Obama Answers Republican Ridicule

CBS Evening News: Democrats Respond To The Attacks Unleashed At The GOP Convention

(CBS)  Republicans have spent days heaping scorn on Barack Obama, with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin leading the way in her debut Wednesday night, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

"What does he actually seek to accomplish after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?" she asked an energized crowd at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. "The answer is to make government bigger."

Today, Obama fired back.

"You're hearing an awful lot about me, most of which is not true," he told a group of union workers at a hydro plant in York, Pa. "What you're not hearing about is you."

Obama said the St. Paul gathering won't discuss issues because it reminds voters of Republican failures on many fronts.

"You haven't heard a word about how we're going to deal with any aspect of the economy that is affecting you and your pocketbook."

In Virginia, running mate Joe Biden echoed that complaint.

"Not one time did I hear the phrase middle class pass their lips," he said.

Democrats noted the repeated attempts to ridicule Obama's work as a community organizer among unemployed steelworkers in Chicago as a way of questioning his experience.

"He worked as a community organizer. What?" former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani told the convention crowd, prompting laughter.

"I guess a small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer except that you have actual responsibilities," Palin added later in the night. The line drew cheers and derisive laughter, but not from Obama.

"Why would that kind of work be ridiculous?" he asked Thursday. "Who are they fighting for? … They don't get it because they haven't spent much time working on behalf of those folks."

How many of the Republican delegates, 93 percent of whom are white, are familiar with community organizers is debatable. More than half have a net worth in excess of $500,000 and may have no need for someone like Julio Medina of New York.

"We're talking about being in touch with the homeless, being in touch with the under-educated, being in touch with the unemployed," said Medina. "A community organizer is that presence for hope when hope doesn't exist."

Obama said he was not surprised by the Republican rhetoric.

"I've been called worse on the basketball court," he said. "It's not that big of a deal."

Though Obama caught only a small part of Palin's speech last night, his aides watched and were impressed. She is a skilled politician, they said, and deft at going on the attack.

[barrylies]

DNC for sale on EBAY:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230288207913

Nobody wants to gid because it is now worthless.

[emelder]

So ... Barbie had teeth, and she has a family ... that''s nice, but do you want her to be Commander-in-chief ... I think not!

[stn_sage]

Obama and Biden need to address each and every false charge, repudiate it, and shove it down the opposition''s throats!
They also better go on the attack! Because if they''re stupid enough to believe people are just going to vote for them because MCSAME and Palin are so incompetent---don''t bet on it! They''ll end of losing!

Independents are tired of no acceptable candidates being offered by the GOP, and then Democrats who won''t or can''t defend themselves from false charges!

Being a ''nice guy'' might get you points in heaven, but here on Earth, in a presidential election, it will cause you to lose the election!

[credibility2]

Oh, there, there, does the truth hurt? Is there another mean old little girl picking on you, again? Haven''t I told you that if it''s OK for the Dems to ridicule the Repubs, turnaround is fair play. Now, be a good boy and take it on the chin like a real man.

[rachee1025]

I was a completely undecided voter until last night. How dare she even imply that a Community Worker is not important? Community workers are the people that help pick up the pieces when all hope is lost. Who do you think helped get New Orleans back in order? It is a selfless, giving, honorable position and I am humbled by the fact that someone would be so giving.
Not to mention her comment on the pillars at the Democratic convention. Seriously? This is not high school!! GO OBAMA!!!!

[legacyabq]

Why dont you republicans feel ashamed that all your leaders can do is ridicule and personally attack the other side, instead of bolster their OWN positions?
So, let me see, ah, let''s all have a good laugh while some ugly hack from alaska makes fun of an experienced and dedicated leader like Obama? That''s supposed to get votes? What is this, high school? Oh yes, I guess that would describe the mentality all right.. The Repugnantcans beleieve in unrestrained executive power, and favors for rich companies, which is supposed to trickle-down to the rest of us. They are the epitome of fascists!! If it were up to them, all people of color and all people who made less than 19000 a year would be executed, thus solving, in their minds, all societies problems. I know people who secretly think this way. Their viscious insults are the symptom of a much deeper hatred. Racism and hatred of the poor are the backbone of the modern GOP.. And an Ayn Rand-style of extreme selfishness. No sense of community, no love for your fellow man, nothing. Only money matters to these people, more than their own souls.

