Michelle Malkin » Barack Obama: Gaffe machine

Barack Obama: Gaffe machine

By Michelle Malkin • May 21, 2008 07:43 AM

Here’s my syndicated column this week. Hardly a comprehensive list–and sure to grow.

***

Barack Obama: Gaffe machine
Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008

All it takes is one gaffe to taint a Republican for life. The political establishment never let Dan Quayle live down his fateful misspelling of “potatoe.” The New York Times distorted and misreported the first President Bush’s questions about new scanner technology at a grocers’ convention to brand him permanently as out of touch.

But what about Barack Obama? The guy’s a perpetual gaffe machine. Let us count the ways, large and small, that his tongue has betrayed him throughout the campaign:

* Last May, he claimed that Kansas tornadoes killed a whopping 10,000 people: “In case you missed it, this week, there was a tragedy in Kansas. Ten thousand people died — an entire town destroyed.” The actual death toll: 12.

*Earlier this month in Oregon, he redrew the map of the United States: “Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go.”

*Last week, in front of a roaring Sioux Falls, South Dakota audience, Obama exulted: “Thank you Sioux City…I said it wrong. I’ve been in Iowa for too long. I’m sorry.”

*Explaining last week why he was trailing Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, Obama again botched basic geography: “Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it’s not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle.” On what map is Arkansas closer to Kentucky than Illinois?

*Obama has as much trouble with numbers as he has with maps. Last March, on the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma, Alabama, he claimed his parents united as a direct result of the civil rights movement:

“There was something stirring across the country because of what happened in Selma, Alabama, because some folks are willing to march across a bridge. So they got together and Barack Obama Jr. was born.”

Obama was born in 1961. The Selma march took place in 1965. His spokesman, Bill Burton, later explained that Obama was “speaking metaphorically about the civil rights movement as a whole.”

*Earlier this month in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Obama showed off his knowledge of the war in Afghanistan by honing in on a lack of translators: “We only have a certain number of them and if they are all in Iraq, then it’s harder for us to use them in Afghanistan.” The real reason it’s “harder for us to use them” in Afghanistan: Iraqis speak Arabic or Kurdish. The Afghanis speak Pashto, Farsi, or other non-Arabic languages.

*Over the weekend in Oregon, Obama pleaded ignorance of the decades-old, multi-billion-dollar massive Hanford nuclear waste clean-up:

“Here’s something that you will rarely hear from a politician, and that is that I’m not familiar with the Hanford, uuuuhh, site, so I don’t know exactly what’s going on there. (Applause.) Now, having said that, I promise you I’ll learn about it by the time I leave here on the ride back to the airport.”

I assume on that ride, a staffer reminded him that he’s voted on at least one defense authorization bill that addressed the “costs, schedules, and technical issues” dealing with the nation’s most contaminated nuclear waste site.

*Last March, the Chicago Tribune reported this little-noticed nugget about a fake autobiographical detail in Obama’s “Dreams from My Father:”

“Then, there’s the copy of Life magazine that Obama presents as his racial awakening at age 9. In it, he wrote, was an article and two accompanying photographs of an African-American man physically and mentally scarred by his efforts to lighten his skin. In fact, the Life article and the photographs don’t exist, say the magazine’s own historians.”

* And in perhaps the most seriously troubling set of gaffes of them all, Obama told a Portland crowd over the weekend that Iran doesn’t “pose a serious threat to us”–cluelessly arguing that “tiny countries” with small defense budgets can’t do us harm– and then promptly flip-flopped the next day, claiming, “I’ve made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave.”

Barack Obama–promoted by the Left and the media as an all-knowing, articulate, transcendent Messiah–is a walking, talking gaffe machine. How many more passes does he get? How many more can we afford?

Posted in: Barack Obama

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#1

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:00 am, bloghooligan said:

Michelle, I loved this column.

I know the “sweetie” fiasco isn’t really a gaffe, but it’s worth honorable mention.

And bombing Pakistan….

