Obama To Tennessee GOP: "Lay Off My Wife"

WASHINGTON — Democrat Barack Obama has a message for Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife."

Obama, his party's presidential front-runner, and his wife, Michelle, were asked in an interview aired Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" about an online video last week by the state's GOP taking her to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.

"The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

He called the strategy "low class."

The video, posted on YouTube, centered on remarks Michelle Obama made while campaigning in Wisconsin last February, when she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country."

The four-minute video replayed the remark six times, interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans on why they are proud of America. In a news release that included a link to the video, Tennessee's GOP said "the Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America." It urged radio stations to play "patriotic music" during Michelle Obama's visit to Nashville last Thursday.

Michelle Obama later clarified the remark, saying she meant she was proud of how Americans were engaging in the political process and that she had always been proud of her country.

"Whoever is in charge of the Tennessee GOP needs to think long and hard about the kind of campaign they want to run, and I think that's true for everybody, Democrat or Republican," Obama said in the ABC interview, adding: "These folks should lay off my wife."

Obama said his wife "loves this country. For them to try to distort or to play snippets of her remarks in ways that are unflattering to her is, I think, just low class. I think that most of the American people would think that as well."

Tennessee's Republican Party was roundly criticized in March, including by likely presidential nominee John McCain, for a news release that used Barack Obama's middle name _ Hussein _ and showed a photo of him wearing what it said was "Muslim attire."

The release ultimately was removed from the party's Web site at the urging of the state's two Republican senators and Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, who said he "rejects these kinds of campaign tactics."

Comments

[reelcobra]

What could be more unfair than showing Michelle Obama making a speech?

Using her actual words is a dirty trick.

Worse than that - it's a "distraction" from BHO's message of "hope" and "change".

Let's add this to the growing list of things no one can talk about when BHO is in the room:

Race
His middle name
His 20 year Pastor
His finance buddy who helped him buy his house before getting indicted
His fellow bomber board member
His position on meeting with terrorists and dictators

Thank You. On to the general election!!

BHO '08!!

[KyPeach]

Don't forget you can't mention the USA Flag to BHO either. . . .Do we want someone who will NOT salute our flag to run the country? I, for one Do Not! People should think about that for awhile. The Flag Stands For All That We Are!

[sclucie]

No. Patriotism is having the guts to stand up and say no to a war in Iraq - a war that has destroyed our economy, put us in debt to the Chinese, killed 4000 Americans, and established an Islamic government in Iraq, where Muslim Sharia law is the ultimate authority. That's what we have done for the past five years. That is not patriotism. Wearing a flag pin is not patriotism. Destroying constitutional rights which were put in place by the founders of this country is not patriotism. The highest form of patriotism is believing that this country can once again become the symbol to the world that it once was - the Statue of Liberty. After 8 years of Bush, the symbol of America is the black hoods of Abu Ghraib.

[goosie29]

Really? the flag stands for ALL we are?!! Tsk,tsk, this is a sad state of affairs.(s­ob) without the flag, I am nothing. Think people!

[IndependentBadger]

You mention reverend Wright, YET AGAIN. But you make no mention of the criminal clergy in Hillary's past. Or the reverend Hagee in McCain's.

You insist in referring to his middle name. Yet when was the last time anyone referred to McCain as "Sydney"? Did you even KNOW that was his middle name? Do you know Hillary's middle name ? You only mention Hussein because you want people to be scared of Obama for a totally ridiculous reason.

"His position on meeting with terrorists"?

Did Qaddafi stop being a terrorist when Bush cut a deal with him? Was Saddam Hussein a terrorist when Rumsfeld was shaking his hand in Baghdad? Was the dictator of Kazakhstan a terrorist when Clinton needed cash for the presidential library?

"His finance buddy who helped him buy his house before getting indicted"?

Have you ever heard of Peter Paul, the con man Hillary met to get cash for her senate campaign in New York? Probably not. I wouldn't know about him either, if I only watched the Clinton News Network, or Fox. It takes a lot of nerve to sit there and attack Obama, when the Clintons have spent virtually their entire adult lives defending themselves in court. Denying rape charges, fraud, perjury, you name it, they haven't done it....yeah right...as long as geniuses like you are on the jury...

