Obama Defends Wife Over 'Pride' Remark

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Democratic Sen. Barack Obama sought Tuesday to clarify his wife's statement that she is proud of the U.S. "for the first time in my adult life." He said her newfound pride is about the political system and was not meant to disparage her country.

He commented after Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, made a veiled reference to Michelle Obama's recent remarks.

Cindy McCain told a Wisconsin rally on Tuesday: "I'm proud of my country, I don't know about you, if you heard those words earlier."

Barack Obama, interviewed on WOAI radio in San Antonio, Texas, expressed frustration that his wife's comments became political fodder.

"Statements like this are made and people try to take it out of context and make a great big deal out of it, and that isn't at all what she meant," Obama said.

"What she meant was, this is the first time that she's been proud of the politics of America," he said. "Because she's pretty cynical about the political process, and with good reason, and she's not alone. But she has seen large numbers of people get involved in the process, and she's encouraged."

In Milwaukee on Monday, Michelle Obama said: "Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change."

Cindy McCain asserted, "I have, and always will be, proud of my country," and repeated the sentiment later in Columbus, Ohio.

Comments

[Issak]

Well, yeah- I'm prety cynical too- specially when the manufacturing of consent - streamlines the choosing process and excludes candidates like Kuccinich or Ron Paul and leave us with candidates like Obama.

[scandals&skeletons]

yeah life just sucks sometimes.......unless your for obama like me.

[Fernando]

Ron Paul got more attention than ANY lower tier candidate. The only way his supporters would be happy is if he gets the nomination, that would be the only way to convince them there's no fraud. Unfortunately for them, most of the country does not share their enthusiasm.

[crimson]

How many of us are actually proud of what our country has become ...?

[sklfcats]

Our point
We don't want Obama nor his wife

[Jacee]

Cynical Party, Table for 1.

[kcchiefsfan611]

I didn't want Bush or his Stepford wife. Stuff happens.

You may disagree with Obama, but if you believe his intentions are less honorable than those of our current President, you are ... I'll be nice and go with "mistaken".

[stoprollingover]

You're outnumbered.

[NewFrontier]

Researchers who have studied the "right-wing authoritarian follower" personality type, which makes up about 49% of the current population of the United States, have established in comparable studies that it doesn't much matter whether they are citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Red China, Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany, the authoritarian follower is always "Proud to be a/an __________________ (fill in the blank).

[JackW]

I'm an independent and certainly not a follower, but I am proud of my country, always have been and always will be, because no matter what, in tough times, this country pulls together. And I don't just mean 9/11. I mean the tragedies such as the shuttle disaster, Katrina and Rita (present leaders excepted), the University shootings and so on. The people are what make this country, not politicians. The people appear to want Obama right now, and if that is the will of the people, so be it, just as the will of the people in 2004 was they wanted GW. He did win the majority then. Maybe not 2000, but he did in 2004! Politicians generally don't improve things, regardless of party. Words only take you so far. Again, look at the last 2 Presidents.
But regardless of politicians, I'm proud of my country, always have been and always will be!

[ncvoter]

Proud of the war our country started against a sovereign country who did us no harm?

(I read a description of it as a mammoth scale gas station robbery)

Proud that we are one of the few modern countries that doesn't have universal health care?

Proud that we don't provide care and proper treatment for our returning wounded veterans?

Proud of how we handled Katrina?

Proud that we no longer honor the Geneva Conventions?

Proud that we lost habeus corpus?

Proud that we torture?

Proud that we conduct rendition flights?

Proud that the Department of Justice now seeks to disenfranchise voters instead of protecting voters?

Proud of the continual cuts to education?

Proud of the tax breaks for the top 1 % of the rich?

Proud that now, for the first time ever - the US Dollar is worth less than the Canadian dollar?

Proud that many countries are dumping the dollar, or considering doing so?

Proud that our children will not be as well off as we, their parents were - unless there IS a miracle?

Proud? Proud?

[Querent]

Big fucking deal.

[Fernando]

That's a bunch of baloney. There is a difference between blind nationalism and having healthy pride in your country. Just as there is a difference between having a healthy self-esteem and being a narcissist. What you are doing is perpetuating the stereotype that only conservatives feel pride for this country. I'm a liberal and I served this country proudly and so have MANY others. Don't ever forget that.

