Tennessee GOP Attacks Michelle Obama, Obama Camp Hits Back

The Tennessee GOP hasn't yet had their fill of Obama dirty tricks. A few months ago, they circulated a photo of Barack Obama in traditional Somali garb. Now, they are going after his wife.

Today they have circulated a video of Michelle's now-infamous 'proud' comments, which have been combined with shots of Tennessee voters describing why they are proud of their country:

[WATCH]

The video came bundled with a sarcastic press release, which you can read after the jump.

The Obama camp fired back defending Michelle Obama:

This is a shameful attempt to attack a woman who has repeatedly said she wouldn't be here without the opportunities and blessings of this nation. The Republican Party's pathetic attempts to use the same smear tactics to win elections have failed in Mississippi, failed in Louisiana, and will fail in November because the American people are looking for a positive vision of real change. And if the Tennessee Republican Party has a problem with Senator Obama, maybe next time they'll have the courage to address him directly instead of attacking his family.

Tennessee Press Release:

NASHVILLE, TN - The Tennessee Republican Party welcomes Michelle Obama, wife of Barack Obama, to Nashville today, where she's the guest of honor at a Tennessee Democratic Party fundraiser.

To welcome Mrs. Obama to Nashville and Tennessee, we asked a few Tennesseans to take a few moments to tell her what makes them proud of their country. Viewers will find their statements stand in stark contrast to two incidents in February when Mrs. Obama announced that for "the first time in my adult life" she was proud of America.

And while Mrs. Obama has trouble being proud of the country where she earned degrees from Princeton University and Harvard Law School and then became a multi-millionaire, her husband makes statements that belittle average Americans' response to the difficulties of life, including his recent statement that, in tough times, "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."

The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America. To further honor the occasion of Mrs. Obama's visit, the Tennessee Republican Party has requested the playing of patriotic music by radio stations across the state.

Comments

[eileen]

I am a HIllary supporter, but this attack is disgusting and beneath the pale. In context, her comments are totally legitimate. I admire Michelle Obama a great deal and believe she is the great woman behind a great man. I seriously doubt he'd be running for president had he not married her.

Thank goodness the negative attacks Republicans seem addicted to are no longer working with the vast majority of thinking Americans. GWB has completely bankrupted any goodwill left towards the Republican Party. Only trolls and kool-aid drinkers remain loyal. I guess that's the one thing to be thankful for in his illegitimate reign the past seven years. Just sorry it came at such a high cost.

RIP all those KIA in Iraq and Afghanistan and God Bless all those maimed forever (physically and psychologically). U.S. citizens, Iraqis and Afghanis alike. How GWB sleeps at night or faces himself each morning is beyond my comprehension. He must truly be a sociopath. I pray for him daily.

[antaeus]

"Obama Camp Calls Attacks Shameful, Cowardly"

After doing which Senator Obama then instructed his wife to keep her pontificating mouth shut for the next four months.

[hominidx]

Yeah, women should know there place, RIGHT?

[Raymondf]

Bible says Woman Obey Thy Husband.

[sf94127]

Michelle Obama is out there stumping for her husband; is major member of his campaign and that makes her a target.

She can also dish it out, which is her right. For example regarding Hillary Clinton: "If she couldn't keep her own house in order, how can she manage the White House and the presidency".

On the "cheap shot" scale that is 9.5.

When you catch a person being really insulting and ugly under pressure that tells you who that person is deep inside. When Michelle says "I have never been proud of my country in my adult life until now" you get a good picture of who this nasty and coldhearted person is.

Under pressure MIchelle gets nasty; Obama struggles to find the words. For 1 week after Wright appeared on Bill Moyers and the press club in DC his speech was stop-and-go, literally.

Now Obama is a good man but he lacks the strength and resolve we need in this very dangerous world. With regard to his nasty wife, she is not worth discussing any further.

[ylpatriot]

well said ...thank you

[pupbayer]

Excellent post.

[estevancarlos]

I wish I had a wife like Michelle.

Ladies, hit me up. Just got my masters. Don't know what to do with myself, live in L.A. I like puppies and kittens...

[JoyceBains]

...and I like men with Master's degrees!

^_____^

[synapse369]

sf94127

Actually, Ms. Obama is CORRECTLY quotes as saying "I have never been SO proud of my country in my adult life...".
In other words, she has beemn proud, but now is especially proud.
The repubs. always take the quote out of context and forget that important qualifying wird "SO".

