Barack Obama: Lay Off My Family

On the same day that former GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee told his party that demonizing Barack Obama is a 'fatal mistake,' Obama told a reporter from CBN news that the GOP needs to lay off his family. Read part of the transcript below and watch the interview here.

Obama told CBN News that he is deeply disappointed that John McCain has not spoken out against political attacks leveled at his wife.

"I think families are off limits. I would never consider making Cindy McCain a campaign issue," he said. "And if I saw people doing that - I would speak out against it. And the fact that I haven't seen that from John McCain I think is a deep disappointment."

The McCain campaign sent CBN News a written response to Obama's comments.

"Senator McCain agrees with Senator Obama that spouses should not be an issue in this campaign, and he has stated that position frequently," Joe Pounder, McCain's spokesman, said. "Unfortunately, when the Democratic National Committee was attacking Mrs. McCain, Senator Obama was not strong enough to stand up and speak out."

"Obama's silence speaks volumes, and it's unfortunate that he would single out others for a standard he himself has failed to live up to," he said.

Comments

[enilorac]

They will never lay off this family(Obamas'). It's all too tempting for the GOP to disengage from it, just as you at the Huffpo got us all laughing with the Cyndi (SP?) McCain cookie scandal and her faux appearance a a cookie baker. What WILL keep the GOP off Obama's family's back is a joint Hilary Dream Team ticket. The press bashed Hilary so extremely misogynistically that I think a Dream Team would be so loaded ---- that the GOP and the Press might get down to issues after the initial excitment. I dunno' what the polls are saying, but I can tell you my friends, those who back Hil', want her back in the game at the White House level. The Patti Solis thing be darned, Patti Solis is there to manage the campaign not the White House and all those Hil' voters would stay with Hil', and vote for a Obama ---- Clinton ticket. Plus all those who don't like McCain, but don't want to vote for Obama, because of whatever it is, would be in for Hilary and Obama together. Love your posts. Love your front page. You are probably the most outstanding headline writer of Modern Times, if it is indeed you, Katharine Zaleski, doing the News Page as Sr. News Editor.

[HG]

Family isn't off limits. Obama proved that with Hillary's husband.

Also, Obama didn't call off the witch hunt against Hillary by his supporters (media and handlers alike), so why should McCain call off the attacks on Obama's family?

Obama continues to play the holier-than-thou card, trying to portray himself as being above the mud slinging--letting his campaign do the dirty-work for him. It's too late. Obama's been exposed for what he is--a charlatan.

[oldwiseone]

It should be clear to everyone that everyone is fed up with the lies and hate that some replublicans have flooded this once great nation with. It is obvious that a great many have joined up to fight that hate and deceit. It is amazing though, that the hateful do not get the message and somehow come to believe that all they have to do is more of the same. They have dug themselves into a hole and they actuaally believe that they can get out of it by digging deeper. And they want us to vote for them?

[IndependentMynd]

If I were a Republican or a conservative, I'd be throughly embarrassed and angry that these wingnuts were making ALL Republicans and conservatives look soooooo sleazy and unethical. They are making ALL Evangelicals, conservatives and Republicans look like slime who will do anything for a buck or power. It really is up to the good and ethical folks in ALL groups to fight this kind of sleaze. It is also too bad that the Republicans are afraid to fight based on the issues. They must REALLY be scared!

[jazzman]

I say keep on attacking Michele, Sen. McCain. Remember all those Clinton supporters you were wooing over to your side? Well, with a couple more attacks on FOX news you can watch as they all put Obama bumper stickers on their cars.

While your at it, could you attack Bill Richardson too. We could use some help with the Hispanic vote as well.

[Shayrae]

Good advice for old McBush, Jazzman. I sure hope he takes it. BYW, I am from Louisiana
and Obama tee shirts are selling like hotcakes.

[Pamela1961]

Grow up, this is politics and you know darn well that's how it works. I didn't notice you defending one of your fellow candidates when the Press attacked her.

[Peteyman]

Attacked? They attacked Hillary with pea shooters. Whereas they attacked Obama with Bazookas and Missiles.

[jimmy2001]

the problem is the attacks on Ms. Obama are twisted lies, they never lied about HRC... as far as I know.

[Exhaust]

I am sure you can name a time the Press lied about B. Obama or his wife.?.?

[Exhaust]

Defend her (HRC)? Some of these whinin' bastards can't even admit that they need her supporters.
Michelle Obama said something stupid and tried to clean it up the day after. The only reason she was proud of her country that day was because, about 1000 people in Iowa voted for her husband.

[MattGuillen]

The "bad words filter" just excluded my reference to the popularity of sounding like a gansta "n*gger"--I wonder if the fuckers will censor this.