Now, if you think Obama can win this election, in this country, after 9-11, against McCain by having his wife say things of this sort, the go ahead. There will be pictures of McCain in every public building by January '09.

[armadillious2002]

Well, well, well - we have a loose cannon / runoff at the mouth prospective first lady. Michelle - if you really want your husband to win - better just zip it and stay on the sidelines.

That was a very stupid and unpatriotic statement to make. Though I detest republicans, there have been many things about this country and our big heart and our achievements that have made me proud. Do you have a chip on your shoulder Michelle or perhaps an ax to grind? You're a gonna get people to start thinking twice.

Barrack is a smart man and knows how to handle the public. Better leave the talking to him.

[klmebane]

keep in mind that towards minorities this country hasn't been the greatest. it isn't unpatriotic to acknowledge that your nation doesn't have all the answers and has made a lot of mistakes. yes there are achievements to be proud of, but i feel that there are more things that should make us stop and think: if this is such a great country why are so many people in it suffering and/or treated unfairly?

[huffyanika]

This is an incredibly dumb statement. Michelle Obama has a perfect right to state her opinions. Especially as a black woman she is perfectly right. I myself (a white woman) would be 'really proud of my country' if my country were to elect Dennis Kucinich -- or Russ Feingold -- or Barbara Lee for President.

[Fernando]

Michele Obama has every right to say what she thinks, that's one of the things anyone should feel proud of in this country. HOWEVER, that is not a political savvy thing to say, especially when Obama could be the presumptive runner against McCain.

She can say that all she wants but it's going to cost Obama big.

[sws3030]

This is the same woman who months ago said that blacks needed to waker up and vote for Obama.

She could turn out to be as big a hindrance to her husband as Bill has been to Hillary.

[Alessan]

sws3030, I guess the blacks woke up, they have voted for him and have encourage whites to do so as well. So Obama will continue to let her stump for him, she's bringing out the votes.

[ncvoter]

Its time for all of us to step off of the plantation now, all of us, regardless of color, race, religion, sex or age.

This bull that women should be seen and not heard - that is ignorant.

People want Michelle to keep quiet because she inspires alot of people.

They want Barack to keep quiet because he inspires people.

[Alessan]

Some people especially black people don't consider the remark of first time being proud
of her country, unpatriotic, because blacks in this country for the most part have had a different experience, or at least their ancestors have, so there is little to be proud of, so saying she is unpatroitic is considered racist. People in this country in the past never would come out in multimillions just to vote for a black man, especially one with little to say. LOL, I guess she's as amazed as I am puzzled.

[HGalal]

THE VIDEO WAS EDITED TO EXCLUDE "REALLY" FROM "REALLY PROUD".

You can view the edited version on Real Clear Politics link below and judge for yourself.

More lies!!!

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video_log/2008/02/michelle_obama_first_time_shes.html

[teahead]

Pride: one of the seven deadly sins.

[McFadden]

Well said.

"The soul and substance of what customarily ranks as patriotism is moral cowardice--and always has been."
- m. twain

[Fernando]

Really? Would you say that to Martin Luther King Jr.? That pride is bad? So a parent who mourns the death of their child is sinning if they feels pride for what her son/daughter did? Am I sinning because I put myself through school while working two jobs and feel good about it? Is it bad for a child to feel proud if she studied hard and got an A in math?

It's funny how the Seven Deadly Sins exclude all the really bad things people can do.

This just in: Michele Obama is in hot water, now let's all agree that pride is bad!

[teahead]

Michelle is a pure class act.

See for yourself:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23262442#23262442


She misspoke; that's all.

[sklfcats]

She is not a class act
She said what she feels
Now YOU are twisting what she said

[scandals&skeletons]

chubby checkers

[knixphan]

She is a class act, and she did not misspeak. She meant what she said, and she has a right to.

[PhDcommonsense]

The Main Steam Media once again is taking Michelle Obama's comments out of context. When will they understand when statements are made that they sometimes don't truly understand the implications behind those comments?

So for biased pundits like Pat Buchanan on MSNBC to toss his cookies over the statement is truly amazing or not. But let me attempt to break it down to him and rest of the world.

Why is that statement for Black Americans to make of a Country thus far until the 2008 - 21st Century that an African American truly had a chance at being President of the United States? Tom Brokaw of NBC commented that he never though he would see the possibility in his life time. Why did it take 100 years?