Go back to your hole, troll.

Do the repubs not even give you operatives names - just numbers?

[Sneakerface]

synapse369, this is a crucial point that you brought up, because without the modifier / qualifier in front of the word "proud," those who want to attack Obama feel free to say that she wasn't AT ALL proud of America in her adult lifetime, which isn't what she said. So you have the spirit of what she said quite correct, although your quote is still incorrect. The word in front of "proud" was "really," not "so," although I'd say this fairly captures the intent of what she was saying. Here is the quote, verbatim :
"...for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country...­." The real problem is that people want to take politicians (and those they associate with) literally to the most ridiculous extents, and ignore the spirit of meaning of what is said, even when it is incredibly obvious. Media loves to play "gotcha" in this way, especially with "always" and "never" statements. So, when "The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America," by this process one can take them literally and say that they just said they are proud of slavery, segregation, inequality of women, and every other social injustice you want to mention.

[cosmic]

"nasty wife"? you petty infantile child.

here's a question for you: what event in your life time has caused you to be proud of America? Just name one event, in your life time. I'm not saying you can't, I'm asking you to put up or shut up.

[tedbear]

If Bill Clinton and George Bush had been proud of America they wouldn't have sold us out to a "global" economy, which excluded this country's citizens in the plan. It is our previous leaders, who had not a care or an ounce of pride in this country, who are responsible for the downturn of this country in the world. Both the Clintons and the Bushes have become wealthy on the backs of the American people. This is one of the reasons they have both lost the respect of the American people.

In contrast, the Obamas want to help the people and the country. Michelle is proud that the people are finally standing up and saying "we aren't going to take it anymore!" Those who take issue with Michelle's comments are those who are only interested in their own greedy interests. This is why the majority have already spoken and back the Obamas. The Clintons and the Bushes are complicit in the destruction of the country, and want to remain in power to get more money and more power. There is nothing to be proud of in them, is there?

[pleeezzze]

tedbear...­Only afool could Clinton for this economy and the Dumbest thing I've yet to read here is, Obamas want to help people .

Where'd you read that in your fourth grade paper ? I'm pretty noone over 10 could be that naive .

[mheengan]

You are talking about dumb? You cannot even put a complete, articulate sentence together. Now that is DUMB!

[Peteyman]

The dumbest post I've read yet is someone ignoring the facts.

[Sneakerface]

Dear Pretty No One, Over 10 -

If the Obamas can't help to do some "Clinton-ing" for the economy, then who could ? Perhaps Senator Dumbest ? Get back to us when you're "over 18," Pretty No One.

[kburlz]

Usually people who become community organizers rather than cash in on being head of the Harvard Law Review do so because they want to help people, right? I don't blame you for being a cynic in this country though.

[girard1991]

Senator McCain needs to stop these crazy people. He should know better than this. With Cindy's checkered history, see Wikipedia page, everyone should leave the spouses out of this. Please Sir, STOP while you and your wife have some dignity remaining.

[Ashera]

GOP have only to open all their off shore accounts and dealings, in which the American People can see, where and how the USA economy has gone.

[Ashera]

Mrs. Obama's remarks, as GOP love to do, where taken out of context and why should we expect anything more/lesser of them. Yes, she is Proud of her country and the movement to take interest in the political field, from All Americans, Young and Old, All Races, All Beliefs, Rich and Poor, etc etc etc.,
As A White Senior Female 60+, we whites have had the upper hand. White women had gain their equal rights slowly with a battle after battle gains. Where Blacks, and other Races to date still have to fight, even to vote!
Senator and Mrs Obama have shown a much higher level of a newer generation of communication without malice. Especially, from the roots of the working class group, as millions of American's from all Races and Beliefs, have shown, what hard work and sacrifice from their families have made the American Dream a reality.
Fortune, for Cindy McCain, she was given the golden goose from birth, and worth 100M+$. Also, in not willing to tell the truth about her Income Taxes. Just proves the same negative thoughts McCain will bring into the White House! The Division of the RICH - RACE - BELIEFS for the Haves and Zero for the balance of the country.

Cindy McCain couldn't hold a candle to Mrs. Obama, even if Senator McCain propped her on his shoulders. But, that couldn't happen, Cindy is propping him up with her stack shoulders!

