Obama Scratches Face. Paranoids attack.

[obamian]

This is in response to
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/obama_fingers_a_gotcha_debate.html
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/obamaflipsoffcl.html

Here's another angle of Obama scratching his face: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv_ku4c7Q8I
A clearer version of this video is available here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/355941 Go to 20:55.

[tkmorris]

1. Did I miss something?

I can't figure out why anyone would care if he scratched his face.

[obamian]

3. Taylor Marsh cares

http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27440

[LowerManhattanite]

12. Ah yes...“The Fluffer” n/t

[MadBadger]

4. They think he was giving the finger to Hillary.

[tkmorris]

5. Ah yes, I just saw another thread on that

Seems ludicrous to me, but then pretty much everything in GD: P has seemed ludicrous for at least a couple of months now.

[qanda]

2. He scratches his face often with one or two fingers

He does it later in the video, but on the other side. It does look like he's giving her the finger when you look at it from the front, but then again-- she deserves it!

[napoleon_in_rags]

6. The scarier thought to me is that he was NOT flipping her off...

And that crowd broke into cheers because he said Hillary "in her element" and paused to scratch his face. That would be be the more scarier possibility. :)

[Bongo Prophet]

18. So, after I correct you on thinking it WAS a flipoff, you change to say it's "more scarier"

That's pretty funny!
She was in her element, that is true.
But I like her better showing her skills at policy and her ability to access facts than her ability to sling mud.
To me, this doesn't show her at her best.

We each respond to what we respond to, I guess.
And she is running out of options, at this late stage.
Cheers!

[cboy4]

7. If you watch the entire speech on the Baltimore

Sun website, he is very playful with the crowd.

He talks about Hillary twisting the knife.

He gestures how you have to brush everything off, in a very, "screw you" like manner.

Totally cool.

But he was definitely in one of those moods where I could totally see him sliding her the finger in that particular "home stadium" element.

He may not have done it intentionally, but it looks like he's flipping her off with the classic middle finger slide on the face.

You'd have to be living on Neptune not to recognize it.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/04/obama_fingers_a_gotcha_debate.html

[obamian]

8. No, look at the ustream clip in op. It's pretty clear he didn't flip her off.

Also, look (from other parts of the stream) at how far away the people behind him that were shown on T.V. There's in no way they could have determined if Obama flipped her off or not.

[jordi_fanclub]

9. Exactly!

[obamian]

10. I think he is greasing his finger to easily turn pages of his prepared text.

Or scratching, but not flipping the bird.

[SunsetDreams]

11. I guess people continue to think there is only one person with a video camera

at these events, and not more than one with a different angle at precisely the same spot.

Once again manufactured outrage that is purely pathetic.

[tishaLA]

13. I honestly cannot believe people have gotten this

desperate. Has it really sunk this low?

[SunsetDreams]

14. looks like it...sad really

[ecdab]

15. Yes it has. Thanks Hillary for all the stupidity you bring out in people.

[mirrera]

16. I woke up smiling cause I was sure he fipped her off...

I had just posted the vid on my blog and as I watched it I stopped it and rewound it and called my husband over. We are both big supporters and hated the debate. We laughed so cracked up when we watched it again! I was hoping no-one else would pick up on it, but of course DU already had a thread about it. If he did it, it was well done because it is unprovable and well deserved. If he didn't... well he didn't. My mother-in-law always pushed her glasses up with her middle finger... or did she? There are some Obama supporters that are enjoying imagining that he sent an appropriate message to Senator Clinton. After the crap he took, the bird says it all.

[rucky]

17. and so begins "fingergate" n/t