Obama: "Why are you yelling?!"

[flvegan]

September 30, 2007

Regular Buzz readers know dignified political discourse isn't always our specialty, but tonight was something else. Barack Obama's campaign rejected our request for three minutes of his time before raising money in St. Pete tonight. That pledge to party leaders in IA, NH, SC, and NV allows him to raise FL money but not actually campaign in America's biggest swing state. So here was tonight's absurd exchange, as Obama left a waterfront mansion in St. Pete after a $1,000 per person fundraiser. Shouting at the top of my lungs from the street maybe 100 feet away, as Obama walked to his vehicle:

Me: "Senator, what's your position on a national cat fund!" (No Response) Senator, can we talk to you about the Everglades!. (No response, only uncomfortable silence from everyone in shouting distance) Senator! If you'll only talk to people writing $1,000 checks, why should Florida Democrats support you?! (More silence) Will you take any questions!?"

Obama (shouting back): "Why are you yelling?"

Me: "Because you won't let me talk to you! Will you talk about a national cat fund!?"

Obama: "I'm not allowed to talk to the press, guys!"

Me: "Isn't it up to you?!"

Obama: "Nope!"

Me: "Aren't you the guy trying to lead the country?!"

Obama: "I signed a pledge!"

Me: "Why?! (Silence) Why!?"

And then Barack Obama hopped in his SUV and departed from his final fundraiser of the quarter, en route to Miami for more money-raising.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/09/obama-why-are-y.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. LOL! He kept his word.

[seemunkee]

2. I'm dense this AM, what is a national cat fund?

[flvegan]

9. Mega-catastrophe fund

[groovedaddy]

3. National Cat Fund?

What in the hell is that?

[TwilightGardener]

4. Just a guess, it's a fund for natural catastrophes (like hurricanes, in Fla)?

[Connie_Corleone]

6. I thought it had something to do with cats. LOL!

[TwilightGardener]

12. Kitties! Where do I send my check?

:-)

[robinlynne]

44. me too. thought it might be to save wildlife. (cougars? panthers?)

[King Coal]

5. If it's to make Catwoman rich, I'm all for it.

[Lasher]

8. I heard it was a pension fund for prostitutes.

[MNDemNY]

13. Milk rights.

[zanne]

7. I wouldn't answer snarky questions, either.

I have a feeling there's more to this than you're letting on.

[Pirate Smile]

10. One thing always flashes through my brain every time I see a thread or article or news story on

this issue - "Butterfly Ballot".

[MADem]

11. What's a cat fund? Are we talking MEOW or something else?

Frankly, and I am an undecided voter (be assured I am not carrying Obama water or anyone else's at this point in time, save Gore's, if he jumps in) I don't blame the guy.

Reagan was a master of "I can't hear you" and he did it for a reason. It's way too easy for someone to take your words out of context, especially when your people don't have a camera on you so that the FULL exchange can be verified.

Also, it's undignified as hell to be bellowing across the street. It ain't "Presidential" and Obama already has a cross or two to bear on that score, thanks to people who worry about things like age, race, and that curious 'all-inclusive' gripe they call 'experience.'

Ergo, you may not like this, but I give Obama the thumbs-up for first, acknowledging the questioner (others might have ignored them totally) and second, refusing to engage. The venue (out in the street--which his SS detail wouldn't appreciate--get the guy to stop, and someone with nefarious ideas could do something terrible) stunk, he had a schedule to maintain, and it's rude to be late.

[TwilightGardener]

15. Yep--you said it. He handled it well.

[MethuenProgressive]

14. His inexperience is showing again.

Obama: "I'm not allowed to talk to the press, guys!"
Me: "Isn't it up to you?!"
Obama: "Nope!"
Me: "Aren't you the guy trying to lead the country?!"
Obama: "I signed a pledge!"

Smile and wave, Obama Just smile, wave, and get in the limo.

[MADem]

16. He might have signed a pledge with the Secret Service

In exchange for their protection, which he needed because of credible threats that were made against him, he agreed to move between venues in the way that they specified--go directly to the transport, do NOT stop to chat with press or anyone else, get in and keep moving.

That's the sense I got.

With the candidates, they pretty much have to do what the SS says IF they choose to accept the protection. Once they become Prez, they can modify the protection and they have more say in how it is carried out.

[MethuenProgressive]

17. That's reallllllllllllllly a stretch, MAD

He probably just didn't
1) Know enough about the issues to respond, or
2) Know enough just to smile, wave, and get in the limo.

[TwilightGardener]

18. He politely ackowledged them, without saying anything--that's the mark of a pro.

[MADem]

21. Honest, it isn't. The SS will refuse to continue protection for a principal who refuses to

follow the game plan. They're quite shirty about it, too.

The two aspects may have dovetailed in that he might not have been totally up to speed on Fl's Catastrophe Plans (I wouldn't necessarily expect him to be, anyway) but I'll bet that's who he signed the pledge with...really.

And I'll bet more than a few reporters knew what he meant when he said it, too. Otherwise, the logical follow-up question would have been "What pledge? With whom?"

[jmp]

22. No, this is a Florida vs DNC thing.

The pledge he's referring to is the pledge not to campaign in Florida.

[MADem]

25. Well, there ya go, then. If he told the DNC he wasn't going to do pressers, then he was keeping his

word.

[Capn Sunshine]

43. But all the speculation before this was pretty typical of DU

If those -Republicans- Errrrrrr, Guys who run as Democrats to win Fla elections, can't handle things, they could always put in genuine Democrats to do their job.

[IA_Seth]

24. No

He, along with the others, have signed a pledge not to "campaign" in any of the states that jumped the allowed window set by the DNC..

