Did Obama Give Hillary The Finger Today?
By: Stuart O'NeillIt’s appears that way to me. The timing, the gesture, the sheer passive-aggressiveness of the act, which would fit Obama’s passive-aggressive campaign, couldn’t be simply a habitual gesture. Judge for yourself.
I’ll withhold most of my profane reactions to this classless, deliberate playing to a young audience who have no political history to use as an anchor point for judgment. Barack Obama is an ass. And you can bet Hillary Clinton, in private, will react much, much more strongly. [I hope she keeps Bill away from any cameras for 24 hours, at least, to let him cool off.]
I also hope she demands a public apology and lets him refuse to give her one. He’s played one too many passive-aggressive campaign games.
The Traditional Media won’t ignore this video (the full “looked in her element” video is at Politico and TPM ). It’s red-meat for them.
UPDATE (7.58 pm pst by Pamela Leavey): The Swamp has picked up on this (emphasis mine):
Sen. Barack Obama was on the stump today in Raleigh, N.C., the day after his debate in Philadelphia with Sen. Hillary Clinton. Have a look at his body language when he spoke of the sort of debate it was — a “gotcha” fest — and about Clinton being “in her element.”
“Last night, Sen. Clinton and I had our 21st debate of the year,” Obama said today. “Last night, I think we set a new record, because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people.
“I don’t blame Washington for this, because that’s just how Washington is,” he said. “They like stirring up controversy. They like playing gotcha games…
.. and I would say Sen. Clinton was in her element.”
And that’s the part of the videotape, courtesy of Fox News, where viewers need to pay some attention to the hand that Obama raised to his face, and the finger with which he scratched it.
And before the “finger” there was the “Snub.”
UPDATE 2 (11.15 pm pst by Pamela Leavey): For the sake of those arguing against the gesture here’s a freeze frame from the CBS video that captures the gesture at a different angle (from what I can see the index finger is bent down in the shot):
UPDATE 3 (11.30 pm pst by Pamela Leavey): From the LA Times Blog Top of the Ticket: Barack Obama makes a one-fingered gesture while speaking of Hillary Clinton
Sphere: Related ContentThis is one of those political moments that really needs few words.
We’ll no doubt hear much more about this incident in coming days. [...]
The presidential candidate raises his right hand to seemingly scratch his cheek.
He doesn’t use his whole hand though. Just one finger. Briefly. A couple of strokes.
He pauses. He smiles slyly as the crowd begins to mumble and then he tries, somewhat distracted, to continue his remarks, smiling as the buzz spreads through the crowd.
He’ll no doubt deny it later, but that mischievous smile seems to confirm plenty. And the crowd sure sees something.
No tag for this post.
Related posts
Filed under: Uncategorized | Get Permalink or trackback |
looks like the finger to me but when the whole video is viewed he made the same gesture with his index finger. he is a whiny baby who has had it easy with the press. now he is getting the hill treatment and does not like it. you do not get rid of challenges by brushing them off your shoulder or your pants. that is the difference between hill and obama. i wish someone would layout why hill is a bitch, dishonest and all the other things that are said about her. get over it obamaites, she will be the nominee and she will be our next prez.
Stuart, In your opinion, could this be his final coffin nail? By the way, always enjoy your posts!
KCowley
We can hope… We must have the “audacity of hope” you know…
Sick shit like this is why so many people have been saying they’ll vote McCain before this. This is NOT what you want in the White House. This is dangerous; we’ve got it now. We don’t need another four years of it.
Now we’ve got him accusing her of “twisting the knife” and his bot-followers making death threats against George Stefanopoulos.
He is such an idiot for doing that. It makes me hate him even more.
YOU S**K OBAMA
You guys are morons.
Hmm. . .too bad when you look at the video closely instead of the 2 inch by 2 inch video, it is CLEARLY obvious that his index finger is also extended along with his middle finger when he scratches his face. Sorry for letting facts interrupt your fingergate / flagpin-gate discussion, please continue.
He flipped her off.
There are ohjter angles where he’s clearly flipping her off.
The ladies in the back are all laughing about it and telling each other how clever Obama is for flipping off Clinton.
Obama fingers a ‘gotcha’ debate
There’s no mistaking what teh juvenile Senator did.
And of course, recall the snub?
This person isn’t a gentleman.
Carey, you’re wrong. Also? He can barely contain his smurk while he’s doing it.
Oh, for Christ’s sake 2.
What medication have you stopped taking? He did nothing more than scratch an itch on his face. Neither Obama nor Clinton would be that unprofessional during a debate. Lets focus on the collapse of America and who is best to fix problems; not stupid crap like this!
