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

[DeepInTheHeartOfTexas]

I'm a Socialist and I'm proud of it. Stupid people that use that term as an insult don't understand what it means. Thomas Jefferson was a Socialist. FDR was the greatest Socialist of our time. Our Founding Documents were based on a "Social Contract." It's a philosophy we all live by everyday. We all put in, and we all take out. We pay, and we withdrawal. We are stronger together than we are separately. Our education system, our roads and highways, our police departments, are fire departments are all the product of Socialism. Our progressive tax system is socialism at work! What do senior citizens live off of? Social Security! Oh my! We're all Socialists! Let's elect one!

[snarkopolitan]

Actually, the real Socialist candidate for President was on Colbert last night. He was quite firm on the fact that Obama is a capitalist.

He also looked and sounded just like the judge from "Miracle on 34th Street".

[Harry Scrote]

Pshah!

[DeepInTheHeartOfTexas]

What's funny is I'm actually more offended when someone calls Obama a Capitalist than when someone calls him a Socialist. I mean, wasn't free market Capitalism, and the deregulation that it encouraged, what got us in this mess?

[huff-n-puff-post]

Now ain't that sumthin. Next thing you'll here is white is black and black is white.

[JustLynn]

Thank you Tex...for saying what I have wanted to say, only better...

[ContraEgoiste]

To keep people enslaved and bowing to the authority of the status quo, people have been blinded to the words of the document wich created our country.

"WE THE PEOPLE..."

[kristycu]

right on- some one on hear the other day said they asked ther repub buddies if they new what a socialist was- and they were stumped- what does that tell you

[ContraEgoiste]

"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it."
~ Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural

Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.
~Thomas Jefferson

The people are the government, administering it by their agents; they are the government, the sovereign power.
~Andrew Jackson

[kat1park]

Saw this in NC today. I volunteered at the rally. It was awesome!

[huff-n-puff-post]

Were you one of the five that fainted?

[McNuts]

So who are the secret few who are making billions from having bought the winning side of the credit default swaps. We know the banks, insurance companies,etc lost big in writing the swaps but there is no focus on those who won big by taking down the entire system. The billions of our money for the bailout is going to pay these winners, not to increase credit generally. And we are paying billions in bonuses to those who are criminally culpable for the disaster.

[TheOpus]

i think i remember something about 700 billion dollar bailout.
did Paulson just put seven one-billion dollar bills in his pocket and go an vacation ? who is getting that money ? WTF ?

[DavidGetsInvolved]

Not us.

My bank told me two days ago they were not going to spend any of the money.

Remember that old phrase from eh 70's?

"""...follow the money...."

[abcdefghi]

The people who apparently profitted for bringing down the system were S&P and Moody's .. check this article called Race to Bottom' at Moody's, S&P Secured Subprime's Boom, Bust ... http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ax3vfya_Vtdo&refer=home

[TheOpus]

do it again ! do it again ! ;)

[huff-n-puff-post]

So, why is the race tightening?
Rush told us that it would.
Seems he was right.

Really though, why is it tightening?
I thought Obama was light years ahead.

[SCG]

Daily new l.ies?

Ask Sen. Dole.

[amistad]

Pollster.com
College Electorate
Obama 311
McCain 142

[beihai]

it is not tightening, the media wants to have a horserace so they can have ratings, but go to nate silvers site and you can see the state polls, the ones that matter, showing Obama in an even more commanding lead. So might I suggest huffy, you stop huffing and puffing and do some thinking.

[snarkopolitan]

"Rush told us"! LOL
It is the oldest axiom in the political book that races always tighten approaching election day. But Rush is looking selectively at the few national polls where McCain has a slight uptick. Obama's lead is holding or widening in battleground states McCain should be winning, but his idiotic Palin pick put into play: http://fivethirtyeight.com

But go ahead, copy and paste your post everywhere! It will help Obama fight complacency. Go, puffpuff, go!

[DaisyDooks]

I love you, Snark!!

[ContraEgoiste]

Any connection between your "reality" and the actual world's is purely coincidental.

[falco]

Oh yeah, because Obama says he shared his toys, that is surely proof positive he doesn't have a socialist agenda! You crack me up! I think we are all big boys and girls and can discern for ourselves what Obama or McCain's agenda is, thank you very much!

[ContraEgoiste]

And where is your proof that he is??

The burden of evidence is on the accuser.

[TheOpus]

our system of checks and balances means that even if Obama were a socialist , he wouldnt be able to implement his policies. dont worry, it's going to be ok. in fact you'll be better off and you can come thank us later.

but to be blunt ,,, Obama is not a socialist , ... he's a rich capitalist just like all the other politicians running this year, and there's no shame in that either.

[DaisyDooks]

Thanks for checking Falco, Opus. They like to whine and complain, but don't want to deal with the facts. I now understand why non-Americans say the U.S. has a substandard educational system. You see evidence of that every where including this site.

[huff-n-puff-post]

Obama is only a radical socialist when it comes to my money.
What checks and balances are you talking about?
The congress is going filibuster proof and Obama will be able to nominate 3 new justices, guaranteeing a liberal court for the next 20 to 30 years.

Again, what checks, what balances.

[abcdefghi]

Absolutely ... and for more information you can read ... http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2008/10/28/barack-obama-is-no-socialist.html

[MovingtoNorway]

Boy is it fun to watch the likes of you sizzle in your own juices. How will you stand it for the next eight years.

[Czoe]

Social Security is socialism...John McCain collects a Social Security check.

[pbley68]

Giving and sharing are not traits in the Republican Party.

[whatsthatsound]

Yep. Altruism leads down a slippery slope. The next thing you know Lady Liberty in New York Harbor gets changed to a Lenin statue.

