Michelle Obama: "I'd have to think about" supporting nominee Clinton

[bidenista]

Run time: 00:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOVHf9HPEJM   Posted on YouTube: February 04, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 04, 2008 By DU Member: bidenista Views on DU: 2520

 
Unity with Republicans has been a big message of the Obama campaign, but this vid doesn't suggest much will for unity with Dems if the primaries don't go Obama's way.

[shayes51]

1. As arrogant as her husband.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Does she chew?

[kikiek]

3. And they campaign on unity? That is disgusting. Talk about tone. The more I know about Obama the

less I like what I see. They are tearing the party apart. And if we don't get one of them in this time we are screwed.

[russian33]

4. wel, that's good to know

as people have said, imagine if Bill said that if asked about Obama? all hell would break loose

[displacedtexan]

5. Yikes!

That's scary.

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. And????????? So would I, as would any thinking voter. You guys

don't get that there are huge swaths of people who just don't care for her, and really can't explain why. I happen to be one of them. And as for the Obama's tearing the party apart? Hyperbole much?

[kikiek]

14. Great then you don't want our votes either. That takes a load off my mind. I don't like him.

I don't trust him. I don't like his wife now either.

[Tarheel_Dem]

25. do what the hell you want? that's what I'll be doing.

I guess you've missed the many posts declaring that if Obama's the nominee, the poster will vote for McCain? People have to follow their own hearts, and no loyalty oaths required? MMMMkay?

[shaniqua6392]

7. Mrs. Obama claimed in a 2004 magazine article

that Hillary was one of the women she most admired. I thought the most important thing was "unity" with the Obama's?? Does that only apply to Republicans? I bet if you asked Bill that same question, he would answer that he could vote for Obama because the party must stay unified behind the nominee. I think we are getting tricked by the Obama campaign and I am afraid of what we will really get.

[tblue37]

27. Bill has already said that if Obama is the nominee he will work to help

him get elected--though he said of course he doesn't expect that Obama will be the nominee.

I am appalled that Michell Obama would say this.

I am an Edwards supporter who leans toward Obama now, but this remark gives me pause.

[sallyseven]

38. Michell Obama is a lawyer who worked for a

Hospital that raised the rates on uninsured and then put these people into bankruptcy and scared the hell out of them. Threatened them about payments. I think she is more of a repuk than her husband. They both are. She scares me. Listen to them they are not democrats. They will be just as bad as GWB.

[lakercub]

49. as bad as Bush?

Hospital that raised the rates on uninsured and then put these people into bankruptcy and scared the hell out of them. Threatened them about payments.
I will look this up, it sounds awful.

They will be just as bad as GWB
Complete crap. Please refrain from this sort of thing. It's empty-headed. Not a single candidate we put up, Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Kucinich, Gravel, etc., would be as bad as Bush. In fact, he is so bad that even the comparison is insulting. You know as well as I do Obama is 10000 times the person Bush is, as is Hillary. It's one thing not to like the guy, but that kind of statement is ludicrous. Bush is the worst president ever...do you really think Obama will be the worst president in almost 225 years? No, of course you don't.

[cooolandrew]

61. He's a former president massive difference, no-one expects Elizabeth Kucinich to campaign either.

[emilyg]

8. Where's the unity?

[va4wilderness]

9. Why was this clip cut off where it was? n/t

[bidenista]

10. go to the "good morning america" site to see it in full. nt

[Barack_America]

22. Because the next thing she said was that she would vote for Hillary.

This is a hack job.

[LiveLiberally]

11. I don't understand the reactions to this....

Michelle Obama was asked whether she would "work" on behalf of Hillary Clinton if she was the nominee. She didn't refuse, but merely said she would think about it. If this question were posed to Bill Clinton, would his response be any different? And would you blame him if it wasn't?? Can anyone name ANY spouse of a competitive primary candidate who later campaigned for the nominee in the general election (if their spouse wasn't on the ticket as VP)? Let's get real here.

[kikiek]

13. Yes it would have been different. They know the importance of this election. They aren't running

around supporting Republicans should Hillary lose the primary. The Obama's seem to be pretty full of themselves. I am starting to wonder if I can even vote for him.

[shireen]

18. agreed. lot of fuss over nothing. nt*

[onehandle]

12. I support the 2008 Democratic Presidential Nominee.

[Barack_America]

15. This appears to be incorrect information.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4386787

[DaveJ]

16. Horrible. I hope this was taken out of context.

She sounds like she's scolding Hillary for her 'approach' and 'tone' which to me sounds like it's getting personal.