Davis
Tell that to the man who made the sleazy gesture while speaking to an audience about his opponent.
Look -I taught in the public schools for 35 years. I’ve seen it all before and know all the tricks. MAKE NO MISTAKE – he is giving her the finger….
This is so “high school” and wiseass teenage boy (apologies to many fine young teenage boys I have known) oh yeah the teacher won’t know what I’m doing, I can always deny, aren’t I both cool and smart, heh, heh, heh, they’ll never know
right – just before I give your sorry ass detention, call your parents, and send you to the principal Barack honey
I agree with Carey. I went to the full screen video and he’s using two fingers to scratch his face. C’mon folks, there’s enough circus acts within the MSM, surely the progressives in the blogosphere shouldn’t be ratcheting things up to teh silly.
That’s the job of Novakula and Goldberg.
Holy fawkin shiat. That mother fawker of a low life did that. Cant’ believe. I put up with his hypocrosy and crap and give him the benefit of the doubt on many things but this goes way to too far.
The video at the Swamp clearly showed him using the middle finger.
I will never support obama after seeing it. Low-life bastard.
Kevin Hayden
Good gracious… Take the blinders off.
I did, Pamela: http://www.youtube.com/v/DygBj4Zw6No&hl=en
I see two fingers moving together and when I wipe a spot of sweat from my face, I often use the same two fingers.
Had the camera angle been slightly different, I don’t think anyone would reach the conclusion that this was a bird being flipped. In the small screen version, at this angle, I can understand why it looks suspicious, but it just doesn’t hold up when enlarged.
Kevin
See the 2nd update and the freeze frame at the bottom of the post.
Even members of the media concur.
[...] BARACK OBAMA SO ANGRY AT HILLARY CLINTON THAT HE GAVE HER THE FINGER? The lively pro-Clinton The Democratic Daily points to THIS. And so does the Republican Red State.com. Passions are running so high that on this one it might be [...]
Oh yeah – that is giving her the finger – the timing, the laughter, his reaction… I remember thgis from Jr High. Done with him. I’m a lifelong Democrat and I’ll vote McCain before I’d vote for Obama.
If there is any question in one’s mind as to this gesture – well, he did it twice, in two different speeches at exactly the same moment in the speech. This truly confirms his sadly childish behavior for me. Clearly not presidential material.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhkq11UExcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zc5MSOEU9w
Sen. Clinton just lost the gangsta vote.
You’re embarrassing yourselves people – there are always multiple cameras on these things, and another angle on the shot in question gives you the accurate picture:
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9839/79695420le6.jpg
This kind of nit-picking is getting beyond ridiculous.
[...] it might have been a scratch.), American Street (Looking to be the only voice of sanity so far), The Democratic Daily (Still Frames… Holy crap! they have still frames?!?!?!), Top of the Ticket (*sigh*), NO [...]
You guys are so pathetic that you’d actually believe he would flip her the finger.
This is what is defining America. SHAME ON YOU
Grow up you all make me sick.
Sorry, two fingers. Here’s video shot totally from the side angle.
At 20:56 : http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/355941http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/355941
Does anyone know anyone who gives the finger to the sky in order to insult someone who’s not even there? This is beyond ridiculous. Any objective observer would see that he’s simply scratching himself with no malicious intent.
It is UNDENIABLE.
Whether or not the index finger accompanied the middle finger is a mere technicality. When I was a child we refered to that technique as “Camouflage”. Look at the context in which it was done. It is blatantly obvious. If you really believe he was simply wiping a little sweat, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Obama the Snake Oil Salesman doesn’t deserve to be seriously considered for the Democratic Nomination.
He is beneath the dignity of that honor.
[...] deny it even if it proved to be true). Note that some bloggers on the left and right are skeptical: The Democratic Daily The Campaign Spot Balloon Juice Taylor Marsh Ed Morrissey Red State No Quarter Don Surber Corrente [...]
This is IDIOCY. You have GOT to be kidding me. The crowd reaction was *not, not, not* because they thought he was “flipping her off.” Half of them couldn’t even see that – he was speaking in the round. And the smile was because he was responding to the crowd’s vocal reactions to the debate, and because he was having a hard time being heard in the room over a very enthusiastic crowd. Please find something else to pick apart.