[callurfears]

Republican leadership is so out of touch with middle-America.

$500,000 average net worth per delegate? No wonder they consider $5 Million "rich".

[callurfears]

CBS is a USELESS POLL with a tiny sampling. The MARGIN OF ERROR is plus and minus 4% for each statistic.

This means Obama could be LEADING by 8 points, or McCain could be LEADING by 8 points.

How bad is the CBS poll? Around May 1, TWO CBS polls came out within 4 days. One showed Obama with an 11 POINT LEAD. The other showed a TIE! Yes- their own poll varied by 11 points.

Better to look at realclearpolitics.com "poll of polls" or Gallup and Rasmussen tracking polls. All show Obama at around +6 points as of TODAY.

[jmurrieta1]

The Republicans just don''t get it.

They don''t realize that we know who left the big pile of dogturds on the kitchen floor.

They''ve been the only dogs in the kitchen, and it''s their pile.

They can''t pretend the cat did it.

This has got to be the first time in history that a political party has run against itself.
.
They made the mess. And if they even tried to clean it up, they''d just spread it all over the place.

time to roll up that newspaper, stick doggy''s nose in the mess he''s made, and schedule an appointment at obedience school. It''s that, or the pound.

No more Repugs. No more Bushit.

[scandalont]

Palin stated that invading Iraq was God''s will. She is a Pentecostal nut who believes that God''s people, the USA should invade the world for God. Please, not more of this for another eight years. They just love to kill people and steal oil, even if they have to say that God told them to do it.

[billyzane7]

U guy''s are hilarious. thats why I roflmao when Rudy G. killed your the dem''s!!
u can dish it but cant it. after palin''s speech, ur party is gonna lose again. see u 2012!! gooo Palin!

[xcai-2009]

"Why would that kind of work be ridiculous?" he asked Thursday. "Who are they fighting for? %u2026 They don''t get it because they haven''t spent much time working on behalf of those folks."
---------------------------
The problem is not %u201Ca community organizer%u201D and the problem is that %u201Ca community organizer%u201D could be a president of US and %u201Ca small town mayor%u201D could not be a VP of the US. That is ridiculous!!!

[legacyabq]

Cwazy-
OK, sorry about hackmment, but a hack is an in-experienced person. Does this woman have a degree in political science i dont know about? And you say the "dems" attacked her. That could be anybody. Obama himself did not attack her that way. Whereas she personally attacked and mocked him about his community organizing. A candidate, especially from the elder-staesman, conservative GOP should have more dignity than that, you see? No one can control what associated groups might say, but candidates should demonstrate their maturity and stay above that sort of thing. The fact she doesn''t know better is itself an indication of her inexperience. As for Obama, being a lawyer teaches you a lot about, um, THE LAW, which is what governs this country! You know? And what about membership in the foreign relations committee of the Senate? The senate is serious business. Let us remember that as vice president, Palin is one heart attack away from the Presidency of U.S.! That doesn''t bother you? Who is she? What are her beleifs? What about voting record? She has none, and we don''t know anything about her. This is just too much, it''s insane. This isn''t personal, it''s just that she''s a nobody: it may be romantic, but let''s be serious here. She is simply rediculously unqualified to be president and/or vice president. We have NUCLEAR MISSILES !!! It''s outrageous McCain picked her. I like McCain, but this is too much.

[olydem58]

Drill drill drill lie lie lie same old story from our pals at the GOP . One thing on leadership McCain has only been a leader just a sentor. The only time he was in a leadership role he blew it and his men were taken prisoner.

[legacyabq]

so why are you trying to blame the republicans when the Dems are in control?

Becuz, they were only recently elected in. The repubs had control of both senate/house for a decade. Plus Bush, and his cabinet and appointees do a lot of decision making, its not just congress that runs government. This line of reasoning is faulty; no one seriously denies that most of the time since Clinton has been ruled by the repub party, its just true. Do you know that government spending has gone up incredibly since then? How is the Repub the government of fiscal responsibility if we now have a record budget deficit, incurred since Clinton? How do you explain that? Palin says bigger govt. with Obama: this is the same tired old boogey-man the right has been dragging out since Jimmy Carter. But look at fed spending under Reagan and the Bushes.. It just doesn''t hold water. All the right means to say is they wanna cut social programs to the bone. They hate the poor. Hate ''em.