[Barack_America]

21. This was taken out of context. It has already been debunked.

Please see the post below this one.

[Apollo11]

17. "Everyone in this party is gonna work hard for whoever the nominee is" - Michelle Obama.

I am watching the full interview on the ABC website.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4237864

Michelle was first asked to compare herself with Bill Clinton.

Then she was suddenly asked "do you see yourself working for Hillary Clinton?"

The question was not if she would vote for Hillary or support Hillary.

Still Michelle made it clear that "Everyone in this party is gonna work hard for whoever the nominee is".

At worst - she realised she had made a mistake and moved quickly to correct her answer.

To be fair let's ask Bill Clinton "Do you see yourself working for Barack Obama?"

Then we will see how quickly he says "Sure. I will be happy to do everything he asks me to do."

[cloud75]

48. she did not give a clear answer on whether she will support Hillary

she gave a very lawyerly answer. It's the same thing that people criticize Hillary for lawyerly answers. I'm not bashing Mrs. Obama i'm just sayin'.

[plantwomyn]

55. When you use quotation marks

please quote the statement correctly.
She was asked "could you see yourself working to support".
So, the question WAS if she would "support".
If you are going to debate a statement get it right.
BTW IMHO Bill Clinton is too smart a politician to make that mistake.

[golddigger]

19. Just what I thought, she's just as arrogant as her husband.

Hope, change, unity, all false slogans.:mad:

All I can say and yell know is...GOMAMA!:woohoo: :applause: :woohoo:

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. could it be that Michelle doesn't think Hillary represents any of

the things you just listed? Remember, as Democrats we deplore "lockstep" & "rubberstamp" politics. We have derided them for years now, all of a sudden we're supposed to fall in line? OMG.

[Texifornia]

31. No doubt Hillary and Bill

will be on the campaign trail for obama if he wins the nomination.

[roesch]

63. To be honest I am not sure

To be honest, I have voted for a Dem or Independent most of my life, but I have my doubts about Hillary, who I suspect has made too many deals and has around her too many of the folks I do not respect. I think that I will take the option of working in Europe for the remainder of my life rather than this country fast on its ways to third rate status.

[debbierlus]

20. Screw her & Obama

Entitled little brats. Nothing in his record indicates any coalition with true progressive aims. He is to the right of Clinton, & the progressive community chants hope.

Hillary is my LAST choice. (And, I have been sorely tempted to just sit this one out). However, Obama is a lil punk with nothing to garner him the nomination but the corporate powers that be repackaging his image. His arrogance & entitlement are all to reminiscent of Bush.

I have been holding back my disgust with him, trying to respect his followers because I want to be decent.

But, enough is enough.

[Laurab]

35. You've been holding back?

:rofl:


I've SEEN some of your anti-Obama posts - I'm not sure you can outdo them now that you're finished "holding back".

Also if you bothered to read the thread, the OP was incorrect, and taken out of context, as so many of them are these days. But, of course, you didn't, and my guess is it doesn't make a bit of difference to you.

[debbierlus]

43. Believe me. I have been holding back.

I still am.

Counting to one thousand.

[cooolandrew]

62. She has to think about it because if out the race she can have her life back.Bill is still political

[silverweb]

23. Using the same old distortional tactics, I see.

Given that most people won't take the time or trouble to look for and watch the whole 4-1/2-minute interview to get the full context of that single truncated statement, I've done the work for you.

The whole interview is to be found in the upper right-hand corner of _this page_. The section about "working to support" Hillary is just about three-quarters of the way through the interview. I've also transcribed the rest of Michelle's comments here:

Q: So could you see yourself working to support Hillary Clinton if she gets the nomination?

A: I'd have to think about that. I'd have to think about her policies, her approach, her tone...

Q: But that's not a given...

A: You know, everyone in this party is gonna work hard for whoever the nominee is. I think that, you know, we're all working for the same thing and, you know, our goal is to make sure that the person in the White House is going to take this country in a different direction. I happen to believe that Barack is the only person who can really do that.

She didn't say she wouldn't vote for Clinton if she wins the nomination. She said she'd "have to think about" the possibility of "working to support" her... presumably because her heart wouldn't be quite as much in it.

I feel exactly the same way and presume that's a pretty universal sentiment, no matter who your preferred candidate is. Anyone who says different either doesn't feel very strongly about their candidate or is a liar.

So what's the problem?

