Obama Reads Bracelet
I didn’t notice this last night.
In recent memory, every presidential debate eventually distills down into a few catchphrases. Al Gore became known for his sighs and love of lockboxes. John Kerry actually served in Vietnam. Dan Quayle was no Jack Kennedy.
Barack Obama has a bracelet, too.
That inartful comeback will likely filter out through the political ether in the days ahead. What might not filter through our partisan press is that shortly after pointing out that, like John McCain, he sports a bracelet given to him by a military family, Barack Obama had to stop and look down find out the name of the soldier he’s honoring.
That soldier is Ryan David Jopek. Barack Obama doesn’t appear to have known that fact.
Agreed. The fact he couldn’t immediately and clearly blast out the name of the guy whose bracelet he was wearing would indicate he’s doing it more as a “stunt” to appear more conservative.
I also noticed he now wears the flag pin.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 0955 hrs
I thought he was grasping for the name of the mother who gave it to him. I thought it was a nice and subtle way of breaking up the attempt by McCain to insinuate every vet and enlisted backs him.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 1320 hrs
As someone from Green Bay/NE Wisconsin I’m deeply offended by Obama’s “stunt”. He said he received it at a stop in Green Bay and yet he can’t even remember the name of this brave soldier. He was just in GB on Monday and played to a “packed house” (NOT!!!!) so the name should have been fresh in his memory. How much you want to bet he wasn’t even wearing the bracelet. What a cheap trick on the backs of our military.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 1518 hrs
I guess that this is what it boils down to when you know your candidate is crashing and burning. Obama has shown more knowledge on foreign policy than McCain and the rest will be history.
Did anyone catch the Sarah Palin interview with Katie Couric? You must have seen it and probably why you don’t want to bring it up.
That fat lady is doing her voice warmups!!!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 1711 hrs
To be fair, Barack stumbled over McCain’s name a few times, too.
Posted by tee bee on September 27, 2008 at 1833 hrs
I thought it was a nice and subtle way of breaking up the attempt by McCain to insinuate every vet and enlisted backs him.
Well there are no absolutes, but I’d say the numbers would statistically be.. well… over-friggen-whelming…
Did anyone catch the Sarah Palin interview with Katie Couric? You must have seen it and probably why you don’t want to bring it up.
You know I did… and you are the second libby lib who thinks it was some monumental catastrophe… Everyone else I talked to didn’t see the big deal… I guess perception is in the eye of the beholder.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 27, 2008 at 2107 hrs
Bracelet Gate.
I’ve watched that part of the debate countless times. At first I was laughing hysterically. Now I’m just embarrassed (a) for him for looking like a pre-teen girl, and (b) that our fellow Americans chose him to be a Presidential candidate.
Posted by Plunger Girl on September 28, 2008 at 0031 hrs
Bracelet Gate
I guess what is important is in the eye of the beholder.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 0331 hrs
I saw it and thought absolutely nothing of it. It could have been more effectively delivered, but it was a decent rejoinder to the “I have a bracelet” thing McCain does.
Overall, I didn’t find the debate any too shocking. Both candidates did just fine, but I think Obama is the one whose numbers are gaining because of it.
Posted by scott on September 28, 2008 at 1046 hrs
I noticed it at the time and to be honest I found Obama more sincere than McCain. Obama’s pause was consistent with his style through the debate, as he stopped to think from time to time. But McCain was pat and folksie to the point of insincerity. (If he really cares about our servicemen then why did he vote against increasing our pensions?).
Obama seems to genuinely care about our country and those that serve her, his record backs this up, and he’s has been wearing the pin for a long time btw.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 1128 hrs
Overall, I didn’t find the debate any too shocking. Both candidates did just fine, but I think Obama is the one whose numbers are gaining because of it.
scott, you predicted that Obama would “destroy” McCain. Yet now you say he “did just fine”. What happened?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 1152 hrs
Scott is being honest. I think both did well. The bracelet thing was odd but not a major big deal. Still, in my mind it was the gaff of the evening and too bad it was at the cost of a grieving family.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 1315 hrs
Obama was asked by the family of the soldier whose hame bracelet he wears not to wear the bracelet.
Guess that part slipped his mind.
Well, we all know that Obama would never lie about what they told him, right. Anyone? Bueller?
Posted by Don Meaker on September 28, 2008 at 1336 hrs
Oh, come on. I’m not even buying that. They gave him a bracelet, asked him to wear it, then asked him not to, and he mentioned it in his speech? No, I don’t buy it at all.
Christ, does everything have to be about nothing? Does it have to be about who wears whose bracelet and who has or doesn’t have a flag pin??
Yes, I said Obama would destroy McCain. I overstated the case for sure. I was wrong. In a more sober minded moment I would have probably said that both would do “fine,” gaffes and gotchas aside. And that’s pretty much what happened.
Although it does seem to be true that Obama’s numbers are benefitting from the debate, not McCain’s. Make of that what you will.
My prediction from months ago still stands: Obama wins and does so with a 5%+ margin in the popular vote.
Posted by scott on September 28, 2008 at 1404 hrs
does everything have to be about nothing?
Kind of have to agree with that - something that has to be pointed out “on replay” doesn’t really become some “memorable” quotation that will be cited in future years as defining the election or debate.
And thinking of Obama & military family connections, here’s something a little humorous at Obama’s expense, of course. Great song, too!
Barack Obama In Veggie Burger Hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XarnrGy0mVw
I totally missed “the uncle in the attic” story:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/26/politics/fromtheroad/entry4127479.shtml
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 1546 hrs
I’m slightly more in favor of the old dude than the secular messiah… And in fairness, I must admit that McCain has given up more for my country than I was called upon to give. But in this case, I’m more than a little irritated with both of them. Trotting out our casualties as an argument for either of these two is despicable. They are ghoulishly campaigning on the dead. While serving. I didn’t want my CIC to be a Joe hugger, and I didn’t want him to recklessly endanger my life or those of my fellow Rangers. I want a CIC that understands the grim reality of going to war, never does so lightly, and brings victory as quickly and efficiently as possible, as ruthlessly as nescisary. I have three friends listed on bracelets like those. I have no idea how many acquaintances are on them. Certainly more than a handful. The idea of them being used like this by these two…I really don’t think I have a polite phrase for it. Screw both of them.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on September 28, 2008 at 2103 hrs
There are reports now that the mother and family of the dead soldier (although they originally asked him not to publicize their son) are “delighted” Obama raised their son. I guess I can respect that even if my own way of dealing with loss is different.
Regarding the candidates: both are opportunistic politicians. I can also be an opportunist and recognize that Obamawhama is going to be a better option for me, materially, than gramps.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 01, 2008 at 0515 hrs
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