Obama Mocks Socialist Attacks: "I Shared My Toys"

Here's a funny moment from Obama's rally today in North Carolina -- a rally in which (not so humorously) two attendees passed out, in the process stopping the event while Obama urged medical personnel to attend to them and even offered up his own bottled water.

Responding to charges that his economic policies were socialistic in nature, the Democratic nominee ridiculed his opponent for resorting to trivialities and distractions.

"Now, because he knows that his economic theories don't work, he's been spending these last few days calling me every name in the book. Lately he's called me a socialist for wanting to roll-back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans so we can finally give tax relief to the middle class. I don't know what's next. By the end of the week he'll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten. I shared my peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

The line was reminiscent of when Obama chastised Hillary Clinton during the primary for citing his kindergarten papers as evidence that he had a long-held presidential ambition. Now, as then, Obama chose to parlay the attack through humor as much as substance, a method that has proved effective not just in dismissing charges but drawing media attention towards his rebuttal.

Comments

[AudacityOfHype]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5042571.ece

Obama Aunt found in Boston slum

[aBr1t]

Sam Cooke - a change gon come

Very fitting

audacityoffhype. even the coldest heart can feel the warms of his fellow man even in time of great peril

[liseworks]

One of my favorite "all-time" songs -

(psst : I even sing it at Karaoke) - (but don't tell anyone) : D

[judyc]

So what? he met her once.

[Hans Meiser]

Sack of rice found in China. News at 11.

[IndyofDC]

Obama's 1st grade friend found drunk at bar. News at 11.

[AlligatorShuz]

So what! Is it Barack Obama responsiblity to take care of his realitives who is broke?

[Kassandra]

The more I see/hear of Barack Obama, the more I am convinced I am looking at an extraordinary human being. I have fallen in love which hasn't happened to me with a politician since JFK, and John certainly had his faults.

What we nee to do to respond to these ridiculous "socialist" attacks is to point out that populism is different than socialism. And that's what Obama is; a populist. Frankly, I wonder if most people even know the difference, let alone the definition of these terms.

[Bongborg]

That's right, the man went to kiddiegarden with a Pb&J sammich and shared it with his friends. That is why he should be President instead of the man who was born eating from a silver spoon held by a nanny.

[JustLynn]

For anyone who is interested in FACTS instead of rhetoric....



http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/american_income_taxation.htm

[Pulemerci]

I'm confused as to how he is not touting socialism. His slip to Joe the plumber "we want to spread wealth around," (ie re-distribute wealth) and the following audio of Obama on NPR tells it even more clearly:

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/audio_library/ram/od/od-010118.ram

[milo h minderbinder]

If you consider tax cuts for the middle class "socialist" while the rich pay more, than how do you defend Palin and McCain taking the exact same position?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/olbermann-sarah-palin-is_n_138765.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNke6ad0t6g

[JustLynn]

http://www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/american_income_taxation.htm

Go here and educate yourself...unless you make over approx $210,000 a year you are in the BOTTOM 4/5th of income in this country...and above that the "average" jumps to OVER $1 MILLION...so unless you ARE up there in the stratosphere, YOU ARE one of the ones who is carrying this country on your back...and YOU are one of the ones who would receive, NOT give....dork...

[criquet]

Go educate yourself.
"Spreading the wealth around" has been used for much of the last 150 years as a way for societies to function.Otherwise if one small group has everything and the larger group finds itself increasingly marginalised then violence and civil war or revolution occurs -France, Russia are good examples as are the wars of Independence in many colonial societies like America used to be.
The level of money taken from any group or individual for the common good( taxes) usually depends on the financial situation at any given time and are increased and relaxed as needed. This is not socialism or communism-it is good government keeping and providing social order.
You need to read and understand what socialism and communism really are because you don't get it at all.

[JustLynn]

BEST example EVER in history...and EXACTLY where we are headed if we stick with what we've always had?? THE ROMAN EMPIRE......

get the Lions ready cause the masses are gettin 'het up.....

[dana123]

How many of you lived in socialism or communism to be informed enough and say Obama is a socialist ?
Do YOU know what these forms of government are?
As one that I experienced communism and socialism, I can point to the followings:
1) In communism, you can't own too much property and NO private business. More importantly, the government and the constitution do not guarantee ownership.
2) As a result of 1), one's wealth is almost non-existent.
3) You can't have any big dream, everybody will be equal, thus hard-work and talent are irrelevant.
Any of us that lived in socialism feel laughing when hearing such a label. Taxes is a citizen's duty in any civilized country, AND NOT a form of redistributing. It is a fair contribution based on one's income.
Do you find it fair that Cindy McCain payed last year 26% in taxes like somebody making about $100k when, in fact, she made $4 millions? Republicans try to label THIS socialism when in fact is nothing else but unfairness, unwilingness to contribute to our common civilized infrastructure.
About taxes: read how Germany built itself from ashes after WWII. Go to Germany or talk to germans. They are very civilized. They do pay taxes and don't complain (needless to say, their bridges don't fall..). They got where they are today not by being communists, or the no regulation-wild west, but by believing that if our neighbors are doing well WE ALL are well...

