He gives some looooooong winded answers.

Sigh. I rolled my eyes when I saw that. I knew it was going to get taken out of context.

This is what passes for politics in America.

He gives some looooooong winded answers. -Viceroy

The issues are complicated and deserve more than lip service and soundbytes. The fact that Obama is thoughtful is one of his most attractive qualities as a candidate.

Obama needs to stop assuming that people understand what he's saying and start being unambiguous about what he's saying. In other words, he needs to understand that people WILL take quotes out of context and start giving them less ammunition.

Look this will be red meat for the wingnuts and a distraction and an annoyance for the rest of us. Faced with this quote we should yawn and change the topic to issues or the competence of the GOP.

Better yet let's ask them want McCain meant in his acceptance speech when he said Palin works with her hands and nose. Did he subconsciously reveal that he thought she was a brown noser? They'll say he misspoke. The retort is precisely.

WTF is Stephanopoulos doing feeding the beast about all this faith BS? If George is trying to do his best being a right-wing troll, he's succeeding.

Agreed with some of the other posters -- Obama needs to understand that brevity is his friend.

Exactly, rege. Not to mention Tom Ridge's mention of "John Bush" when he meant McCain. If they want to play the gaffe game, we've got ammunition.

I knew that was coming when I saw it on TW. I just knew it.

I was appalled at the questions, rudeness, and interrupting that Stephanopolous did. He was just awful, and terribly disrespectful. Especially compared to his most recent interview of McCain. I just knew that Obama's mistake would become a sound bite.
I let ABC know what I thought of that interview.

My crappy, soon-to-be-replaced computer has no sound (the sound card died two weeks ago) -- what did Obama say and how was it taken out of context?

Barack needs to get it down to 5-second sound bites. One of the talking heads (can't remember who) today said that no one is interested in solutions, they just want to know that you understand the problem. She or he was right.

SHORTER, PITHIER ANSWERS, BARACK!! Everyone knows you've got the smarts, now you have to be a confident fighter!

Yeah, the clip bothers me. We all know how this will go-- viral, then the MSM will just *have* to cover it. Sigh. Getting discouraged.

*

Wow, lots of hyperventilating in here. Folks, chill the fuck out.

We watched the entire interview. Obama's answers were very good on almost everything.

Yes, he doesn't give quick answers, but that's what many people like about him. He's thoughtful, and he doesn't accept the premise of the question in many cases.

You know why McCain is able to give quick answers? Because he's LYING.

Jake - It's not the interview that most of us are worried about.

It's the 13-second clip that most people will probably end up taking away from it, igniting this whole stupid debate again and possibly dominating any story on Obama up to the election.

It's a slip up that might end up costly if it's not debunked quick, fast, and often, because you know it's going to be used as ammo against Obama. :/

When commenter mhr first began posting on the Political Animal blog, many suggested that he was a depraved child molester and pederast. Others, realizing that his NAMBLA membership had expired a few years ago, determined that he was most likely not abusing children anymore. So be it. But don't expect people who have strong suspicions about him based on his past history of Man Boy Love to stop the attacks. It would be irresponsible for those of us who have concerns to NOT make these accusations.

John McCain doesn't know the difference between Sunni and Shia.

He doesn't know which faction in Iraq is supported by the Iranians.

He doesn't know the geographical location and relationship of Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.

He doesn't know that Chechoslovakia no longer exists.

Every now and then, Barack Obama says something that, on second thought, could have been said better. Every now and then, he has what we used to call a slip of the tongue, or a brain freeze.

Every now and then, actually quite frequently, John McCain says something that reveals him to be a truly ignorant human being. Or maybe just a confused human being who really needs Joe Lieberman by his side to keep him straight.

Great slip.

Republicans are suck asswipes -- that's an easy clip to distort.

Guarantee they spread the word via the backdoor circuits -- can't look like McCain is pushing the slip-up but that's going to be in the blogs fast.

Obama just needs to start calling them liars. Liars who lie. And then the Reps can counterattack but Obama needs to point out that not being able to prove it wasn't a lie is admitting they lie about almost everything.

It's the 13-second clip that most people will probably end up taking away from it, igniting this whole stupid debate again and possibly dominating any story on Obama up to the election.

I understand what people are concerned about Kryptik, but this is piles of nonsense. It's ridiculous to suggest that an out-of-context quote is going to cause Obama to lose the election. People are really showcasing their lack of intelligence when they suggest that.

