Reuters: Obama distances himself from campaign's criticism of Palin

[highplainsdem]

http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/08/29/obama-distances-himself-from-campaigns-criticism-of-palin/

MONACA, Pennsylvania - Barack Obama distanced himself on Friday from his campaign’s initially critical statement about his rival John McCain’s choice of first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate.

McCain, a 72-year-old veteran Republican senator from Arizona, picked a political unknown and self-described “hockey mom” who will become the first woman Republican vice presidential candidate.

When the surprise decision was announced, Obama was on the tarmac at a Denver airport preparing to depart for a bus tour in the industrial Midwest with his running mate, Joe Biden. The Democratic candidate had just made history by becoming the first black to accept a major-party presidential nomination.

His spokesman, Bill Burton, issued a statement suggesting Palin was too inexperienced to be vice president. “Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,” it said.

The McCain campaign quickly shot back that it was “audacious” for aides to the 47-year-old first-term Illinois senator to accuse Palin of inexperience.

Later in the day, Obama told reporters that the campaign’s early statement was “hair-trigger” and did not reflect his sentiments.

-snip-

In a phone call to Palin, Obama told her he thought she would be a terrific candidate and wished her luck “but not too much luck,” according to Robert Gibbs, his senior adviser.

[JI7]

1. he knows what he is doing, that's what Bush did with attacks on Kerry's service

the Pres candidate needs to appear above it.

[blonndee]

2. g**d****it, Obama.

STOP. IT!

[Middle finga]

3. That's cool that's what he is suppose to do. His campaign put the meme

out about her inexperience, while Barack keeps his hands clean. Cause you know the first things the cons will say is Barack shouldn't be talking he don't have experience either. So I'm sure this was a calculated move by Barack. Barack is playing chess while McCain is playing checkers

[blonndee]

7. I just don't think Barack needed to say ANYTHING. His surrogates already told the truth

about this joke of a pick. I would hope for something like Kerry said: "Are you KIDDING me?"

[NYC Liberal]

4. I think Obama has proven he knows what he's doing.

He defeated the Clintons, the most powerful political family in the country today (next to the Bushes maybe).

How about we trust him?

[blonndee]

6. No shit?

He won?

I don't have to like everything the guy says to support him, you know.

[NYC Liberal]

15. I didn't say you didn't support him

But he was asked, so obviously he gave an answer. He's gonna stay above the fray while his surrogates do the work. At least for now.

[blonndee]

17. I understand where you're coming from. But I don't like how

too often he is too kind and complimentary to these dangerous people. That is my feeling, and my opinion, that I don't think he ought to be so quick to compliment people like McCan't and the supremely unqualified Palin. I understand the perceived strategic "value," but I think it is neither strategically nor ideologically sound, and that he should have just remained silent. Contradicting spokespersons' statements like this which are true and solid doesn't make sense to me.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

8. Obama needs to stay above the fray. Folks like Schultz and others are

doing a fine job.

[blonndee]

11. Yes, I agree...I just don't think he should have said anything.

But it won't get any media play anyway, so I guess it's not that big of a deal after all.

[backscatter712]

9. It's your basic political tactics.

Have a flunky say something not-so-nice about the opponent, watch as the opposition freaks out and accuses you of being mean to them, then have the candidate himself say "Stop it! - we're not into that kind of politics."

The Bushies have been doing this sort of thing for years - have Corsi or Ann Coulter or some Rethug senator call Obama a Muslim, watch as we give them the fifth degree, then McCain says "Hey, we're better than that!"

The point is that the attack gets out there, winds through the cable news bobblehead shows, blogs, newspapers, etc., then the candidate takes it back to deflect any backlash.

Nice to see Obama getting some punches in.

[Owl]

5. Good for Barack. He knows what he's doing.

[Cha]

12. He pretty much does and when he makes a mistake

he tries to rectify it..his Mama Obama raised him well::* :hug:

[CatsDogsBabies]

10. Probably a good thing

no response may be more effective and more unnerving in the long run

[Sparkly]

13. Good -- don't let the low expectations work in her favor.

And don't look over-confident.

[Ichingcarpenter]

14. If no one was paying attention during the primaries

this is his style of fighting which is chess and martial arts at the same time.

You don't sacrifice your powerful chess pieces to take out a pawn.

[LongDistanceRunner]

16. i see you are still headed down a dead end street