And white people being typical…

There are so many, there’s sure to be a part 2.
#2

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:00 am, floridaobserver said:

Where was it he wrote something like…if blah, blah, blah happens, he will go back to his Muslim beliefs ??
Can’t remember but wasn’t it posted on one of the other topics here?
#3

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:03 am, DogBreath said:

There’s a reason he’s called “The Dope”.
#4

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:04 am, cicerokid said:

His speeches are, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” wm shakespeare
#5

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:04 am, SoonerMarine said:

By any logical or reasonable standard this man is unqualified for, and incapable of, actually leading the United States. But, for his supporters it’s not about logic or capability, it’s about feelings. They are emotionally invested in him and cannot get past their “feelings” to take a considered look at his character, plans, polices, accomplishments or lack thereof. They’ve all felt the Chris Matthews leg tingle and they are seeking it again and again.
#6

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:

President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.
#7

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:12 am, ajmontana said:

I think he’s High.
#8

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:15 am, greydude said:

ot mm on fox & friends right now
#9

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:16 am, ajmontana said:

Didn’t realize President Bush was running again DarkKnight. Read the First paragraph.
#10

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:17 am, ajmontana said:

yeah, shes on with that toolbag from Temple. ick.
#11

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:18 am, FruNobulux said:

So, Obama’s a fly-weight. Whaddya know?

But of course it’s racist to suggest that he might be a puppet, having his strings pulled by those dubious folk who inconveniently seem to clutter up his background, so I’ll refrain.

It is, however, remarkable how his eloquence disappears when he strays from the script.
#12

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:21 am, cicerokid said:

Michelle M. called Hillary ” Bitter and clingling” for not bowing out! You go girl!
#13

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:22 am, cicerokid said:

An entire book has been written on Bush gaffery, dark knight.
#14

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:23 am, abstractmind said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:
President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

good distracting comment, way to stay on topic
#15

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am, iamsaved said:

DarkKnight said:
President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

The press were quick to point those gaffes out weren’t they my liberal friend? You missed the point of the article.
#16

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am, DogBreath said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:
President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

And we know the MSM didn’t cover those gaffes either.
#17

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am, rambler said:

So eloquent, so educated, so charismatic, so elite, so poorly informed, so foolish! How is any world leader going to take this man seriously.
#18

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:27 am, On-my-soap-box said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:
President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

1. She has taken Bush to task on many more important issues.

2. He is not running for a third term.

3. This is done to all Presidents and wannabees.

4. BO is such a clown his material could keep writers busy for years. I can’t believe how many people think this guy is Presidential material.
#19

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:28 am, Boomer said:

A very comprehensive list Michelle and a great read. I shutter at the thought of this man becoming the POTUS as unqualified as any of the other options are he is truly the worst of the 3 evils. The man is his own worst enemy. Every time he opens his mouth he damns himself and every time his wife or spiritual advisor speaks they do more damage. His racist anti-American Marxist worldview will destroy the freedoms this country were founded on and his total lack of understanding of the threats this country faces from its sworn enemies will only result in getting many of us killed.
#20

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:30 am, tre said:

Don’t forget his “Bitter and clinging to guns and Bibles.” Or talking about buying argula at Whole Foods in a state where there are no such stores. Or saying “I never heard those sermons” in a Church he attended for 20 years.

I probably forgot a few more, too.
#21

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:31 am, FruNobulux said:

But all this is just a distraction from the real policy issues.

Obama’s going to make us safer by unilaterally disarming us.
#22

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, ajmontana said:

The “rev” is tied up in a gunny sack someplace, and they bought his wife a muzzle.
#23

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, undrseige247 said:

Obama makes David Dinkins look like Roy Rogers.
#24

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, cicerokid said:

I can just see BO meeting the head of any state that wages jihad against the US: “Lay of my country”.
#25

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, uffdaubet said:

It is his complete lack of understanding of the very fabric of this country which scares the bejeezus out of me. His comment about “those who cling” shows his colosal lack of education of this country’s foundings. It was the understanding of God’s word, and the well placed musket ball, which granted Barrack’s freedom to tell us what to eat, drive, or say about his ears, his name, his wife, his pastor. All while he gives a liberal/progressive rasberry to those grab their lunch and make this country work. Not to mention his racist white grandma.
#26

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, Texas Tiger said:

Why do we expect more of Obama? If it weren’t for affirmative action, he’d be running a storefront legal clinic with his University of Illinois law school diploma thumbtacked to his cubicle divider.
#27

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:33 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

Obie, the great uniter, can do no wrong.
And the relativists amongst us will willfully ignore them all if it means a ~~mixed~~ black Dem will get in office.
#28

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:39 am, bluesoc said:

In defense of DarkKnight, Michelle did write “All it takes is one gaffe to taint a Republican for life”.

Gaffes are inevitable when you are campaigning as much as these guys and gal are. Give them a break, and hit them hard on more substantive issues.
#29

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:41 am, pubscout said:

Maybe we should just put BHO, Billary and McInane on Jeopardy and elect the winner?
#30

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:42 am, On-my-soap-box said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:39 am, bluesoc said:
In defense of DarkKnight, Michelle did write “All it takes is one gaffe to taint a Republican for life”.

