10 Obama/Biden Gaffes (So Far)

While you were probably out doing some Saturday-ish thing, some weekendy thing, I was watching the Springfield speeches. I came away fired up -- I'll explain why below -- but was also intrigued by the many goofs and gaffes! I'll call them GOOFFES.

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Barack takes the stage right on time at 3:00 PM: I like the punctuality! This heavily mitigates GOOFFE #1: The way about 12 hours earlier, in the middle of the night, his campaign blasted everyone a text/email message about his VP choice, which people already knew if they were awake, because the media spoiled it. Another mitigator, though: Jobama/Obiden talked only for a combined 35 minutes, which was perfect.

GOOFFE #2: Shortly after getting on stage, Barack (classily) gives a tribute to the recently deceased Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and the crowd barely applauds. They clapped louder for Loretta Durbin when Barack mentioned her loveliness. I think this might just have something to do with the fact that Tubbs Jones actively supported Hillary. Shame on this crowd.

GOOFFE #3: Barack tells us Biden stuttered as a child. "They called him B-B-Biden," he says. The crowd isn't sure whether to laugh or not, and you can tell Barack is wondering who the f*** put this uncomfortable tidbit in his speech. Still: It's good to hear STORIES. Stories are what voters and people like.

Barack misreads his TelePrompTer™ for GOOFFE #4: In derisively alluding to Cheney's energy meetings, he says we don't need more secret oil task forces "attacking... er, stacked... with" oil industry people. Sun got in his eyes, I guess. Small gooffe, we'll let it go.

Not a gooffe but an observation on something that didn't work: The whole glorification of Wilmington, and how Biden commutes on Amtrak and knows every conductor and isn't it wonderful that Biden never bought a house or condo in D.C. I don't see the point here. That makes him less of an insider? He prefers to hang with the 1,001 banks and credit card companies back home? Lobbyists aren't allowed in Delaware?

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GOOFFE #5 -- this one's a doozy. As Barack's voice rises to a yell -- and one with righteous anger in it, which I think is great, actually -- a departure from the polite Patrician ways of the last Dem nominee -- and he crescendos into the big intro, he says/yells: "...the next President -- next VICE President: Joe Biden!" Uh, whoops.

The music -- Bruce Springsteen at the front of the program, U2 on the way out -- is a clunker for me. Undignified. Panderiffic. That's GOOFFE #6.

GOOFFE #7: Biden's hair. Look, it doesn't really matter, okay? But it was distracting. Joe needs to tell his barber to take a little more off the back and sides. The wind caught his long white wisps and the hairspray present in his hair caused the long tufts to stay standing perpendicular to his head through the whole speech. He looked like Grandpa Munster meets Paulie Walnuts meets George Washington. I'll bet the "visuals" crew were crapping their pants the whole time, wishing they could run up there and fix his damned hair! I know I wanted to.

Most awesome GOOFFE (#8): Biden calls Obama "Barack America." He does not correct himself.

GOOFFE #9: First Biden calls his wife "drop-dead gorgeous" -- and it works, actually! It's what Al Gore was trying to achieve with the cringe-inducing tongue kiss with Tipper back in '00, but Biden pulls it off. You believe him, and it also reinforces his humanity and his manliness, which latter is actually off the charts in this speech. Seriously. There is some testosterone on this stage! But then he gooffes up (another doozy) by adding "She also has a doctorate degree, which is a problem." What do you mean, Joe? Cringe. Reminds me of Clean-gate.

GOOFFE #10 becomes apparent when we get our first view of the First Four: Barack, Michelle, Joe and Jill. Michelle should not have picked a patterned (tie-dyed?) dress. Michelle and Jill's outfits clash. Note to Michelle: for big photo ops, wear a solid color, plz. Thnx.

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FINALLY, as they all leave the stage together, Joe fixes his hair.

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After Hillary dropped out, I lost my enthusiasm for this presidential campaign. I went to a few Obama events, but I just couldn't catch Barack fever.

But I'll tell you what. The fire in the belly that these two guys evinced on that stage today actually got me excited again. They seem like they're spoiling to kick some Republican a**!

Here's hoping they do NOT commit GOOFFE #11, the big gooffe in the sky, and the one we cannot forgive: Losing to Old Man McCain.

Comments

[LizM]

I don't suppose y'all have anything more recent on Joe Biden to plaster on the front of his 'Big News' page, have you? No, I didn't think so.

[Kire]

Some of the Republicans posters have said that Obama is not fit to be President because he accidentally said President instead of Vice President. I used to think my mother wasn't fit to be my mother because she called me by my brother's name. Then I grew up...

[Freesia2]

lol

[shrake]

Let me be perfectly clear: I don't think ANY of the "gaffes" I pointed out is a dealbreaker at all. I was just struck, while watching, with how many there were. But none was too serious. But the "President" for "Vice President" misspeak actually caused me to think a dark thought... As did Barack's insistence early in his speech that one of the biggest if not the biggest consideration for him was, "Is this person ready to step in and be president?" We all know that's a consideration, but when he called it out like that so deliberately it kind of gave me pause. It's a subterranean fear we all have, I think. You know what I'm alluding to.

[LizM]

You're not fooling me - not by a long shot.

