Ilhan Omar Backtracks After Calling Obama a "Pretty Face" Who "Got Away with Murder"

What the hell is wrong with that woman

were said about her?!


“I’m an Obama fan!" Who Needs Enemies!!

Yep. She used the word "murder."

The commercials would write themselves for the primary.

She is a radical.

No words

"We don’t want anybody to get away with murder because they are polished."!!!

Obama did NOT commit "murder"! Please.

....to be bashing Obama the way that she did, especially since some of it wasn't ever true.

I learned 50 years ago that if one wants to criticize something or someone, first that criticism should be TRUE and second one should have an alternative - a BETTER position or policy.

Don't just complain without being full inform about what one is complaining.

Over the years I've seen candidates who do that. They recite a laundry-list of problems, but they NEVER have any realistic solutions. No answers at all... no policies... no clue how it's going to be paid for. In the end, it's just a fantasy world wish-list and no idea of how to make those things happen.

As in...shit a brick. Hahaha. good post in several ways.

any favors. Holy hell, woman. Please.

Primary her how dare she, she needs to go

So many Democrats were giving her the benefit of the doubt. I know I did. Can't possibly mistake what she was saying here. Well, that will be a short political career.

she ever had.

She obviously can't decide whether to stand by while the Republican Party sabotages the Democrats' chances in 2020 or to step in and do it herself.
In her case, the middle-of-the-road members of Congress residing on our side of the aisle were right when they warned newcomers speak softly before bringing out the big sticks. They obviously were wrong to attempt reining in AOC and the other liberal newcomers - they've demonstrated class and skills far beyond their years. Omar, on the other hand, is a one-woman wrecking crew.
I don't necessarily disagree with her conclusions about pro-Israeli lobbyists, but her damn-the-torpedoes and fulll speed ahead approach to expressing whatever it is she believes is seriously undermining the sympathy many of us on the left side of the aisle have for the international Muslim community.
I have a poster with the words "F--k You!" in large letters across the top - but in such florid lettering that it's nearly impossible to tell what it says. It looks more like a decoration than a message. The message appears below the florid legendk. In clearly legible type it says "It's not what you say, it's how you say it."
Someone ought to send a copy to Omar.

The difference between Trump and Obama policies is not just a matter of "polish."

Who Needs Enemies!?!

And she needed to clarify that she did not mean to imply that Obama committed "murder" via drones.

Calling herself a "fan" actually belittles Obama (suggests he is a TV personality, like Trump) and does nothing to correct or take back what she said about Obama.

I would never call myself an Obama "fan." That's what what my Republican in-laws call me. I call myself an Obama supporter.

She should apologize for her actual words. Instead of trying to wipe them away by claiming she's an "Obama fan".

Can you imagine the backlash if this were said about her?

"Fan" is for movie stars, using it for a president sounds rather shallow and superficial.

When you say red = black, it's meaningless and insulting to later say, "I didn't mean to imply that red equals black."

Words matter. She said what she said. She meant what she said. They can't be taken back.

The more she says, the deeper the hole becomes.

IMHO.

Words and actions have consequences.



ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

One more virulent statement in support of radical Islam and she will become persona non grata.

She has already become radioactive.

we are hearing about regarding the new electeds in the House is really just a distraction and division device. As Democrats we need to pull together, not apart. And while a 2 year term isn't very long, its' really premature for all these pundits and political writers to make predictions about the next election. This Congress has been in session what 9 or 10 weeks.
Breathe deep everyone, newbies are always gonna misstep here and there............

I try to never miss an opportunity to shut up.......

please read the text above. She didn't call Obama '...a pretty face who got away with murder'. She alluded to some of the military operations that Obama approved, including drone strikes.

However, if she doesn't learn to speak in a somewhat more nuanced style, she's going to have trouble. But we need to remember also that her district has a very large Somali contingent and that she, herself was born in Somalia. So it might be harder to primary her than it might seem at first glance.

Please don't think that I am somehow defending her, just saying that the click-bait headline doesn't accurately quote what she actually said.

but the headline quote is a "Pretty Face" Who "Got Away with Murder"

You do understand the difference with the separate quotes right from the two connected sentences?

