From The Road
September 8, 2008 9:27 PM

It's Stand-Up Comedy Time for Obama as He Ratchets Up Criticism

By
Maria Gavrilovic
Topics
Barack Obama
(CBS)
From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

(NORTH FARMINGTON, MICH.) - Barack Obama took it up a notch – or two - at a town hall meeting tonight where he used comedy to mock and ridicule the McCain-Palin ticket.

"I mean think about it, you guys remember this, it was just like a month ago they were all saying 'experience, experience, experience'," Obama said as the crowd snickered, "Then they chose Palin and started talking about 'change, change, change' - What happened?"

Not since the Democratic primary has Obama been this animated and wound up during a campaign event. His style of campaigning became a bit drab over the summer when he stayed mostly on message. But after Palin's convention speech received rave reviews, Obama has shown that he is not ready to relinquish the spotlight so easily. His performance tonight looked like a page from his days of campaigning against Hillary Clinton.

"I mean, mother, governor, moose shooter?! I mean I think that's cool, that's cool stuff," Obama said about Palin's biography.

When discussing McCain's energy plan, Obama poked fun at his line on drilling. "What were the Republicans hollerin', 'drill baby drill'? What kind of slogan is that?! They were getting all excited about drilling!"

He even found a way to make an answer to a question on civil liberties comical. While speaking about the importance of habeas corpus, Obama said, "We don't always catch the right person. We may think this is Mohammed the terrorist, it might be Mohammed the cab driver. You may think it's Barack the bomb thrower, but it might be Barack the guy running for president."

It remains to be seen if his jokes will translate into votes - but at least for tonight, he got a lot of laughs.

Add a Comment See all 27 Comments
by dbor77 September 9, 2008 7:11 PM EDT
I like to see Obama having a sense of humor and to mock these republicans. If Obama wants to get some of these women back he needs to talk about how Palin cut funding to the disabled in Alaska..how she cut funding to homeless teenage moms in Alaska..how she let her daughter make her own choice regarding the pregnancy but wants to take away a choice for the rest of this country. He needs to go after the issues females find to be of importance.
Reply to this comment
by akhajawall September 9, 2008 3:58 PM EDT
Dear concerned citizens of America and mass media of the U.S.A. [Look into McCain-palin sad, unfortunate, and tragic blunders of dividing this on religoius and cultural basis]. Please stop it and expose it. It is your job.

McCain-palintalk, slogans, ads, plans, and programs based on facts and are they free of fear, fiction, frivolous labels, unfair attacks, negativity,lies and impulsivity? [Danger to country and countries needs and challenges.
Is Mccain-Palin ticket dividing us and instigating a permanet cultural clash within our country. The US, USA, and McCain-palin will should repent now before it is too late.
Their attempts to do this to our Greatgrand Nation will fail and once the Media will start doing due deligent duty and cut thru the cloud so called M. Mccain has created.
Reply to this comment
by owlwomanxxxx September 9, 2008 2:33 PM EDT
She killed a moose......wowwwwwwwwww..I guess that doesn''t make her an -envioronmentalist....she thinks the Iraq war is God''s doing geeeeeeeeeeeee another crusader---she goes fishing mmmmmmmmmmmmmmI guess I can vote for my ten year old grandson............who also fishes wake up repubs you are being duped
Reply to this comment
by abbe91 September 9, 2008 12:08 PM EDT
"My question remains if you wish to answer: How does the naval officer son of a four star admiral pose more of a threat to the US than a crypto-Marxist Muslim Black Liberation Theology follower?

Posted by o_hussein_b at 11:42 PM : Sep 08, 2008"

I notice that you need to refer to his admiral dad ... I wonder why ? Cna''t you explain which great things McCain achieved in the Navy, I mean besides trashing 5 aircrafts and bombing the USS Forrestal ?
Reply to this comment
by abbe91 September 9, 2008 12:04 PM EDT
I guess he does not have to worry about things like that...

Posted by JaemoLee at 12:37 AM : Sep 09, 2008

And Palin does ? Try again ...
Reply to this comment
by abbe91 September 9, 2008 12:02 PM EDT
"It''''s Ayers the bomb thrower. The reason he is not in jail is the American respect for the rule of law, and this is still strong."

Posted by AGarland5 at 02:15 AM : Sep 09, 2008

McSame is definitively the "bomber in chief". Ask the USS Forrestal crew.
Reply to this comment
by abbe91 September 9, 2008 12:00 PM EDT
"Obama''''s turning into a JohnStewart-type of moron."

Posted by sbourg55 at 07:50 AM : Sep 09, 2008

What do you call "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" ?
Reply to this comment
by sbourg55 September 9, 2008 10:50 AM EDT
Obama''s turning into a JohnStewart-type of moron. Unfortunately, he''s running for President. Is he totally bereft of any good ideas that he can discuss intelligently? The more he idiotically rants about McCain/Palin, the more people will realize he has no worthwhile ideas that will HELP our country.
Reply to this comment
by wiwp September 9, 2008 8:03 AM EDT
If this is Obama''s best comedy, its obvious that stand-up is also "above his pay grade."
Reply to this comment
by hopeful08 September 9, 2008 6:57 AM EDT
Just so we are clear, no legislation by the government can force Oil companies to drill, only to give them the rights. They are already sitting on over 10,000 drilling leases on-shore which they have never bothered to drill on. Why should they, it would be expensive and the price of oil may temporarily drop. But Oil companies will always want more leases whether they use them or not, because it raises their asset value.

Just watch, a year from now no drilling will have started on the new leases that Congress gives and well be back where are now.
Reply to this comment
See all 27 Comments
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...