I applaud Obama for not using this opportunity to break his pledge. I appreciate his standing by his word.

[Debi]

34. Seth, he broke the pledge earlier in the night and was chastised for it..

<snip>

After the fundraiser at Scarritt’s Hyde Park home, Obama crossed the street to take half a dozen questions from reporters waiting there.

The pledge covers anything referred to in Democratic National Committee rules as “campaigning,” and those rules include “holding news conferences.”

Obama seemed unaware of that. Asked whether he was violating the pledge, he said, “I was just doing you guys a favor. … If that’s the case, then we won’t do it again.”

That was less than a day after the pledge took effect Saturday, and Obama is the first Democratic presidential candidate to visit Florida since then.

<snip>

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/obama-hints-hed-seat-florida-delegation/

[IA_Seth]

40. Oh geez...

There I go trusting a candidate's word.. when will I ever learn?

So he was ok with answering some questions at one point this weekend, but dropped the 'pledge' line when it was convenient, and he didn't want to take any more questions?

[Debi]

41. I guess a cynic would see it that way....

Or an Iowan! ;)

[goodgd_yall]

39. This makes the OP clear to me.

I couldn't understand what the hell "the pledge" was and why Obama was being evasive. He did the right thing.

[robinlynne]

46. If that's the pledge then I'm all for it!

[robinlynne]

45. They don't have SS protection until after the primaries.

[Laurab]

49. Obama requested, and received, SS protection

perhaps he got threats or something, but he did request it, and it was approved some time ago. Maybe it was just the huge crowds, but I'd guess it was threats of some sort. At any rate, he DOES have SS protection - they make exceptions if they feel it's warranted.

[Auntie Bush]

23. See what happens when you take a PLEDGE?

That's why the three top contenders wouldn't take a pledge from fat face Tim Russert and pledge to not have troops in Iraq in 2013. Which they now distort and say they plan on having troops there till 2013. What a lie!

[MADem]

26. Did the other three take the DNC "no campaign" pledge? NT

[Debi]

35. Six of the eight did -

Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Obama and Richardson.

Since the pledge Clinton, Edwards, Obama and Richardson have done 'fundraisers' (which are not a violation in letter of the pledge, but certainly in the spirit of the pledge)in Florida (mixed with some grey aread campaigning).

Only Biden and Dodd have kept their word.

[ccpup]

19. Oh man

if this had been Hillary, I can only imagine the merciless drubbing she'd get.

[Ethelk2044]

47. bullshit. Hillary was down there a week later after she said she would not go

[ccpup]

52. (sigh)

I'm still not sure what you were referring to in your Post. Perhaps it wasn't directed at what I wrote? But just in case ...

The drubbing I was referring to was the one that would have come from DUers who would have twisted themselves into fits had she refused to answer a question shouted out to her from someone in the crowd. But with Obama, it's okey-dokey. That was the point I was trying to make. (note to self: be overly-clear in future posts)

DU: STILL the Home of Selective Outrage

[zulchzulu]

20. If Obama had talked about issues, it would or could be considered "campaigning"

I guess that isn't obvious to some blowholes.

[2rth2pwr]

29. You don't think he talked about any issues at

this fund raiser?

[madrchsod]

27. much to do about nothing

is`t there anything more important than obama following secret service instructions?

[LeftyMom]

31. the DNC runs the Secret Service now?

I swear to a non-existent deity this site is going to drive me to drink.

[MADem]

38. You can blame me for that.

If a candidate accepts SS protection, he or she has to do what they say. He can't hamstring them.

That possible reason for Obama's not stopping to talk was discussed further upthread. It's apparent now that the DNC is the main actor in this imbroglio.

So no, the DNC does not run the SS. But the SS is providing protection to the Senator in response to specific threats. Apples and oranges.

Have a gin fizz...

[madrchsod]

54. i was up close and personal--3 ft away from obama

when he was running for senate..he had his own security and a couple of guys that were ,well you would`t want to ask them who they were. he gave his speech shook some hands and when he was told it was time to go , he did. the dnc has nothing to do with his security now that he is running for president

[2rth2pwr]

28. "I'm not allowed to talk to the press, guys!" That's a good one

He has no chance in Florida

[hedgehog]

30. That poll won't mean squat if the DNC won't seat the Florida delgation.

[2rth2pwr]

32. The nominee has the power

to seat the delegation at the convention.

[Cameron27]

33. Yep

[Debi]

36. AFTER the nominee has been determined

If there is no nominee at the onset of the convention, Florida will have to wait until the voting is completed.

[hedgehog]

37. The delgation has the power to select the nominee.

If the split going into the convention is 35 - 30 -25 -10 then Florida's votes could tip the scale. If we get one delgation swinging one way and a second delgation swinging another, we're going to see a terrible fight that'l spilt the party all the way into November! Been there, done that, don't want to do it again!

[Enrique]

42. why does Obama hate cats?

[jillan]

48. I watched one of his campaign events in Iowa that was televised on C-Span

Some little old man followed him through the crowd trying to get Obama to answer his question.

Obama never did. He just shook hands, signed autographs en route to his SUV waiting for him.

Not cool.

[Tyler Durden]

50. He's added to the list....

Clinton, Obama....

I'm not looking for another question dodger. FUCK the "Pledge." What is this? "American Idol" or the most important election in 50 years?

[ripple]

51. There is obviously more to the story than this blogger is telling.

Read the comments below the article for more info from people who were there.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

53. I can't believe a major Presidential candidate

wouldn't answer questions from some random blogger yelling at him as he's on his way to another engagement. Who does Obama think he is??


:eyes: