Who says there's no humor in politics? Obama communications director Robert Gibbs went on ABC's This Week today, and in one of the better deadpan bits since Buster Keaton actually said that Barack Obama's decision to quit the Trinity United Church of Christ was "not political."
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: In Philadelphia, just in April, Senator Obama said of Reverend Wright "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community." Now he's cut all ties to Reverend Wright, and left his church. What is it a mistake to wait this long?
ROBERT GIBBS: No, George. I think obviously what Barack Obama made in the past few days is a deeply personal, not a political decision. And as you heard the reasoning, he made that decision for two reasons. One, even guest speakers that were at Trinity, their views were ascribed to him even though he didn't hold those views, and secondly, the members of Trinity couldn't do what members of a church do, and that is, sit in quiet reflection and worship God.
View video here.
It wasn't political . . . but the first reason Gibbs cites is the intriniscally political one of not wanting to be tarred with the views of loons like Father Pfleger? And Obama quit so the members of Trinity could engage in "quiet reflection"? As in jumping to their feet, laughing and applauding as Pfegler mocks Hillary Clinton's tears or Rev. Wright speaks of Bill "riding dirty"? Gibbs would even have us believe Obama is doing Trinity a favor by dumping it. I seem to remember a girl from freshman year telling me the same thing.
You're killing us here, Bob.
In a week of McClellan's mea culpa for allegedly misleading the public, how would an Obama presidency represent "change" when his communications director is this brazen?
Allahpundit at Hotair: "It’s undoubtedly true — just like his decision to start wearing the flag pin again was personal, just like his decision to take a trip to Iraq and meet with Petraeus was personal, just like his climbdown from unconditional meetings with Iran was personal. The fact that all three coincide with the start of the general election campaign is but a happy whim of chance, much like him suddenly deciding that we needed a national conversation on race at the very moment his relationship with Wright was coming under a microscope."
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Man, if Barry throws anymore
June 1, 2008 - 18:59 ET by BlazerMan, if Barry throws anymore folks under the bus, he aint' gonna need no jack to change the tires.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Blazer,
June 2, 2008 - 09:26 ET by MassConservLOL, Now if that doesn't paint a picture...
He needs a bigger bus
June 1, 2008 - 19:05 ET by Vonu"I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community."
One down.
Two down, at least!
June 1, 2008 - 21:07 ET by heldmywOl' Wright went under the bus with Gramma, and if you think leaving Trinity isn't disowning the black community that he kept company with for 20 years, you haven't hung around black churches.
This has GOTTA be a stunner for the congregation.
Two down on this front alone!
And now, our Messiah
June 2, 2008 - 16:21 ET by Eileen RightBarack “The Weasel” Obama will attempt to jump Wright, Michelle, Pfleger and the entire TUCC congregation with his campaign bus.
Using his grandmother for
June 2, 2008 - 16:23 ET by MassConservUsing his grandmother for the ramp.
»→ Now I get it
June 1, 2008 - 19:06 ET by Cool Arrow". . .even guest speakers that were at Trinity, their views were ascribed to him (Obama) even though he didn't hold those views"
So it wasn't so much the white sheets and burning crosses as it was the guest speakers.
Robert Byrd must be at his ironing board right now.
"Bring me something better, something worth my IQ of 160." - futbolisgreat1
Of course it wasn't
June 1, 2008 - 19:06 ET by tazzOf course it wasn't political, just like Bill DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH THAT WOMAN!
When a Referee in the NBA makes a BAD call...the fans chant..
June 1, 2008 - 19:06 ET by JayTeeBull Shit....BULL SHIT...BULL SHIT.....!!!
AND that's what it IS...Dude.....
Guilt my association and membership......
powerlineblog
June 1, 2008 - 19:10 ET by JWF"Can someone explain why it is, exactly, that Barack Obama is not a laughingstock?" -John from powerline blog
That is a very good
June 1, 2008 - 19:20 ET by ckc1227That is a very good question. It makes no sense whatsoever that he is this close to being President. The folks he chooses to associate with should have eliminated him long ago.
A white thing...
June 1, 2008 - 23:10 ET by LastlibertarianNormal
0
It's a white thing. Seems whites tend to go out of their way to prove they aren’t....Psssst
....racist.
I was at a graduation of an almost all white school.
Every single time a black student received a diploma the white crowd clapped noticeably
louder.
the ones that will
June 2, 2008 - 16:20 ET by red_dragon311the ones that will vote for him are the same poeple who say "I'm not racist, I have lots of black friends"
all these morons care about is what it LOOKS like they are,
I'm better then you becase I voted for a black man, and you are too ignorant to.
I just hope Bobby Jindal runs in 2012
A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.
-Gerald Ford
THe MSM still has some power
June 1, 2008 - 19:24 ET by pbthinkerHe's not a laughing stock because the MSM still has some power and many people still get their news from the MSM. Personally, I think they want to get this church out of the way because his original attempts have been proven to be a joke. That's why I have my doubts this is going to be the end of it since he gave the indication that he's quitting them so they can go on with their lives, which were being disrupted by the media, which was his fault. That says nothing about what they preach and what he heard for 20 years. Now he'll be saying, I'm not there any more so don't ask me about it. That will only work if the MSM lets it work.
