Ah, Journalism

So it seems that Barack Obama said something like:

It has become increasingly clear in my travel, the campaign, that the crowds, the enthusiasm, 200,000 people in Berlin, is not about me at all. It's about America. I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions.

One could dispute that theory, but it's not a particularly remarkable thing to say. You have a candidate who was greeted enthusiastically in Europe saying that the enthusiasm was about something larger than him -- about the United States and about the values Barack Obama and millions of other Americans cherish and hope will once again govern the country.

But Dana Millbank wanted to write an article about how "Barack Obama has long been his party's presumptive nominee. Now he's becoming its presumptuous nominee." So he wrote:

Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, "This is the moment . . . that the world is waiting for," adding: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

And now for hours the press and the GOP have been in a frenzy about Obama's arrogance. Because he tried to say something humble about why he was greeting by hundreds of thousands of people when he gave a speech.

Comments

The good news is that this is a huge trap for the GOP. Obama speaks in a very compelling way about America, so ultimately making an issue of how he speaks about America is only going to help him.

Posted by DTM | July 30, 2008 10:24 AM

Barack's close. I think the massive crowds in Berlin have less to do with celebrating America's greatness and more to do with "Look everyone! America's finally throwing out George Bush and probably going to elect someone who can read!"

But yes, shame on you Barack Obama. You apologize right now for being popular. Why, oh why, can't you be a more humble man of the people like George Bush or Mitt Romney?

Posted by Apsaras | July 30, 2008 10:26 AM

The problem is you have a hundred journalists out there, each one who wants to be the guy who came up with the "Al Gore invented the internet" lie/meme of 2008.

Posted by lampwick | July 30, 2008 10:28 AM

Why did Barack Hussein Obama X pronounce himself bigger and more important than Jesus and Mao Tse Tung combined? Someone should send out a right wing e-mail alerting the American public!

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 10:30 AM

Is America too dumb to realize that the media has played this game OVER AND OVER AGAIN? Why would they fall for it for another presidential year?

FUCK dana milbank. I hope KO grills him and rakes his ass over the coals on Countdown tonight.

Posted by justin | July 30, 2008 10:31 AM

Even with the context and the "not about me at all" quote, it's still fairly arrogant to call one's self "a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

If you disagree, then consider me a symbol of the possibility of mankind rising above all hatred and fear to live in unity and peace for evermore.

Posted by Angry Sam | July 30, 2008 10:31 AM

The problem is you have a hundred journalists out there, each one who wants to be the guy who came up with the "Al Gore invented the internet" lie/meme of 2008.

Sadly, I really do think it is as sick and simple as that.

Posted by Catpain Haddock | July 30, 2008 10:32 AM

"[I]t's not a particularly remarkable thing to say" only if you believe that you are the Messiah, they symbol of everything that is good in the world.

Barack Obama = most arrogant politician of all time.

Posted by Al | July 30, 2008 10:33 AM

Can you sue a journalist for malpractice?

Posted by MikeT | July 30, 2008 10:34 AM

Barrack Obama is sooo uppity...

Posted by J.B. | July 30, 2008 10:34 AM

By the way, I am still curious whether other candidates in the past have had "acting Presidential" treated so frequently as grounds for accusations of being "presumptuous", "hubris", "arrogance", and so on.

Posted by DTM | July 30, 2008 10:35 AM

You're late Al. And no politician on Earth could ever touch the arrogance of Bush Jr., the true loony, who was going to have a "Permanent Republican Majority" and a "mandate" and dressed up in flighty-fly uniform and spoke to God about foreign policy. No Democrat could ever touch the Republicans for sheer messianic arrogance.

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 10:36 AM

Angry Sam, learn to read between the lines. And let me know when you've become the symbol that has not just inspired many in the United States, but the entire world. MMKAY? thanks.

Posted by justin | July 30, 2008 10:36 AM

Angry Sam,

I don't think it is arrogant if Obama is simply acknowledging reality. And it certainly seems to be the case that a lot of people around the world have come to see Obama's candidacy as symbolic of something positive. And so Matt is right--Obama was actually being humble, because he was recognizing that the world reaction to his candidacy is not so much about Obama personally as about what people think it represents about the country. And I see no plausible way to interpret that as arrogance on Obama's part.