Gaffes are inevitable when you are campaigning as much as these guys and gal are. Give them a break, and hit them hard on more substantive issues.

Have you not been paying attention?
#31

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:43 am, cicerokid said:

What could be more substantive than a complete disconnect with the people he intends to govern?
#32

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

bluesoc,
I would love to hit Obie “hard on substantative issues.” Which is exactly what we find ourselves doing when he ignorantly states that Iran isn’t a threat to our national security. He refuses to wear a flag lapel pin because as the great uniter, he can come up with other ways to show his patriotism to his country. Not to mention his pastor/bff/mentor and his wife. If you go about judging a man by the company his keeps… Obie isn’t doing so well.
#33

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:47 am, bluesoc said:

Have you not been paying attention?

I’m not sure what you are referring to. (seriously, i’m not trying to be a jerk)
#34

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:55 am, Misscheryl said:

cicerokid said:
An entire book has been written on Bush gaffery, dark knight.

nanner naner na na

“kid” is right - you behave just like my kids did when they were 12. Grow the heck up! Jeeze I’m tired of childish behavior in people who are supposed to be adults.

Bush has a problem with proper english - Obama has problems with facts.
#35

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:55 am, cicerokid said:

Why does obummers statement about “bitter and clingling to guns and religeon” continue to resonate? Because it p****s us off, that’s why! That statement was made in 3rd person. Did he cling to religeon when his family was on the rocks (which religeon did he cling to, then?). His statement was made after a visit to PN, to a group of people in CA. Only an arrogant p***k would cubby-hole a peoples’ personality in that manner. It is as if he was an alien visiting a foreign planet, and having returned to his home base proclaimed his research thus: “WAZZUUUP”!!!
#36

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:56 am, Misscheryl said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am, Texas Tiger said:
Why do we expect more of Obama? If it weren’t for affirmative action, he’d be running a storefront legal clinic with his University of Illinois law school diploma thumbtacked to his cubicle divider.

Exactly!
#37

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:06 am, DaveC said:

I assume on that ride, a staffer reminded him that he’s voted on at least one defense authorization bill that addressed the “costs, schedules, and technical issues” dealing with the nation’s most contaminated nuclear waste site.

but he voted, “Present”

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:

President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

There are entire daily calenders devoted to that.. MM sticks to current stuff..
#38

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:06 am, rightfurb said:

Hey, the guy’s heart is in the right place. So what if he doesn’t know anything. It’s more important how everyone feels anyway. Cowboy Diplomacy is over…bring on Arugula Diplomacy!
#39

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:10 am, JHSII said:

How many more passes does he get?

As many as the liberal media ~~thinks~~ feels he should get until he’s coronated.
#40

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:16 am, pueblo1032 said:

It is very clear MSM have picked the candidates for this race. B. HUSSEIN and JUAN… How about this tidbit.. Getting up this AM, washing my face, had the radio on. B. HUSSEIN 75000 at stop in Oregon. Seems there was a free concert prior to B. HUSSEIN speaking. TRUTH IN JOURNALISM!!!
#41

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:17 am, Misscheryl said:

CiceroKid - please forgive my brain fart - I thought you were on the other side of this argument. DUH ME! It’s way to early for me to start posting.
#42

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:19 am, Misscheryl said:

I was suprised that no one reported the concert which was the reason so many people showed up - Hussein just took advantage of the opportunity - typically - and then took the credit.
#43

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:20 am, Dimsdale said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:10 am, DarkKnight said:

President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

Well, Obama has had about, what, a year to accumulate these gems. Bush has been in the eye of the critical media for more than eight years, not counting runs for governor etc.

Secondly, Bush’s gaffes are mostly malapropisms and mispronouncements of words, while Obama shows complete ignorance or an ameteurish failure to review and understand a relevant concept before giving a speech.

Now which would be more dangerous as president (and I think I know your answer)?

And Jimmy Carter, nuclear engineer, says “nukular” too. It’s regional, but he never gets called on it, does he?
#44

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:28 am, On-my-soap-box said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 8:47 am, bluesoc said:
I’m not sure what you are referring to. (seriously, i’m not trying to be a jerk)

Check out the archives. Go to Obama. Eight (8) pages dedicated to Obama. Michelle covers him pretty thorough.

and hit them hard on more substantive issues.