[jsilver2th]

So what kind of jobs has Palin ever had in the private sector besides tagging along on her husband''s fishing boat?

Or McCain for that matter- what kind of job did he ever have in the private sector? When did he ever meet a pay roll or deal with the government?

For a paid that have both build a life around political jobs they sure seem awful steamed up about government.

[jsilver2th]

Here''s another fact for the researchers to move on:

Looks like Palin was born in Sandpoint, Idaho- you know that little spot Mark Furman ran off to- it''s like the White Supremacy capital of the USA-

[nothappyatall]

Republicans have spent days heaping scorn on Barack Obama, with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin leading the way"

Well then all bets are off and any courtesy that would have been shown to her are off- attack the **** and expose her good, and then blast her hard in the debates

[noonjay]

Reminder to all of you mc/palin voters, the DEMs have controlled the house for a short two years by a narrow margin. For 6 years the Repubs brought us scandal after scandal, war and economic crisis. But they have changed the subject at their convention to the culture bull-***, bringing God into their non-christrian agenda. "Country First" Give me a break. They obviously forgot that for the first 6 years of the bush presidency. It''s not going to work this time, not even a gun toting -itch from Alaska, where they have more deer than people can help thier sorry *****, but you go ahead with your broke sorry ***** and pretend with them to put "Country First."

[leaselaine]

They lied so much....I couldn''t wait to go to factcheck.org to see who was lying.
Obama stayed within the truth but stretched it a bit.
Two nights of the Republican Convention and there are two pages full of their lies......
They spent the whole night lying about Obama and McCains record and barely mentioned anything about the economy, the war or health insurance..,...

[faithinflite]

The REAL reason why McCain picked Palin:

http://www.newsflavor.com/Opinions/McCain-Hijacks-Christianity-Via-Palin.240929

Makes you wonder...

[sandycat2]

newster, your post is offensive. So Obama got a little bit of negativity from the RNC! That was nothing compared to the big smear lies that the Dems heaped on Palin and her family since McCain announced her as his VP choice last Friday.

[davewee-2009]

Palin comes across as snide and sneering, derisive of anyone who cares about community and their neighbors. She''s everyone''s idea of a typical self-centered Republican. As for her throwing up her hands in horror at the ''lies'' being spread about her; what lies are they? Every Republican asked to comment has chastised the ''media'' for so-called attacks on her, but where are they? I haven''t seen one. Another Karl Rove ploy?

[ljohnson333]

Here is the real story that Palin fails to acknowledge.

Obama Community Organizer
Palin Hockey Mom

Obama Harvard Law Professor
Runner up beauty queen

Obama Illinois State Legistaltor
Palin Sports Caster (wow what qualifications for VP)

Obama United States Senator 3 years (USA)
Palin Governor 2 years of a state in middle of nowehere (Alaska) one of the least populous states.

Obama Presidential candidiate - 2 years
Palin Vice Presidential candidate - 1 week

or how about this one!

Joe Biden - Law Practice and City Counselman 3 years
Joe Biden - United States Senator 35 years (took office in 1973)

Sarah Palin - Alaska Governorer - 2 years

I don%u2019t think Govenor Palin has much to be bragging about!

[Bernie1l]

It''s sad our education system has failed so bad that a professional journalist doesn%u2019t know the difference between "author" and "sponsor" or maybe it%u2019s intentional. Stalin was very good at twisting truth.

[cosmotopper]

A few words for Senator Obama, channeled by me from Rudyard Kipling:

If you can wait, and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don''t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don''t give way to hating,
And yet don''t look too good, nor talk to wise.

If you can hear the truth you''ve spoken,
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that''s in it,
And, which is more, you might be elected President,
And you''ll have the last laugh, my son!

[robert2237]

Funny that all I see on here is Obama supporters guess they are the one really worried now. But don''t worry he can part the water and you can all be safe.