Posted by DTM | July 30, 2008 10:42 AM

Is there something wrong with a leader trying to be inspiring? George Bush certainly has never tried

Posted by Ethel-to-Tilly | July 30, 2008 10:43 AM

Milbank is generally one of the best reporters, probably the best at the post. But he seems to have embraced the notion, like most of the press, that their job is to make elections closer regardless of the merits of the candidates. If objective reporting favors one candidate, then objective reporting is unethical. Because Obama is ahead, is running in favorable conditions, and is the better campaigner, it is up to the press to even the playing field. It's crazy, but it seems to be happening.

Posted by Njorl | July 30, 2008 10:45 AM

It bothers me that the press is developing a groupthink around Obama along the lines you write about. Maureen Down writes in her column today that, on Obama's plane, the press had drawn a "caricature of Obama, ears sticking out, that had been drawn on the round We-Are-The-World Obama logo in the press section [of the plane]. The cartoon candidate demanded: 'Worship me.'"

What the hell is that? This goes too far, even for the immature and cynical Washington press.

Posted by norge | July 30, 2008 10:46 AM

Obama's statement comes across, to me, as false modesty. "Oh really, it's not about me, it's about you." Just my opinion as an Obama supporter.

Posted by Dave | July 30, 2008 10:46 AM

Barack Obama has gone from a state senator to the overwhelming favorite to become president of the US of A. Arrogance, pride and (racism) are the only things that can trip him up. Thinking that his popularity among europeans is a positive factor with the 10% of the electorate that has not made a decision is beyond foolish.

Posted by bluesmoke | July 30, 2008 10:47 AM

Conservative talking point circa 3 months ago: Obama is just an empty suit that latte liberals are projecting their hopes onto him as a symbol

Conservative talking point today: Obama is arrogant for acknowledging that people may be projecting their hopes onto him as a symbol

Posted by TheF79 | July 30, 2008 10:49 AM

Wow. Things really suck when you run them through Dana Milbank.

Stinky!
.

Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 30, 2008 10:50 AM

Our liberal media at it again.

I couldn't help but have flashbacks to coverage of how when you misquote something Al Gore said a long time ago about the internet, it makes it sound like he said he invented the internet.

Same thing to coverage of Kerry's infamous "voted for it before I voted against it" line where the liberal media just must have forgotten that the votes involved two different bills: one that didn't give Bush a blank check to do as he pleased in Iraq, and one that did.

One thing that should give us a ray of hope that people are now seeing through this kind of b.s. coverage is that public opinion polls indicate most have coalesced around the idea that the MSM, for lack of a better word, sucks.

Posted by deekerj | July 30, 2008 10:51 AM

Barack Obama = most arrogant politician of all time.

Show. Don't tell.
.

Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 30, 2008 10:52 AM

Angry Sam, it is arrogant for an internet troll who nobody has heard of to proclaim himself a symbol to the world.

Get back to me when you can draw 200,000 people to a speech an someone asks you why.

Posted by joe from Lowell | July 30, 2008 10:53 AM

Even with the context and the "not about me at all" quote, it's still fairly arrogant to call one's self "a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Uh, OK. Then how do YOU account for Obama's reception in Europe?

'Cause that was, you know, the point?

Perhaps you subscribe to the "free sausage and beer" theory?
.

Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 30, 2008 10:55 AM

Thinking that his popularity among europeans is a positive factor with the 10% of the electorate that has not made a decision is beyond foolish.

This is wrong. Even people relatively unengaged in politics can feel the way international regard for the United States has dropped precipitously during the Bush years, and they want to do something about it. The conservative anti-UN, anti-Europe strain of xenophobia has run its course. International engagement is coming back in style. And people would rather be respected than laughed at. 200,000 people turning out for a speech in Germany is a good thing for Obama.