Is eight (8) pages enough for you?
#45

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:35 am, Truesoldier said:

Here is another great Obama gaffe courtesy of two seperate sections of his very own website:

Under his foreign policy section Obama states,

“Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions.”
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/ (you have to scroll down to Diplomacy to see it)

Yet under his fact check section he states,

“Initial Meetings With Hostile Nations Would Start With Lower Level Aides; Bush Admin “Preconditions” Are Exactly What Need to Be Negotiated In These Meetings.”
http://factcheck.barackobama.com/

Come to think of it, it is a little funny to think that his “fact check” page contradicts his foreign policy section.
#46

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:38 am, Jim M. said:

Kudos Michelle! Perhaps you can maintain an active “watch” listing all of the Arugula King’s brain farts.

And let’s not forget his stirring speech a couple of weeks back where he evoked the stirring imagery of the American Flag and his love for the freedom it represents by evoking the visual memory of the Flag drapped over his father’s coffin. Problem is, his father was a Kenyan citizen who died in Kenya in a DUI accident.

If there was any flag adorning his father’s coffin, it was more likely a symbol of socialism or communism that a symbol of freedom.
#47

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:46 am, uhangtight said:

He’ll walk those gaffes all the way to the White House, if the MSM has anything to do with it, oh, yeah I forgot they do.. as the official media of the Democrat party their choice is made… the oober master oober messiah Obama..

pathetic, I am so disgusted over the so called journalists and news media outlets. the incompetence of this man scares me, but I cannot help but think that if McPain gets to the White House we are in no better shape. We can at least have the Repbulicans fighting a presidency of Obama or Clinton. If it is McPain, I am afraid they will roll over.
#48

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:46 am, GOPGin said:

This conversation is not helping Barack’s kids.
#49

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:47 am, englishqueen01 said:

You’re forgetting the “we can’t eat what we want or heat our homes” schtick from Oregon.

The media will spin his gaffes as a ‘human flaw’ - a sign he’s a good leader not afraid to make mistakes.
#50

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:48 am, spo-con said:

‘Let me be clear………………………………um”
#51

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:50 am, jim m said:

Wasn’t his actual quote that “They don’t pose a serious threat to us in the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us,”? By leaving off the second part of the quote, you’ve misrepresented what he said, Michelle.
#52

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:50 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

You know, as bad a capmpaigner as McCain is, and as much as he annoys the mainstream of his own party, he just might win in spite of himself because Barak H Obama is just that inexperienced, and ignorant, and chooses friends, his pastor and his spouse from some less than savory or at least bitter and anti-American people.
#53

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:51 am, JWS said:

So who cares? This stuff is the tip of the iceberg. The fact that this idiot is a racist should be end game. The fact that this idiot has a terrorist as a buddy should be end game. With a friend like Ayers, I doubt he could get a job on any police force in the country, much less command our military.

Focusing on his “gaffes” is cute and all, but his racism and his ties to terrorism are serious disqualifiers that are being treated like they are nothing more than, well, gaffes…
#54

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:52 am, MCGusto said:

He’s no more a “walking, talking gaffe machine” then any of the other candidates. They are all pretty much the same in that regard.
#55

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:56 am, abstractmind said:

is it possible that Oblama is stuck on stupid?
#56

On May 21st, 2008 at 9:58 am, On-my-soap-box said:

“They [Iran] don’t pose a serious threat to us…

“They [Iran] don’t pose a serious threat to us in the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us,”

I see your point. Since Michelle didn’t complete the quote, Iran is not going to be a threat.

Gotcha. Thank gawd you cleared that up for us. On to North Korea. Can you make us safe from them as well?

SHEESH
#57

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:00 am, rightwingrocker said:

How many more passes does he get? How many more can we afford?

Sadly, given his party affiliation, he gets as many as he can muster.

Even more sadly, we can’t afford any of them. Obama’s dumber than the box od rocks sitting in the White House by his own party’s measure.

Never mind that despite doing some stupid things and having huge problems pronouncing the word “nuclear”, the man has incredible credentials in academia, and is a truly intelligent man.

O BLAH ma …

RWR
http://www.rightwingrocker.com
#58

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am, terrig said:

I’m so tired of hearing the press, even on Fox News that “he’s so tired”, blah, blah, blah. If he had a R behind his name it would be front page news for weeks.
#59

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am, CommentGuy said:

The professor Obama obviously isn’t very good at math either. In his World Permission ala Kerry SUV speech he says the US is 3% of the world population, but if you do the math from the census bureau home page population clocks we actually tip in at 4.6%.

Wow, 57 states and still lost a 100 million poor souls along the way.
#60

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:04 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

And Jimmy Carter, nuclear engineer, says “nukular” too. It’s regional, but he never gets called on it, does he?