I ask the Pat Buchanan’s of the world, How long did it take a Black American to truly be proud of something in this country. Blacks, fought valiantly in the Civil War, WWI WWII, Viet Nam, Korea, and yet did not have equality here on the home front. What about the lynching’s in the South and those responsible were acquitted by all white juries. I ask are those things Most Black people can say they are proud to be an American on. And, Yet, with all of what Black Americans have gone through to get equal footing in this Country, African Americans still stayed stead fast in their resolve to become a true and an integral part of this nation.

Let's not forget the Civil Rights Era? Michelle saw the hurdles her parents had to overcome to educate her and brother just so that they would have a chance.

So for Media Pundits to say that she is being unpatriotic, Read that as buzz words for the Republican Attack machine gearing up to scare and cause another round of biases to make the American public think the Democrats are not as Patriotic as they are. I truly hope there are enough voters out there who can see through this BS and call it what it is a distraction.

[knixphan]

well said, Doc!

[pollster08]

Cindy McCain is a fake blond having, prescription pill popping, homewrecking witch. She'd do better to just stand and 'look pretty'---instead of opening he mouth to say anything about anyone.

Michelle Obama is beautiful and has class and great intelligence to match.

[CanSoc]

Rarely have I read in the HuffPost a response to a real political problem that that is so foolishly non sequitur and viciously ad hominem at the same time.

[Fernando]

Yeah, but at 60 something she's still hot. So there.

[Fernando]

You do know you sound like a Right Wing Conservative when you talk like that, don't you?

[PortiaElizabeth]

There are more than a few people I see posting here and enjoy reading. I have the strong suspicion that soon these reasonable voices will find other venues to express their dismay and disappointment in the Democratic party. I share that pessimism and ponder what has happened to the party I've been a member of since college, years ago.
Perhaps it's time, as someone suggested, to leave the Democratic party and form a new political party. The USA is a large enough country to have ample room and supporters for a third party. No less than Teddy Roosevelt promoted the third party idea. Maybe the time has come...

[flodlite]

Wolf Blitzer on CNN tonight was going to air a vidio of Michelle Obamma commenting (apologizing) for her statment regarding her support of our country. It never happened. Blitzer showed a vidio, but no where was it heard where Michelle Obamma apologized for
that statement.

[huffyanika]

I HOPE she doesn't apologize, for god's sake!

[HGalal]

THE VIDEO WAS EDITED TO EXCLUDE "REALLY" FROM "REALLY PROUD".

You can view the edited version on Real Clear Politics link below and judge for yourself.

More lies!!!

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video_log/2008/02/michelle_obama_first_time_shes.html

[Ramirez]

Kucinich/Paul 08!

They'll have the time to put into it. I don't think the Congressional thing is going to work out this time for either of them.

[Fernando]

There's just a video about that now!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=H1sS1TmXF38&feature=related

[TheScarletPimpernel]

What didthey teach those Obamas at Yale ? how ot say something then deny yousaid it then explain what you actually meant and then accuse those who ask why would you saysuch a thing as blowing things out of proportion.
If the Obamnistas think the GOP is going to stand aropund with their thumbs in thier backsides while prospective first ladies run thier mouth and criticize the US you people are deluded.

Just ask Hillary...dont worry 60 percent of the country will dispise Mrs Obama by October.

Cant we all just get along ?

[Ramirez]

The Obamas went to Harvard. It's the Clintons who are Yalies.

[flodlite]