[DutchOven]

I think the point of Reelcobra's post was to show that Obama is not some Messianic candidate that is somehow "above" the Clintons.

By pointing out in your reply that the Clinton's run an amoral, ruthless machine is just telling us something we already know, and does nothing to counter the argument that Obama has rolled in just as much filth as them.

This is the main reason I won't be voting for him in November. His "audacious" dishonesty.

[gorideabike]

The attacks on Michelle are so wrong. Is that a turdblossom I smell?

[bogananda666]

When the Bush gang abused and insulted McCain's family in 2000, McCain retaliated by giving Bush hugs and praise, promising to be Bush's third term as president. McCain's a hero in Matthews eyes, but a coward when it comes to protecting his own family.

[NASCARLiberal]

Mr EgO-bama shows his supreme ignorance of politics with this bizarre remark. Uhhhh, duhhhh, hey Bambi, how do you plan to back up those "fightin' words?" Old school logic tells us: If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.

I was laughing when the mainstream media yesterday kept presenting this as a BRAVE thing for him to do!! ROFLMAO!!

Does ANYONE remember Ed Muskie, standing in snowy Maine, tearfully asking for respect for his wife while he ran for President? It didn't play well then ... it essentially ended his political career, and certainly any ambitions for the White House. It plays no better coming from EgO-Bama ... unless he meant that he'd sic his pet doberman pincher, Michelle, on them ... it makes no sense.

As they also say, don't pick up a gun if you don't plan to shoot it. EgO-bama, don't sling fightin' words when you have NO SOLUTIONS on how to back it up.

[sclucie]

I'd say there is enough ammunition against Cindy McCain to last from now until November. An addict in the White House? A would-be felon in the White House? A thief in the White House? The Republicans better get ready - and I completely agree - it's a real bad idea to pick up a gun if you don't know how to shoot it - or haven't cased your opponent's position. And that doesn't even start on her daddy or McCain's ex-wife or her role in Keating 5.

[DutchOven]

Again, this would be total hypocrisy (though typical) from the Barack H Obama campaign. I thought he was for a "new" politics that was above all that mud-slinging? Total doublespeak from BHO. I can't take it anymore, someone pass me come of that Obama Kool Aid so I can check out from the land of reality.

[bogananda666]

NASCARLiberal, I guess McCain's cowardice in 2000 is your idea of being a hero. The Bush gang abused and insulted McCain's family in 2000 and McCain retaliated by hugging and praising Bush promising to be Bush's third term president. Barack sticks up for his wife and you criticize it, it just shows your racism. Now about your wife......­.......!

[uheardme]

Old school logic tells us: If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.


Hillary should take your advice and stop CRYING about sexism. WAAHHH!

[pacats]

Obama is not asking for respect for his wife, he is telling the republicans to act like men... decent men and women. He is above having an ad made to show the true mindset of the republican party. Google armchairsubversive.orgg". Most Americans realize that some elected republicans have represent behaviors usually found in a deviant group.
There is no comparison to Michelle being proud that for the first time in her adult life time, Americans are showing a renewed interest in politics, increased registrations are evident, and people are participating in the election process. Although the republicans understood what Michelle had said, their mean spirit allowed them to distort that information. It is unfortunate, they are not as protective of the children in their party.

[sclucie]

Amen. And these people in Tennessee call themselves Christians?

[goosie29]

I'm a BHO supporter and even I was faintly amused with his stance on the attacks on MichelleO. He should know that these were bound to happen and brush the dirt off his shoulder. At most call the repugs out on their usual dirty politics, but MOVE ON! Having said that I'm still
OBAMA08!

[gatboy3]

Michelle inserted herself into the fray by her outrageous comments laced with anti-americanism. At that point she opened herself up. Same with Chelsea when she went public, then "Waa waa waa, they're pickin on me."
Michelle is at least as dangerous as her hubby!

