Oh 'boy'...

Posted: Monday, April 14, 2008 4:12 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC's Mark Murray and Mike Viqueira
This is the latest story setting the blogosphere on fire: Kentucky congressman Geoff Davis "compared Obama and his message for change similar to a 'snake oil salesman.' He said in his remarks at the GOP dinner [on Saturday] that he also recently participated in a 'highly classified, national security simulation' with Obama."

"'I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button,' Davis said. 'He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country.'"

Obama spokesman Bill Burton followed up with this tough response: "It's hard to tell what is more outrageous -- Representative Davis' condescending and personal attack, or his absurd and offensive claim that Barack Obama is not prepared to defend America. Geoff Davis may hide behind offensive tough talk, but he has marched in lock-step with Bush-McCain policies that have devastated our national security while Barack Obama has stood up against a misguided war in Iraq and worked with respected Republicans like Dick Lugar and Chuck Hagel to secure loose weapons and nuclear materials from terrorists."

We have received word that Davis has delivered -- or is about to -- a letter of apology to Obama's Senate office.

*** UPDATE *** Here's Davis' letter to Obama...
Dear Senator Obama:
On Saturday night I gave a speech in which I used a poor choice of words when discussing the national security policy positions of the Presidential candidates. I was quoted as saying "That boy's finger does not need to be on the button."

My poor choice of words is regrettable and was in no way meant to impugn you or your integrity. I offer my sincere apology to you and ask for your forgiveness.

Though we may disagree on many issues, I know that we share the goal of a prosperous, secure future for our nation. My comment has detracted from the dialogue that we should all be having on legitimate policy differences and in no way reflects the personal and professional respect I have for you.

Sincerely
Geoff Davis

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Hahaha.

This is why they are called the rePUKES!!!

Clinton, 08 (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:19 PM)

Looks like EVERYONE is mis-speaking these days! Also, this must be a slow news day for you guys.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:22 PM)

News from Next Wednesday:

HILLARY POLLUTES OBAMA'S BLUE SKY
This morning at a meet and greet at the Back 40 Restaurant in Decatur, Indiana, Obama commented on the "gorgeous blue sky here in Decatur" and commiserated with locals on their spate of late winter in Decatur.
Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, in rainy Harrisburg, Pennsylvania immediately charged Obama with a "blue sky" mentality, preaching "a blue sky program for the future of America," and pointing to the thunderheads menacing above her, proclaimed, "I am ready to deal with the storms, the lightning, the thunder, that is day-to-day life in America while my opponent is waxing poetic on "blue skies."
Those attending the event found stickers applied to their bumpers in the parking lot with the epigrammatic proclamation, BLUE SKIES ARE FOR SISSIES.
Obama shot back later in the day :"Nannie, nannie, boo boo!"

Meanwhile in TODAY's news, Hillary reaches her all-time low of 40% support among Democrats.

As Senator Obama will say so eloquently next Wednesday: NANNY, NANNY, BOO BOO!

Mark (my words) Thieme (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:24 PM)

That man (Davis) should NOT be discussing ANY PART of a "highly classified" anything with anybody.

His "boy" comment just confirms his nitwit status.

Shel, SLC UT (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:24 PM)

These racist pigs are starting to come out of the wood works. all this individual is missing is his white hood & robe.

boogyeman, mamaroneck, ny (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:25 PM)

Is MSNBC actually going to report any news we can use today. Or just stupid verbal attacks by all sides?

Mister Anderson (The Matrix) (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:25 PM)

Ha ha ha. More groveling, you racist fool.

John, Charlottesville, VA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:26 PM)

A southerner calling an African-American "boy". I see not much has changed in the state where the family trees rarely fork.

Ron Jeffers, Arizona Independent (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:27 PM)

Hillary this is what happens when you lead the Republican charge on Obama. You get looney Congressmen calling Obama"boy". Additionally, you now have McCain fundraising on your attacks. I know you want to save us from the Elitists( it can not be you want power to go along with your $100 million + net worth)but did you have to through Al Gore under the bus to achieve this .If you keep this up you will not inherit the Clinton Restoration but instead you will inherit the wind.