[judyc]

Listen to the WHOLE tape--not just the parts that you want to hear.

[TallGrrl]

Two words:
CONTEXT and METAPHOR
He was telling the guy how it wasn't fair that the corporations and big banks and richest people always got the tax cut while the middle class just kept getting squeezed.
He told him that under Obama's plan, it would be the middle class that got the benefits. That the wealth wouldn't just go to the richest. It would start with the middle class, which would trickle upwards, so they could, for example, be able to hire people like Joe the so-called plumber/plant.
"Spread the wealth around" was more or less a metaphor.
Are people really *that* SIMPLE MINDED where they can't grasp a simple METAPHOR?????
Damn!
Stupid, simple-minded, uneducated people make me sick.

Besides, Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, the largest socialist state in the union, ALSO said in an interview that in Alaska she wanted to SPREAD THE WEALTH AROUND by giving OIL COMPANY MONEY to the citizens of Alaska.
So...when SHE says it...it's NOT socialist, eh?
Freakin' HYPOCRITE.
Again....DAMN.

[liseworks]

It's not a question of "is it So.cialist" -

It's a question of : if you ARE wealthy, then why WOULDN'T you want to "make a difference in the world" by being of (financial) service to those who need it most

I mean, if you examine the "meaning of life", I can't imagine a better meaning than WANTING to be of service to those who are less fortunate.

[rockne]

The wealthy are some of the most generous people in this country. They nor anyone else needs government-mandated charity. Do you tithe pre-tax? If not, why not?

[liseworks]

Of course, there are many heroic philanthropists : many -
Obviously I'm talking about the ones that have a problem with paying a mere 3 or 4% more in taxes, especially considering that they alone, have access to so many tax loopholes to begin with -

[Bongborg]

Unfortunately, those rich people mostly acquired the wealth to begin with by causing the bad fortune of those "less fortunate". So it is like expecting a shark to give you a ride to the beach after falling off the ship.

[WildElf]

It would be the Chrstian thing to do.

Which makes me wonder about all those McCain supporters who support McCain/Palin because of their religion AND their tax policies. Luckily hypocrisy is in the minority this year.

[liseworks]

It goes FAR beyond a religion - it's about conscience & soul - it's about Humanity.

[justShareandbeNice]

Exactly!!!

It is so simple that we avoid seeing it that way. But it really comes down to that -- simple moral lessons. Any religion, any spiritual path, any wise teaching from any time says that hoarding wealth is a sign of being controlled by the ego (devil, what have you.....) Being selfish: bad. Caring and sharing: good. That is the consensus! Yet we have a tax system and an economic system that is all about hoarding.

All of the details of a any tax system are built upon *some* sort of an ethical and moral foundation. In our country, the poor didn't write the tax code so it doesn't reflect an ethics of caring or sharing with people in need. The wealthy and fortunate have created the tax system we have lived with. Their ethical code wins the day in this country.

Until now, hopefully.

[thepathforward]

Very well said liseworks-and in my opinion you have captured the essence of what's most important in life and have discerned the core of all that Jesus stood for and preached regading loving neighbor and being your brothers keeper, "the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves"

[aBr1t]

tax is a good thing aslong as its spent correct for the people who pay it

i dont know why you hate not being taxed??? sure you have more money to spend on junk

but then look at ur roads ect?? the state of texas is BIGGER than you UK and we have a better standard of living... go figure...

our miniu wage is around 5GBP and thats just to do simple jobs and thats AFTER we get taxed

yours is 8 dollas or something? BEFOR TAX work it out!!

i pay my tax with pride becouse somewhere down the line SOMEONE will need it more than me... selfish is why ur hated always thinking out U not the OTHER PERSON who i less well offf

WE ARE THE USA AND WE KNOW BEST.......... yep p|ss on my shoes and tell me its raining... while ur at it. The world has moved on and your being left behind change or become china's B|tch or a 3rd world county........that coffe sure does smell nice heh?