IF YOU ARE A UAW WORKER AT AN AUTO PLANT, SO WAS I. YOU ARE NOT A TEAMSTER, YOU ARE A UNITED AUTO WORKER. MY WIFE AND I HAD OUR BEST YEARS WHEN BILL CLINTON WAS IN OFFICE. I JUST RETIRED AFTER 39 YEARS AT CHRYSLER AUTO PLANT IN MICHIGAN. BILL CLINTON HEPLED WITH C.O.L.A., WORKMANS COMP., MEDICAL, AND OTHER THINGS. THERE WERE NO LAY OFFS, NO PLANTS CLOSINGS, NO CUT BACKS, NO RACE ISSUES, AND NO BUY OUTS. HE ESTABLISHED (FMLA) FAMILY LEAVE OF ABSENCE. IF YOUR FAMILY NEEDED YOU AT HOME, LIKE A HUSBAND'S WIFE HAVING A BABY, OR MOTHER OR FATHER ILL, YOU COULD GET A LEAVE OF ABSENCE. HILLARY CLINTON KNOWS THIS. SHE HAS ALREADY TALKED SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAL BENIFITS EVEN AFTER RETIRING, EDUCATION FOR YOUR KIDS. SHE KNOWS. BY THE TIME OBAMMA FINDS ALL THIS OUT, YOU WOULD BE LAYED OF WITH NO BENIFITS. VOTE FOR SOMEONE YOU KNOW THAT THEY KNOW. NOT SOMEONE THAT HAS TO LEARN THE SYSTEM. OBAMMA'S KIDS GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. LOU DOBBS SHOW ON CNN SAYS THE CHICAGO SCHOOLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE IN SHAMBLES, OBAMMA'S HOME. I KNOW HILLARY CLINTON CAN DO WHAT BILL CLINTON DID. VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON. DON'T LISTEN TO EMPTY PROMISES OR SOMEBODY THAT HOPES THINGS WILL BE OK.

[klmebane]

obama only offers empty promises and hopes things will be ok? need some specifics of what he's done in politics, here ya go:

-- Graduated first black president of Harvard Law Review having won trust and support of conservative members.
-- Passed over 600 high-money law firm offers to work for civil rights practice at fractional pay.
-- Added health insurance for 20,000 children, welfare reforms, earned-income tax credits, and increased minimum wage in Illinois.
-- Reformed death-penalty cases, requiring that interrogations be video-recorded. Passed Illinois Senate 58-0. Signed into law by Illinois governor who first opposed Obama"s bill. Obama succeeded by building consensus with conservative opposition.
-- Opposed Iraq war publicly, long before invasion. Accurately depicted it as of undetermined length, undetermined cost, undetermined objective, with a great likelihood of civil war breaking out.
-- Expanded program to locate and dismantle stray Russian WMD with Republican Senator Lugar.
-- Passed major ethics and lobbying reform bill with Russ Feingold, insisting upon tougher restrictions around gifts, meals, etc. And extended the interval preventing exiting congress members from moving directly into lobbyist positions.
-- Toured Kuwait, Jordan, Israel, and Palestinian territories, telling Palestinian Authority Abbas that US would never recognize Hamas leaders until they renounced mission to attack Israel.
-- Cosponsored Secure Orderly Immigration Act by John McCain. Passes Senate 62-36. Makes undocumented persons who have been here 5+ years only allowed to stay and apply for citizenship if they pay back-taxes, learn English, and have no criminal record.
-- Communicated frankly to Michigan automaker executives of need to increase fuel-efficiency standards by at least 3% per year.
-- Many aisle-crossing bi-partisan solutions throughout 10 years of senate experience (8 state, 2 federal).
-- 100% approval rating from the League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood. National Education Association gives him an "A" on their most recent scorecard.
-- In Illinois State Senate sponsored 780 bills, 280 were signed into law.
-- In first year as US Senator, held 39 town-hall meetings throughout his state, sponsored 152 bills and resolutions, and cosponsored 427 more.
-- Designated US Senate point person on ethics by Speaker Harry Reid.

[horacekent]

To the great people of Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island & Vermont,

Please do us all a favor & finally close the door on the Clintons.

You're the Closers. Lets do this thing!

~HK

[Gracie2008]

Yes, let's follow the annointed ones to the land of milk and honey.

[RooneyD]

Okay, now...

As a firm Obama supporter, I don't think we should be afraid to criticize this comment ourselves. I have tremendous respect for Michelle Obama, but this was certainly a rookie mistake. If she's going to be first lady, the importance of choosing words carefully can't be over-emphasized. She's apologized for the comment and clarified herself, and I'm sure she'll have to do more clarifying in the future. But we, as Obama supporters, shouldn't blindly defend every single action of this campaign, either on his part or hers. Remember, the message isn't just hope and change; it's transparency and accountability. It's our responsibility as supporters to hold the campaign to that message, and speak up when we find fault. We sell ourselves short when we don't exercise that responsibility.

[Ramirez]

It was not a "rookie mistake." It was a carefully scripted applause line directed to a friendly audience of fellow victims. It played perfectly and they applauded wildly.

This is what is most surreal about this entire debate.

It is not about the word "really." It is not about some verbal gaffe or mistake. This is the language of identity politics, victimology, and the Democratic Party.

