Email this postJon Stewart asks Obama about 'the real concern'
Barack Obama depicted on a 19th-century bicycle, suggesting that a guy who campaigns by train may not be the agent of change he says he is.
One exchange was probably the highlight of Barack Obama's appearance on The Daily Show last night.
Forget flag lapel pins, host Jon Stewart said. Forget Rev. Wright. “I can tell you what the real concern is," the Comedy Central host deadpanned. "... Sir, we are concerned, that ultimately at the end of the day, if you are fortunate enough to win the Democratic nomination, if you are fortunate enough to become president of the United States, will you pull a bait and switch, sir, and enslave the white race?"
Stewart shouted: "Is that your plan? And if it is your plan, be honest! Tell us now!”
Obama laughed: “That is not our plan, Jon," he intoned. "But I think your paranoia might make you suitable as a debate moderator.”
Earlier in his monologue, Stewart chided Obama's whistle-stop train tour that took him to Hopeton, Pa., "touting his message of change -- because nothing says 'looks to the future' like rail travel!"
"What? What are you doing?" Stewart said, giving a quizzical look, as viewers saw an image of Obama riding a 19th-century bicycle. "Barack Obama, meet him in the future, America, and save him a seat. He’s going to be a while."
One other interesting Obama response came after Stewart asked if Clinton's assaults meant the "Republican attack machine" would have less ammunition to use if Obama's the Democratic nominee. The Illinois senator said: “There is no doubt that Sen. Clinton has done me a favor. She has put me through the paces. This is like spring training. So, should I get the nomination, everything’s gonna be over by October."
Clinton has done nothing to Obama other than point out who he is. Obama is like Reagan. Like Reagan, there's the obvious teflon -- you can't challenge him because that is perceived as biased. Being an unknown, he will be a puppet of Beltway insiders, just as Reagan was the absent-minded President. They'll dictate what he should say and do, just as they are during his campaign. Because he has already been labelled as weak on defense, he'll turn out to be a vigorous advocate of military force, which he has alluded to in his promise to attack Pakistan if they don't rein in their citizens, oops, terrorists. And finally, no one should have missed Obama's message as a Washington outsider -- that certifies him as insider.
If Obama was an authentic agent for change, he wouldn't be running for President
Clinton has done nothing to Obama other than point out who he is. Obama is like Reagan. Like Reagan, there's the obvious teflon -- you can't challenge him because that is perceived as biased. Being an unknown, he will be a puppet of Beltway insiders, just as Reagan was the absent-minded President. They'll dictate what he should say and do, just as they are during his campaign. Because he has already been labelled as weak on defense, he'll turn out to be a vigorous advocate of military force, which he has alluded to in his promise to attack Pakistan if they don't rein in their citizens, oops, terrorists. And finally, no one should have missed Obama's message as a Washington outsider -- that certifies him as insider.
If Obama was an authentic agent for change, he wouldn't be running for President
this guy had a life time to figure out a way to deal with how to accept his middle name, yet it is an unsolved thing. why didnt he get rid of it or change it? if he had a lifetime to manage this simple problem and is still not comfortable with it and if mild-mannered Charles Gibson ruffles his feathers what are we to expect of him in the future?
Yesterday he got rattled because someone asked him a question, to which he tersly responded, "Why cant i eat my waffle??"
Clinton's reach spans every race, gender, color and age group.
obama's strong hold is the college crowd and recent polls show he is dropping significantly in that group, and Blacks.
we need a UNIFIER. oBAMA IS A divider.
-====he divides by
CLASS
RELIGION
RACE
ALLEGIENCE
Hillary has lost all her advantage, is trailing behind a junior senator but claims she will be the mother of all presidents.
I can't believe this entire blog is so obviously slanted for Clinton. I thought Philadelphia was cooler than that.
Brigitte,
I know we're not supposed to remember this, but Hillary is also a junior senator. And to me, her more astonishing claim is that she will fix the economy when she can't even keep her campaign in out of the red.
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The Decision: November 4th blog brings you up-to-the-minute coverage of the Presidential campaign.
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Larry Eichel is the senior writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, covering the 2008 presidential election. He has served as national political writer, a foreign and national correspondent, a political columnist, sportswriter, national editor and suburban editor. He is the co-author of two books and three children.
Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
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