[JustLynn]

The US has some of the worst standards for work and labor anywhere in the world....France has a mandatory 4 day work week, yet they manage to provide their citizens with FREE healthcare, Free lower AND upper level schooling (University), FREE "mothers helper" for three months after the birth of a child to help with laundry , grocery shopping etc., ....

Boy, that "socialism" is sounding worse and worse all the time...

[aBr1t]

You are correct in some ways lynn but we still have our problems in the EU

i think the point of all this is how much labour is valued, look at china? how can ANYONE compeat with that level of wage? but then the side effect is people will move "rich corps" to another host

there like some nasty infection on the planet they have no moral obligation to any nation no matter how much tripe they say.. its all about power and greed but there forgetting we the cogs in the machine will one day get so mad the machine will stop...

that was a quote btw " i would have said something like" WE ARE P|SSED OFF ; ) and if they dont heed the warning the world is going to get alot more wacked out than it is now

and if that new world order is paying any attention they will get there arifis in gear and sort it out becous they wont be rich powerfull smoke and mirrors for very long

[Bongborg]

Forgotten Margaret Thatcher already, mate?

[aBr1t]

hell no she took my milk off me oh and my free apples :((

[arthur2008]

John McCain stole the other kids' blocks.

But his father intervened with the principal to keep him out of the corner.

[DaisyDooks]

And....that continued through military academy. History continued to repeat itself.

[justShareandbeNice]

Or, John McCain had a control freak dad and an unhappy childhood and he learned to steal other kid's blocks as a way of venting his fear and anger.

Bullies are simply very unhappy people.

[Agent420]

I want someone who knows, not some right wing babble mouth, tell me what is wrong with socialism. Most socialist nations have a higher standard of living, higher health standards and much better quality of life. Just look up where we stand amongst other nations. We are not number one in any category except terrorism.

[judyc]

We have many "socialist" programs in America--feel free to add to the list.

Social Security
Medicare
Medicaid
Federal Employment Programs
HUD (housing and urban development)

[DirkNLExpat]

US miltary which hasn't been used to actually protect the USA in 50 years.

[bastalready]

Precisely.

[Danny]

judyc --roads, bridges, public transportation, electric and natural gas grids, waterworks, fire stations, police, the remaining public schools, NPR/PBS -- things that we think of as "the commons" that enable the capitalists/corporatists to run wild and steal us blind. We should start charging them for the use of "our" commons.

When I read of municipalities spending millions of taxpayer monies to build a private stadium for a rich owner, and the public goes along with it, while schools go begging for funds, I realize how crazy and dumbed-down our society has become.

[luutzu]

Socialism isn't Communism, Marxism isn't Lennism/Stalinism.
Obama cannot, in an election, argue the finer, and very very major, differences between these isms, but it's a great thing for Americans if its president is a little Socialistic.

Lincohn was a Marxist long before Marx: free labourers you can treat as slaves is wrong??
FDR: New Deal? Social Security? Regulation on Banks? That's not the free market, capitalist way!
Teddy Roosevelt: Busting monopolies - you can't get more marxist than that.

With a connected world as we are, giving tax cuts to corporations with international operations and they will surely reinvest those tax cuts in places that is most profitable [not just back in the USA], giving tax cuts to very rich people with investment banks as their advisors and those cuts will go to developing economies who are offering higher growth etc. etc.

Forget that it's fairer that the rich should pay more tax [thoughin Obama's plan, not getting a Bush break from their already low rate], it makes more economic sense that small businesses and the middle class get some money because they are more likely to spend and invest it domestically: hiring locals, buying from local businesses than imports or overseas travels...

[DirkNLExpat]

For those of you who have been in the US military you know how arrogant and condescending some commisioned officers can be to enlisted and NCO's. John M c cain was one of these type officers.

Why has there been not ONE former POW stood up in defense of him? Because they know what kind of sleazeball he truly is.

And look how he treats veterans of today? Voting against EVERY bill for them.

Wake up people. This guy is pure DIRT!!

Read what war veterans are saying about him

http://vietnamveteransagainstmccain.com/

[ohiomark]

If you share your toys, it's by choice. If the government takes your toys and gives them to people who didn't earn them, THAT'S Obama.

[milo h minderbinder]

Hey, don't forget Palin is a socialist too.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/olbermann-sarah-palin-is_n_138765.html

And McCain is a socialist - "there's nothing wrong with the wealthy paying more".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNke6ad0t6g

If you're going to yell SOCIALIST, let's be fair and not leave anyone out.