Posted by J.B. | July 30, 2008 10:59 AM

Its called Obama is uppity. Why don’t the MSM types and RNC just say it. It’s the Southern Strategy 2.0.. I hear this stuff all the time as a professional black woman..
Btw, John McCain has said " I know how to win wars.." That sounds pretty arrogant to me as if only he has the answer to our problems.. Why dont they address this? My guess is that there is a double standard for people of color/ women and white MALES. Why is it when discussing a white MALE he is confident but if it’s a woman or a person of color they are arrogant, too strong, overbearing or have to wait their turn..

Four years ago John Edwards ran with less experience than Obama and I heard none of this.. Sadly, we heard the same thing about Hillary Clinton being too strong and presumptuous. When will the media recognize this.. Will this admission only happen when we have more people of color or women as producers or making editorial decisions?

Posted by Ann | July 30, 2008 11:00 AM

Show. Don't tell

"I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Posted by Al | July 30, 2008 11:03 AM

presumptuous = uppity

That's why you're hearing (and/or reading) it.

Posted by Daddy Love | July 30, 2008 11:04 AM

I think it is a big mistake to base your political tactics on the assumption that the American people don't want to be well-liked abroad. Of we do.

Posted by DTM | July 30, 2008 11:08 AM

"I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Posted by Al

The doctored quote again? The only thing you've shown me is your inadequacy.
.

Posted by Grand Moff Texan | July 30, 2008 11:08 AM

""I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Sounds accurate to me. Someone from Barack Obama's background and racial identity succeeding on his own merits in a country that fostered his talent once it learned to look past race. I thought Conservatives were all about that whole "bootstraps" shtick?

But of course, it is arrogant for him to mention this. Not like that symbol of the common man George Herbert Walker Bush. What a humble and unassuming man he is!

Posted by Apsaras | July 30, 2008 11:12 AM

It has become increasingly clear in my travel, the campaign, that the crowds, the enthusiasm, 200,000 people in Berlin, is not about me at all. It's about America.

Why do you hate America, Al?

Why do you object to popular figures deflecting praise from themselves, and attributing it to people's feelings for America?

Is it because you don't want to believe that there are people who disagree with your hatred of America, and who actually feel warmly towards us?

Naw. You don't think any such thing. You're just being dishonest.

Posted by joe from Lowell | July 30, 2008 11:12 AM

Al-

I think when Grand Moff Texan said "Show, Don't tell", he meant show ACTUAL evidence that PROVES your thesis, not a false quote that actually DISPROVES it...

Posted by Colby | July 30, 2008 11:14 AM

The funny thing is, this is the righties' "A" game.

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 11:14 AM

Show. Don't tell

"I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

It isn't arrogance if it is true.

Why on earth would an American not be proud of the fact that our front runner for President has become a symbol of something positive as oppossed to a symbol of stupidity (can't speak properly), arrogance (mission accomplished), ignorant bravado (don't negotiate with our enemies), and blatant disregard for fundamental American values (torture, unnecessary war, spying, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.).

The U.S. mainstream media is a for-profit piece of crap that does nothing to educate our citizenry. Moron's like Al actually think that what gets discussed on Hardball and Fox News is actual journalism and informative. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

If you want to learn something, tune into PBS once in awhile.

Posted by Concerned American | July 30, 2008 11:21 AM

Al, your Christology is horrendous, bordering on the blasphemous. The messiah is not a symbol of anything. The messiah is what he actually says he is.

In trying to argue that Obama said he is more than what he actually said he is, you're making the Christ less than he actually said he was.

But that's Republicans for you: they'll ally themselves with the devil and spit on God if they think it will spite the Democrats.

Posted by Tyro | July 30, 2008 11:21 AM

The doctored quote again?

Doctored? What's the evidence for that? AFAICT, the quote is perfectly accurate.

The problem, as Matthew has pointed out in other contexts, is that the Obamabots are desperate for people to stop quoting Obama accurately!

And, of course, the arrogance here is that Obama is not a symbol of all that is good and right in the country, a la the Messiah. Instead, he's a politician, whose governmental policies are more in accordance with the governmental policies preferred by some Germans.