Some people think that Obama did this multiple times yesterday, because there are multiple pieces of video / multiple freeze frames, which seem to suggest different “crowds.” But these are all of the same event. The town hall in Raleigh was an event where he had people *all around him*. So depending on what side the footage was shot from, you got a slightly different angle on his face, and a different crowd behind him. That also means that the particular shots that people are focusing on are the ones that make it look like Obama is doing something “crude,” when it was obvious from another angle that he simple scratched his face with two fingers.
And I can tell you for sure that the Raleigh crowd yesterday was responding to what he was saying, not to his face scratching. Grow up. North Carolina voters are smart enough to know what’s really important, and I’m sure Pennsylvania voters are, too. It’s just sad that the press is filled with adolescent idiots.
It would be pretty funny if he did. Doing so would not damage Clinton, would not echo GOP talking points and would be utterly harmless. Hillary can say or do anything in the name of the GOP and call it vetting. So a brush of sweat that has a feel of a double entendre would be amusing.
It’s supremely idiotic posts like these that make me profoundly glad that I didn’t accept the Democratic Daily’s invitation to join the authors at their blog.
Anyone notice that the “Woooh” cheers start BEFORE Obama reaches to scratch his face?
Oyster
If you had, since we welcome opposing opinions posted on our front page, you could posted your opinion there.
jeezus. the faux outrage over this is pure hilarity. if this isn’t the politics of distraction I don’t know what else is.
I’d be willing to bet all the commenters on here who are so quick to say they’ll ‘now vote for McCain over Obama’ because of this are just righties posing as actual Dems.
you people are lame. grow up. this is the WORLD at stake here.
If he was really doing this, intentionally, then he has no business running for president of this nation. It sure looks to me like he was flipping her off. How can we know for sure what his intentions were?
I had seen this video several times because of his use of the hip hop gesture of brushing the crap thrown at him off his shoulders, which apparently was well recognized by the audience.
(I would have been clueless without it being pointed out. and explained).
I’ve seen it again today twice. I’ve missed the gesture every time – I only see it in the still frames. And the side shots bring it into serious question.
I have no doubt that adolescents use a gesture like this to camoflage what they are doing. Because it could just as easily be what, as far as I am concerned, Obama did. Scratch his face.
I have been swamped by yet another job that is running 70- 80 hours a week. The exhaustion is going to bring an end to it soon. Maybe when I get some energy back, I can get a post up on health care reform issues.
I am hoping this is snark. There is a recession with gas prices at almost $4 per gallon, a war and the most corrupt administration in the history of this country and you people are outraged at this??
If you are willing to vote for John McCain -who will continue the same horrible policies over either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton you are nuts.
And by the way if Barack Obama wanted to play the same kind of politics as Hillary Clinton he could bury her. However he recognizes the importance of this election and that we need a new direction. He is not willing to trash the other Democrat as a favor to the Republican party. He loves this country too much – I only wish some of the Clinton people felt the same way.
Thanks Phyllis. Obama gets no credit for the restraint shown in that debate when he could have so easily gone for the attack over Bosnia. He chose not to. It would have been so easy to do, it would have been so easy to run ads in PA over Bosnia, really brutal ads that would have destroyed her. He didn’t. Now videos are being dissected and some people, some supporters, wish they could turn back time and run 527s on Bosnia. Because that’s the game the Clintons like to play. Instead, we are left to make a wry smile over what is likely nothing but a brush of the cheek, but we wish was more and would chuckle if it was because truly it does no harm. Clinton supporters love to wield an anvil and scream over a paper cut.
“Clinton supporters love to wield an anvil and scream over a paper cut.”
More projection (about Clinton supporters) from Jemma.
“For the sake of those arguing against the gesture here’s a freeze frame from the CBS video that captures the gesture at a different angle (from what I can see the index finger is bent down in the shot)”
I think that video was taken from the direction of the grassy knoll.
Is ‘The Finger’ The Nail In Obama’s Coffin?…
KCrowley asks in the comment string of the original story whether I think this is the ‘nail in Senator Obama’s coffin’? So, do I think this will be the ‘nail in the coffin’? Short answer: No. Long Answer: Hell, No. Not har…
[...] election has gone from crazy to insane to plain stupid in the course of a few short weeks. I decided to take some time off from the virtual campaign trail [...]
***COMMENT REMOVED BY MODERATOR***
“It appears that way to me,” meaning your interpretation is worth promoting in your pitiful post as if it were a fact? What happened to your tagline “Where truth is the American bottom line?” My God, you are as shameless as Clinton herself.
This is my first visit to The Democratic Daily and most assuredly it will be my last.