[johnsonc20]

This was a deft response from Senators Obama and Biden, and their campaign staff. No need to get bent out of shape. Shrug it off, show class, make your point about actual issues, praise the new opponent for her skill as a "politician" and move on. Keep up the abuse, Governor Palin. It doesn''t fool us and it won''t shake the team off their message of tax relief for working people, reestablishing taxes on the rich over $250,000, establishing access to health care for everyone, funding renewable energy, getting us out of Iraq, and shifting some forces into the search for Bin Laden on the Afghan-Pakistan border. What do you have to offer?

[miles1967-2009]

Sarah Palin''s speech was dispicable and more of the same GOP lies. Sarah Palin:

-Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
-Believes that women shouldn''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
-Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
-Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
-Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
-Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
-Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
-Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
-Is being investigated in 2 state of Alaska firing scandals

And this woman could be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!

Scary!!!

[smurfcrusher]

cosmotopper7- very well said. :)

The Republicans would have the Middle Class subsist on sawdust and lies.

No thanks!

[carpediem60]

The only two left standing on Nov 4 will be Obama and Biden!

[johnsonc20]

This was a deft response from Senators Obama and Biden, and their campaign staff. No need to get bent out of shape. Shrug it off, show class, make your point about actual issues, praise the new opponent for her skill as a "politician" and move on. Keep up the abuse, Governor Palin. It doesn''t fool us and it won''t shake the team off their message of tax relief for working people, reestablishing taxes on the rich over $250,000, establishing access to health care for everyone, funding renewable energy, getting us out of Iraq, and shifting some forces into the search for Bin Laden on the Afghan-Pakistan border. What do you have to offer?

[legacyabq]

Since when is saying she is a heartbeat away from the presidency an ATTACK?? I dont understand your post cwazy. This is a simple fact: It is the JOB of V.P. to take over if something happens to the president. Why would pointing out this serious, relevant, salient fact be an attack? I dont get it. It is just something to consider about this woman. Why Obama would "back away" from this is beyond me, except he didn''t want to appear to be bashing McCain for being old, which is also another true fact to consider. What''s the big deal? if anything, we have been politically corrected into not talking about things like someone''s age.. I though the GOP was against political correctness as being a liberal value. Hmm. Look, there was NO discussion of issues in the GOP nconvention. Just lots of snide remarks and insults. Where are all these attacks on Palin people keep posting about? I can''t find them COMING FROM THE TOP OF OBAMAS campaign, BUT insults came straight from the mouths of the GOP on National TV There''s no argument here people. I was independent, but I am informed, and I am voting for Obama. Please try to learn how to think CRITICALLY everyone, we need clear thinking, not sticking to your party just because they''re your party.

[factsabout]

That was posted on other site: "Jesus Christ was a community organizer and Pontius Pilate was a governor."

[robert2237]

Oh I now see that Obama has changed his mind on the surge, he says the surge succede beyond wildest dream. Guess he is fliping again.

[hungry1968]

Oh I now see that Obama has changed his mind on the surge, he says the surge succede beyond wildest dream. Guess he is fliping again.

Posted by robert2237 at 09:50 PM : Sep 04, 2008





When did he say the surge was a failure?

I did, and still do say it was a miserable, horrible failure, but I''ve NEVER heard Obama admit it.

[popstom1]

obama''s list of firends Rezko Levine Auchi and Ayers

[popstom1]

For the good Rev.Wright this is going to be funny

[hungry1968]

obama''''s list of firends Rezko Levine Auchi and Ayers

Posted by popstom1 at 10:05 PM : Sep 04, 2008





Just like Gov. Palin -- NOTHING of substance.

Jut negativity and personal attacks.

I guess that''s what EVERYONE does, when they fall woefully short on the issues, huh?

[tlarvenz]

She presides over a population smaller than most metropolitan cities. Everyone talks about how she has executive experience. I''ve lived in Alaska and it is nothing like the lower 48 culturally or economically. I wouldn''t want her deciding who to launch a nuclear attack against when McCain, the oldest candidate ever, checks out. She lacks any real world experience. Why can''t the Republicans talk about their actual platform instead of trying to smear *** all over their opponent? Oh that''s right, they have no actual platform other than Stuff That Doesn''t Matter. Gay marriage, creationism, abstinence, etc... Let''s talk economics, energy policy (nice record McCain and Palin! NOT), foreign affairs (and I don''t mean bombing the **** out of another country, we tried that twice last presidency and see where that got us!)... Idiots.