Posted by Al | July 30, 2008 11:23 AM

The funny thing is, this is the righties' "A" game.

No, the "A" game is going to be a racial blitz in October.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | July 30, 2008 11:24 AM

Then how do YOU account for Obama's reception in Europe?

Another Decembrist concert?

Posted by McKingford | July 30, 2008 11:29 AM

No, the "A" game is going to be a racial blitz in October.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis

To me, the "A" game is the stuff they'll admit to doing. I don't know what to call that other game.

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 11:31 AM

I think if you look up "gaffe", you find things like "tell Europeans you want them to send more troops to Afghanistan so that the US can cut taxes for middle income people".

Posted by James Robertson | July 30, 2008 11:31 AM

Doctored? What's the evidence for that? AFAICT, the quote is perfectly accurate.

Well, off the top of my head, I'd say the evidence is the actual quote, which several comments as well as Yglesias have helpfully posted.

Posted by joe from Lowell | July 30, 2008 11:34 AM

The doctored quote again? The only thing you've shown me is your inadequacy.

I knew Al couldn't read for comprehension, but this one is a doozy. He completely missed the entire point of the post, and the actual context of the quote, even though he supposedly had to read through them to get to Millbank's crap.

The wheel's a'spinnin', but the hamster's dead.

Posted by LFC | July 30, 2008 11:35 AM

Given the current state of the Obama campaign and Democrats in general in regard to Obama, consider the possibility of John McCain winning.

swallow hard here and think the awful repercussions ..

the first black candidate for President losing .. (the 1st woman VP lost .. won't cut same)
image it's close .. it could get ugly (and all those amazing conspiracy stories)

just let your imagination go for a moment

Posted by Neo | July 30, 2008 11:38 AM

If Dana Millbank is such a terrific journalist, he would've at least included the entire quote. Or the fact that Obama this quote:
"If what you're trying to do is micromanage and solve everything, then you end up being a dilettante,"
happened during a conversation with the Tory leader David Cameron, not the PM Gordon Brown.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1038866/McCain-accuses-Obama-ducking-visit-wounded-US-troops-Germany-camera-crew.html

It seems Mr. Milbank framed the facts around the perception he wanted to present, not the other way around. Is that what good journalists do?

Posted by Roman | July 30, 2008 11:38 AM

The rotteness of the republican soul knows no depths.

Posted by Northern Observer | July 30, 2008 11:38 AM

Good. I'm glad that we are all in agreement that the ACCURATE quote is as follows: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

As I pointed out, Obamabots like Matthew are now howling that people are quoting Obama accurately.

I know Obamabots absolutely hate it when people quote Obama accurately, since it usually appears so bad for Obama. But, in this case, people are quoting Obama accurately and the Obamabots will just have to deal with it.

Posted by Al | July 30, 2008 11:49 AM

I know that Obamabots hate that Obama obama obama Obamabots Obama! Messiah elite arrogant obamaobama Obamassiah Obamabots. But Obamabots Obama presumptuous obamabama Obamabots American people!

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 11:59 AM

Ok, Al, we promise to deal with Barack Obama being elected president. Somehow, we'll soldier on.

Posted by Apsaras | July 30, 2008 12:03 PM

Isn't it funny how McCain whined for weeks about the context of his 100 years in Iraq quote, but Republicans are eager to jump on Obama's quote when the preceding sentence clearly contradicts the message they're trying to push.

Posted by Roman | July 30, 2008 12:06 PM

Every successful politician in the whole history of, um, successful politicians has succeeded in large part by making himself or herself into a symbol of something. That's what grabs people's attention and gets them fired up. A successful politician (and/or his/her strategist) has to put deliberate, conscious effort into crafting this. You think Reagan didn't have an awareness of that, for example?

Politicians already function something like idols/gods, in that all the vast majority of us know about them are names, reproduced images, and myths (i.e., stories they tell about themselves, which may be true). Obama's remarking on this in a kind of meta way, which is unusual for a politician to do, and maybe now it's backfiring a bit. But the phenomenon is absolutely universal to politics.