[sclucie]

I am an independent. Michelle Obama is not a candidate - and I didn't find her comments to be even slightly unpatriotic. I've supported John McCain in the past - but that was when John McCain was John McCain - not a man who went to Bob Jones University to accept patronage, not a man who supported waterboarding, and not a man whose campaign is run by Charlie Black - who not only heads a lobbying firm which has represented murderers and tyrants - the same people kids died to replace in Iraq, but was part of a coronation for Reverand Moon at the capital. That is beyond scary.

As for spouses, I find Cindy McCain, who is a addict (an addict is an addict - whether they are using or not), who stole prescription drugs and who got off scott free, to be a lot more frightening as a first lady than anyone who has ever held that place before. If the Republicans are going to bring spouses into this sordid campaign season, they are in for a world of hurt.

[IndependentBadger]

Amen.

Obama knew about McCain's drug-addict wife AGES ago.

Yet I haven't seen a single Obama commercial where he goes after John via his wife.

I suppose Hillary supporters would snarl, and in their Klingon voices decry this as "lack of experience".

[shawnaNaustin]

I get it that spouses are part of the game, although I wouldn't go so far as to say FAIR game. But editing and twisting someone's words to try to make it look like the opposite of what she was really saying is disingenuous. The question is, does she love her country? Yes. She's said it over and over again, and has clarified any inadvertent ambiguity in that remark (taken out of context). So why keep implying that she doesn't? It's just foolish playground politics.

[SensibleAmerican]

If Michele Obama stops putting her feet in her mouth, everyone will "lay off her"!

[DutchOven]

Well, when the video comes out in October there won't be any danger of "taking it out of context."

It'll all be there on YouTube, picked up by the local news (care of a McCain-leaning 527) for my bitter brethren in Appalachia that don't own computers.

[Alex84]

welcome to politics Mr. Obama - its not all "change" and "magical Fairies". Obama's campaign is like stepping into the boxing ring and saying "hey why don't we put this punching stuff behind us and come together"

Suck it up and come out swinging!!

[sclucie]

Okay, I'll come out swinging. You ready? Look up John McCain's first wife. Look up Cindy McCain's daddy - and his prison time. Look up what is means to be so addicted to morphine that you steal drugs from people who need them - like Cindy McCain did. Look up how much time she did for all of those crimes. That''s a good start - and it's only a start. Spouses are fair game? Sounds great to me. I can't think of another politician's wife who has more copy than Cindy McCain.

[HermioneGranger]

What about Bill?

[DocHP]

I've been reading some of the comments here and feel that certain readers need to understand the distinction between trash-talking a candidate's spouse in the media (which I am not necessarily advocating) and the GOP taking out a television ad which FEATURES , not the candidate, but his spouse.
Secondly, while I am under the impression that the Obamas are both tough individuals capable of withstanding the heat in any kitchen, Barack's defense of his wife shouldn't be seen as a sign of frailty. It is simply a way of directing the criticism where it belongs. And last, was Chelsey Clinton deemed heat-wilting when Hillary pounced on the media for,not attacking, but simply asking ridiculous questions about her folk's marriage?

[NASCARLiberal]

Oh, puuuuhhhleeeeze!! They've been doing that to Hillary with malodorous marketing ads that were targeted against HER spouse. Sure, Michelle will never be even 10% as smart as Bill Clinton, but she shouldn't be given a "pass" because she is dumb enough to insert both feet into her mouth at the same time.

[sclucie]

Nonsense. Michelle Obama's stump speech is the only speech I have heard in my lifetime - and I have heard plenty of them - that talks about the realities of being a working woman in America. SHe is brilliant (and don't try to pull that thesis crap in me because I've got Hillarys, and she was not only incapable of writing in the English language - she was incapable of forming a coherent thought. It was also on a radical, whom she admired greatly).

And again, if I were the Clintons or the McCains - I certainly would not go anywhere near spouses - remember that little problem Bill had with honesty? Where he lied to the American people - on camera? And I know this is a tough concept, but Bill Clinton is not running for President, although with all his alleged intelligence, he often uses "we" in his speeches. He also seems to forget that Hillary lied about Bosnia. And then there's the McCains. I'm not real crazy about millionaires who steal morphine to support their habits either. And don't serve a day of time for it.