Carter was accepted for nuclear training in the Navy, but resigned his commission when his father died to run the family peanut farm.

Now, if that man had just stuck to building houses for poor people, most people, when he finally kicked off, despite the disaster that was his term, would have thought well of him.

BTW, Obama is very Carter-esque, running at a time when the Republicans have some issues, very limited experience, and extremely naive on foreign policy.

Carter gave us Iran, the hostage crisis, radical Shia Islam, Hezb’Allah, and now a threat of a terror state on the Persian Gulf with nukes. Because Carter failed in the open position on Iran (nuclear enlisted man talk), Breshnev was emboldened to invade Afghanistan, which led to Islamic fighters from around the Middle East and the Arab world fighting together, and forming the organization that became al Qaeda.

So, Carter gave us Hezb’Allah and al Qaeda. If we’re cursed with an Obama presidency, what awful legacy (besides a likely 3 or 4 decade activist and partisan Democrat majority on the SCOTUS) will Obama leave?
#61

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:05 am, iamsaved said:

Here’s a video of “gaffes” Obama has made. Well, not actually gaffes but profound statements over the course of his campaign by him and others.

For your own opinion.
#62

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:07 am, JHSII said:

Wow, 57 states and still lost a 100 million poor souls along the way.

There must have been a lot of abortions in those extra 7 states…
#63

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:11 am, RevJim said:

Great column, and right on point.

My only caveat is that these aren’t really “gaffes.” A gaffe implies that the speaker knew better but misspoke. These idiotic statements cumulatively prove that Obama — Harvard Law Review and all — simply does not know the basics of civics. His ignorance is truly unbelievable. And it’s so great that it doesn’t even embarrass him. He does not know what he does not know.

Further, a lot of his ignorance seems directed at those “states in the middle” and those “tiny countries,” doesn’t it?

This haughty fool thinks a great deal of himself. And he’s very wrong.
#64

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:12 am, RevJim said:

Also: Was George Allen tired when he said “macaca?”
#65

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am, CommentGuy said:

You have to also take into account Obama was living in Jakarta and then Hawaii during most of his formative years until college age where from his viewpoint Caucasians were a minority in his world view.

I can tell you from living in Hawaii for more than 20 years that you develop a detachment for the ‘mainland’ that warps any perspective of the country as a whole unless you actively follow events.

When he was in Hawaii there was nothing pervasive like the internet to allow that option. It is a lot of basis for his elitism , especially since his bank VP grandmother put him into a very high dollar college prep school further cementing his elite isolation.
#66

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am, Mister P said:

I get the impression that Obama just makes things up as he goes.
#67

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:18 am, spo-con said:

Oooo. JWS just brought up a good point. With Barry’s past associations would he be able to pass a rigid security check to get a regular Civil job ?
#68

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am, GaMidnightRider said:

He is a flip-flopper… but again they all are
#69

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:23 am, sonofdy said:

Saint obama doesn’t make mistakes, there are 57 states /liberal mindset off.

Sadly, many americans honestly do not know exactly how many states there are.
#70

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am, expat said:

It is sooooo telling that the MSM will go to great lengths to point out any inconsistancy or mistake by the republicans but cannot report on any of the democrats’.

Even Fox is dropping the ball on us. I swear that Shepperd Smith is in the bag for Hussein O.

Thank you Michelle for pointing out what the MSM refuses to report.
#71

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:28 am, bluesoc said:

On-my-soap-box -

Just to clarify, I wasn’t claiming that Michelle does not hit on substantive issues. Perhaps I should restate what I was trying to say:

In my opinion, gaffes are fairly meaningless because they are inevitable in a campaign and all candidates make them. Moreover, as evidenced by President Bush, gaffes were not a huge factor in recent elections. I simply wish that Michelle had not devoted an entire column to something I find to be so trivial, and instead had focused on more substantive topics (regardless of whether she has covered them in the past).
#72

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:29 am, Wayfaring Stranger said:

Misscheryl wrote:

Bush has a problem with proper english - Obama has problems with facts.

A very astute observation.

Words may be stubborn things, but facts are even more so.
#73

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:30 am, RobM1981 said:

I think it’s important for Michelle Malkin and others with access to a public forum, to remind the public of what we already take for granted: Barack Obama is an idiot.

GW Bush is no brain surgeon, but I daresay that he would completely crush Obama in any kind of standardized test they’d care to take - particularly if it involved global issues, or even science.

If you look at the nation as a whole, you could argue that Obama is above average in intelligence. In the circles we’re discussing here, however, he’s an ignoramus.

