Obama Adviser: Barack "Doesn't Go On TV And Have Crying Fits"

The advisor, retired Gen. Merrill A. "Tony" McPeak, said in a telephone interview that Obama has "real gravitas, not artificially created, focus-grouped, poll-directed, rehearsed gravitas."

He also said Obama "doesn't go on television and have crying fits; he isn't discovering his voice at the age of 60" -- references to Clinton's much-publicized show of emotion during the New Hampshire primary campaign and her speech after winning the contest in which she declared that she had "found my voice."

McPeak later retracted his remarks, and the Obama camp disassociated itself from them. [...]

An Obama campaign aide was on the line during the interview. Minutes later, McPeak called back to say he regretted his remarks and that he has "high regard" for Hillary Clinton.

He also expressed concern that "some of those loose-lips-will-sink-ships quotes will be the big story."

In an email, the Obama campaign said McPeak's words "crossed the line" and that Obama "strongly disagrees with these comments and apologizes on behalf of the campaign."

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Comments

[denver]

Once again the canadite of hope and a team that hols to a higher ground got caught being dirty.Obama has to be furious thats the last thing he wants floating aroud the media with women voters out there that are easily outraged at tactics such as this.stupid stupid stupid.I guess his Chicago dirty politics is shinning through!!! By the way that was a real moment caught on tape....Little things like this can be huge and have major affects in a race people are now closley watching

[Canukistani]

This is the kind of stupid comment that does Clinton no harm and Obama no good. It's crude and offensive when Clinton's people do it to Obama and it's crude and offensive when Obama's people do it to Clinton. I hope he has some better advisors.

[cfreedom]

When a surrogate of Mrs. Clinton makes a stupid comment, she's still tainted because she knew full well. When a surrogate of Mr. Obama makes a stupid comment, he walks away clean. There has never been a campaign with such an obvious double standard in recent history and the reason is simple: Mr. Obama's backers are voting for an image they want to be real and they don't want to fuss with facts. He's a good man, but his rhetoric is mostly empty and his resume slight. Unfortunately, in America today it's easy to dupe people who want to be duped.

[starrianna]

Obama is a queenier, nastier BITCH and it's starting to show!

[ConcernAmerican]

I've watched rally of Hillary in LA today (CSPAN),many republicans from different state of the union called supporting Hillary, there's one Republican caller who said the only way to diminish Hillary is to vote for Obama. The reasons GOP callers made why they're voting for Hillary, she's the real change and can deliver it. Their reason is commonly heard from Republicans in my community supporting her. A lot of Republicans thinks Obama is extreme leftwinger, endorsement of moveon.org a radical leftwing of the democrat party have just confirmed their suspicion.

Super Tuesday will be here soon, we'll find out who the American people believes CAN and will deliver REAL change Hillary or Obama. Talk is cheap.

[KyleCope]

The Best Hillary spoof ever!
Check out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGMgxFE6bms

Or search HILLARY TERMINATOR on You Tube!

[sarainitaly]

I just saw this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXzmXy226po

That is some pretty soft anti-war speak. And yes, I have read his "anti-iraq war" speech.

[BrooklynLager]

When there's a pattern from the Obama campaign of this type of remark, letting it play for a few days, then an apology making sure it gets media play again, and this goes over the course of several weeks and gets repeated with different riffs on the same theme, THEN you can complain.

So far all I've seen is "you see? Someone close to Obama said something bad. Therefore, he's done the moral equivalent of a month of race-baiting which by the way never happened".

This is all you have?

[Irish1139]

Some questions for Obama. Can any of you answer them.

1. Why will the Republican members of Congress rise to applaud you, and the conservative half of the nation tune in to support you, unless you pursue an agenda that appeals to them? How do you pursue an agenda that appeals to conservatives, but is also progressive?


2. What is the common purpose around which you envision the country rallying? Do you regard “transcending partisanship” an end in itself, and do you foresee the GOP rallying around this goal? If so, how and why do you imagine that will happen?

3. Assume for a moment that you are nominated and subsequently elected, and, despite being “the kind of president” in whom Americans can believe, the profound partisan rancor that currently plagues the nation doesn’t evaporate, that Americans fail to rally around a common purpose. What is Plan B? Do you move ever rightward trying to find support among those who refuse to rally, or do you say “Screw ‘em,” and go leftward to honor those who voted for you?

4. Noting that the most bitter partisan divides on domestic policy regard issues of basic rights, such as reproductive rights and marriage rights, and noting further that the two sides of these issues are unlikely to come to spontaneous agreement, those subjects are likely to continue to play a divisive role in American politics. How do you plan to prevent such bedrock divisions from undermining the national unity you imagine?

5. This last question regards not your possible presidency itself, but the general election campaign for the presidency, should you get the Democratic nomination and run in the general election against the GOP nominee: In 2004, John Kerry tried to stay above the fray and combat conservatives’ scorched-earth campaign policy by refusing to dignify the Swiftboaters with a response. In 2000, Al Gore largely did the same, as conservatives and the media promulgated a cavalcade of half-truths and lies against him. They both lost. In what way does your philosophy of a new politics accommodate those lessons?

[JPaul2008]

If you really want to know about the same old politics and corruption, read NY Times today, article on Obama "Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate." So much for hope and change.

[drippinhun]

What is needed is a dismantling of the CIA and NSA immediately. It should be rebuilt to gather intelligence only. And bogus or politically tainted reports should be dealt with harshly. Potentially involking treason. None of the candidates have mentioned this.

Having gone through the Vietnam fiasco, I was disgusted the way the mania following 9/11 was so easily manipulated to commit our nation to being the bad guys.

[beekeeper]

FIRST, it WAS NOT a crying fit you stupid f*ck. give me a break you puke

[ALMAL]

BORAK OBAMA WAS AGAINST THE IRAQ WAR FROM THE BEGINNING.

And this rase questions about his FAMOUS JUDGEMENT.

In2002

KENNEDY VOTED AGAINST THE WAR on the base of known facts and secret information and estimates.

CLINTON VOTED FOR THE WAR on the base of known facts and secret informatio and estimates.

OBAMA MADE HIS MIND AND DESIDED TO SPEAK AGAINST THE IRAQ WAR only on the base of open information.

On my opinion to take position on the matter of such importanse only on the information from progressive newspapers,was irresponsible rush.

I don't like this kind of Judgment at all.

For me it IS ROLL OF DICE,guys.

And then FLIPS AND FLOPS IN THE SENATE.

And for those ,who think that his position on the war is strong case,will be amaised,how bed this UNPATRIOTIC POSITION IS.

It will go down ,like HOUSE OF CARDS

[Anastasia]

Lazslo: Make that military people, in general. For them, being perceived as "weak" is the worst possible thing that can happen, because to be vulnerable, human and in touch with one's feelings, is the antithesis of being a warrior.

[ibsteve2u]

Interesting.

A crusty old general says something very crusty old-generalish, Obama tells him he crossed the line and to can it, and yet the world still wants to go up in flames.

Why don't you wait until somebody truly close and pertinent to Obama's future behavior - like his spouse - calls Hillary something interesting - like a manipulative actress, just as an example?

Or something else more closely akin to Bill Clinton's various hints, insinuations, and "So? Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in..."-style remarks?