Too bad there''s so many stupid people. Let the smart ones vote and the rest of you can have your imaginary gods tell you the origins of the universe and who can get married to whom and such. Leave real issues to people who can think.

[cyndilu9]

That woman, Palin, is a disgrace to women. She was strident, harsh and sarcastic. I am a professional white woman and I did not fall for any of her rhetoric. Only knuckle dragging, bible thumping arrogant Republicans would go for that bull.

Obama''s community organizing skills are a wonderful foundation. He was also president of the Harvard Law Review, an Illinois State Senator and an US Senator. Hardly a shallow resume cutie Pie Palin. Rudy Guiliani was a disgrace....I used to like him in NY..but now he can move to Alabama with the other rebugnicans. Enough of them and that awful RNC.

Go Obama / Biden - we need your hope now. Oh, and let''s not forget Sarah Palin for inspiring thousands to donate to Obama''s camp in the tune of $10,000,000 overnight....while she inspired a paltry $1M to the Repugnicans. Thanks, cutie pie.

[abby0802]

Palin''s criticism of community service is highly insulting to us CHRISTIAN women who do community service. She talks the talk, but she fails to walk the walk.....
I guess that''s why her "abstinence only" education didn''t work with her daughter, a daughter who may need community services some day.
Palin''s idea of teaching creationism instead of science is the last thing our children need in a highly scientific, technological world.
Palin''s extreme stance of no abortion under any circumstances demeans women. Let the rape victim suffer through a pregnancy; let a victim of incest at the age of 12 or 13 be forced to have a baby; force the woman who cannot physiologically risk pregnancy or delivery and let her die -- BUT protect that fetus at all costs!!!

Aside from all of that -- she is NOT qualified to be vice president. If she has to ask a reporter during an interview "what does a vice president do?" she needs to go back to middle school. I know some middle school children who can answer that question!!

McCain has shown he has no judgment. Palin is eye candy, a pandering to the women''s vote, a pandering to the "righteous" right.

God help us if McCain and Palin are elected.

[miles1967-2009]

Sarah Palin''s speech was despicable and pathetic. She is very scary. Sarah Palin:

-Believes that creationism should be taught in schools, not evolution;
-Believes that women shouldn''t have the right to choose; even in cases of rape and incest or severe medical indications;
-Believes that citizens should have the right to bear AK-47s;
-Believes only in abstinence education; despite the fact that her daughters have been having unprotected ***;
-Has only been out of the country once in her life and that was just last year;
-Was mayor of a small town with fewer than 6000 residents with a budget of less than 12 million a year and fewer than 50 city hall employees;
-Is governor of a state that is closer to Russia than to Florida;
-Was part of a group that wanted Alaska to succeed from the Union;
-Is being investigated in 2 State of Alaska firing scandals.

And this woman could be our next vice president and possibly our president?!?!?!?!?

Scary!!!!!

[republic1776]

We don''t want your Socialist /Communist lips service.

[dashortround]

"93 percent of whom are white....More than half have a net worth in excess of $500,000..."

The GOP is obviously the "Rich Old White Guy Party", that''s for sure.

Women and minorities are not very well represented in the GOP''s Old Boy''s Club.

[tlarvenz]

By lip service, I assume you mean "facts".

[justice4sale]

Of course Repubs think Sarah Palin will appeal to women voters, these are the same folks that believe Christian rock will appeal to rock fans and creationist science will appeal scentists.

[republic1776]

Some nurse their Babies on while on welfare.
Some Finish school with their mama''s still on welfare.
Thank you Democrats.
(You made an entire Generation "slaves" to you social programs, you bred new Generation of slave democrats)

[justice4sale]

Of course Repubs think Sarah Palin will appeal to women voters, these are the same folks that believe Christian rock will appeal to rock fans and creationist science will appeal scientists.

[justice4sale]

Of course Repubs think Sarah Palin should appeal to women voters, these are the same folks that believe Christian rock should appeal to rock fans and creationist science wshould appeal scientists.