[Tarheel_Dem]

28. none...just another strawman

if this doesn't work, they'll come up with the next faux outrage. Nevermind the many posts around here of people saying they will never VOTE for Obama. If this sort of crap is what they need to validate their already distorted views of Obama, then so be it.

[azmesa207]

29. We all know

that the whole video is not there what we are saying it can be used in a sound bite by the republican in the election if Clinton get the nomination . It seem to me all the Obama supporters are quick to jump on Bill Clinton when sound bites are used against him and Hillary but when the opposite happens we are doing a big disservice to the Obama's .

[LaloBorges]

32. Flip-Flop, oh what a relief it is...

You are right, that was the question "So could you see yourself working to support Hillary Clinton if she gets the nomination?"

and the answer should have been "Yes, we must make sure that a Democrat gets in the white house...." or something like that, but instead she gave a negative answer to later correct (somewhat) herself. You see, after she said what she said, which is the true first reaction ("I may not support..."), then as she was translating her answer she realized that was not the correct answer so she back-peddled a little bit.

Obama has already said twice that he doesn't think his supporters will vote for Hillary, and if that is not divisive, then I don't know what is.

I do believe that Obama could make a good president eight years from now, and all he is going to do this time around, and has done as we can see from the posts in this blog, is create a division that we did not need and set the Democratic party up for a defeat in November.

I do hope I am 100% wrong.

[silverweb]

41. That's news to me.

"Obama has already said twice that he doesn't think his supporters will vote for Hillary...."

When and where? Links?

[I Miss RFK]

56. Links for Obama supporters who run away from every unpleasant fact about their candidate

He said it here, as he was reaching across the aisle to the Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by that Paragon of Civility and Bipartisanship, Pat Robertson who famously promoted the story that the Clintons were murderers and drug runners.

http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/23/late-nite-fdl-obama-suggests-his-supporters-wont-vote-for-hillary/

Oh, and then he said it again the day after the debate:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/01/629273.aspx

But as the bloggers at firedoglake have pointed out, Obama supporters have a never ending capacity to either ignore the lousy stuff about their candidate, or to tell you what he really meant, down deep, as if they had some special insight into his soul.

I'm not sullying myself with either of the frontrunning hacks. I'm voting for Edwards.

[kikiek]

42. I hope so too. Maybe someone doesn't want to wait 8 years.

Would rather go in 4. Starting to wonder. Not a good election for these type of strategies if that is what is going on. We are sunk without a dem in office this time I really believe it. Bush is working hard to form his legacy as the guy who destroyed FDR's. This type of commentary by his wife is so out of line in my book.

[Bretttido]

50. Thank you for posting her COMPLETE comments.

It's sad when fellow democrats crop a clip in an attempt to create a controversy.

[1776Forever]

24. There is so much frickin spin on DU today it is scary!!!! See the full video - Don't judge without

Verifying this crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4237864

:grr: :nuke: :grr:

[Divine Discontent]

47. this is "spin city" sister!

er... pardon the 'sister' comment, oh great Matriarch. but your point is very valid. unfortunately, the most spin (although that doesn't make it right) comes from about 10 Obama supporters who embarrass his candidacy here. there are several Clinton backers who make me do what your emoticons are doing in your post - explode! Anyhow, there's no question that Michelle has slipped up from time to time, like President Clinton has done so obviously.

They are so close to getting the nomination that each family is tripping over themselves in interviews with words they shouldn't say.

I sure miss Edwards getting his 2 minutes of time compared to each hour that these two get, at least there was hope for my party not kissing the GOP ass with him around.

Obviously, I'm none too excited about the prospects of a Clinton or Obama race, although, I will vote for either, even if I don't think they're the best, will you do the same?

[1776Forever]

54. No - that''s all I have to say on this as it is personal

[LiveLiberally]

30. IMHO Yet Another Non-Issue....

I just defended Hillary C. on another site for getting emotional at Yale today. Now I find myself completely bewildered by the visceral reaction to Michelle Obama's honest statement that she would have to think carefully before "working" (i.e. actively campaigning) for Hillary if she is the nominee. To my knowledge, no spouse of a defeated candidate has ever actively campaigned for a nominee. Does Michelle sound a bit bitter in her response? Yes. Is Bill bitter over some of the attacks on Hillary? Yes. Will Bill C., Michelle O., Elizabeth E., Jill B., Barbara R. etc... VOTE for Hillary if she is the nominee? Absolutely.

[BigD_95]

33. is she a Dem or not?