Here’s the truth.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/18/152558/753/854/498495
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
Janis Said: on April 17th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Sick sh*t like this is why so many people have been saying they’ll vote McCain before this. This is NOT what you want in the White House. This is dangerous; we’ve got it now. We don’t need another four years of it.
Actually nitwit, he was merely scratching his face and as a retort to your atavistic balderdash (in bold), first of all please see the videos below and you will find that:
a) you already have that in the white house with your C grade President
b) you have had 8 years of that and Geriatric McSame will merely be a Bush third-term.
***EDITED BY MODERATOR***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVynnbx1Xsc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56lZHG_xQAA&feature=related
It is unbelievable that there are videos of Obama saying the same speech in front of 2 separate audiences! At the same point in EACH speech, he takes his middle finger and pretends to scratch his nose. Guaranteeing that it was no accident! It is at the point where he says “Hillay is in her element”. I have seen this gesture before. The audience understands what he has done. They are in on the joke. Their response is inappropriate if they don’t get the gesture. Like I said, there are 2 separate videos with 2 separate audiences. The speeches are identical. At the same point in each speech, he does the gesture. The one video, from ABC news http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4675790&affil=wtae (there is also a You tube video of the ABC one) shows the best angle and in listening to it you get the irrefutable proof. The other video is very similar but gesture not as clear. The audience in that video is less in on the crude gesture. Notice the different people in the audiences. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNO58WdUptUIt It is just unbelievable to me that he would have such poor judgement as to risk everything to give Hillary the finger…twice in one day.
Obamamerican
Apparently YOU seem to think Janis had a different president than YOU did.
NOT.
We were all stuck with the same loser FYI.
Though around here, most of the longtime readers are also longtime John Kerry suppporters, so I will thank you not to drop your rude remarks here again and insult our readers because YOU think YOU know more because YOU are an “Obamamerican.”
Got it?
kcowley and alec bantor
It’s ONE speech — only. Just one speech. Different camera angles from the different news agencies fliming it. All of the camera operators can’t stand in the exact same spot.
Both of the candidates travel with a very large press contingent and then there are local camera operators at events as well. The press is usually provided with a riser from which they camera operators record the events. Thus each film clip you are seeing has a bit of different perspective (and lighting) but if you look closely you see some of the same people in each video.
JimB
Thanks for sharing the link to DKos–ObamaCentral.
Ginny: Best of luck. Look forward to seeing your piece when you can. Health care is still clearly still at the top of the list on domestic issues.
Of course that was the middle finger. It was the scratch oops go eff yourself middle finger. Anyone who cannot recognize that is a socially clueless weirdo.
OF COURSE it was the middle finger. The crowd knew it and you can see that he knew it too by his sh*t eating grin on his face.
He is so immature and clueless. He doesn’t even know what he is DOING!!!
Then he brushed his shoulders off like he was Big Pimpin’ JAY-Z. Seriously, LOSER?
Barack Obama is unpresidential and he does not take this seriously. I DO!!!!!!! IT’S MY (OUR) COUNTRY!!!!
And who edited my comment about saying it’s the bigotry in some people that will make them choose even the most appalling choice over a better qualified one? And how did that violate any rules? Oh btw, you right wing, faux news watching, duck hunting xenophobes don’t fool me one bit. You all want Hillary to win ’cause you know Barack is going to make that Geriatric fossil look like a Nursing Home Patient when the real elections come around. It will be interesting to hear what McCain now thinks of Asians and other minorities now that he is running for President…. We all know what he thinks though (links below)….. And eh Ms. Leavey, what did you say? I didn’t GET it…. maybe you can expound on that?
http://www.stopjohnmccain2008.com/category/racism/
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/hongop.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB1tGB9oR-4
First of all, I think you’ve got the great Luo son of Africa mixed up with the C student loser you currently have in the White House. Secondly, did you say YOUR (My/Our) country? You know I see through your racist taunt, don’t you? Let me make it categorically clear to you…. I don’t care if Barack wins or not (don’t think he cares either to be quite frank), but unless you want to wake up the millions of enslaved Africans and Native Americans on whose back and blood your ancestors built this country, you had better not start along those unwise lines. This is OUR country too and we don’t need a Clinton third term of sexual and ethical scandals or a Bush thirf-term disguised under the auspices of a McSame character who can’t stand minorities, especially “Gooks” (to quote him)……
Hillary’s Terrorist Ties…..
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351760,00.html
Here is an Excerpt….
“In this week’s debate, Hillary Clinton said all of her “baggage” has been “rummaged through” for years. But important features of her close relationship with known terrorist sympathizers and Hamas supporters are still opaque to the public view.