Dick Cheney would laugh at Obama’s intellect. Colin Powell would shudder. Condi Rice would have a hard time recognizing Obama as a sentient being. GHW Bush - hardly a great president - was many times more intelligent than our race baiting boy-wonder.

Even lousy presidents like LBJ, Clinton, or Nixon were miles ahead of Obama in terms of smarts.

If you want to see real brains in a president, look to Ike.

If you want to see what we’re in for, however, recall JFK. All teeth and hair and ego and charisma, but a dim bulb - just like Obama.

Obama is going to win on charisma, just like JFK did. And, like JFK, there’s a good chance that Obama is going to get a lot of people killed.

JFK’s presidency is perhaps the worst of the last 50 years. You can argue that LBJ was worse, but even Carter shines compared to the stupidity and craveness that was JFK.

And that’s what we’re about to see again in the blithering idiot (in relative terms) that the Democrats are fronting.

Then again, I’d bet that he’s at least as smart as John McCain. Probably smarter, if I had to bet.

No point in beating that horse here.

From a pure “brains” perspective, Hillary is far and away the smartest of the three.

She is also, of course, the most conniving, dishonest, shrewish, and (arguably) evil of them three. Given this group, that says something…
#74

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am, bloghooligan said:

My only caveat is that these aren’t really “gaffes.” A gaffe implies that the speaker knew better but misspoke. These idiotic statements cumulatively prove that Obama — Harvard Law Review and all — simply does not know the basics of civics. His ignorance is truly unbelievable. And it’s so great that it doesn’t even embarrass him. He does not know what he does not know.

That’s the thing!! he’s too arrogant to be embarrassed! But seriously, this isn’t just an Obama thing:

Jimmy Malaise Carter

Georgetown University (swastika hoax)

Columbia University (noose hanging hoax)

Duke University (rape hoax)

Berkeley (the entire city council)

Code Pink (protests have INCREASED the numbers enlisting in Berkeley)

Al Gore (global temperatures haven’t risen in 10 years)

Prince Charles (18 months to save the earth - at least these other morons give timelines long past their life to be ridiculed)

these rabid liberals know no embarrassment. they keep trucking along hoping people’s memories are as short as theirs. but really, it will become a ‘distraction’ because it doesn’t ‘help my kids’ to keep ‘harping’ on ‘the past’.
#75

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am, Ditkaca said:

I got into a discussion with a Democrat yesterday who is someone I work with. She was ranting about how Hillary is such a loser. I asked her if she were voting for Obama. Of course. I asked why and got the answer “he is brilliant, because he went to Harvard” Ok, I’ll give you that he went to Harvard.

But what about his views on major issues? “He will bring our troops home” I said I would like them to come home too, but we have to be careful about how that is done.

I continued to ask the questions and here are some of the answers that came at me at an ever increasing volume until the person was literally screaming at me…

“Oh, you are wealthy so you don’t want to pay taxes, get ready to pay taxes”

“He will fix the worst economy since the depression….that Bush caused”

“He will make the government smaller” I really like this one but could not comment above the shrieking

“He isn’t Bush” I said Bush isn’t running, she said, “yes, he is”

“He will creat more opportunities for the poor”

“He will fix what Bush messed up”

She just kept on going and left me no room to discuss or comment and frankly I saw no reason to even attempt to.

It mad me sad for our country. Ruined my day actually.

I fear we are going to go down a very dark path and the comment “worst economy since the depression” will ring true if Obama gets is elected POTUS.
#76

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:37 am, iamsaved said:

RobM1981 said: GW Bush is no brain surgeon, …

Not sure why you would say that. That’s a journalistic canard designed to portray Bush in a bad light. It’s been used since before the 2000 election.

Intellecutally I would say he’s up there with the best of them - yep! Even smarter than John Kerry.
#77

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:38 am, warden said:

I’ve boiled down my stance on the issues to a very simple voting strategy: Find out who muslim leaders support and vote the other way.
#78

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:39 am, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

Looks like we have the makings of a second pathological liar in this year’s Democrat nomination.
#79

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:40 am, Larraby said:

When Obama was with the Kennedy family, he said that John Kennedy and the Kennedy family organized and financed the trip to America and scolarships for many Kenyan students including his father Barack Sr. Actually, the Kennedy clan had nothing to do with the organizing and financing of the trip which took Barack Sr. to America to study at two universities. The program was organized during the Eisenhower administration and the Kennedy family did not finance Barack Sr coming to the US. The Kennedys did make donations to later scholarships to students from Kenya but they had nothing to do with Barack Obama Sr. The Washington Post wrote about this and the research was not difficult. That leads me to believe that Barack Obama Jr. just told a little fib to sweeten his story.
Can anyone imagine if Dan Quayle had ever changed his dad’s biography to show a Kennedy connection? The MSM would still be hollering about it.
#80

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:41 am, nyk said:

#6 wrote:

President Bush has many verbal mistakes before too, but I don’t think I’ve seen Ms. Malkin write an entire column on that.