These are exact quotes from the article and in context when presented in the headline because both sentences, and their fragments quoted, were connected and leading into each other to clarify and finish her point.

She said Obama had murderous policies that he got away with because he was "polished" and had a pretty face to explain it all.

and, as you said, she's going to have trouble. She needs to get smarter about speaking her thoughts publicly -- in a hurry (in fact, if the comments posted by some above are an indicator, it may already be too late).

Being smart about what one says publicly is something that truly great leaders like Obama were masters at. There are many who are going to read things into just about anything a particular elected official says. Public personas can't control this by any means other than being measured in what they voice.

I hope she learns to do this quickly. I hope it's not too late.

But Ms. Omar needs some tact and sensitivity to go with it.

Including the people that criticize her.
She decided to become a public figure. If she keeps saying stupid crap, we’re all free to rip her up one side and down the other.
Minnesota deserves better.

because she's saying things that are uncomfortable to hear.

Obama did both good and bad. There are many good things like hiring a competent cabinet officers who operated in the public, not their own, interest; signing the Lily Ledbetter law; taking on and winning the health care battle; providing "Dreamers" a way to stay in the US and of course approving the operation that killed Osama Bin Laden.

But he was also ready to strike a "grand bargain" with Boehner to cut the social safety net by using a different index to calculate COLAs. He did dramatically increase drone strikes, some of which killed civilian non-combatants. He did wratchet up detention and deportation of immigrants. He was aggressive in trying to stop "leakers". He absolved the torturers at the CIA. His biggest failure was not informing Americans of Russia attacking our democracy.

In the end, imho, history will judge Obama for what he is - a centrist Democrat with a mixed record.

Obama was far from perfect and never liberal.

However, what choice did we have, comparably?
He was certainly better than ANY Reep!

...i had a choice and i chose him.

Obama was certainly 100xs better than the best R. I think he got more liberal in his second term, too, but sometimes I think we gloss over the parts of his record aren't so great.

Yes, he did good and bad. The wars of choice did not end. The Iran Nuclear Agreement was great! This is a smear job on her. Don’t take the bait!

....things. She also said he "got away with murder"!!!

I think there was a smear job, but not on her.

Not if you want to be effective within the Democratic Party. It does her no good to alienate members of her own caucus. No member of Congress can be terribly effective on their own.

liberal and progressive president if he had had a congress who would work with him. Republicans did everything they could to undermine him from day one.

other details in framing his legacy. And rightfully so. He was truly a great President, especially in those regards not to mention his overall graciousness and likability.

LIED about President Obama.

Ilhan Omar Backtracks After Calling Obama a "Pretty Face" Who "Got Away with Murder"

Democrats didn’t abandon Omar over her comments about Israel. Her criticism of Barack Obama is another matter.


https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/ilhan-omar-barack-obama-pretty-face

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11901011

Link to tweet

And if we declare them so, we lock ourselves into repeating their mistakes as well as their successes.

But Omar did not measure her words well here and now that she has the spotlight on her she needs to better frame her points because the coverage skips her message to focus on phrases like the unflattering "pretty face" statement. She says she wants to talk about policy but she will never get there with her hot, off script rhetoric. Limit your comments to policy. She also jumps to conclusions on the Obama policy versus the Trump policy on our southern border. There is really no comparison in scope between how Obama detained older, unaccompanied children and Trump separating young children from their parents and not having a system in place to reunite families. Indeed, that is offensive. The political upheaval in Central America currently triggers our most pressing immigration problem. What policy would Omar propose to remedy that problem? Again, she went off-script so where is the message discipline?


Her sense of history is not the traditional American framing of history. She calls out the policy of continuation from administration to administration because the policy has to change for meaningful progress to happen and she further points out the illogical division of the Middle East into unnatural countries. An example is how the Kurds have been split up into several countries to diminish their power. She has a valid point but offers no solution - only criticism of the policy of several administrations that got us where we are today. She is also correct on the history of the holocaust where it was Christians that were responsible and not Muslims. But it was other Christians that paid a heavy price to rid the world of Hitler so her portrayal leaves a lot out. Indeed, the threat to Jews and anti-Semitism in America today comes from white nationalist Christians and not Muslims and that needs to be acknowledged.