Democrats: Stuck on Stupid since 2000.
The liberal MSM will most
June 1, 2008 - 19:28 ET by Clear thinkerThe liberal MSM will most definately let him get away with this stunt. Hell, they seem to be working for him at this point.
"Abstain from McCain"
Right
June 2, 2008 - 16:31 ET by ahusserafter the rinse comes the spin cycle.
Supposedly the letter that
June 1, 2008 - 20:10 ET by motherbeltSupposedly the letter that he sent to the Church cited "stylistic and cultural differences." Why then, didn't he just leave it at that in his press conference? Why bring in the fact that there was so much attention, and he was "protecting" the church?
I found this column today linked to at RealClearPolitics, by Jennifer Rubin; it is a discussion of Obama's "double-talk" during his press conference. The last paragraph is the money quote (emphasis mine):
The Trinity cast of characters and Obama’s reaction to them have been more revealing than more a dozen-plus debates, all the speeches, and just about anything that has happened in over a year of campaigning. It might be even more revealing if the media would take their role seriously and press Obama on some of these obvious points. But Obama, however inadvertently, has done a fairly good job of letting us know how he makes both political and moral judgments. And that is perhaps the most important thing to know about a potential President.
Yeah, right...
June 1, 2008 - 19:22 ET by PrairieSkyJust how stupid does Obama and his flunkies think we are? If there's one thing that will send me into orbit everytime, it is when someone insults my intelligence, and Obama and Co., seem to have a gift for doing or saying something that manages to do it at least once a week. Of course Obama's resigning from Trinity was politically motivated. They can try to spin it any way they want, but he would never have resigned if his membership and ties to Trinity weren't hurting him. What a load of crap!
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American people. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
OK...NB's...let's put our best spin on this
June 1, 2008 - 19:25 ET by BlondeAre we not laughing at BHO's discomfiture?
Are we having fun at his expense? Of course we are.....he is such a light weight pol!
Now, let's take it home....if this is all it takes to make him cry "uncle"....bring it on John McCain!
LOL.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
»→ Bring it home
June 1, 2008 - 19:31 ET by Cool ArrowCan we pressure him into sending Michelle to Diversity Training?
I mean, it certainly wasn't the lefties or the MSM that convinced him to do something about TUCC and Jeremiah Wright.
"Bring me something better, something worth my IQ of 160." - futbolisgreat1
And anger
June 1, 2008 - 19:42 ET by general companyAnd anger managment
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Blonde I'll be laughing and
June 1, 2008 - 19:57 ET by BlazerBlonde I'll be laughing and having fun at his expense, especially if there is a Michelle "whitey" tape in his future. It'll be fun watching how he's going to fit her under the bus too without coating her in vaseline first, there aint' too much more room under there now.
At any rate if this were a Republican candidate, he would've have been toast long ago. At this point B.O. is like a runner with two broken legs, having the MSM jumping the hurdles and carrying him towards the finish line.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Blaze,
June 1, 2008 - 20:01 ET by BlondeFlames, baby, flames.
As in "going down in".
LOL.
Love your hive of scum and villany!
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Gibbs can say this with a
June 1, 2008 - 19:33 ET by ReaverGibbs can say this with a straight face because he knows he won't be challenged. It's called having the media in the tank for your candidate.
Mount Rushmore "North By Northwest"
June 1, 2008 - 19:42 ET by JWFHave we seen this on NB yet? Obama's Mount Rushmore gaffe?
Obama: "How did they get up there in the first place?"
Referring to filming the scene from North By Northwest.
Uh, dude, I saw the movie in 1980. Went to Mount Rushmore in 2002. Did not think about the movie. I knew it was filmed on a stage when I saw it in 1980.
But that drunk driving scene was wild. Was the cameraman drunk? Man oh man alive!
Don't get me started with "Honey, I shrunk the kids" How did they make all the people and camera equipment so small to film that?
Not political? And does
June 1, 2008 - 20:06 ET by GregEI know it's been said, but I'll say it too! Not political? And does this guy think we're stupid enough to believe that if Obama wasn't running for president, he would leave that church anyway!?!?!!?!? Freakin BS! He's been there 20 years and would be there the next 20. A liberal might be dumb enough to believe it (I guess that's what they're hoping for), but this conservative isn't.
Why Believe Him?
June 1, 2008 - 20:12 ET by SAM-OHGibbs said:
"he made that decision for two reasons. One, even guest speakers that were at Trinity, their views were ascribed to him even though he didn't hold those views...."
Why should we believe that Obama doesn't share the radical views of Wright, Pfleger, Moss, Ayers, Trinity members and that his wife and David Axelrod (who's tied to Pfleger too) doesn't share those views too? Did anyone see how defensive Obama got at his press conference when a reporter asked whether his and his wife's resignation was a political move? What an act. And the reporter backed off, cowering in fear.
I just don't understand how Obama has the nerve to insist that we take his word for what he believes when his 20-year TUC membership and his many other questionable associations communicate the complete opposite?