[uvymopkq]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

[dplfdr]

Are you all missing the point here? Take the higher road and stick to the issues.

[UltraClassic]

Sorry Obomaniacs, you set the bar when you trashed Chelsea and the Bush twins. Turn about is fair play and the possiblity of a racist, black nationalist in the white house is a little spooky to some of us.

[aiscoconut]

I guess you, Ultra Classic, just make stuff up as you go along. When has the Obama campaign OR the DNC ever trashed Chelsea or the Bush Twins? I've only ever heard anything remotely negative amount them from the media and comedians.. And I don't think Obama or his campaign has control of that...God grow up

[savagetiger]

Hey, UltraTrash - keep it up and I'll bring your wife into this...

Take a moment, let the satire sit it, then bow out of the discussion.

[klmebane]

obama is the farthest thing from a racist. that is one of THE most absurd accusations. the only one that bothers me more is probably the "muslim smear". he's a christian, but that isn't the point. there is no religious test for office. not to mention the fact that being a muslim does not automatically a terrorist make. there are MILLIONS of law abiding muslims worldwide.

[trinity29]

when was Chelsea trashed by Obama?

[Liberoservative]

The only candidate who has trashed Chelsea is John McCain when in 1998 he said this "joke"

"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."

John McCain

[candycane]

Soooo untrue. You must be a member of the Obama cult.

[fair1234]

Well if Michelle is fair game then I am demanding an apology from Cindy Mccain for stealing from her own charity to fund her drug problem! I also want to know what was her punishment or was she allowed to slip through the system when us working class folks would have been hauled off to jail!! Cindy Mccain should have been given jail time with a permanent felony on her record and I demand to know why that has not happened!!

[AnotherTry]

A real family man would support equality. What if his daughters grow up to be lesbian?

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

[Mercurial]

So what if they do????

[AnotherTry]

His position now is he believes their rights should be left up to the states. What kind of father, who is in such a powerful political position, would want that for his children? He should want them to be treated equally.

How do you tell your children you don't care about their civil rights?

[DShawn233]

When watching "The Verdict" last night I saw someone mention some of Cindy McGaffeAlots past "issue" only to have Lars Larson and another "conservative" type start complaining that those type of comments don't help anyone. I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Not three minutes later Lars Larson gave everyone a look at what is really behind the "Michelle" bashing that is taking place. One word JEALOUSY!!! Larson went on a rant about how this country "gave" Michelle Obama a $300,000.00 job. When another person said that she had earned the job through the hard work of her parents that allowed both her and her brother to go to Princeton Larson went on to rant some more saying that she was given a "do nothing" job. Larson was called on his statements and told that he was attempting to do a "smear" job.
So now we understand. The conservative base wants to tell everyone to work hard and earn their way, but, it appears that only certain members of our society are supposed to "earn" their way and climb that ladder. If others invade the "club" gloves will come off.

[lazywhiteamerican]

The country "gave" Michelle Obama a $300.000.00 whereas Cindy McCain was forced to perform the arduous task of choosing really rich parents. Come on now we all know how hard choosing rich parents is, I tried it and all I got were middle class parents.

[anndeegh]

What country gave Michelle Obama $300.000? Which country is that? I need to go there.

And what was the name of the store where you got your middle class parents? I tried like crazy to find it, but I got the one that bought our clothes and toys at garage sales and made all our Christmas ornaments.

At least the country felt obligated to give me student loans, which I will be paying back until I am 75.

[bichn]

The so-called attack on Cindy McCain was that her husband's campaign did not reimburse her for the use of her company's private jet on the campaign trail. That is hardly a personal 'attack' on Cindy. In fact, she has not endured personal attacks that Michelle Obama has had to endure. I am sick of the double standard. Why would McCain's campaign expect Barack to defend Cindy when the issue is not personal but rather about campaign finance? Unbelievable.

[kylie]

It is nauseating to see the networks slant their "coverage" for Cindy McCain("I'm proud of my country") , get snarly about Michelle Obama's dress choice.

How nice to be a rich white 'citizen' who just can't understand why Michelle would not always be "proud" of her country. How many of us are "Proud of our country" the past eight years?

The press us in lockstep with their corporate bosses, and the bias for the Republican candidate and his wife is apparent.

This is when people should let the networks know, they are not buying the hype. Boycott, complain (404-827-0234-CNN, 212-664-4444-MSNBC/NBC), FOX is non-existant to me--it is a owned by the White House. Never watch it.

The public can make a difference in the news coverage, if we are willing to let the networks know how slanted to the "right" their coverage is, and what a censored media it is--does not provide "news" to the viewers--just opinions.

[candycane]

I am always proud of my country. Im sorry you aren't.