[notthistime]

LOL God forbid my kids feel that way. I have four kids 2 girls and 2 boys and I get the names mixed up all the time especially after lonnnnnggg work days and I am dog tired. They know the deal and they love me anyway. HAH

[Freesia2]

Well, now we know important campaign points:

Joe needs a barber.
Michelle should avoid prints. (I liked the dress btw.)
Jill and Michelle should coordinate their color schemes.
U2 and Springsteen are soooo - Ooooh plz.
Testosterone is exciting and can lead to fevers.

Thnx. You're gooffe-y. :-)

[mspost]

O/B: Ready for the change!

Because Biden has been in Washington a long time does not mean he is wrong for Obama's change message. If Biden is willing to help Obama change the last eight years, then he is the right man for the ticket.

[JimR]

Man, you sure are picky. If those are the worst goofs of the campaign, Obama-Biden will do just fine.

[bigbingtheory]

Should we be surprised that someone so easily lead they'd drink the Clinton kool-aid that he would nit pick us to death?

[billbird]

it's led, not lead

[joebiz]

This collumn should be in the Style section of the HuffPost.
Nobody cares if Michelle-O was wearing a print dress.

Should the two veritable first ladies coordinated on fashion?

Stick the fluffy pieces for Style, Living, or in this case (I changed my mind) to 23/6.

[gro]

I really liked Springsteen's 'The Rising' as Biden entered and I thought U2's "Beautiful Day' was great after his speech. You're lucky they didn't play the whole thing!
This gooffe stuff may just be what the media ordered. It makes their job easier. If Biden can compete with McCain for media lovability, so much the better!

[metalpipe]

Here's the speech

http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/local/chicago/2008/08/video_obama_introduces_biden_i.html

It was good all around. I also think the supposed Stephanie Tubbs event in the speech was a non-gaffe.

[harriscrl3]

Do you clap when someone said someone died and their funeral is today because I dont clap when I hear that the best way to show reverence is SILENCE not clapping. That sounds like you are celebrating her death. What Obama could have said was lets give her a round of applause for the fights that she fought when she was alive.

Furthermore I think folks are suffering from Internet overload what makes you think these folks know who Stepanie Tubbs were and who she supported.

As far as the other gaffes Obama was probably up all night since the text message came out at 3 AM they were both excited and for the record I actually thought the President Gaffe was interesting someone with ego doesnt make such a mistake calling someone else the President I think it shows that in his administration ego's will be buried for the purpose of working together. In fact thats one of the reasons Biden was chosen the idea being that he will be too old in 8 years to run and so Obama can count on him not trying pump up his ego. After listening to someone on the campaign trail recently I can see why. If you are not excited about Obama you are not. I was never excited about Hilary and Im a woman.

Carol

[Criticalthinktank07]

I agree with you Carol, In addition, if we lined up all the goofes and gaffes by John McCain we would be reading them ad nauseum.

[shrake]

Hallelujah! And by the same token, let's get ready for a *true* "straight talk express" from Sen. Biden!

~ SS

[KNadine]

I noticed all the same goofs (I hate the term "gaffe" along with countless others that have been overused in this campaign season). I was fired up to until I made the mistake of turning on the new yesterday and hearing all of the negativity about Obama's VP pick. Totally expected from the Repubs, but maddening when I hear so called Democrats slamming the choice or questioning Obama because he did not choose Clinton as a running mate. I swear, Barack has been fighting the Clintons, the Repubs and the Democratic Party. I am ashamed to be associated with the party right now. Will the REAL DEMOCRATS please stand up and get behind these candidates and win an election - finally!!! Democrats have the strongest candidate that they've had in many, many years and it's about to be blown because of the in-fighting fueled mostly by the media and Republicans. I just can't believe people don't see it. After the election in Nov, I'm really done with the whole belonging to a party thing. I can no longer support a party that acts so loopy.

[saun8934]

I could not have said it better myself! Remember, Obama is still having some problems with both parties and I believe it is because of the color of his skin. Watching the so called liberal channels sometimes feels like I am watching FAUX news channel. The liberal channels have yet to vet McCain. McCain was getting a free during the primaries and for some strange reason he continues to get a free ride. Maybe, it is more about race then this country may be willing to admit. Even from the MSM.

[azcamp]

We are fired up and ready to go change the world with the Obama/Biden ticket. These guys will kick some butt.

If the Hillary die-hards don't get on board the train to the White House now, they will have to stand along the tracks for the next four years wondering why they could not understand how to defeat John McCain and the Carl Rove political machine. That machine has destroyed the hope that our children and grandchildren will experience American justices, American principles and American dreams.

If you live in a penthouse in Manhattan, you can afford to back McCain and pay for his seven houses. The rest of us women have worked for a living to raise our children so we can not afford to slip into abject poverty to carry out a misguided feminine agenda.

The time for real women is now. Obama/Biden is the right ticket for working women,

[MPeter]

This is beautiful. Let's go kick some ass!!!! Obama-Biden sound electric!!!

[dannyS]

The Barack Obama candidacy has definitely landed on earth, but he is human and Biden is human - thankfully.
I'm also getting excited about these guys. Why not?

Get a life PUMAs. You can't win em all and this is POLITICS, you should have known it would get dirty - until someone chooses to take the high road every time there will always be mudslinging. Hillary's no angel (God love her.) She didn't get the cake this time but she's still in the game.

[FebM]

Way to Go,
Democrats can now choose to win, on principles or loose on personal vendettas.