[sklfcats]

WE don't need the rookie Obamas running and ruining our country. It's time to weed them OUT

[flodlite]

BARRACK OBAMMA TOLD HILLARY CLINTON IN A

DEBATE THAT YOU HAD TO BE RIGHT THE 1ST TIME.

THIS COMMENT WAS MADE WHEN DISCUSSING IRAQ.

DOES MICHELLE OBAMMA HAVE TO BE TUTORED BEFORE

CAMPAIGNING FOR HER HUSBAND OR IS THIS

ACCEPTABLE. AFTER ALL SHE IS MRS OBAMMA

[Compassion]

Michelle and I are the same age, and her remarks reflect my feelings exactly. I worked on my first electoral campaign at the age of seven, stuffing envelopes for George McGovern. I was convinced at the time that the fate of the civilized world rested on the outcome of that election. I was right. What unfolded as a result of Nixon's second term was the wholesale and ongoing assault on democratic principles that we have seen unfold since then--crimes and misdemeanors perpetuated by the same players for the past 30 years. It is time for this country to accept that it is not entitled to be the "greatest country in the world," just because it controls the majority of the world's wealth. I admire Michelle for speaking for our entire generation, who were born after the Kennedy assasinations and who formed their political realities in the shadow of Watergate and whose final betrayal has been the 2000 election and the resulting Iraq war. I say, "go Michelle!"

[sklfcats]

Where is your compassion, Compassion? You had no pride back stuffing envelopes??

[Waitaminute]

Compassion was working for the election of McGovern, stuffing those ballots at the age of seven, to make us all proud of America. You did read about the problems that occurred due to McGovern losing, didn't you?

[NAMI]

compassion
very well said because you tell the truth.
Michelle was being honest.
The other thing that bothers me is that we claim that AMERICA believes in FREEDOM OF SPEECH......THEN slaughters those who dare speak the truth.

[huffyanika]

I say Go Michelle, too. Being 'proud' of one's country is as useful as saying 'I am proud of water'. One is IN one's country. One cannot be proud of 'it'. 'It' is such a conglomeration of so many differing values, attitudes, crimes and misdemeanors, honorable actions, honorable intentions, heroic acts, demeanning actions, twisted tortured souls, traumatized people running around acting out or sitting alone in a room, people being courageous by acting for what they believe in, people intervening when they see a child or adult being abused, people ignoring such abuse, etc. etc. How can one say one is 'proud' of 'this'?

To be proud of our Constitution, I think, would be appropriate. It would work if they'd let it.

I was once 'proud' and 'patriotic'; it was during the singing of the National Anthem at the 4th of July picnic at the US Embassy in Beijing -- after being subjected to 'the spiritual pollution drive' in which 'foreign experts' were deemed for about 4 months to be suspect, and 'the other', and to be shunned (I learned how American immigrants feel). And my hotel room was bugged, and someone came into my room at night to search it (Servant/Spy: 'Why do you block your door at night?' Me: 'Would you like someone to come into your own room at night?' 'No'. 'Well, then.') Then I felt patriotic. But that was only by getting away from 'water'. (As in: 'A fish doesn't know anything about water.') A black person, an immigrant, children of immigrants and people who have lived in other countries know something about America. They have a right to comment on it, for better or worse.

[frosty6731]

Who cares if she said it and meant it? Being proud is not a virtue it is a feeling which, unless you can summon magically, is not really in your control to either have or not have. Honesty gets slammed again because it is unpopular to go against the delerium driven notion that we should always be proud of our country no matter what mistakes we make. America is a great country but it is not a birthright and we have to keep working to keep it that way. When our country makes mistakes we cannot be proud of those mistakes because they are good "American mistakes". We have to accept our shortcomings and be motivated to improve; feeling a lack of pride in your country's actions is a very good motivating factor to improve your country. Michelle Obama wants to be proud of her country because of who we are and what we do, it seems Cindy McCain will always be proud of her country because she was born here. What makes more sense?

[NewFrontier]

Thanks for this sane essay. Most of us here have suffered enough nausea over super patriots and flag wavers and right-wing authoritarian followers in lockstep with Corporatist exploitation and demagoguery.

It's 9:00 PM and time for Mrs. McCain's 5th Grade Class to go to bed. Put little John-John in the toy box along with his flag and run along little patriotic puppies -- the grown ups are going to do some thinking now and we don't want to get you confused.