[lewes17266]

Is no one alarmed that our presidential candidates would give the time of day to CBN, the network run by Pat Robertson who attributes the terrorist attacks and Katrina to an angry God, who claims to be capable of legpressing 2,000 pounds, who is a self-proclaimed holy prophet of God and who tells his viewers to touch the tv screen for a miracle, that God wants them to give, then tells them his address and toll free number? Isn't fraud a crime? Why would Barack Obama associate with such obvious frauds? I wonder if Barack Obama would touch his tv screen for a miracle or if he thinks God punishes us for our sins with terrorism and terrible storms.
Pat Robertson helped his fake holyman son cheat on his wife and they continued their on-air "healings" and "words of knowledge" throughout that extramarital affair. They continue telling their viewers to confess their sins and repent, yet they hide their own.

[Mercurial]

please be careful of making fun of things that you don't understand......

what scares me is when they give the time of day to faux news....expecially Bill Oreilly or sean hannity.

[lewes17266]

Who is making fun? I am not making fun in the least. I am being very serious. As a Christian, I am embarrassed and disgusted by those gross, self-aggrandizing counterfeits. Fraud is a crime. They are frauds.

[ginnypoo]

So, Obama went on a channel that espouses the same rhetoric that Wright does, no surprises there. The surprise to me is that anyone cares....isn't Obama perfect?
Why would Obama associate with frauds....well, sweetie, because he is one, too. That's why. All his 'friends' suck, they all hate us and he protects them, he even left his church to protect them from the MSM....what? They ridicule and it's them that need protection? He's one sick puppy, Obama. So far left he's like a Liberal times ten. He's right at the fringe edge of far-left. It's too much, I'm a dem but he's way beyond me, I was even sort of a hippy years ago, but the Weather Underground and Black panthers, Huey Long ...that's some scary stuff, those people scared me even then. It is not a way of thinking I condone. Even after 30 years i still don't.

[klmebane]

blaming gays and acceptance for homosexuality on storms and terrorism from god is in no way the same as blaming the us for the way it has treated its own citizens and people around the world for generations. there is no comparison there. it may make you uncomfortable to see a black person be so critical of the country, but try to think from the perspective of what our experience of america has been. it has in no way been the same as white america, and we aren't going to candy coat that for you to avoid hurting your feelings. as for your assertion that he left his church to protect them... he's going to be living in washington d.c. like hes going to have time to fly home to chicago every weekend for sunday service. he left his church because he hardly has any time to even go to services. not that his church affiliation or beliefs should, in any way, bear on whether or not he is elected. last i checked, the constitution made it clear that there is no religious test for public office.

[klmebane]

also, if obama's friends hate us (which i highly doubt, or at least not many) then what does that say about mccains friends? if you are a democrat (or republican for that matter) who dislikes war, wants equality for all tax paying citizens, freedom to privacy, and a reversal of the dangerous bush policies both foreign and domestic, there is only one person to vote for. obama 08.

[zacariah]

You don't understand history (not to mention grammar, syntax, and punctuation). All you do is parrot Fox News trash without any evidence to support it. I'm not a "dem" nor was I ever "sort of a hippy," whatever that's supposed to mean. The "scary stuff" you refer to is going to spring a big surprise on you on November 5. But then, most of us have been living with scary stuff for seven and a half years. Talk about "one sick puppy."

[CynthiaCr]

Not to my knowledge, "ginnypoo". Obama made some remarks on separation of Church 'n State in an E-Mail to David Brody of 700 Club fame and I believe Pat Robertson's still piqued with him.

Oh & if Bill Clinton pardoned those Weathermen they're probably not anything to frighten yourself with (besides they're probably 30 years older too...running around in those little scooter things.

[anndeegh]

Who are all these mysterious 'friends' and why doesn't the rest of the country know about them? Please share your wisdom and knowledge with us!

In all seriousness, if you have ever read Obama's positions, you would know that he is not on the fringe of far-left. In fact, the Wall Street Journal, that bastion of conservatism, feels that he will be better for business than McCain.

[fair1234]

Every politicain accept atheist Mccain has goneon CBN so what is your point? From what I have read, Mccain is planning to inteview with pat Roberson so what will you say then?

[s2s2s2]

So when will women that say they want to be treated as equals start acting like they want to be treated as equals? Michelle is giving speeches. If you take the stage, you should take the same criticism the men do. Did anyone say "Hey, don't 'attack' Bill for his racially divisive comments, he's just the husband. He's off limits."? No, cause he was speaking in front of the public and he was wrong. Michelle is too. I say she can take it. I also say responding to her attacks on America (just using your language, MSM) shouldn't be called attacks.

[anndeegh]

What attack on America? Show me the proof.