[arthur2008]

"I believe that when you really look at the tax code today, the very
wealthy, because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes,
really don't pay nearly as much as you think they do when you just look at
the percentages. And I think middle-income Americans, working Americans,
when the account and payroll taxes, sales taxes, mortgage pay -- all of the
taxes that working Americans pay, I think they -- you would think that they
also deserve significant relief, in my view... (W)e feel, obviously, that
wealthy people can afford more... Here's what I really believe, that when
you are -- reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with
paying somewhat more... (F)rankly, I think the first people who deserve a
tax cut are working Americans with children that need to educate their
children, and they're the ones that I would support tax cuts for first."

John McCain - October 2000

[amistad]

The republican party thrives on the selfish, the ignorant, and the b*ggoted to win elections.
The idea of "mine, mine, mine" is what put America in the shape it is in today.
The idea of "mine, mine, mine" brought slaves here to build this country for free off the backs of human beings.
The idea of b*ggotry creates the illusion or belief that all minorities are poor.
The idea of b*ggotry creates the illusion that the poor don't work and therefore deserve to be poor.
The idea of b*ggotry creates the illusion that the majority of people on welfare are minorities.
The idea of b*ggotry creates the illusion or belief that minorities are inferior and deserve to be poor.
Ignor@nce and b*ggotry allows for this belief to be used to legislate biased and unfair laws, rules, and regulation that favors the wealthy and targets the minorities and the poor.
Ignor@nce and b*ggotry allows people like you to have no sense of shame, guilt, for posting such backwards and selfish beliefs.
God Bless America and EVERYBODY ELSE

[WildElf]

Any kid who hoarded 90% of the toys and threw a tantrum about giving up 5% of them was considered a spoiled brat at my school.

America doesn't need more spoiled brats.

Let's be clear, we're talking about people who have AT LEAST 10 times the amount of "toys" as the average person, and many of them have 1,000 times the amount. That's not justified earnings, that's blatant avarice. And the only thing being asked of them? 3-4% more in taxes. When you leave them with hundreds of thousands, or millions, that's hardly taking anything.

[Danny]

well said, WildElf. Please let "ohiomark" know.

[DBtv]

The rich live off the labor of others, they do not "earn it".

If you capitulate to your overlords, that's ohiomark.

[ohiomark]

The owner of the company I work for started it from scratch 40 years ago and built himself into a multi-millionaire by expanding into 4 different companies. He earned every penny and he gave me the chance to earn every dollar he pays me.

If Sen. Govt wins, he will raise his taxes and it will cause our prices to go up or cause layoffs or prevent further expantion. Either way, the so called "little guy" that you Democrats seem to care so much about will suffer. Let's call it "Tricke Up Poverty."

[degenerate1991]

Yeah, and the laborers write their own paychecks, right?

[faithfully]

Well during the last 8 years I have been writing some pretty hefty checks to a government to subsidize a war based on lies; I would rather write these checks to build the country rather than to tear it down as I am quite sure I have been doing for the last 8 years. I would rather share my toys with people that need them. I go with a leader who knows how to manage things effectively. Hoping for a great day on Tuesday.

[rockne]

Sharing your toys voluntarily with other children is generosity. Being forced by the government to share your wealth with others who do not work as hard is Marxism. A fundamental difference ignored by Obama.

[huff-n-puff-post]

Well, we at least know he was somewhat normal up to his kindergarten years.

[aBr1t]

and thats why your in the mess you are... give a little and stop being so selfish and greedy..

you remind me of some grotty little ceo would pass a man on the street and not even batter your eyelid

there is a place for you but im sure its not hell board room prehaps? sick sick sick

[SCG]

Maybe if that 46 million without health insurance, were to stop working for a day, perhaps those affected might notice where their wealth comes from?

[milo h minderbinder]

See my response to ohiomark above - since Palin and McCain both favor sharing the wealth, I guess they're marxists too?

[HereComesMegaCorp]

How about paying a bit back into the system, to those who work just as hard, or not harder, than you do? That's not socialism, but it is an attempt at fairness. Are you wealthy, by the way? What's your agenda?

[rockne]

My agenda is to make as much damn money as I can so I can give it to people I love and people who need it without being told by government officials who I have to give it to. My agenda is simple--I am the product of immigrants who came to the U.S. decades ago from a Communist country controleld by the former Soviet Union. They would be the first to tell you that Obama's economic policies are exactly what America does NOT need and his foreign policy approach to Russia is absolutely scary.

[yhgtup]

I love Barack's sense of humor!! He comes back at McPuff-N-Stuff with "the funny" & a smile, showing just how ridiculous McPastey-Face really is.

[JLee]

Offering his own bottled water? SOCIALIST!

[lohy]

Offering to share????Off to the re-education camp...