[DocHP]

Help me here, Nascarlib, is the logic that...bec­ause there have been some below-the-belt jabs at Hillary, it is justifiable for , not a bakdoor sleaze operation, but the state GOP organization, to run this ad?

[robynuva]

Sen. Obama can take the heat, but a REAL man defends his wife (and doesn't humiliate her as no women has ever been humiliated, and certainly doesn't call his wife a "c#$t" in public.

So I guess we know who the real man in this group is. And, as a women, I can assure you, it was HOT!

[IndependentBadger]

That was hilarious.

You go girl.

[OtayPanky]

I'm supporting Barack, but this doesn't fly.

Anyone - and I mean ANYONE - who uses the bully pulpit on behalf of ANY candidate becomes fair game. That person is automatically a surrogate.

If Barack wants the oppo to lay off his wife, then she's got to forswear the surrogate's role - for the duration of his campaign and his presidency, too.

But there's another layer to this. Neither the candidate, nor the candidate's spouse, can come off sounding like a "glass half empty" type of person. And that's exactly how Michelle sounded when she said that this was the first time she'd been proud of her country since becoming an adult. That kind of talk will do more damage to Barack than anything Hillary or the repubs could ever come up with.

Clearly both Barack and Michelle are bright - and perhaps even brilliant people. But they've got to be street smart, too - because this is the big game.

[Angelic11]

She is indeed fair gameand Obama knows it won't fly...he's just being as protective as he can possibly be under the circumstances; However, I wish someone would acknowledge how her statement has been doctored..­.what she actually said was "For the first time ...I am REALLY proud" key word is REALLY and they edited it out so they could call her unpatriotic!

[doodlefarbe]

Angelic writes, "what she actually said was "For the first time ...I am REALLY proud" key word is REALLY "

That makes it better?

So, all the rest of her life, she was not REALLY proud of her country?

Just "sorta" proud of her country?

Or maybe "not very proud" of her country?

Or maybe, all the rest of her life, she claimed to have been proud of her country, but until now, she was not REALLY proud of her country?

Are any of these valid interpretations of her statement that, "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country"?

All of them?

[sclucie]

Great. Let's start talking about Cindy McCain. Which prison was her daddy in? And how did he walk away from prison with millions? Those millions that buy family jets which John McCain uses to fly around for his campaign. I'm ready. Cindy McCain could fill books. And that doesn't even take into account what he did to his first wife so he could marry someone what? 16 years younger?

[AllaboutME]

That was sexy.

[kesiac]

I welcome introducing the wife issue, and yes they better watch out. Ms McCain was the bookkeeper in the Keating 5 scandal, "she lost the receipts", an issue I think the american people should know about. And of course, I think her being a drug addict, stealing drugs from her own organization (a charity). Most drug users who stoop to a level of stealing spend time in prison. She was never even brought up on charges. How about her selling Sudan mutual funds. How about how her having an affair with McCain while he was married.

[beachpoet]

If Michelle Obama is going to insert herself into the campaign and make public comments, then she is fair game for criticism. If she and her husband want to shield her from all possible criticism, then she needs to shut up and stay home with her children. Can't have it both ways.

[AnneOlivia]

Every time I read this headline, I get a picture of Nicolas Cage in "Raising Arizona":

"Keep yur damn hands off ma wife!"

[Boboday555]

A sick part of me wants McCain to win in November.
It'd be nice to see the children in the GOP clean up their own mess for a change BUT, then I realize if they do win in Novemeber, hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings across the globe will die as a result.
Add that to the body count of President AWOL and America will become one of the largest exporters of death in history!

Death and suffering are the only real things republicans have to offer these days; brutal, ignominious death and abject suffering!

Vote Obama...le­t's put an American in the White House for a change!

[Boboday555]

Don't let them get to you Senator Obama.
Its Tennessee.­..what did you expect; enlightened discourse?

[Kundera]

exactly, that's where Gore did a bunch of his book learnin'. that's where he came up with his climate theories.

[DutchOven]

It is this kind of elitism that will keep Obama from the White House in November. Don't think that this attitude doesn't permeate every cycnical movement you make towards "bringing people back into the fold."

Such audacity!