If the MSM won't start asserting it, it's time that the silent majority begin calling Obama what he really is--the most un-American political lightweight we've ever had run for the office of U.S. President.
He's a disgrace.
Give me a F*CING Break!
June 1, 2008 - 21:02 ET by ChasvsThis SOB wouldn't know thw truth if it hit him in the Face!
BHO is nothig more than a second rate race-baiting politician!
He is not the second coming of Christ as the media and his devote followers would have us all beleive.
For the love of God please see this asshole for what he is... nothing but a fake!
BHO is a lightweight
June 1, 2008 - 22:30 ET by Prof.ChaosIn my opinion Bubba was the undisputed king of trying to turn chicken s*#t into chicken salad,B.Hussein Obama's attempts at doing the same are just lame.....he really cant believe people buy this crap.Then again his follower's with the stars in their eyes,along with the MSM will call this "change," what ever the hell change means to them.
A new Credibility Gap
June 1, 2008 - 23:03 ET by needleIf Obama’s breaking his ties with the Trinity United Church of Christ were truly “deeply personal,” some sort of religious conversion would be involved; but strangely the religiosity of the decision of the moment was completely missing.
If Obama keeps expanding his “Credibility Gap,” LBJ may eventually be completely rehabilitated.
Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat.
That has to be the
June 1, 2008 - 23:22 ET by BEGRUNTbiggest load of CRAP I have ever heard. Doing Trinity a favor? Puuuulllllleeeeeeeessse. Not a political decision? Ya, my Bull$hit O Meter is off the scale. Obama is a......PHONY, EMPTY SUIT, CHARLATAN, HOLIER THAN THOU, MOUNTEBANK, A DILETTANTE, AND ABOVE ALL....AN ELITIST, OVEREDUCATED BOOB, WHO NEVER HELD A REAL JOB IN HIS LIFE!!!!! Did I leave anything out?
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
I think Obama better call up
June 1, 2008 - 23:24 ET by BlazerI think Obama better call up Ray Nagin and ask him if he can borrow a few buses because its a longtime to November and I dont' think theres a whole lot of room left to throw anyone else under the one he has now.
Rays buses:
http://static.flickr...
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
More talk on "The Whitey
June 1, 2008 - 23:51 ET by BlazerMore talk on "The Whitey Tape".
http://www.youtube.c...
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
" The Cake is a lie."
Obama's Decision to Leave Church 'Not Political'
June 2, 2008 - 00:19 ET by CTAnd the Pope is not Catholic.
Must be the worst to Obama
June 2, 2008 - 00:52 ET by jaywlThis "snippet" from the RCP transcription of Obama's statement on leaving Trinity certainly tells me more about Obama than he intended. If it could be believed, that is.
"Not all of them (statements from the pulpit) may be as offensive as some of the statements that my
former pastor made which I thoroughly rejected, but you know, it's not
infrequent for example if you go into a church and a comment is made
that suggests for example an aversion to gays and lesbians. That is
something that I do not believe in and if I heard that from the pulpit,
I would strongly object to it. That is an extreme example..."
Well, Obama is saying that frequently he has gone into churches and comments have been made against gays and lesbians. He must have heard them since he is reporting on this. And he must have strongly objected, because he said he would. When, Where, Tell us Mr. Obama? Why, or how are you finding gay bashing churches to attend. Do you stand up and throw things when you strongly object? Why didn't you hear Rev. Wright in all his anti-american diatribes during the 20 years you attended his church. Or is gay bashing much worse than America bashing? The truth is probably that his handlers told him to make the issue have something to do with gays/lesbos and it got him even more twisted around the truth.
Hey Obama...you're welcome at Hucksterbee's church
June 2, 2008 - 01:01 ET by jefflebowskiThey seem to have a lot of hate to go around too. Just ask them about Mormons!
Soros stooge
June 2, 2008 - 01:31 ET by Old EuropeIt's obvious that Barry H Obama is a Soros stooge straight from a political satire: Find a susceptible affirmative action doofus, sell him as "intelligent" and then use him as a shill to apply your politics. Hillary would be far too hard to manipulate and that's why Teddy Kennedy, John French Kerry et al. support Barry. He's inept, inexperienced and easy to steer.
It's is laughable to think
June 2, 2008 - 03:14 ET by nicksmith112It's is laughable to think how the Looney left wing media would handle this
if we reversed the races.
Notice how the Obama camp picked the slowwwwest news day to announce
this.
I'm a refugee from the Democratic Party.
Leadership in action
June 2, 2008 - 09:44 ET by HermanoI just want to know why BO would simply leave the church instead of trying to provide leadership to change? Maybe he is too busy trying to change politics in the US.
OK, I think I might be able to stop laughing now.
I think obviously what
June 2, 2008 - 10:08 ET by pbanks7I think obviously what Barack Obama made in the past few days is a deeply personal, not a political decision.
So what he's really saying is that deep down inside, the Obamessiah be-LEEVED the bilge that Wright was spewing.
Panhandlers Union endorses Obama's plan for change. h/t thepeoplescube.com.