That’s true, but it’s also true — and more important — that I’ve never seen a column here enumerating McCain’s numerous “gaffes,” which seem to reveal he doesn’t know the difference between Shiites and Sunnis. You might expect the exhausted candidate to misspeak once, but he’s managed to do it multiple times now — both verbally and in a written statement. When the cornerstone of your campaign is your foreign policy expertise — plus the niggling fact that we’re in the midst of a “war on terrorism” — this sort of faux pas is far more alarming than any Obama errors.

#28 wrote:

Gaffes are inevitable when you are campaigning as much as these guys and gal are. Give them a break, and hit them hard on more substantive issues.

Precisely.

#54 wrote:

He’s no more a “walking, talking gaffe machine” then any of the other candidates. They are all pretty much the same in that regard.

Exactly. I don’t think — despite the contentions of some folks here — that any of these candidates are stupid simply because they occasionally get a fact or two wrong. Comes with the sleepless territory.
#81

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:41 am, Milwaukee Mike said:

All of these gaffes are actually doing us folks, who would are more critical of this candidate, a favor, as we are now less likely to characterize him as “articulate” and therefore less likely to be branded as racists.
#82

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:43 am, Barry F. said:

Barack Obama–promoted by the Left and the media as an all-knowing, articulate, transcendent Messiah–is a walking, talking gaffe machine. How many more passes does he get? How many more can we afford?

I emphasized that, because they are basically one and the same. Still yet, he has had no real scrutiny on anything from the media, including the supposed “Fair & Balanced” Fox News Channel.

When the campaign is scrutinized, he balks, like this chest thumping the other day over the TNGOP’s YouTube video contrasting his campaign surrogate wife’s remarks on lack of price in our country to regular folks pride filled statements about our country.

He is so not used to being taken to task that he feels it is his and his campaign’s right not to be questioned.

Obama? O’ bull.
#83

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:47 am, emjem24 said:

Thanks for the article, Michelle.

Obummer is as brain-dead as his followers. For someone who is an Ivy League alumnus, you would think that he had a better reckoning of the larger world, wouldn’t you? He’s also a larger reflection of what’s wrong with a country who approaches the presidential race like American Idol.

It’s pitiable, even laughable and tragic that the media sits on all these gaffes, some of us take note of them, while most Americans shrug their shoulders, mutter “at least he isn’t BushHitler” and move along like docile sheep. Democracy means nothing when you have candidates whose only claim to the presidency are self-agrandizement (on both sides) and reinventing what America stands for and means.

Likening this man to a rock star is very telling. Just as many in the entertainment industry have no real talent, neither does this man.
#84

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:47 am, tbear44 said:

Just how many more passes will Obumma get from the MSM?
#85

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:48 am, mbviews said:

now combine Obama’s baffled words and decisions to say wrong things with the will to tax and spend.
#86

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

Bush had a higher Yale GPA than Kerry did. You can look it up.

Obama isn’t stupid. Even affirmative action admission students like Obama have to have some amount of intelligence to graduate Harvard Law.

He is ignorant. There is a difference. He has great speaking ability, and is an effective communicator, the tools of a good attorney. He just has extremely limited experience, and his world view is shaped by extreme left wing/grievance/race based ideology.
#87

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:56 am, Barry F. said:

Sorry…”price” should be “pride” in #82, where I reference Obama’s campaign surrogate wife. Darned typos.
#88

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:58 am, GU812 said:

Obie can’t be blamed for this. When he is standing on the stump, he isn’t getting his 5 bars of reception. Therefor, he really doesn’t know that it isn’t “Mister stinky fish face”
#89

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:59 am, spo-con said:

TBear, he will get as many passes as it takes A: until he gets the White House or B: until his novelty wares off and it appears hes dead in the water. Then its Under The Bus……….
#90

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am, On-my-soap-box said:

On May 21st, 2008 at 10:35 am, Ditkaca said:

Holy carp! I just had that same exact conservation with a liberal here at work except he added:

If McCain gets elected, it is only right a Republican fixes Bush’s mess.