Who's going to be swayed by such a clip other than the morons who are already voting for McCain? C'mon man.

If there is any clip that shows Sen. Obama equivocating about his Christian faith and sympathizing with Islam, it will be replayed by the MSM over and over with editorial comment to ensure the viewers understand the message.

If anyone sent a real person that 13 seconds out of context and tried to make a lamebrain point, the creep would just be laughed away. Have a little trust in real people. The rightwing creeps are a small minority.

What does the 30-second clip say?

Watched entire interview.. still could never figure out what "CHANGE" meant, liberal tax and spend verses conservative do noting policies?? Sounds like the same old songs to me..

Funny I hear about Obama and his tax cuts that would be appreciated by 95% of the taxpayers, with earnings under $250k per year.

Odd he never mentions the AMT (alternative min tax) that manages to snag everyone with income of $90k or more.

AMT hasn't been adjusted for inflation since its beginings over 20 years ago.

More and more people are falling into its trap..

What does the 30-second clip say?

You mean 13 sec clip? This is the main part:

"John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith."

You know, my boyfriend ~ dyed in the wool lefty ~ referred me to this site so I could understand the left better. On this blog I am reading profanity, insults and pretty hatin' language with nary a smidgen of analysis. To a person these comments make you sound ignorant, insular, exculsionary, uneducated. Has anyone actually taken time to do some research and lift the argument out of the gutter?...

scruge typed: "AMT hasn't been adjusted for inflation since its beginings over 20 years ago."

I wonder what scruge thinks the annual ritual of "patching" the AMT is all about.

--TP

I saw the interview, and I knew that sound bite was going to hurt.

If it's only on the internet, maybe the damage will be minimal.

But I wonder if anyone will play it on TV? I think that would be more dangerous.

As we speak, lots of the goons are probably trying to figure out how to use it. Out of context, I mean.

What do you think - will it get played on Fox? Maybe Hannity?

If someone uses it in a commercial - ouch.

Aw shit - Obama just gave FoxNews fodder to use from now until November....

Also, every time someone says we shouldn't underestimate the American public, well, do I have to remind you that George Dumbya Bush was RE-ELECTED??

If Obama loses in November, it'll be for one reason and one reason only: His utter incapacity to answer questions with short declarative sentences.

"In the Middle," why don't you give us your analysis? Please, tell us specifically what you were looking for when you came here. Any blog I read (full disclosure: Andrew Sullivan and Cunning Realist are as far right as I go) contains comments that range from very thoughtful, cogent, and articulate to frustrated, profane rants. But, these people have made up their minds. If you are truly "IN the Middle" and undecided, why not tell us what you need to make up yours? Or, perhaps you have already done so but can bring yourself to say it outloud?

This post expresses frustration about an undead attack on Obama as some sort of "secret Muslin." This is a line of attack that he and others have debunked time and again. It says nothing about how he will govern this country, yet this deep into the process, George Stephanopolous treats it as if it is something new and unanswered. This is not "issues based" questioning. So, yes, I find it worthy of scorn. BTW, I think it is demeaning to a religion and the hundreds of thousands of my fellow citizens who choose to practice it. But, maybe from your perch in the middle of things, this is of value to you?

I am so very sick and tired of George Stephanopoulos pretending to be a serious journalist. His "gotcha" interviews only serve to show him as one of the most unprofessional agenda-slanted people in the business. Don't we all remember that he took talking point suggestions from Sean Hannity (the stupidest carbon-based life form on the planet) during that last primary debate with Hillary Clinton.

Obama's answers HAVE to be long and drawn out, as it is probably necessary to speak slower so that George can keep up. I have no idea how we managed to fall into an opinion/agenda based news media but it has really grown weary.

In the middle,

I can't help but notice that you're violating Drum's law while commenting on Political Animal. Hilarious.

Honestly, I read all of the comments preceding yours and the article itself and found nothing to really support your complaint.

Tell me, do you have an opinion on the article, or are you only trying to derail the conversation from your soapbox?

If Obama loses in November, it'll be for one reason and one reason only: His utter incapacity to answer questions with short declarative sentences.
Posted by: Callimaco

Shorter Callimaco: Me stupid. Me need short answer. Me no like to think. Me no like thinkers.

Idiot.

If only Obama knew Victor Borge's system of phonetic punctuation. We all know there are quotes around "Muslim faith", but they're not audible.

Screamin' Demon - If you knew who I actually am, you'd realize how pathetically stupid and off-base your response is.

