proud of my country."

"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them.And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

That was "inappropriate" enough to disqualify someone from the highest office of this nation.

[RobinOfKingston]

“Frankly, my hope is people don’t play this game,” Obama said.

All across the playgrounds of my youth, this guy's whining would have been met with, "Tough titty!" a-rock who seine a-bomba didn't have the benefit of a childhood like mine.

I'm so tired of hearing this putz's name.

[Miss Didi]

RUSH: I'm watching the news also at the top of the hour break, and no matter channel I turn to: "Hillary Clinton exiting race on Saturday. Hillary Clinton is going to praise Obama on Saturday. Hillary Clinton getting out," blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's not what's happening here. It is not what's happening. What you've gotta read between the lines... You gotta understand how to understand what a Clinton is saying. She did say that at some event so Saturday that she would "extend..." Let me give you the quote: "extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy." Congratulations for what? She doesn't say there, "I would extend my congratulations to Senator Obama on winning the Democrat nomination and I will support his candidacy." She's not saying that. Then she said, "I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democrat Party nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise."

Well, she's admitting he's not the nominee as far as she's concerned. If she was going to acknowledge that he was the nominee, she would say, "I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he got the Democrat Party's nomination. I intend to deliver on that promise since he is our party's nominee." She didn't say that. Let me go through the two sentences again. Quote, "I will extend my congratulations to Senator Obama and my support for his candidacy." Candidacy for what? And then she said, "I've said throughout the campaign I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democrat Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise." Parentheses: If he is the Democrat Party nominee. But she's not acknowledging that he is. So you have to look -- as our buddies here at NewsBusters.org, as Mark Finkelstein said -- at what she didn't say. She didn't say, "I lost." She didn't say, "I'm withdrawing from the race and asking my delegates to support Obama."

In fact, she said just the opposite. She's going to ask to hold onto her delegates for now. She's going to hold -- folks, she thinks something's going to drop out there. I'm telling you, the only reason to do this -- well, she may still be angling for veep, but it's amazing how many Democrats don't want her or Bill anywhere near that. No, no, no, no. Now they're talking about Kathleen Sebelius and some other babe, I forget who. Oh, yeah. Janet Napolitano. Any woman but Hillary. So she's going to hold onto her delegates. She thinks something's about to drop or will drop or something is going to happen. She did not say that Obama won, and she did not say, "He is the nominee." She didn't even say he's the presumptive nominee. She said she will "extend her congratulations," but she doesn't say for what. She pointedly does not say for having won the nomination. So the Drive-Bys and everybody else that's panting over this (panting) are just responding to this in a formulaic way or a template way, but she's playing this really, really close to the vest. (cont.)

Parsing Mrs. Clinton's Statement

[bill1952]

I don’t hear you denying it, Mr Hussein.

[ladyinred]

Exactly! The media will not do anything to harm their hero! HELP!!!!

[Cboldt]

We have seen this before.

Refresh my memory.

[rman04554]

Me thinks he protests too much

[alloysteel]

Any video purporting to show Michelle Obama as being a racist would be radioactive, and in the manner that possession of child pornography brands the person who is revealed to have even cursory knowledge of its existence, the possessor is hopelessly corrupted, and absolutely without any chance of redemption.

The Obamas are ABOVE criticism, and anyone who dares to challenge that principle, stands to be so deciminated, as to demolish any chance of engaging in rational discourse on the subject.

[Bahbah]

Actually his response reads as a mild reproach not a “rip” as I would have thought from the headline.

Michael, if you have a headline these days it has to have "rip" or "bash" or "attack" in it, even if it isn't accurate. You can't say someone disagrees or criticizes or differs or disputes. That's no fun.

[Son House]

If somebody has evidence that myself or Michelle or anybody has said something inappropriate, let them do it.”

From;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/02/AR2007010201359_pf.html

Obama’s supporters said his admissions in the book could work to his advantage.....................

..............”We were always playing on the white man’s court . . . by the white man’s rules,” he writes.

[sneakers]

Why does Obama and Michelle remind me of a black Bill Clinton and Hillary? If he wins, it’s the Clinton years all over again - except worse.

[nmh]

He’s not playing by “white man’s rules”.

He’s a dirty player. THAT knows no color.

[CitizenUSA]

sneakers: “Why does Obama and Michelle remind me of a black Bill Clinton and Hillary? If he wins, it’s the Clinton years all over again - except worse.”

I disagree. Obama is nothing like Slick Willy. BJ Clinton was in it for the chicks. Obama, on the other hand, is a real believer.

[lilylangtree]

I’d like to say: Put up or shut up! Surface the damn tape if it exists. Otherwise, shut up. I’m Jane Q Public and I really want to see that tape.

[kittymyrib]

After hearing that non-answer, any decent newsperson would start digging for that evidence he’s asking for. But our msm are so in the tank for him, I doubt they’ll do it.

[the invisib1e hand]

Presumably the job of the press is to not to go around and spread scurrilous rumors like this until there is actually anything, an iota, of substance or evidence that would substantiate it.”

well, how better can the press vet it, moron, than by asking you?

They know if they ask your wife, she might go ballistic.

[kik5150]

Michelle Obama: Have you ever used the W-word, Yes or No?
Simple question that deserves an answer.

[Eric Blair 2084]

The answer would be:

“I didn’t say Whitey, I said why’d he.”

[celtic gal]

How about blackmail ( oh can we say blackmail...maybe it is whiteymail) to just step aside and we won’t tell all we really know about you and can prove your commie marxist leanings ( not that she is lily white...oh dang there is that race term again...whitey, black...oh well mabye we should just try pink for both of them)

[skeeter]

There's only one reason even a rumor like this, even if it forever remains a rumor, has legs...

Its easy to believe.

[pollywog]

This needs to be on EVERY CAR BUMPER!!!

[celtic gal]

That is good...I Hope someone asks that!

[RightOnline]

"He's just setting the tone for the General Election. He will berate any reporter that asks him a question that he does not agree with and if you do not agree with him, you are a cynic, backward thinking, and don't get the whole campaign of “change”."

.....don't forget "racist".

[4integrity]

‘...He will berate any reporter that asks him a question that he does not agree with and if you do not agree with him, you are a cynic, backward thinking, and don’t get the whole campaign of “change”....

exactly. pretty slick. he turns the table....intimidates reporters from asking questions he doesn’t want to answer.

all people need to do is read Obama’s own words in his books....and truly LISTEN to his words. imho, Obama seems to lean toward a socialist system of government vs the American system.

[FFranco]

Hussein’s non-response response looks like evidence the tape exists. Is someone holding it back for the ideal release time? Hope so.

[skinkinthegrass]

hehe...You know Shrillary/Obambi, were 'rumored' to be having a meeting.....Is Shrillary, showin' "Home(y) Movies"? she set me up!

[mrsmel]

I won’t believe there’s a tape until I see it-Republicans set themselves up with these things-but what’s so hard about Obama just saying that she never said it? He is tap-dancing around this as if defying people until the tape,if there is one, actually comes out.

[PghBaldy]

Being a lawyer helps and hurts him. He knows never to say never, when he isn’t sure. He’s also good at tricking people and playing them. He KNOWS “it” could be true.

[ozzymandus]

Shouldn’t Obama be mad at his “supporter” Bob Beckel for floating this rumor? And shouldn’t the “reporters” be asking Beckel what’s up?