Did Obama Give a ‘Flip’ Response to Clinton Attacks?
Barack Obama's hand gesture while talking about Hillary Clinton Thursday has bloggers assuming the worst. Was it a face scratch? An unsavory gesture? You be the judge.
Just when you thought the Democratic race couldn’t get uglier, Barack Obama is being accused of giving Hillary Clinton the finger at a town hall meeting in North Carolina.
The gesture — which may have been an innocent scratch of the face or, according to some, something more mischievous — came as Obama was complaining Thursday about the debate in Philadelphia the night before.
Bloggers were quick to note that as the Illinois senator scolded his Democratic rival for her performance at the debate, he raised his right hand and scratched his cheek with one finger. That finger.
“This is one of those political moments that really needs few words,” wrote the Los Angeles Times in a blog. “He’ll no doubt deny it later, but that mischievous smile seems to confirm plenty. And the crowd sure sees something.”
Obama started his address in Raleigh, N.C., by complaining that the debate on ABC “set a new record because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people.”
Then he lumped Clinton in with the ABC moderators, who he said were playing “gotcha games.”
“And I’d say Senator Clinton looked in her element,” he said. He paused. Then he raised his right hand and scratched his cheek with his middle finger. He smiled slightly, and the crowd cheered.
The cheers, of course, could have been for his verbal jab at Clinton.
Obama’s campaign denied the gesture was anything more than a harmless face scratch.
But some bloggers said otherwise.
“Talk about no class: Barack Obama gives Hillary the middle finger,” read one headline on Redstate.com.
“Obama gives Hillary the finger,” reads a post on YouTube.
“Obama fingers a ‘gotcha’ debate,” the Chicago Tribune’s Swamp blog slyly intimated.
Clinton herself has made no mention of the incident, other than to say Obama should stop whining.
In an interview with Fox 29 in Philadelphia, Clinton said of her Democratic opponent, “I know he spent all day yesterday complaining about the hard questions he was asked. Being asked tough questions in a debate is nothing like the pressures you face inside the White House.”
“I’ve been through, what, 23 of these debates?” she said. “As I recall, I was asked some pretty tough questions in nearly every one of them.”
ABC News seized on a different gesture.
A video on the ABC News Web site titled “Obama ‘Brushes Off’ Dem Debate” highlights the moment toward the end of his complaint where he says he understands how petty politics get injected into presidential races.
“You gotta expect it and you just gotta kinda let it …” he said, then suavely brushed his right shoulder twice, as if to cast off the political nastiness from the night before.
Click here to see the video of Obama’s questionable gesture.
Well personally I see him flipping Hillary off as a good thing for politics and increasing his vote count. She has been trying to put the screws to Obama from the beginning using the most backhanded ways so instead of trying to do the same he just backhands her with a flick of the wrist.
I just wish he did the three fingers and ask her to read between the lines. Just to clear up the mystery.
It’s funny that the Obama supporters either blame Fox for reporting this … or claim he was really just “itching” his face.
It’s obvious from his reaction and the crowds reaction that it was intentional.
Think long and hard before you decide to vote for this man … and consider what might happen if he does this while speaking about the leader of another country …as our president.
With that small gesture, Senator Obama has shown his true values, morals, and beliefs. He is not Presidential in any way, and believes that he is above reproach and any criticism. He is wrong. Senator Clinton would never be so low class as to gesture like that about any of her competitors. She can take the heat that (obviously) Obama can’t.
Sure looked like the “finger” to me. It was the audiences reaction and his smirk that made it appear that it was no accident. This man not only has connections to people with dubious beliefs, he also is showing his inability to be presidential.
He’s FINALLY being asked the tough questions and his resentment is clearly showing. His facial expressions clearly convey an annoyance with the press for daring to question his relationships, values, etc. This man is looking down his nose at anyone who questions his character. I won’t be voting for him or Hillary, however, at least Hillary has had the guts to face the hard questions by the media in a respectful manner.
Go John McCain!!!!!!
Obama lacks class & is acting like an adolescent.
Vote for an adult, vote Clinton.
It is imperative to determine if this gesture was, indeed, an obscene display. I am refraining from making a judgment since I believe that the question must be put to Obama directly. If it is not an obscene gesture — maybe it is just the way he scratches his face, then no harm done. But if it was intended as an obscene gesture, then the candidate should be exposed. Please get to the truth for all of our sakes. Mahalo
Obama is disgusting. How could anyone in his/her right mind vote for him. He is smirking after he did it. He knows what he was doing. He is a pig. I can’t stand him.
He would too! Tell Obama to grow up! He is starting to remind me of a middle schooler running for class president!
Obama give a veiled sign of anger and irritation? I think not. He has been so forthright and up front with everything about his life, from Rezco to Wright to Patriotism and the “Power” of his life, why would he hide a silly ol’ thing like flipping off a candidate? If he is the Democratic “Annointed” One, why would he hide anything? He’s won the candidacy, not fair and square, and the Republicans will win another vote from this Democrat in a swing state in November.