[snarkopolitan]

Actually, we have a Lenin statue. He was bought for cheap when the USSR collapsed. He's on top of a condo called "Red Square".

Apartments there are still very expensive, but with the financial disaster and all, I might be able to afford one. Then I can say I've lived under Lenin.

[pipp]

It's mine! You can't have it!

[TheOpus]

unless you're white....

[mounthood]

"It is not very unreasonable that the rich should contribute to the public expense, not only in proportion to their revenue, but something more than in that proportion."
--- Adam Smith, "The Wealth of Nations," 1776

[veggiequeenmo]

he's so good...can't wait - i'm stressed out!

[TheOpus]

meeeeeeee toooooooo !!!!! freaking out.....

i want to vote now, but i'm in western PA so i'll have to cling to my guns and religion a little longer until i get my hand on that sweet blue button on 11/4 . PITTSBURGH WILL CARRY PA for OBAMA !!!!!

[pipp]

Can we handle good or are we too far gone?

[hortonhearsawho]

Some long haired guy walks on water and gives out free fish to any and all...what was that socialist named again, tell me sarah?

[bemusedcanadian]

Him? Oh he was just some Jewish hippie...

[CanisLatrans]

The Republicans never caught on, did they? Obama doesn't sit back and take it, letting them frame the debate and simply put up weak defenses when they attack. He attacks back, mocks them for their stupidity, and plants one back on them.

They still think they're dealing with the soft & squishy Democrat here, who used to roll with their punches and defend things like "patriotism" on their terms.

[snarkopolitan]

They're using flailing roundhouse punches against jujitsu. OOOhhhh, furrin and exotic, scary!

[DaisyDooks]

I love the imagery, Snark. Now WHO doesn't know the difference between a tactic and a strategy? Right. I thought so.

[huff-n-puff-post]

You mean Gore and Kerry?

They used to be your Great White Hopes.
Now it sounds like you're bashing them.

[Harry Scrote]

Hey, call an ace and ace, bro.

[DaisyDooks]

True, CanisLatrans. Obama knows how to land a punch without lifting a finger. He gets in some good jabs, too. His opponents just stand there in a daze, stutterin'.

[McNuts]

Everyone needs to understand the main stream media powers favor McCain and their only interest now if not to elect McCain is to jack ratings by narrowing the race. The polls likely will be at 2-3 percent before Tuesday with all of the play about redistribution and Joe's gaffe regarding income level for tax cuts. It's truly in the hands of the young voters and seniors to make it to the polls. It must be big or it could be up to Roberts, Scalia, Alito, Thomas...after all of the suppression and electronic vote flipping that will occur. I blame Dems for allowing GOP county election hacks to make voters stand in lines for 5-10 hours after all we learned from '04,'06. In my affluent Washington St neighborhood we've never waited more than 2minutes to vote. If one looks objectively at all aspects of the last eight years we really are just a big powerful banana republic.

[huff-n-puff-post]

I predict that if Obama wins, McCain will concede within the day.

I predict that if McCain wins, Obamaites will not concede ever and it might take Obama a month or so.

Wow that's just like 2000 and Gore and the Gorites.

[Jeff1958]

Your mother drank during her pregnancy, didn't she?

[danielsadicario]

Great point! But it comes after a week of attacks. Where's this point been for a week?

[gladys46]

Point ... a last laugh ... big perhaps, if you're watching O's momentum and/or Mc's herky, jerky fits !!!

[missjabez]

I love the way Obama dissects McCain's comments and shows how idiotic they are. Obama is so intelligent, but he has the ability of communicating on all levels. THIS is the man I want for my president!

[SonofLiberty1]

Good:)

I'm glad that someone is starting to show up these Republican Talking points:)

Socialism IS all about Sharing.

The first socialist was...horror of horrors....

Jesus Christ who said, among other things, give your money to the poor and if someone has no shirt or coat, give him yours.

I wish Obama would call them on Big Government too..which is just a easy way of saying
"I don't believe in government and I don't believe anyone else should be helped either"

Interesting that Republicans distrust government but run for office!

[SCG]

I don't know about "sharing", it's more about fairness. The slaves produced for their masters, but couldn't afford to house or feed themselves. They were at the mercy and self interest of the plantation owner.

[gladys46]

Hey, at the rate these CEO's are raking in the $$$ many working people still feel like slaves ... almost free labor comparatively speaking !!!

[AverageWhiteMan]

Correct, we want the choice to give our coats to the poor, not have the govt. take some of our coats to give to the poor.

[amistad]

Spoken like a true average white man....

[Jeff1958]

Excellent, I suppose you also pave your own roads and avoid the highway and Main Street. After all, taxes paid for them. And I hope your fire extinguisher is charged when your house is burning. Yes, fire departments are also paid with tax dollars.

[snarkopolitan]

Actually, your coat has been removed from your shoulders and trampled under the feet of Bush's "Base" and you are absurdly unaware.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/tax/article1996735.ece

Warren Buffet pays less of his income in taxes than his secretary pays of hers.

If you make under $200,000, Obama'd be giving you a tax cut, sugar cube! And if you make $250,000, you wouldn't be paying any more than you pay now.

[wembakoy]

They will scare us about Obama. We have sens now.

Just go and vote. And please share this video to all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X2kjgdF1Xk

Thanks

[mblack10]

Way to go Obama! Stay above the fray and stay on message. Let the opponent know that you heard what he said and it doesn't really mean much. It's awfully funny how Sarah Palin made a earlier this year before she was tapped about "spreading the wealth" referring to the Alaska dividends that go back to the residents from the oil revenues. HMMM, now who's the "socialist?"