Posted by guyx | July 30, 2008 12:14 PM

Al has simply become a full-fledged troll, right? Outside of basketball posts, he never offers anything intelligent. He's simply here to get under everyone's skin. Stop feeding it.

Posted by Scott | July 30, 2008 12:20 PM

I know that Obamabots hate that Obama obama obama Obamabots Obama! Messiah elite arrogant obamaobama Obamassiah Obamabots. But Obamabots Obama presumptuous obamabama Obamabots American people!

I thought all parodies like this were supposed to end with "blackity black black black".

Ok, Al, we promise to deal with Barack Obama being elected president.

Well, I promise to deal with that too.

Posted by Al | July 30, 2008 12:20 PM

"Quoting accurately" requires context, not just cherry-picking of words. For example:

John E.: It would be scurrilous and libelous for someone to say that I murdered my wife.

Al: Aha! John E. said, and I accurately quote, "I murdered my wife."

Posted by John E. | July 30, 2008 12:28 PM

I seem to remember Michael Dukakis and Al Gore being pilloried for being too humble and not Presidential enough.

You're not allowed to look un-Presidential (Dukakis in the tank) or too Presidential (Obama in Berlin). What, pray tell, it the right amount? I guess it's whatever the Republican candidate is doing.

Posted by Virginia | July 30, 2008 12:30 PM

Shorter Al: the prospect of foreigners waving US flags rather than burning them chills me to the bone.

Posted by pseudonymous in nc | July 30, 2008 12:33 PM

It's probably worth underlining Matt's point that:

Dana Milbank wanted to write an article about how "Barack Obama has long been his party's presumptive nominee. Now he's becoming its presumptuous nominee."

Milbank thought it would be clever to play on 'presumptive'/'presumptuous' like that. Hence the article. That's it, in terms of insight.

Posted by guyx | July 30, 2008 12:36 PM

Is anyone else noticing that the link Al keeps giving us is actually McCain trying not to be quoted accurately, and not Obama? I swear, he's not even trying to make an real point.

Posted by SomeGuy | July 30, 2008 12:55 PM

John McCain: "I love anal sex. Giving AND receiving."

Posted by Luke | July 30, 2008 12:56 PM

Is anyone else noticing that the link Al keeps giving us is actually McCain trying not to be quoted accurately, and not Obama? I swear, he's not even trying to make an real point.

Posted by SomeGuy | July 30, 2008 12:57 PM

Is anyone else noticing that the link Al keeps giving us is actually McCain trying not to be quoted accurately, and not Obama? I swear, he's not even trying to make an real point.

Posted by SomeGuy | July 30, 2008 12:57 PM

Sorry about the repeating, my browser froze. :S

Posted by SomeGuy | July 30, 2008 1:00 PM

And now for hours the press and the GOP have been in a frenzy about Obama's arrogance. Because he tried to say something humble about why he was greeting by hundreds of thousands of people when he gave a speech.

Oh, boo hoo. Poor, "humble" Obama. Just can't get a break from the mean old American media.

Hey, DTM, Obama is down for the 3rd consecutive day in Gallup's latest daily poll. Now only 4 points ahead of McCain. I know how you like to obsess over these things.

Posted by Mixner | July 30, 2008 1:48 PM

"Is anyone else noticing that the link Al keeps giving us is actually McCain trying not to be quoted accurately, and not Obama? I swear, he's not even trying to make an real point."

Trolls exist to throw shit against the walls in order to get noticed. That's what they do. It's all they do.

Posted by Tony J | July 30, 2008 1:54 PM

was it "presumptuous" for cindy mccain to take a trip to rwanda? or was it ok because she was there distributing beer?

Posted by cha cha cha | July 30, 2008 1:58 PM

"Even with the context and the "not about me at all" quote, it's still fairly arrogant to call one's self "a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

If you disagree, then consider me a symbol of the possibility of mankind rising above all hatred and fear to live in unity and peace for evermore.

Posted by Angry Sam"

You forgot the most important word: "just." He's "just become a symbol," i.e. he isn't the focus. Try again.

