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

[Karlita]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask our fine HuffPost commenters if anyone knows of a good left/progressive site to go to when confronted by the GOP talking points for rebuttal.

For example, today a client called and wanted to tell me how dangerous he thinks Obama is and that he's a Muslim, blah, blah, and his middle name's Hussein!

I know Obama isn't a Muslim, but you get the idea of what I'm hearing. For example, on the Hussein middle name, how the hell is that suppposed to be damaging? Is it simply because it's the same as Saddam's last name?

Another example. My Mom emailed me some crap about Bush having the Crawford Ranch designed to be all eco-friendly and comparing it to Gore's house which had all kinds of negative issues listed. I know that it doesn't matter how green Bush's house is as he has never used his role as pres. to help the environment. But where can one go to look all this stuff up so as to have counterpoints/info ready to go?

Any help would be appreciated.
Peace and Obama '08!

[notthistime]

go to the barackobama.com website. They have a fact checker page.

[WeekendWarrior]

Try this Obama web site. http://factcheck.barackobama.com/

[tkunz]

I don't think that you would have ever heard Ronald Regan or Barry Goldwater attack a wife, or let a surrogate do it. This shows how low some of the weasles that call themselves 'Republicans' tend to sink.
That whole Party is in disarray. No leadership whatsoever. Unfortunately, some of the Democrats have the same tendencies.
That's why Barrack is so important to this party. A potential leader with class.
I only hope that he can win, have success and show that decency and character are sustaining values.

[abouttime]

Precisely. Barrack represents through his character and leadership a mandate by disenfranchised democrats (electorate) to re-define the Democratic Party. His support comes from smart dedicated people who he listens to. He has a grass roots drive coupled with populist principles. A true leader of the new Democratic party. Obama is interested in leading a new party, not in dictating the old failed ways of centralized party control. He's bringing the Democratic party back to the people, where it belongs.

[athenasword]

Hey, good point. When DID it become "fashionable" to start attacking the spouse, anyway? I agree with you that Obmama handled it with some real class.

[TexasT]

HRC. It started when Bill was running for president in '92 Because she wasn't a Stepford wife.

Have you noticed the differences between the dem candidates' wives and the rep candidates wives. Do they drug all the repub candidates' wives? They never seem to do anything or have their own interests! Compare Hillary, Michelle and Elizabeth Edwards to Cindy McCain and I don't even know the names of the other ones. Hillary, Michelle and Elizabeth all have had successful careers of their own, making their own money.

The only republican spouse I know with a successful career (being an heiress doesn't count) on her own is Elizabeth Dole. Why is that?

[stanjz]

I agree that the Republican Party is oppressive and demeaning of women in general. Take a look at FOX News; they have paraded their female news hosts around in the skimpiest clothing and trained their cameras on them from many angles. They exploit their sexuality and ignore their other more important traits. It seems more like the playboy channel. What's next, they start making out with the male hosts? Maybe they turn the network into a hybrid of news and a soap opera?

[Breni]

LOL! Fox News has pretty, young, attractive and SMART women. What, are you jealous because your 'fav' news stations - who are in the tank for Obama - have not-so-attractive women? "Skimpy" clothing? LOL!

Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy - over such unimportant issues.

[Cyndee1113]

She has clarified what she meant on more then on occasion. This is crazy. We need to do something.

[indieminded]

alex13a posted a link to the Tennessee GOP:

http://www.tngop.org/leadership/staff.html

The link includes phone #'s too if you do want to do something.

[Mij13]

Desperate times call for low class measures. But then the GOP's always used low class measures.

[ggmome]

Boy the 'green Monster' is rearing it ugly head. Something I have noticed, about sore loosers, they start scandalizing every thing and everybody to get your goat. How long ago was it that Michele made this statement, which to me was a valid statement, about being proud of this Country.

There they all go, with the TWIST than SHOUT to make a scandal out of a praise. Now this will be blown out of proportion to incite. Crafty hypocrits!

[dajay]

sore losers? Obama hasn't beaten McCain yet. So you guys sure got your work cut out for you.

And remember, you won't be able to go on the HF Post and insult McCain's yellow suits or ugly pants suits like you all did with Hillary.

You'll have to do much better than that to win thepresidency

[TXfemmom]

Well, for all of you who are decrying this as dirty politics, YOU ARE SO NAIVE. This is tame, compared to what is going to hit them.

However, Cindy McCain is his wife, and has campaigned for him, and that makes her very fair game over the fact that she stole those narcotics from her so-called charity to feed her narcotic and sedative habit, and falsified federal forms and forms regarding handling of narcotics and used those drugs for herself.