[eileen]

Please don't attack Cindy McCain while defending Michelle Obama. It makes your argument weaker. Cindy McCain is an admirable woman on many levels and I, for one, don't believe she should have to release her tax returns if she has always filed independent of her husband. It's her money, not his, and she can spend it any way she wants. I completely disagree with the call for her to release her returns. Leave her alone, just like we both want people to leave Michelle Obama alone.

Your beef is with those who would denigrate Michelle Obama and her intentions. I don't believe Cindy McCain is on record for saying anything negative about Michelle Obama.

[jstvote]

eileen

Mrs McCain in a rich woman we all know this. however, the new America is requiring our elected officials to be Crystal Clear in their affairs. please remember Dick Cheny and Dubya

part of the problem with our perception of the Clintons Honesty problem is that Mr. Clinton won't release his records of the contributions to his library and it also took forever for them to release thier personal taxes and we still don't have a true accounting of all of those contributions.

so the question is not if its fair to require full disclosure, but is it wise of the American people to require that our President and his wife not be obligated to other interests as they are working for us. and I know that he would the President, but lets face it, it's a packaged deal.

what i'm saying is if she didn't want to be honest with us on all levels then why subject yourself to this audition. she clearly had a choice to talk her husband out of running but she didn't and in the end we won't be bambozled by the rich again.

no more closet oil executives in our white house.

[vincie]

when the obama campaign went after bill clinton for something he realy never said about blacks,( they pretended to take it that way), obama people were thrilled, now they go after unamerican michelle obama, and its a disgrace. they are trying to do to mccain what they did to clinton, but its not going to work. BUSH NEVER MENTIONED OBAMA'S NAME, BUT OBAMA HAS SUCH A BIG HEAD HE THINKS EVERYTHING IS ABOUT HIM OR PRETENDS TO. AND BY THE WAY, I HAVE BEEN A STRONG DEMOCRAT FOR ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE, NEVER VOTED FOR A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, BUT I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR MCAIN. I CAN'T STAND THE TACTICS OF MESSIAH OBAMA, AND I DON'T LIKE WHAT HE AND THE BLACKS DID TO BILL CLINTON.

[nanotubz]

Be honest, you just don't like Blacks.

[ylpatriot]

Nope its not about not liking blacks.... Its .about ..Obama who does not have the potential to be a strong leader and i still doubt his patriotism for America and we already know what his wife believes..­....NO To Obama ... we are heading in a dangerous direction !!!

[Londolozi]

If you are a true Democrat I can not even imagine why you would consider voting for McCain. The Supreme Court appointments alone should scare you, not to mention our economy, the wars ahead... need I go on. So because you think the Clinton is an innocent that cant take care of himself you are willing to send your neighbors children to Iraq or Iran and have the right to choose for the women of our country be taken away. Check your anger at the door and consider what it is you are threatening to do.

[pleeezzze]

Theres no other choice , if we do not choose your Obama .
You seem to have made up your minds for us .

All the *anger* has always come directly from Obama and his ilk .

[RnR]

My point regarding the cutting of the word "very" is that it doesn't have the same spin value with it in.

[RnR]

I've seen that clip at least 10 times - nobody I have seen mentions that her statement was "**very*** proud of my country" and the word "very" has been, rather ineptly, cut. Why not?

[Ramirez]

The word is "really" not "very." The sentence about being proud is part of her stump speech. Sometimes she says "really proud" and sometimes she justs says "proud."

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Republicans try to conflate patriotism with nationalism.

Patriotism is believing in the core values and founding principles of this county like the constitution, habeas corpus, the Declaration of Independence, bill of rights and 200+ years of building our rule of law. Most Democrats and Americans are patriots because they believe in these founding principles that are still being perfected over time. No truer words were written that what is the preamble of the US constitution "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Nationalism is blind loyalty to icons, the countries leaders and dogmatic ideology. Republicans are nationalist that do not think you can say anything bad about government. They think flag waving is being patriotic but adhering to the constitution is not. Bush has taken nationalism to a fascist level by trying to stamp down any dissident views, rescinding habeas corpus, spying on Americans, abusing signing statements, approving illegal detention and rendition and forming illegal militias who are above the law in Iraq.

Michelle and Barack Obama believe in these founding principles. Frankly America has not lived up to these principles in recent years. Obama is uniquely qualified to be president because he is a constitutional scholar.