Posted by phi | July 30, 2008 2:03 PM

And let's be honest. All we're seeing here is the end result of McCain bringing Rovian shills in to try and rescue his failing campaign bydoing what they do, i.e. painting Obama's strengths as weakneses and projecting McCain's weaknesses on to Obama, and relying upon the MSM to transform their lies into "What everybody knows" memes through the medium of fact-free repetition.

It's textbook, but it's out of a textbook that should have been retired after the 2006 elections saw it shredded to pulp. The fact that McCain is going this deep into the bullshit barrel this early in the campaign just shows how desperate the GOP really is.

Hence, laugh at them.

Posted by Tony J | July 30, 2008 2:26 PM

Obama's not arrogant. He just keeps humbly talking about himself. Not much else to talk about with such a thin resume.

Posted by sigh | July 30, 2008 2:46 PM

"It's textbook, but it's out of a textbook that should have been retired after the 2006 elections"

you'd think mccain would want to disregard the 'textbook' after what they did to him in south carolina in 2000; instead, he disregarded any shred of dignity and embraced the 'textbook' by hiring its writers.

Posted by cha cha cha | July 30, 2008 2:46 PM

"He just keeps humbly talking about himself."

when did we pass a law that says that if you run for President of the United States, you cannot in any way talk about yourself, your life experiences, your views, or your platform? conversely, are you immune from said law if you're in front of a really ugly green screen?

Posted by cha cha cha | July 30, 2008 2:57 PM

I'm sure it's been said somewhere, but didn't Hillary Clinton pose as a symbol of the advances women had made?? And who got their britches twisted about that?

More interestingly, what's John McCain a symbol of? The meanness of grasping, egomaniacal, old, rich, white men? That'll sell.

Posted by David in NY | July 30, 2008 3:28 PM

when did we pass a law that says that if you run for President of the United States, you cannot in any way talk about yourself, your life experiences, your views, or your platform?

Posted by cha cha cha | July 30, 2008 2:57 PM

He was talking about his "movement" and how great it is. Reminds me of a Beatles blowup where they were merely talking about how popular they were and compared themselves to Jesus. You just don't say things like that to large groups of people without coming off as arrogant.

Posted by sigh | July 30, 2008 3:50 PM

After eight years of Dubya, how can anyone call Obama arrogant? Dubya is probably our most arrogant president since Andrew Jackson.

Posted by Tom | July 30, 2008 4:00 PM

Wanna talk creepy personality-cultish leadership?

"What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?"

It doesn't get more messiah-complex creepy than Bush worship.

Posted by DrBB | July 30, 2008 4:04 PM

"Reminds me of a Beatles blowup"

it's the 21st century. let it go.

Posted by cha cha cha | July 30, 2008 4:10 PM

First of all, Milbank takes this quote where Obama says all the enthusiasm isn’t about him, and cuts out everything but the last sentence so it sounds like he’s some sort of megalomaniac. Then Milbank complains that Obama has a big head. That's cute.

Second, maybe the reason people are so excited about Obama is because of his predecessor. Obama’s smart and competent, but next to George W. Bush he looks like a combination of Tiger Woods, Fred Astaire, and Einstein. People will go nuts about basic competence after 8 years of crushing idiocy. But then the press gets down on Obama for being arrogant, as if it’s arrogant to act like you can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Third, Obama can act like he's running for president once he has someone to run against. Obviously the walking disaster area/cranky liar calling himself “John McCain” is an impostor, and the real McCain has been kidnapped. The John McCain I know could never be this awful, could he?

Posted by spokeytown | July 30, 2008 4:23 PM

we are all in agreement that the ACCURATE quote is as follows: "I have become a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Jeebus, Al, you can't even truncate a quote properly.

"I am JUST a symbol of the possibility of America returning to our best traditions."

Just truncating the statement doesn't get you what you want, so you have to change even the single sentence you want to pull out of context.

Uh, yah, d00d, ride that one straight to the White House. That'll work.

