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

[JustLynn]

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

Tax and income informatio­n.....

[PepeLepew]

Hah! Colbert interviewed the Socialist Party presidential candidate last night. It was pretty funny. He said, "if you had your druthers ... wait a minute, in a socialist society, they wouldn't be your druthers, they would be everyone's druthers..­."

[BornAgainBeliever]

lol

[magnolialiberal]

A very funny and effective way to underline the fact that there is such a thing as Socialism, define it, and make the point that Obama is certainly no Socialist.­..

I laughed and laughed...

[ThePublicRecord]

http://www.pubrecord.org/politics/436-new-gop-ad-accuses-democrats-of-trying-to-steal-ohio-election.html

New GOP Ad Accuses Democrats of Trying to 'Steal' Ohio Election

The Ohio Republican Party launched a new statewide ad Tuesday claiming Democrats are trying to “steal the election in Ohio” by allowing hundreds of thousands of people to vote illegally, the latest effort by GOP operatives in the battleground state to challenge the eligibility of newly registered voters, many of who are expected to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

“As Election Day approaches, consider this: could Ohio’s election be stolen?” a woman says in the 60-second spot. “Hundreds of thousands of new voter registrations are questionable. Many may be fraudulent. Yet [Ohio] Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is concealing the evidence.”

[Icantbelieveher]

I am going to get in touch with my senators and let them know how sick and tired we all are of these republican stunts. I honestly can't wait for this election to be over. I hope that for once and for all that laws will be passed that will protect the election.

IT'S THE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE TRYING TO STEAL THE ELECTION!!!!

[LarsGruber]

spam

[kathy001]

And? Did you have a point to make that is germane to this thread?

[englishprof]

This is one more example of Mr. Obama's marvellous temperament in the political arena. I remember in the debates, when McCain was trying, one more time, to lay the Ayers nonsense on him, Mr. Obama's broad smile before he put the thing to rest.

[nclayla]

Exactly!

[BornAgainBeliever]

Amen. Good quality Senator Obama has - calm in the storm.

[Hare]

I posted some voting information that was e-mailed to me but now there are some that claim it is not true, my suggestion is to inform yourself before going to the polls, call the democratic office in you area before going to the polls Tuesday and see what pertains to you and your precinct.

[DaisyDooks]

If it is warranted by an attorney, it's moot to me. My cousin is the Director of Voter Protection for the State of Ohio for the Obama campaign. She's recruiting lawyers from all over the country to assist with their efforts against voter fraud and suppression. Sounds like it's effective when you start hearing the GOP complain.

[gladys46]

Divided, depressed, demoralized and desparate ... that's how Debbie Wasserman of FL describes Mc/Palin & his repub party !!!

Truth ! I do like you Debbie ... you have done your work well ...thank you !!!

[jwatso7]

I like this line from O. Wish he had started saying it last week. I think it difuses a lot of the nonsense. I fear this socialist nonsense has gotten traction in recent days. Maybe this will temper the argument prior to election day.

[americansfordecency]

MCain's legacy to this election will be to have divided the country once again- calling Obama a socialist, terrorist etc. how pathetic.

We don't know anything about Palin- no tough questions have been asked about her- her rape kit charges, successionist party, charging the state for her family's travel.

Please let this country be united once again by a man whose mission was to do exactly that- who said that there is no blue or red america but a United States of America. McCain you are not putting your country first. You and your pathetic running mate should be ashamed.

[JustLynn]

OMG....Tom DeLay is on with Chris Matthews right now and is calling Obama a RADIC*AL, a COMM*UNIST, and a HAT*ER of the Constituti­on....I cant figure out why Chris Matthews isn't calling him out on it...He could at least point out that Obama was a Constitutional scholar and Lawyer....­.

[KickerBoard]

The GOP bottom-feeders have nothing left but desperation and empty hate. The days of sticking their snouts in the public trough are almost over - and, for once in a lifetime, they've been caught without a ready strategy to hoodwink the public again. They have nothing to offer but divisiveness, race and idiotic red-baiting!

[huff-n-puff-post]

Obama doesn't HATE the Constitution. He just wants to tweak it by rewriting all those negative rights accorded to the government.

Next you know, He'll go to work on the 10 Commandments.
All those "Thou Shalt Not"s have got to go.

[snarkopolitan]

Evidently you're no fan of the BEARING FALSE WITNESS one.

[Bongborg]

You don't HATE America. You just want to spell it with a K or 3.

[SOOKOOYAH GURL]

I am betting that if OBAMA & the DEMS don't win, it will soon be a crime to get an education in this country!!

[bdl0715]

Isn't Tom Delay in prison yet???????­??????????­??????????­?

[Aaryck]

AAaawwwwRR­rroooooooo­o!!!! (That's a Republican calling or what we call "Crying wolf")

[tomfl78]

georgiaR to be in the top 5% all you have to make 153K

[tomfl78]

it's not ok to give money to people who don't pay taxes

[blueshield]

Blame Ronald Reagan for putting the Earned Income Credit in the tax code, sparky. It does just that.

[ghostdance]

Bush increased the EIC, causing more people to get more out than pay in. McCain said he wants to increase the EIC. So how come only Barack is guilty of something everybody does?

[PopulistPagan]

actually its quite humane to do such, stop being so greedy.

[AussieJim]

Why?