I'm quite comfortable with smart long answers. And I happen to be a professional thinker, of a sort.

But I also know that people like me are very rare. Call me an intellectual elitist if you like, but I am correct.

I stand by my assessment.

In context, Sen. Obama's statement makes total sense. He was talking about "his Muslim faith," as created by the right wing.

Of course, the clip will probably make the rounds on right wing emails, but it's not like any thinking person could misunderstand what Obama was saying.

Then, Callimaco, you will agree that when Obama wins in November, it will be because he talks to the voters not in simplistic terms but in real people terms.

Actually, this time I agree with those who say that the answer was too long and convoluted. I think that's precisely what led to the slip up. It seemed to me that, possibly because of the constant interruptions, Obama couldn't quite make his mind up in which direction he wanted to take the argument. So he went hither and yon and tripped up in the middle. I thought he could have just said something along the lines of "when people in the media started attacking Palin's family, I immediately objected (he said that; so far, so good) but, when the same media attack me, also on personal issues, McCain remains mute. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. McCain seems to have a double standard"

I was disappointed with this answer. I had watched the clip of his interview with O'Reilly and he never veered from his thought-path. Patient and persevering -- despite interruptions -- and, while thoughtful, also quite clear. Here, he was not.

OT and none of my business, really, but...

Callimaco, which one did you take your handle after -- the Greek or the Italian (or neither)? I've noticed it before, because the Italian one (Filippo Buonaccorsi) had, of course, a very strong connection to Poland...

Right on Callimaco, and others for pointing out the obvious. How the fuck are we going to win this election with performances like that on This Week? I thought McCain did pretty well on Face the Nation. This weekend was a disaster for the Dems, they had to come out swinging to take the GOP off message and just the opposite happened. I expecte to see McCain go up significantly in the polls this week. All the momentum will be on his side.

How can Obama be so pathetic? At least the Dems will take more house and senate seats.

This clip will do nothing towards helping Obama lose the election--he already lost it with the two-faced San Francisco quote about Americans who: "...cling to religion and guns..." Tsk, tsk.

And then there was his famous JUST A GOVERNOR speech in derision of Palin: "Just a Governor--err...um..um..duly elected and embued with executive office? Just a Governor--ahh...um...and executive of a weeny state? Just a Governor--(silence while the image of a God-fearing female enters the imagination) and not an Annenberg elitist (the kind that dare not speak its name), etc..." Yawn. Must the Democrats always take us back to the lecture hall?

I'll just chalk it up to inexperience.

Hope he does better negotiating with Iran.

It's the 13-second clip that most people will probably end up taking away from it, igniting this whole stupid debate again and possibly dominating any story on Obama up to the election.

I understand what people are concerned about Kryptik, but this is piles of nonsense. It's ridiculous to suggest that an out-of-context quote is going to cause Obama to lose the election. People are really showcasing their lack of intelligence when they suggest that.

Who's going to be swayed by such a clip other than the morons who are already voting for McCain? C'mon man.

Jake, I think I understand what you mean, not that out-of-context quotes cannot turn an election, but that voting based on an out-of-context quote is ridiculous.

but there is no way to account for the success of the jokes on Obama being messianic without knowing that his statements to House leaders after Germany were taken out of context.

Obama has never acted or spoken as though he thinks he is Moses. Quite the contrary.

The fact is that the smears against Obama fly, not unlike how they flew against Clinton.

He knows it, and it is causing him to be overly careful, which slows down his delivery all the more.

but after watching this clip, I think the greatest threat Obama may represent is the one to shock jocks like Stephanopoulos.

If they have to start hearing out thinkers like Obama, they're screwed.

Didn't Stephanopoulas work for Bill Clinton? Could he be out to get Obama?

First of all: I don't think George Stephanopoulas was out of line. This is how the MTP style works and it's been adopted across the board. You don't wait, you interupt if you think you're about to get a bullshit line. Here at least I think Stephanopoulas did Obama a world of good by jumping in and calling the gaffe and allowing him to correct.

It's like Biden eventually calling Obama "Osama", it's a slip that was statistically likely to happen and they've got fuel for the internet, viral smears, and a commercial. That's life. It's the risk taken when nominating Obama and it's the fact that at the end of the day he's got to get crisper to avoid traps like this.

I'm very worried about this election. It's taken a turn and in order to recapture mommentum Obama-Biden need to do something dramatic. Hard to accomplish with the 9/11 tribute this week.