Cashed his check in 2001 and just spent his check. Didn’t hear him complain about growing the deficit!

must.learn.not.to.speak.to.liberals
#91

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am, RyanInSanJose said:

That’s true, but it’s also true — and more important — that I’ve never seen a column here enumerating McCain’s numerous “gaffes,” which seem to reveal he doesn’t know the difference between Shiites and Sunnis.

That’s because the MSM and others are more than happy to jump on anything said by a Republican, all the while propping up Obama. Michelle covers the territory they ignore.
#92

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am, nyk said:

#42 wrote:

I was suprised that no one reported the concert which was the reason so many people showed up Hussein just took advantage of the opportunity -typically - and then took the credit.

This is a laugh. As a freelance music journalist and avid indie rock fan, I can tell you that the Decemberists are NOT a mainstream band, and it’s laughable to suggest that 75,000 people would ever show up to see them. Granted, they’re one of my favorite bands, but when they generally play shows — even in a place where they have their largest fanbases, like here in NYC — the biggest club they could possibly fill holds about 700.
#93

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:03 am, Silkyinfamous said:

Barack Obama–promoted by the Left and the media as an all-knowing, articulate, transcendent Messiah–is a walking, talking gaffe machine.

Can you hate what someone is writing but enjoy how they’re writing it? I believe so. Making that happen is art.
#94

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:12 am, Zheldon said:

I wish you people would stop these personal attacks!
#95

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:12 am, Bob in Myrtle Beach said:

This is what has been said about him often throughout this campain…he’s great when he’s working from prepared text, but has a hard time articulating anything that needs original thought.

They need to nominate his speechwriters instead of him!

More & more, it’s becoming evident that Obama is simply another political hack who will pander and push whatever it takes to further himself. He’s slick and charismatic, but he’s still just another politician with limited scope and a very thin veneer.

Perhaps with 10 years in the Senate, Obama can learn more Geography, US History, and Math… Lord knows some nightschool can help…but we just can’t afford to give this guy on-the-job-training in the White House.
#96

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:14 am, nyk said:

#91 wrote:

That’s because the MSM and others are more than happy to jump on anything said by a Republican, all the while propping up Obama.

Actually, the MSM hardly gave the McCain gaffes the coverage they deserve, particularly when you consider the implications of them. Wrongly stating the year your parents met pales in comparison to, say, not being able to accurately identify which country is training terrorists and to which religious sects the most militant members belong. Or — better (or rather, worse) yet — misidentifying the countries that support al-Qaeda. Gaffes like McCain’s are pretty troubling considering the current state of things — and his claims to be the most informed of the candidates on foreign policy. I don’t know how any logical person could consider Obama and McCain’s errors on a par.
#97

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:16 am, Misscheryl said:

This is a laugh. As a freelance music journalist and avid indie rock fan, I can tell you that the Decemberists are NOT a mainstream band, and it’s laughable to suggest that 75,000 people would ever show up to see them. Granted, they’re one of my favorite bands, but when they generally play shows — even in a place where they have their largest fanbases, like here in NYC — the biggest club they could possibly fill holds about 700.

I certainly wouldn’t know whether this is true or not, I’ll take your word. The little bit of press this got noted that there were more events going on than just Obama speaking and combine them with the great weather - was a good reason for the numbers of the crowd - the numbers weren’t because Obama was speaking, regardless, he wanted to take total credit.
#98

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:18 am, undrseige247 said:

Nyk said:

When the cornerstone of your campaign is your foreign policy expertise — plus the niggling fact that we’re in the midst of a “war on terrorism” — this sort of faux pas is far more alarming than any Obama errors.

This is a load of crap spun into a silk “brown shirt”. Obama’s ostrich-like stance with Iran will get millions killed as opposed to McCain screwing up religious tribes in Iraq. Arise from the chrysalis of profound ignorance liberal!
#99

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:21 am, nyk said:

The little bit of press this got noted that there were more events going on than just Obama speaking and combine them with the great weather - was a good reason for the numbers of the crowd - the numbers weren’t because Obama was speaking, regardless, he wanted to take total credit.

Yes. A not-terribly-well-known indie rock band named the Decemberists played the Obama rally and the sun happened to be shining. Maybe, were it raining, there would’ve been fewer people. But when 75,000 people show up, I don’t think the weather or the band that MTV ignores gets the credit.
#100

On May 21st, 2008 at 11:23 am, right4life said:

She is also, of course, the most conniving, dishonest, shrewish, and (arguably) evil of them three. Given this group, that says something

I knew I liked her for some reason…