I have not heard her speak in depth on where she stands on Israel and a two State solution. Her historical view aligns with the Palestinians because of her background. One hopes that she thinks this one through because it could be her Waterloo if she gets it wrong.


I am willing to give her a chance to get her messaging shored up to where she walks the walk when it comes to having a policy debate. Unless she quickly builds discipline into her message, sticks to policy and an accurate description of history she will lose me too. I would say that today she has wavering support. The ball is in her court.

Thank you, Dallas, yours is the voice of reason. We can’t get caught up in bashing Democrats when we should be spending our energy getting out the Democratic Party Agenda message out to the unconverted and to everyone.

"Shiny! Oo! Out with old! In with new!"
"Don't you think we should wait to see--"
"Shut up, you stupid old centrist!! Shout 'im down, everyone! Shiny! Oo! Out with old! In with new!"
(center of infatuation opens mouth and crams foot inside)
"In with--wow. Okay, maybe that was just a--"
(center of infatuation, excited by the attention, stretches mouth wider, crams foot in deeper)

yes we need younger people, but need younger people who can control what they say and not jump at every microphone for attention.

Its why age and wisdom is still important

in first term, he kept a low profile nationally and focused primarily on his constituents. He knew he had to earn their trust if they were going to take him seriously. He rarely did national interviews and kept his criticism and wry humor in check. Once he was re-elected, he became a little more outspoken, but he earned that right through discipline and respect for those who have already paid their dues.

It was similar with Hillary when she was first elected to the senate. Few people outside of New York knew what she was doing, as she focused on the people who had elected her first and foremost. I was amazed and impressed later when I read about what kind of a senator she was.

The current freshman in congress are energetic and refreshing, but they need to remember that first and foremost they were elected to serve THEIR constituents, not as you say "jump at every microphone for attention". Some of these new representatives will make some rookie mistakes and then later go on to do some impressive work, but others could easily burn out quickly, if they don't stop, listen, and take notes. A little bit of humility wouldn't hurt either.

....learning and doing the jobs they were elected to do.

Republicans like Steve King and Louie Gohmert say things far worse than Omar on a daily basis and their statements get scant attention. Omar seems new to politics so she keeps hitting the trip wires on loaded words but even then her mistakes are quite minor compared to King.

AOC does not have a "control" problem with her words so I take it you think she is too far out there on policy with her support of a Green New Deal, things like that.

Let the man explain..refute..deny..But let him respond..
Damn, we owe him that much..

but word got up and down the chain (pardon the pun) that it was not good. He got a lot of flak from the left. They changed the policy to not charge the parents but still hold the family in place together. If memory serves they used some post-9/11 Patriot Act or DOJ opinions to justify it. Charging the parents mean they can't stay with their kids. From DC to juvenile experts to people on the ground there agreed to stop separate the families. Trump of course is doing so as punishment and, in the zany RW thinking that is, that it will alter human behavior of desperate people thousands of miles away.

and the distaste and anger over Obama getting further enmeshed in that.

people forget about all the drones and detentions.

she's saying things people don't want to hear.
She also needs to work on her nuance.

has to say if she hadn't personally insulted President Obama with ugly attacks that weren't true.

Link to tweet

Deleting her tweet after trying to "clarify" with a flippant ".. I'm an Obama fan.. "

There was no policy of doing it to everyone. It is a right wing talking point to say that it was the same thing. This was a NEW policy that Dotard and Sessions thought would deter more people from coming.

about President Obama.

Ilhan Omar Backtracks After Calling Obama a "Pretty Face" Who "Got Away with Murder"

Democrats didn’t abandon Omar over her comments about Israel. Her criticism of Barack Obama is another matter.


https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/ilhan-omar-barack-obama-pretty-face

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11901011

Link to tweet

I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt every step of the way, even after she claimed her remarks about President Obama had been distorted by the media. However, the audio she posted that was supposed to lend clarification to her remarks did nothing but confirm the original criticism against them.