Personally I'd like to live in a world where it didn't matter what Obama's religious preferences were... what exactly would be the problem with a Muslim president? A Christian faith is apparently no guarantee of Christian behavior (or even remotely ethical behavior).

You know, my boyfriend ~ dyed in the wool lefty ~ referred me to this site so I could understand the left better. On this blog I am reading profanity, insults and pretty hatin' language with nary a smidgen of analysis. To a person these comments make you sound ignorant, insular, exculsionary, uneducated. Has anyone actually taken time to do some research and lift the argument out of the gutter?...

There is quite a bit of analysis on this blog. However, you must understand it's the internet so whether you're on a political blog site, a community forum or any other digital information outlet, you're going to get top tier responses as well as the bottom of the barrel. With that said, I can refer you to plenty of conservative sites that don't have nary a smidgen of analysis - the type that connects Obama with Hitler through warped logic (and this is coming from the blogger, not even the posted comments).

I believe the posts from Steve and Hilzoy are pretty good. They do their homework and blow the whistle when they see non sequitor, hypocritical or any other type of political argument that the right side of the isle puts out. Their analysis is pretty solid. If you're looking for comment responses of high caliber from random contributors who happens to have an internet connection, it's like sifting through muck to find gems. This is true of pretty much all public forums.

What also doesn't help are they right wingers who post random statements that fire up the regulars on these boards. They will make comments like "Obama is a Muslim". This really grinds people's gears and you'll get the responses that not thoroughly baked, and come across as heated and indignant. Now, those right winger posters are doing exactly what they set out to do, stir the pot and create disarray among the community here. Most of the arguments on both sides, left and right, cannot be proven or disproven since they come from two separate schools of thoughts. They only way to end these disputes is to bring it to the voting booth because debate won't solve the differences at this point. The facts are out there, make up your mind and bring your heart with you when you vote. You'll make the right choice for you.

I'm going with Viceroy.

Can not this vaunted campaign team find someone to teach the "intelligent" Obama how to answer questions on TV?

My God. Georgie gave his such an opening on veterans, and how does he start his response? I'll tell you, he says (I kid you not), "Well, this is one area where John McCain and I disagree."

Oh.

You don't agree.

Never would have thought it.

How about, "As you know George, John McCain voted against the Veterans bill. Against education benefits that would really allow them to get an education. I'm surprised that as a veteran himself [I'd add snark here like "who has identified himself by his military service"] can be so cavalier about the needs of the men and women coming back from Iraq. Where he and GWB sent them on a war that turned our attention away from the real villians of 9/11 -- bin Laden and the Taliban who were shielding him."

I mean come ON. HOW HARD IS IT!! Even ReThug clones like Sarah Barracuda can rip this stuff off.

Jeebus H. Crike

"Exactly, rege. Not to mention Tom Ridge's mention of "John Bush" when he meant McCain. If they want to play the gaffe game, we've got ammunition.'

I liked the representative from Ohio who was one of the introducers of "our nominee Sarah Pawlenty."

Think she had learned her speech a few days too early?

Steve:

Not sure if this was mentioned, because I did not go through the comments...

If you could do this type of pre-emptive/full context deals in the future that would be great. I was able to quickly supply that YouTube clip to someone that of course supplied the cut version that looked more incriminating.

great points, CalGal.

but take a look a Obama's delivery at the 2004 convention, or even the South Carolina victory, versus today.

I think he's getting too careful. I may be biased, as I've seen this syndrome in other brilliant African-Americans who think that they have to be perfect.

the more they are unfairly attacked, the more careful they get.

we're witnessing a tragedy.

Of course, as another poster pointed out, if he had written down what he had said here, the words "Muslim faith" would be surrounded by quotations. Since he was speaking, and not writing, he should have included the word "supposed" before "Muslim".

That's my fear, too, redwood.

OMG... remember Palin and her "scam" pregnancy to cover for her daughter just 7 days ago???... you people can sure dish it out but you just can't take questions from the other side....

And the excuse is long winded answers? So, in the middle of crisis, how long will it take to spit out a decision? This isn't the first speaking gaffe - but one of many. In one city when the teleprompter went out he couldn't speak a sentence to save his life - and he was talking about the environment. Is Biden going to have to speak for him??

I just want to know why Stephanopoulos corrected him. He would not have corrected McCain. Almost like they had been rehearsing the whole thing.

And the excuse is long winded answers? So, in the middle of crisis, how long will it take to spit out a decision?