Posted by joe from Lowell | July 30, 2008 5:15 PM

Wanna talk creepy personality-cultish leadership?

"What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?"

It doesn't get more messiah-complex creepy than Bush worship.

Posted by DrBB | July 30, 2008 4:04 PM

Yep, it was dumb then and it's dumb now, although the Bushbots never reached the level of constantly fainting around him like he's a rock star. And of course he didn't have the entire media in his pocket applauding his every empty phrase and getting wet over his wide stances on the plane.

It will actually be fun to watch Obama crash and burn. I can't wait to see what "changes" he plans for the Democrat Congress with a 14% approval rating.

Posted by sigh | July 30, 2008 5:30 PM

"Yep, it was dumb then and it's dumb now, although the Bushbots never reached the level of constantly fainting around him like he's a rock star."

No, they only said that disagreeing with him treason, that we should trust him to go to war with a country that didn't threaten us, that he was beating al-Qaida, that we should trust him not to have warrants to wiretap and that we can trust him to torture, etc. But a woman fainting, now that's sad.

"It will actually be fun to watch Obama crash and burn. I can't wait to see what "changes" he plans for the Democrat Congress with a 14% approval rating.

Posted by sigh | July 30, 2008 5:30 PM"

If you bothered to break down those numbers, you would see that a lot of that disapproval comes from 1) disapproval of Republicans blocking popular legislation and 2) feelings that the Democrats aren't doing enough to do things like ending the Iraq War.

Posted by Reality Man | July 30, 2008 7:55 PM

although the Bushbots never reached the level of constantly fainting around him like he's a rock star

That's correct. The Bushbots fawned over Bush Jr. like he was a country music star, a pro-wrestling promoter, and a conquering general. Different, but the same.

Posted by El Cid | July 30, 2008 8:03 PM

the Bushbots never reached the level of constantly fainting around him like he's a rock star. And of course he didn't have the entire media in his pocket applauding his every empty phrase and getting wet over his wide stances on the plane.

Do yourself a favor, sigh, and google up the National Review Online blog "The Corner" for Flight Suit Day. The one-handed typing about "fighter jock" Bush and his bulge from K-Lo and the rest of the staff is Grade A comedy gold.

Posted by joe from Lowell | July 30, 2008 8:40 PM

Calling Obama Cultists

Please return to your pods!

Posted by Karlene | July 31, 2008 2:19 AM

whose governmental policies are more in accordance with the governmental policies preferred by some Germans.

Well, I promise to deal with that too.

Just...wow. An implied Nazi reference and a veiled threat in one comment threat. You're batting 1000 today dude.

Posted by Adrock | July 31, 2008 3:18 PM

And Wolfie and guests are happily spreading the theme that "Obama is playing the race card"....even though NOTHING HE SAID about McKrusty's attack ads had anything to do with playing the race card.

He did say, and this is a true statement, that the McCain campaign through it's ads, is trying to brand him as the other, the strange one, not a real Amerikan...

This is the McKrusty game...play the race card by painting Obama as not a real Amerikan, and if Obama points it out, play Obama's remark as playing the race card. And it seems to be working, with the enthusiastic help of the Corporate media.

AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

Posted by wagonjak | July 31, 2008 4:10 PM

And Wolfie and guests on CNN today are happily spreading the theme that "Obama is playing the race card"....even though NOTHING HE SAID about McKrusty's attack ads had anything to do with playing the race card.

He did say, and this is a true statement, that the McCain campaign through it's ads, is trying to brand him as the other, the strange one, not a real Amerikan...

This is the McKrusty game...play the race card by painting Obama as not a real Amerikan, and if Obama points it out, play Obama's remark as playing the race card. And it seems to be working, with the enthusiastic help of the Corporate media.

AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

Posted by wagonjak | July 31, 2008 4:12 PM

Dana Milbank was in a meeting at the Post yesterday, and according to a friend of a witness, he said something that might be paraphrased in a way that some have interpreted to mean, and I quote:

"As I travel around...I...blow...dead goats."

Posted by Ken C. | July 31, 2008 10:27 PM