Obama Campaign Responds to Questions of Patriotism

By: John Bentley
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley

MEDFORD, ORE. – After Bill Clinton seemed to question Barack Obama's patriotism yesterday, the Obama campaign fired back today during a town hall meeting with a rebuttal from a retired four star general. "Both Barack Obama and John McCain are great patriots who love this country and are devoted to it," said Gen. Tony McPeak, who went to high school about 30 miles from the town hall in Medford. "So is Hillary Clinton. Any suggestion to the contrary is flat wrong."

McPeak was responding to a quote from Bill Clinton, which he read aloud to the several hundred who attended the town hall. "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election year where you had two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interest of this country," McPeak said, quoting the former president. "And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

Saying these kinds of tactics had no place in a presidential campaign, McPeak said he was "saddened" to see the president make the comments. "He, of all people, should know better because he was the target of exactly the same kind of tactic when he first ran 16 years ago," McPeak continued. "They had no place then, and they have no place now."

McPeak introduced Obama at a rally last night in Eugene, but in an unusual move for this campaign, Obama had already started speaking today when he brought McPeak up to the stage. Obama himself did not address Clinton's statements, but thanked McPeak and compared the 72-year-old general to a 77-year-old movie star. "Let me just say that not only do I consider Gen. McPeak a friend and an advisor, but I just think the fact that he looks and sounds like Clint Eastwood is cool. That's what you want a general to look like and sound like," Obama said. "If you mess with him, you're in trouble."

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by mattcat25 March 24, 2008 5:37 PM EDT: Policies to impoverish the Middle Class of the United States and divert more wealth to the top 1% and foreign interests (such as Dubai) are grossly UNAMERICAN!

VOTE GOP in 2008 is a vote against Americans.; Reply to this comment


by vincan-2009 March 24, 2008 3:51 PM EDT: Too cool!! Obama has a great team who know and support him 100 percent. Obama''s integrity and ability to shine above the rest is a sharp contrast to the evil Bush bunch who have done nothing to better the country. No, they have done everything to bring us down. Obama will be a great president because he won''t chose a hateful vice-president like Cheney to make all the wrong decisions. Obama will add intelligent and good people to make America the country it should be.; Reply to this comment


by hopeful08 March 24, 2008 6:56 AM EDT: Which two people does Bill think "love their country and were devoted to the interests of this country?" I see no reason to start with this statement if Bill did not want to imply that Obama is unpatriotic.

Martin E. Marty, a widely respected religious scholar said today that Wright''s speeches were mostly hopeful and uplifting. Before 9/11, Wrights radical comments - aka "GD America" and "chickens coming home to roost" were mainstream.

Evangelical pioneer Francis Schaeffer "called for the violent overthrow of the US government, yet was often solicited by Reagan and Bush Sr.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html

Like Wright, Pat Robertson also believes God allowed the 9/11 attacks as punishment for our evil country. Yet President Bush consults him on the Iraq war.

Huckabee understands the importance of keeping such bile in context
http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/72716/0494/229/479797

By listening to hurtful words for twenty years, Obama speaks profound truths that every American should listen to (with their children). Frankly children get their cues from their parents'' reactions to radical ideas, not the ideas themselves. It is now time for this country to grow up and stop judging a man''s patriotism by what he chooses to listen to at church or whether he wears a lapel pin at a time when displaying symbols had become a defacto test of one''s patriotism.; Reply to this comment


by MekhongKurt March 24, 2008 2:48 AM EDT: Read what Bill Clinton said, not what some people would like to think he said. He was talking about an election pitting his wife (who else could he say?) and Senator McCain. I happen to be an Obama supporter, but this is a non-issue.

I would dare to guess that were Bill Clinton asked directly if he thinks Obama is loyal, he would say yes -- and mean it.

My liking Obama has nothing to do with former President Clinton who, in retrospect, wasn''t a bad President at all. Even if he did suffer, um, a "judgment lapse or two."; Reply to this comment


by greenfun March 24, 2008 1:43 AM EDT: Hey It''s Obama--I don''t answer questions man. I give speeches, that way I get to answer my own questions- not yours.
I don''t answer why I stayed with a church for over 20 years that preaches racial hatred. I want everyone to be all above that kind of hatred talk anyway. Except me of course, cuz I have to go after Bill Clinton and Ferraro like there is no tomorrow. Oh Yeah, we are all above it man. heh, heh, heh; Reply to this comment


by greenfun March 23, 2008 10:44 PM EDT: Bill Clinton didn''t question Obama''s patriotism. Obama wouldn''t be so paranoid all the time if he was more honest.; Reply to this comment


by tigerjcs March 23, 2008 8:26 PM EDT: It is the truth that Obama is unpatriotic. He is not proud of America, unless he win this election. Looks as his close associaion for 20 years with the racist, hate American pastor, as his spiritual adviser. Look at him shovling his white grandmother under the bus for being racist, and yet it is okay for his pastor to be racist. He had the choice to choose whom to be his pastor, and he chose Rev. Wright, who hate white Americans, praising the terrorist. Obama is a liar, and his followers are duped and blinded by his sweet talk and promises.; Reply to this comment


by laurenbrillante March 23, 2008 4:24 PM EDT: The Clinton''s are very savvy and shrewd. I am appalled by the tactics that they are using to try to win this primary at all costs. And I have lost all respect for Hillary during this campaign. However, I do see the silver lining in the fact that they are throwing everything at Senator Obama and fighting to the death. It is making Senator Obama a stronger and even more viable candidate for the general election. So, I appreciate that aspect of this situation because I am sure that the republicans will do the same. I am more certain that the republicans would wipe the floor with Hillary and Bill in the fall if she were our nominee. I am glad that there is not much chance of that happening now. It seems that the Clinton''s are willing to spend every ounce of their political capital right now. I think that if the public was looking at Hillary on her own and if you remove the fact that she is married to an ex-president, I think she would be considered far less viable as a candidate for president. And there are so many things that have not come out yet...like the book about the religion she participates in that is due out in May and the tax returns and donors list for Bill''s library.
Our country is facing some serious issues and we need serious and real change in Washington that neither Hillary or Senator McCain can bring. I am very disappointed that John Edwards has not come out and endorsed Senator Obama because I thought he would make the best VP.
OBAMA ''08; Reply to this comment


by missglo March 23, 2008 3:20 PM EDT: If Bill Clinton had stayed out of the picture. Hillary would gotten more voters. But instead he has brought in racisism, and now the nut have the nerve to question anyone''s Patriotism. He can not be faithful to his wife. So why does his opinion matter to us.; Reply to this comment