Believe me, that should have netted her some serious time in the slammer. Peole who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, and Cindy with her money made from alcohol, and her refusal to release her tax statements, and her DRUG ADDICTION FED BY BREAKING MANY LAWS, is in a very glass house.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

The ability to look at the mistakes made by our forefathers and admit that it was a mistake is what makes a great nation. Saying that our nation is great and that we are wonderful is nothing. Every imbecile can do that. Very few can look at things objectively and say that while I love my nation there are many things that do not work right. There are many issues and injustices that need to be resolved and fixed. A nation that can do that is one that will always have the moral high ground.

[TMAN]

I like this, I agree. I'll probably get reamed but I agree.

[Nochnoi]

Why would you get reamed.... I agreed with them as well, as I am sure many would....

Nothing is perfect.... no person, no country.... nothing..... to recognize ones weaknesses and imperfection leaves room for change.... and change is a good thing....

We can make this a better country.... if we believe things can change for the better....

[260Parkway]

Senator Obama don't sweat the small stuff. They're after her because you've only had 1 wife to their several and all the ones they've had they don't allow them to have a VOICE. Has anyone ever heard Cindy McCain speak? I haven't. All she does is flash that stepford wife smile and stand there. Republiklan men don't like women that are strong that's why they hate Hillary and Nancy Pelosi. They like their women DOCILE, willing to commit adultery and have secret second families. Some family values, huh?

[castlerider]

Windwalker1984 said:
" so much for family values! Cindy Hensley McCain had an affair with John McCain while he was married to his first wife, Carol, who was disabled in a car accident... her husband was a POW. John divorced Carol & left his family (3 children) to marry rich heiress Cindy Hensley.

Then there's Cindy McCain drug addiction to prescription painkillers. She stole drugs from her own non profit medical relief organization. The McCains only came clean on the story when a former employee of the charity & the Phoenix News Times were working on a story to expose the scandal.

Cindy McCain was also in trouble during the Keating 5 scandal of her husband John. As bookkeeper for the McCains, she was questioned about reimbursement checks to Keating for plane rides, etc that were found to not exist.

Cindy McCain, worth over $100 million said on the Today Show recently that she would never release her tax returns. It was announced this past week that she was divesting herself of some Saudi Arabian investments. What is she hiding?

Cindy & John McCain and the Republicans had better hope Obama takes the high road and not tit for tat, becaue Cindy comes off a heck of a lot worse than Michelle if the Democrats were to run their own counter ad."

Thanks Windwalker, that was pretty good. Says it all.

[Cyndee1113]

yea, but Cindy the witch suppose to love her Country after what she has done.

[JavaCityGal]

I think if we knew more about the foreign nations that Cindy is investing in --- we may have a much better idea of how she "loves" this country.

[BlackWidowPilot]

" so much for family values" Oy, you have NO idea about the "party of family values" "Hundred Years War" McCain is a part of:

http://www.armchairsubversive.org

"Family values" like the locals in THE HILLS HAVE EYES.

Yeeach.

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[Devver]

What is she hiding? Anything she wants to hide. She's a Republican. They're allowed to do whatever they want, right??

[TMAN]

Well, we'll try this again. I just emailed the chairperson of the Tennessee Republican party.

I am a proud American, 70 years of age, white and proud to stand solidly behind Barack Obama. We the people are awakening from a horrible period of leadership in our nation that has been propped up by gutter politics, dirty tricks and oily lies. Barack Obama calls us as Americans to a higher level. The Republicans of this generation just don't seem to understand that it's time to really put America first, not party. Time, for your kids as well as mine, is quickly running out. Discussing the real issues not someones spouse is how we all can address this horrible mess our nation is in, dig ourselves out and move forward.
Don't you think it's time for your party to rejoin America. Thank you.

[notthistime]

TMAN You're right on. Most of us are completely awake this election cycle and we will not be deceived by attempts to have us lose focus on the issues. Time for all of us to step up and turn this thing around.

[JimSAC]

Calling the GOP low class won't stop them. They are OK with being low class. Can't you tell?

[briel]

Agreed. They ought to rename their whole party to "operation chaos." It's fitting, and it speaks to their ethics.

[RedWilma]

I LOVE Michelle.
Shame on the GOP for trying to make her statement a political issue. (Desperate or what!!) And, by the same token, I don't think Cindy McCain should be an issue either. Hands off the spouses and the kids unless they look like they're going to be making decisions that affect us voters.

[notthistime]

Agreed RedWilma

[dgscol]

how's bout some good pancakes, Wilma?

[init]

Rush Limbaugh took off today! So did Joe Scarborough. Think it may have something to do with the Oregon crowd? The meltdown will be interesting.

[init]

Red meat with blood flowing!