As long as it takes to make the correct decision. The idea that it's good policy to have "the decider" politician shoot from the hip for every circumstance is nothing short of folly. We've seen what "gut instinct" decisions from an out of touch politician can do. Frankly, I trust Obama's judgement in a time of crisis. If you really want me to elaborate I will.

And the answer Obama gave with Stephanopolous was less than two minutes long. That's long winded for a campaign issue? So the average American's attention span is what? 2-4 seconds? No wonder nothing ever gets done in Washington, they're only allowed less than 30 seconds to speak and make a case for their policy or position, otherwise it's time to yawn and nod off.

Bloggers discovered in several days what McCain never even looked for and the press will studiously ignore.

Bloggers have 'discovered' and recited how McCain completely supported Bush and the media will not report that.

Bloggers have reported how McCain showed strong narcissism at his convention and Palin is more like Bush, but the media only said Palin was a hit and that ticket is 'back in the game' with a huge viewership. What they ignored was that Palin IS a lot like Bush and the viewership was a carry-over from a football game.

Bloggers are reporting on McCain's psychological outbursts and how some of his Republican peers are worried he might be elected. The media ignores it completely.

The media is not reporting one-tenth of what the Bloggers are finding and reporting (after some analysis).

So, don't go barking about the occasional profanity. There's real meat here, not the rabid puffball the Republicans are offering America this year.

I saw the interview which I thought went very well until Obama said "my muslim faith". Limbaugh is going to use this tomorrow on his radio show to say that this is a Freudian slip. Limbaugh is going to beat the hell out of this. Mark my words.

Stephy is correct that McCain hasn't said that Obama is Muslim. BUT, he does associate with the people who do say that he is Muslim.

To those complaining about "long answers", just imagine how they the people who say "SEE! HE HAS CONFESSED TO BEING A MUSLIM!!!" would say "WE DON"T KNOW WHAT HE STANDS FOR BECAUSE HE GIVES US NO SUBSTANCE!!!"

Oh, wait... they've already been saying that.

It's rather a pointless exercise to worry about which words the right-wing noise machine is going to lather and drool about. The correct response is to hit back hard and with the truth. Preferably with wit and humor.

It's quite obvious when watching the video that Obama looks tired, so it was only natural to flub.

One can only wonder if those 3 AM calls from his pollsters are taking a toll on him.

I'm sure that the Republicans would like to help him with the problem by sending him on a long vacation.

I find it vaguely amusing that people whisper 'Obama is really a Muslim' as if it were some kind of insult. Frankly, I'd prefer if he were a Muslim.

-Z

When he’s improvising he is accident-prone. Remember the Obama ghost story a few months ago? He opened his Memorial Day speech in the aptly-named Las Cruces, New Mexico, with the spine-chilling words: "On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes - and I see many of them in the audience here today - . . ."

Of course he wasn't really seeing ghosts in Las Cruices, he just made a mistake. Same thing again this time, just a mistake. A lot of politicians make mistakes.

A lot of politicians tell lies too. Remember the "undivided Jerusalem" speech? He promised one thing to the Israelis and then sent a sidekick to go and tell the Palestinians that what Obama really meant, when he said "undivided Jerusalem", was an Israeli West Jerusalem and a Palestinian East Jerusalem.

Or when he made a speech about Canada and NAFTA and sent another sidekick to explain to the Canadians that it was just ... just what? A mistake? Or a lie?

So a lot of politicians make mistakes, and a lot of politicians tell lies too. Obama's a politician. Just like McCain, Palin, Biden and good ole George Dubya.

Dead Link FTL

Zorro,
You said: "I find it vaguely amusing that people whisper 'Obama is really a Muslim' as if it were some kind of insult. Frankly, I'd prefer if he were a Muslim."
You are missing the point. If he's lying about his religion, what else is he lying about?

What IS amazing is that Obama loves to blame Fox news for smearing him but he doesn't seem to mind CNN, MS"DNC" or ABC,NBC, CBS, New York Times liberal media sorts smearing McCain, Palin, McCain's wife, etc... Where is he in pointing out their unabashed bias and misrepresentations? He is such a BABY and cries whenever he feels someone has cost him a point. How Sad. He probably is a muslim masquerading as a Christian. What's more important is that 1.6 million babies are aborted each year in the US and he doesn't care a lick about that and as a matter of fact would LOVE to see more die. FOCA will be the first bill he passes so that no woman has to be "punished" with a child. He will be the beginning of the end of the country if elected.