Tenn. GOP Takes Aim At Michelle Obama

(AP)  The Tennessee Republican Party "welcomed" Michelle Obama's visit for a fundraiser Thursday night with an online video that takes the Democratic presidential front-runner's wife to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.

Michelle Obama was campaigning in Wisconsin last February for her husband, Barack Obama, when she said: "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country."

The four-minute video posted on YouTube is built around the remark, replaying it six times and interspersing it with commentary by Tennesseans, identified mostly by their first names, on why they are proud of America.

Michelle Obama later clarified the remark, saying she meant she was proud of how Americans were engaging in the political process and that she had always been proud of her country.

"The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America," the party said in a news release that included a link to the video. It also urged radio stations to play "patriotic music" during her visit to Nashville on Thursday.

"I'm Bob Pope and I'm proud to be an American because mainly of the First Amendment — the right to worship God anywhere I choose to — and the Second Amendment, I've got the right keep and bear arms," he says, standing in front of a bank of guns mounted on the wall.

Obama's campaign accused the Tennessee GOP of engaging in smear politics and unfairly going after the candidate's family.

"This is a shameful attempt to attack a woman who has repeatedly said she wouldn't be here without the opportunities and blessings of this nation," spokesman Hari Sevugan said in a statement.

The state GOP was roundly criticized in March, including by likely presidential nominee John McCain, for a news release that used Barack Obama's middle name — Hussein — and showed a photo of him wearing what it said was "Muslim attire."

The release ultimately was removed from the party's Web site at the urging of the state's two Republican senators and Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, who said he "rejects these kinds of campaign tactics."

The "welcome" video also takes aim at Barack Obama's fiery former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"I'm proud of my country because of the freedom of religion, so if my pastor goes on a wild political tirade I can just walk out," says a man identified as Tate R., a graduate student at Vanderbilt University.

Obama broke with Wright, his longtime pastor, after he repeated incendiary anti-American comments at a news conference last month in Washington.

[rowdytexan2]

So many gutless wonders trash Hillary Clinton almost hourly, yet have the nerve to berate someone else for alleged criticism of women. What arrogance, what elitism.

There''s only one reason Obama has defeated Hillary for the nomination. The far left in the Democratic Party decided it was OK to slap around a woman, to lie about her, to use their filthy macho ego ********* tactics, to distort her statements and positions but boxed in the Clinton campaign so that any strong criticism of Obama''s positions and questions about this experience, judgment and character were made to appear racist.

I dare and defy you gutless wonders to criticize anybody for lashing back at this racist old gasbag grump and calling her out on HER OWN WORDS that are on videotape all over the net!

[eddynewhope]

"Loeffler lobbies for the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., which with Northrop Grumman Corp. won a lucrative contract to provide air refueling tankers for the Air Force. McCain helped scuttle an earlier contract that would have gone to a competitor, Boeing Co."

Doh! Night nite McCain. Is that not tantamount to sending defense development and high tech jobs overseas? So much for the "Straight Talk Express".

[eddynewhope]

Michelle is a raving white hating racist. Obamas minister is too. Do you actually think Obama does not agree with his wife and minister of 20 years? He''''s just all smoke and mirrors. People are so sick of Bush and Co they are willing to believe anyone spouting "change". Obama is not presidental material.

Posted by ksh1022 at 09:42 PM

And you are full of sh-t. What has the Senator''s wife said that you would qualify as racist? And you jagoffs playing McCarthy declaring who''s "anti-american" and who''s patriotic behind the anonymity of the web. That is the opitomy of anti-american you hypocrite. Anyway, jagoffs like you aside, more Americans have voted for Senator Obama this primary season (followed closely by Senator Clinton) in history, GOP or Dem. See ya in November. ;) I throw some confetti for ya.

[ksh1022]

Michelle is a raving white hating racist. Obamas minister is too. Do you actually think Obama does not agree with his wife and minister of 20 years? He''s just all smoke and mirrors. People are so sick of Bush and Co they are willing to believe anyone spouting "change". Obama is not presidental material.

[david1737]

Once you''ve done just a couple of research McCain''s out of this race for good.

Google S&L scandal.

Keating 5

Former Texas Rep. Thomas G. Loeffler

[rowdytexan2]

minnick8,

What a bunch of ignorant hyperbole. Aside from the fact that Obama promotes middle of the road economic and foreign policies, you do know that actual Marxists have run for President before don''''t you?

Does the name Gus Hall ring a bell?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by realpatriot1 at 08:20 PM : May 18, 2008

The thing is....I don''t remember a president named Gus Hall...do you suppose he couldn''t get the majority vote either?

[realpatriot1]

minnick8,

What a bunch of ignorant hyperbole. Aside from the fact that Obama promotes middle of the road economic and foreign policies, you do know that actual Marxists have run for President before don''t you?

Does the name Gus Hall ring a bell?

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by minnick8 at 03:21 PM : May 18, 2008

Amen to that!

[david1737]

I ask all Americans to google the Keating 5/S&L scandal.

McCain/Bush and his family were all over this and it cost the American tax payer over $1.4 trillion dollars!

It stems from deregulation of the S&Ls.

Do some research.

[minnick8-2009]

Obama is the most left-wing, liberal, Marxist candidate who has ever run for President of the United States. I can hardly stand that he might actually be elected President, and furthermore, I can hardly stand that Michelle might actually be the First Lady.