[AussieJim]

Seems like the American Gov is plenty happy to give huge amounts of corporate welfare to companies that minimize their tax to near zero levels.

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: Senator Barack Obama October 29, 2008 Continued from above

This pertains to Joe the Hermit calling paying taxes Socialism. Although I am for Third Party candidate, I must say the following:

We all must pay our taxes. Joe the plumber better be prepared for IRS to come to his house if he doesn't pay his taxes. It's the Law!

A Good Man Cares for Others

This hermit does not pay for what he gets because he enjoys all the comforts of civilization that he owes to the efforts of others, but contributes nothing himself. He is a distastefully self-centered man. He does not interest himself in the poor,the suffering, the struggling. He does little good in world. Therefore I neither approve of him nor respect him. From English Grammar and Composition by John E. Warriner, 48,58 and also reader for College Entrance Examination Board. Can be found on Alibris Book Store on website.

Eva Hart A Christian In Army from 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109

[cdsumm]

Actually, it's only a law to pay state taxes. In NO historical document does mandate you pay a federal tax!! Yet, you will be thrown in jail for not paying!

[GQB]

Yeah... tell me how that argument flies in court. :)
so you're saying that you should be able to benefit from the commons (roads, schools, clean air/water, courts, police, research etc etc etc) without paying?
That's what taxes are for.
Without the commons, you'd be scraping turnips out of the dirt.
Pay up moocher.

[justShareandbeNice]

We are talking ethics and economics and common sense here. You are undoubtably correct, but it is truly beside the point.

We are all sharing this planet, this land, this country, our resources. We need to have this perspective when we discuss taxes, or any other political question. It's all about ethics, man, it's all about ethics.

[evahartselftlanguages]

To: Odsumm October 29, 2008

Let me correct you. According to history the agricultural businesses felt overburdened by paying taxes as other businesses were not doing so. They complained and led to what is in our U.S. Constitution now. Congress now levies taxes and collects taxes. It's in our U.S. Constitution of Supreme Law. Roads,Fire and Police Department protection, water supplies,healthcare clinics,clean food to eat, and schools are what taxes are for etc. Eccle 5 states,People suffer from Misfortunes and we need taxes for Welfare programs,Social Security,etc. to humanely and compassionately help people,chi­ldren,Blin­d,Dear and our elderly which the Bible also states we must show respect for. Deuteronomy in Bible From Vanza Devereaux in Government of a Free Nation, '63 On Amazon Book Store on website.

Eva Hart A Christian In Army from 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109

[georgiaR]

For all those people that think the "rich" don't pay their fair share of taxes look at the following table for 2007

The top 0.1% earn 9.1% of the income and pay 17.4% of the federal income tax
The top 1.0% earn 19% of the income and pay 36.9% of the federal income tax
The top 5.0% earn 33.4% of the income and pay 57.1% of the federal income tax

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/taxation_in_the-United_States
Scroll down to Tax Distribution

[deliriousgod]

good

[SCG]

^ Another one who believes the top of the pyramid supports the bottom.

[georgiaR]

I've never seen a poor person give anybody a job

[Icantbelieveher]

Since they have more of the wealth, I'd say that's fair. Actually, they should probably pay more!

http://www.cbpp.org/3-27-08tax2.pdf

http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/1603

[OCKerouac]

We obviously have a findamental disagreement about what the definition of 'fair' is. See, if somebody makes 4 million dollars in a year, and pays $2 million of it in taxes, they still made $2 million dollars... Meanwhile, If somebody makes $50K a year, and only gets taxed $10K, they still can't afford to put their kids through college...

[socialmistfit]

Um no. Someone that makes $50k a year gets financial aid to send their kids to college. Also, community college is free or near free. Seems like your problem is misplaced envy here.

Also, many, many millionaires are people that dropped out of college and worked their ass off building a business.

Lastly, why doesn't the person making $50k start a business, take the risks, work his/her ass off and make millions? There is nothing stopping him/her. However, the largest impedement to starting a business is the government requirements and mandates and the insurance required because of all the trial lawyers. Obama's plan will raise the bar on all that.

[huff-n-puff-post]

Putting a kid through college is bad. Bush had his daddy pay for it.

Having the kid earn their way through college is good. Obama didn't have a daddy or mommy to pay for him.

So, why would Obama want kids to have their college paid for by their parents when all that will do is have them end up as stupid as Bush?

[noamjunior]

.1% BILLIONAIRES
1.0% worth at least 100$ MILLION
top 5 Percent earn over 1 million a year

gee-I feel so bad for them

[georgiaR]

Not true

top 1.0% are people making over $328K
top 5.0% are people making over $137K

look it up

[tomfl78]

dfl what are the rich taking from the poor??

[deliriousgod]

peace and order

[hairball68]

should we buy you a book on economics?

[ValereP]

700 BILLION Bailout?

[MoeB]

No one is saying the rich are taking from the poor (although an argument could be made that the rich are benefitting from their hard work--both the poor and the middle class, both of whom consume). However, it is very naive to assume that the wealthy do not benefit from the hardwork of their employees (aka the working poor and middle-class) far more than the employee benefits. For an example, look at executive pay.

We have a progressive tax system. Now, if you don't like it, that's fine. But it is not going away because you feel extra sorry for the downtrodden rich in this country.