I don't really know what else to say about her at this point. There are several Democratic members of Congress in both houses I simply hold my nose to. She has now joined their ranks.

Its past time for Speaker Pelosi to show her WHO is in charge.

She’d be a passable Congressperson.

But she also knows that it's next to impossible for her to not be re-elected AND she's there for a reason and she's making the most of it.

I'd seriously consider just sitting back for a bit.

It looks like Ilhan Omar might be one of them.

Her fault, her tough luck, and I hope the guys and gals in her district are readying a replacement candidate if she makes herself radioactive.

https://www.politifact.com/facebook-fact-checks/statements/2019/mar/05/viral-image/meme-wrong-about-somali-americans-ilhan-omars-dist/

importance to our our overall success just yet.

The absence of old-style Dixiecrats helps.

If I want to hear Obama being shit-canned, I'll tune into Fox "news." I don't need somebody on our side furnishing the opposition with juicy talking points.

The geopolitical modus operandi is a centuries-entrenched thing. We've come a long way since the Magna Carta, but ending feudalism is probably just one step in achieving a more equitable distribution and stewardship of the world's resources.

We Democrats need to concentrate on opposing the grinding greed. Our governing system is essentially a dichotomy. It doesn't serve us when Democrats, or those who claim to be Democrats in order to fund their campaigns, shiv our leadership from behind. Obama, Clinton, Biden are in the Vanguard. THEY strive for a more equitable society. trump McConnell oppose that.

It's not that hard. Get to the front and throw your stones--THAT WAY...

swing to the take no prisoners far left. Decades of repug rule, neo liberalism, centrists has caused a lot of damage to this country. Rep. Omar was taking out her frustrations on the system that created that mess. She needs to focus on the true enemies, vent that frustration toward fascism, unfettered capitalism, getting money out of politics, basically anything rightwing. She is young, she will learn, I'm not ready to give up on her quite yet.

..."Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

The sooner she's gone, the better...

...but obviously, it doesn't.

There's a war going on for the future of our party and as far as I'm concerned, she's committing treason...

future that everyone might be secure in? Are those obstacles not enemies in effect?

Say something completely outrageous, get everyone excited, then sort of almost apologize.

Then hide behind a cute smile, "who, little old me?", and dodge questions from reporters.

The act is starting to get old.

2 months?

8 years of a scandal-free presidency with none of O's people in his administration in trouble with the law and she throws that records under the bus?

the actual caging of children and separation of families by ICE at the behest of tRump. Give a dog a bone...

Former President Obama is half-Kenyan and probably has empathy for the folks from his father’s homeland. He probably was upset when terrorists basing themselves in Somalia attacked targets in Kenya.

Ilhan Omar, OTOH, is of Somali extraction. She probably got upset when US and Kenyan forces struck at what they thought were terrorist bases in Somalia.

It looks rather obvious, which is why lamestream corporate news media overlooked it when it was staring them in their smug, [email protected]$$ faces.

Wow...what is with this congresswoman?? She on a hardcore foot-in-mouth diet??

Hmmm....well, to paraphrase the great Pogo, Ilhan has met the enemy and she is Ilhan.

Why is she doing that?!

==========

That's all the time President Obama had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. He was supposed to fundamentally change America in four months and ten days?

through whatever they want by declaring it a national emergency so we will be seeing alot of liberal changes.
Expanded SCOTUS from 9 to 13 seats? YES!!!!! (with all liberal judges appointed)
Expanded Medicare for everyone? YES!!!!!
Marijuana legalized? YES!!!!! (even though I have never used it)
Taxes on the ultra wealthy and corporations raised with all loopholes closed? YES!!!!!

information to make nasty comments.

We didn't let up on the Bushes who over saw the killing of white-flag carrying, retreating Iraqis in Desert Storm or droning into oblivion thousands of Iraqi civilians during and after the Iraqi invasion. Obama is my favorite President but I was and am still totally disgusted about his droning of innocents. War is hell! I will forever be upsset about Truman dropping the A-Bomb.

at President Obama.

She's getting rightfully called out on them.

“How to win friends and influence people.” She could definitely learn a few things.