Clearly Barack Obama should not have stayed in Rev Wright’s church and his campaign should not maintain a “friendly” relationship with William Ayers. But what about Hillary’s service on a board that gave money to a terrorist organization? And her hosting of a terror supporting group in the White House? And her acceptance of a $50,000 contribution from that group? And the statements of terrorists that they are hoping for her to win.
These are far more serious connections than have been established for Obama and either Wright or Ayers.”
So, 57 comments so far! I hope I don’t offend out there, but this mass dumbing down of America just amazes me. I guess we are now suppose to pick our favorite candidate based on his/her perceived body jestures. This makes as much sense as the lapel pin debate. Guess these kinds of contrived issues trump Iraq, crime, medical coverage, education, the environment, home foreclosures etc. in the minds of middle America. How very sad!! Trite issues such as these are the very reason that we have ended up with “The Decider” for eight years. This particular blog entry is obviously appealing to all of you tabloid news fans out there.
The sheer hate and venom that’s being spewed on Obama is beyond words. Just review some of the entrys to see the gutter language that is being used against him. As you may or may not know, of the three possible who might next occupy the White House–Barack has the most secret service agents assigned to him. Due to there being so many crackposts out there, there is nothing more than some back woods (perhaps small town) person would like to do than knock him off. Don’t get me wrong, I am not accussing any of my co-boggers of being this type. However, the language being used. undoubtedly contirbutes to this dementied, racial, mined set. No, I am not playing the race card, just noting unchecked hatetred when I see it.
As a member of a different minority group, gay Americans, I am keenly aware of the various perceptions which drive people to hate, abuse, and even kill us. Just the perception of being gay, has often contributed to a person’s death. Let’s tie him to a rail because he MAY have given Hillary the finger. Let’s knock off this particular male because his voice is too high and he was just one block from a gay bar. Makes no difference if he actually is gay–but my actions are justified because of my perception of him!! God help us all Buzz
No doubt Obama had jestures going on ! Umm ?
can’t wait to check back tomorrow to see what ground-shattering important items the community here has dug up.
Psychological humorous quiet signal of jesture given his communications at the time and part of Obama’s personality come back? He’s a character,no doubt about it ! Makes ya wonder and he used other humorous jestures with his body language.
The flip off o’l itch ? I’d be surprised if he engaged in debate after that last one and Clinton’s experience,honesty and direct response in communications on tough questions did shine through. He was kicked hard and to be fair,he did well on comeback. Was he giving Clinton the bird ? Who knows !
Foolish posts concerning a jesture ? Perhaps but shows we are all in tune with every move Obama’s making. Watching him like a hawk on a mouse ! “Every move you make,every bond you break,every smile you fake……” Name that tune !
Obamamerican
DO NOT — I repeat — DO NOT insinuate here that readers are bigots or racists. That is why your comment was edited.
Before I post I always check the source. Uh let’s see…. I gather that the founders of this website are supporting Hillary. DUH. Yo Hillary supporters are getting soo desperate. Hillary is a freaking liar. You try to make a case that he flipped her off. You know what Obama has 2 small children you goofs. You are a bunch of sore losers. I will enjoy watching Hillary deservedly lose this nomination. Like Obama is really going to give her the finger aat this point in the race. I am sure his response will be that he better be more careful gesturing infuture. If anti Obama blogs are going to study him this carefully. geesus!
***COMMENT REMOVED BY MODERATOR***
People, Senator Obama flipped off Senator Clinton last Thursday.
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?
The media has fallen down big-time on this disgusting behavior on Senator Obama’s part. Since when is “flipping off” your opponent acceptable political discourse? I have been writing all Democratic members of Congress asking them to disavow Senator Finger and support Senator Clinton.
Throughout this primary season, I have seen widespread misogyny on the part of the public and especially the media. Recall Senator Finger’s pointed use of “she” at the debates when referring to Senator Clinton even though she is sitting right next to him.
What was the Washington Post intend to do? A mention in the blogs is NOT ENOUGH.
Women, are we going to take this? We can do something about this. Contact Congress.org and email Democratic members. Contact Howard Dean at http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman.
Ladies, the time is now and the last big state is Pennsylvania. We can do it.
Also, log onto http://www.hillaryclinton.com, contribute, even 10 dollars would be tremendous. And, volunteer to call for Hillary, especially in PA. There is an application that lets you help with phone calls to voters in the upcoming primaries and it is free!!
[...] — the physical equivalent of using the C-word — during one of his speeches (see here, here, here, and here). I’m not a psychologist, but I believe Obama has some serious [...]