[contrariandy]

Good comment, even if you are named KQuarksSup­erKollider (is that your given name?), but really good comment, very true. I would just add that they think that you can't say anything bad about a government run by the --Pubelickin Party. Remember the things they think it's okay to say about a Democratically-run government. They'll be doing it again soon.

[JackLivigni]

Thank you!

[mamamay]

The Obama's are nice. Many folks would say BEFORE you accuse me of being out of touch with pride for the country..L­ook at yourself. Who of this gnawing bunch has had a cross burned on their lawn? or if youve seen someone's house burned down. it's awfully scary Imagine, not being able to eat in a public resturant with the white folks. Or not being able to drink from the same fountain as White folks? Or How do you think youd feel if you could not sit down on the front of the bus, or if a woman,having to stand while even a white man sat down? These were dble standards that were put on black folks in an attempt to stifle their love and pride for america. This didn't work then and it won't work now. Oh it's hell, but you keep on keeping on in the name of Jesus. Now it is in 2008 there is still the notion that some folks incl the Clintons, it was the Bushes in 2000 re JMcBush, in their rush to win the WH and there are those carried over from PA, WVA and no doubt from KY where I am from who are still invoking this race craziness. Just imagine if this dble standard was invoked on those who are quick to put down the folks of color. How would they feel? React? Stop this drama. We all need love and a change from all of this past history.

[Jeffersonian1]

Pardon me?

Mrs. McCain is a drug addict who, to feed her habit, stole from a charity that was helping poor, sick children and then got a special deal from the Justice Department so she wouldn't be prosecuted. Well, of course, she's proud . . . of herself.

[JackLivigni]

Don't say that... Gorillaman and Torrep might have a heart attack. Be merciful to the poor in spirit.

[mawrm]

For those who don't appreciate how sick this video is - how many videos of Cindy McCain have you seen from the Democrats? Zero. They've respectfully refuse to attack her reputation. Now the el loco wing of the Repubs want to draw the Dems to their level.
WARNING TO BARACK OBAMA SUPPORTERS - DO NOT TAKE THE BAIT!! The minute someone remotely affiliated to Barack Obama's campaign releases a negative video on Cindy McCain, it will be perceived as an attack on a... well, white woman... and it's going to get more airplay on national networks than the Rev. Wright videos. So as digusting as this attack on Michelle Obama is, DO NOT RESPOND IN KIND!!
Finally, there are those getting hung up on whether Michelle Obama said "really" proud or just proud - again, don't fall for bait and the soundbite politics. If you take her _entire_ statement , i.e., the rest of what she said AFTER she said "proud", the context becomes quite clear that she was NOT saying it was the very first time she was proud but the first time she was especially proud of her nation because of what she was seeing in the course of her husband's campaign. .

[kathyhussien]

What this blind adoration finally proves to me is that the right-wing regime that has overtaken Israel cares nothing for its people, its heritage, and the tragic history that they now honor by applauding a man whose family-fortune was built on the bodies of their loved ones. Like their Republican (and Lieberman) counterparts in the United States, Likud does not represent its people, rather, it represents its owners. Likud has traded Israel, its Jews, their heritage and history for the same golden calf purchased and sold by the far-right wing in the United States.
I am ashamed of you Mr. Bush. I am ashamed of those who applauded your political porn played out against the hallowed backdrop of the Holocaust. I am ashamed of those reporters with you, who between them could not muster the moral courage to call you out on your ugly rhetoric and ask you about your own family Nazi ties. You are, sir, the most abhorrent human being of my lifetime. I dare say, in the lifetime of this nation.

[druidlady42]

IMPORTANT NOTE TO EVERYONE READING ON THIS SITE:

Be SURE you read Sarah Posner's article, "Hagee's Lesson Plan for Bush's Appeasement Speech" here on Huffington post!!! Here's the link to it, which you should copy/paste to get this information into the MSM and public knowledge:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-posner/hagees-lesson-plan-for-bu_b_102101.html

Bush's speech/ McCain's coordinated reaction (along with the sudden, unexplained resignation of CENTCOM Cmdr. Admiral Fallon---followed by total silence about WHY) is not just happenchance! Something is about to "come down", and this article may explain what!

I was listening to CSpan this a.m. when a young soldier called in re: a statement. In answer to the moderator's question about when she would be going back to Iraq and for how long, she replied (not a direct quote),----- "15-18 months, depending on how the air attack on Iran goes."

PLEASE! Read Posner's article and help spread the word!