I mean if you lose you have to support the other person. Does she care what direction this country will go in? What a joke!

[Bretttido]

52. Sounds a little authoritarian to me

I didn't know that a democrat is not allowed to vote for a Republican and vise / versa.

[Stand and Fight]

34. I'm so sick of the duality of this campaign.

It's fine and dandy for Obama's campaign to say something like this, but it's not kosher if the Clinton's had done the same. I grow ever more committed to seeing Hillary Clinton elected with each attack -- this little business just elevated that commitment and introduced a strong desire to see Obama campaign go down. There was a certain arrogance and vindictiveness in her tone that I don't care one iota for... She should have THOUGHT about her answer before blurting something out and then trying to backtrack. The media will likely report the misstep more loudly than her follow-up thoughts.

Flame away Obamamites. :evilgrin:

[Barack_America]

36. Check out this example of unity.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4388367

Criticism warranted?

[kikiek]

37. Actually those who said they would vote for him outnumber those who said they won't.

[Barack_America]

39. Michelle Obama said unequivocally that she would VOTE for Clinton...

It's her "support" that everyone here is criticizing. Whether or not she would work for her campaign.

I suggest you watch the full video before drawing your own conclusions.

This poll points out that the majority of Clinton-supporting DUers would NOT support Obama's campaign. So, in my opinion, they don't have much right to criticize Michelle here.

[Bretttido]

53. Don't bring up polls like this from fellow DUer's

It will derail the op's point!

[rust1d]

40. Not her time...

I'd vote for Hillary if she gets the nomination, but it is just not her time. Maybe in 2016 she'll be ready...

[Divine Discontent]

45. Obama may be ready in 2016

Hillary, although not desired by me to be the nominee, is more ready than Obama imho.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

44. K&R-- We have a right to know before it's too late!

We've done without checks and balances too long!
If people don't wake up soon,
we'll have a faux media created, celebrity as president.
We don't need another American Idol and we sure don't need anymore arrogance in the Whitehouse!

I wish more people would think hard before voting for Obama!
We've done without checks and balances too long!
I'm worried he'll be another pushover for the Republican party, drug and insurance companies.

Why did Obama say he would have Republicans in his administration?
How in the world will he change anything?

"in response to a newspaper investigation, he said he was unaware that his broker had bought $50,000 worth of stock in two speculative companies whose leading investors included some of his biggest political donors."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/13/wobama13.xml

--"This story is a big eye opener about Obama's philosophical commitment to health care.
His wife is earning $300,000 from a hospital administration job that essentially amounts to PR work--
--"Chicago University Hospital Regularly turns away patients with no health insurance and made numerous patient dumping settlements."

"Community Outreach" director/VP was to get unpaid volunteers to go through the Emergency ward to "refer" uninsured and non emergency patients to other clinics.
Her role at the UCH seems to be a polite way to have folks removed from the waiting rooms."
"She provides a happy friendly famous face for denial of care and showing the indigent the door."
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_opinion_letters/2006/10/hospital_positi.html

[ElsewheresDaughter]

46. what a shame.....such smugness and arrogance

[LaurenG]

51. So since she's saying she'll think about it that makes her arrogant

I think we all see and hear what we want, everyone is (over) reacting to anything and everything as long as it's not their candidate...

Maybe because I'm not thrilled with either Clinton or Obama this is meaningless to me. Kind of like Clinton coughing so hard her eyes watered. What is the big deal?

[pauldg0]

57. Edwards wasn't ...

....arrogent. But Obama and Hillary both are...sighhh....

[peoli]

58. I'd have to think about it too.

[McCamy Taylor]

59. Obama has made this an issue with his veiled threats to pull a "McCarthy 1968" if he loses. When

he says that Hillary's Dems will vote for his but he can not promise that his people will vote for her, what he is saying is that he will not get out there and stump for her. Because face it---if she were to offer him the VP spot, he would bring all his voters with him. And the Democratic turn out would be tremendous. The entire base would be out in full force this November.

But if he gets cute and decides "I will take my delegates with me and spoil Hillary's chances and let McCain win and let him screw up the country then I can come back in 4 years and run again" like some people may be advising him---if he does that, he will be in the same boat Gene was in 1972. He will be washed up.

So, I hope that Obama and his wife are not even thinking about it. Because he is only "fresh and new" one time.

:dem:

[cooolandrew]

60. No spouse has ever worked for the rival neither will those that dropped out.She says will VOTE HRC.