Terry, Great Plains (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:29 PM)

If Obama is smart, he will accept and thank Davis for the apology. That will make him look (and be) so much better than Clinton, who cynically capitalizes on such gaffes.

Geoff in Brooklyn (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:30 PM)

I'm sure Olbermann and his equally biased buddy Matthews will spin this into much more than it was ever intended. Oh well, you just can't help the mentally impaired or these two MoveOn types.

Danbo, Denver, CO (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:30 PM)

Open Mouth

Insert Foot

Repeat As Necessary

Your Results May Vary

------------------------------------------

"Boy"?

Dude, it's 2008, not 1948!

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:30 PM)

Another fool GOP Rant!! This is really getting old!

FL (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:30 PM)

Racist often use the term "boy."

Some one should fire him!

Obama 08

andress (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:31 PM)

First Read: Geoff Davis "compared Obama and his message for change similar to a 'snake oil salesman.'

This getting way out of hand and is way over the top. This gives a bad name to 'snake oil salesmen'.

Rupert Quipic (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:31 PM)

That "boy" is going to be the next President of the United States. Deal with it.

Obama '08

Nashville_fan (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:32 PM)

MSNBC has got to stop reporting junk like this. I usually stop in at First Read once or twice a day for updates on the campaign -- but I will stop if you keep this up. Name-calling by minor characters such as this Davis guy will ooze into the background if you are responsible and simply choose to ignore it. Otherwise, you continue to fan the flames.

Martha Ratliff, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:33 PM)

And just how long is Davis' remark calling Sen. Obama "boy" going to be raging on the cable news networks and their blogs? My guess it will be no more than a few nanoseconds before they return to the nonseense about how terrible it is that Obama called bitter people "bitter. "

And then there's the controversy about the Democratic Party suing McCain for worming his way out of public financing for his primary campaign. Not hearing much about that controversy, either.

Like McCain's "bomb Iran" ditty and his repeated confusion of Sunni and Shia muslims, these sorts of controversies just don't fit in with the "narrative" that the corporate media are peddling.

Houston (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:33 PM)

The lengths they will go. Being an African American female who was born and raised in the deep south. The very word BOY just sent chills through my soul. Barack Obama whether you agree or dissagree with his policies is in no way a BOY. He is a 47 year old intelligent MAN. I am glad that Obama's campaign did not call this comment for what it was, a racist attempt to belittle him. That was no poor choice of words those were the words he intended to use.

Belinda, NC (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:34 PM)

Oh by the way Mr. Congressmen your a narrow minded bigot and you should resign.. John McCain where is you condemnaiton of the Congreesmen or Hillary where is yours. How can Obama be called a " boy" and an Elitist at the same time. Only in America.

Terry, Great Plains (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:34 PM)

Didn't Bill Clinton say 'those boys' were picking on Hillary ?

I wonder what he's thinking now ?

MSierra, SF (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:35 PM)

see..and i heard he is only 3 years older than Barack, so this cant even be explained away with the youth argument. LOL. Thanks Davis..this is a present.

Mike Gbemi, Houston Texas (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:36 PM)

Forgive him Barack, as a sincere Christian, you must. I believe you will.

HP, NOBAMA, JOHN DOE, and others who have no mercy for you, and Rev. Wright, will probably agree in this instance.

We Obama supporters have no doubt our candidate will handle himself magnanimously and accept Mr. Davis' apology. That is why we love him.

Obama '08 (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:36 PM)

What is happening in America--this Davis person must be insane. "Boy" who is he calling a boy. Obama has run one of the best campaigns in political history. This person better beware....boy.

If I were Obama, I would kick his butt.

That is a racist slur--and qualifies as hate speech.

Boy? Don't you mean Mr. President!

Boy (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:36 PM)

What you people don't realize is that once Obama becomes the nominee some GOP goofball is gonna be saying stuff like this every week. They won't be able to control it. The GOP will be painted as nothing but a bunch of racist rednecks by the time November rolls along.

Jeff, Reno, Nevada (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:36 PM)

Really. The phrase is not "the boys finger", it's "the idiots finger".

Do try to be more careful in the future.

Simon Barr S. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:36 PM)

Ha ha ha. More groveling, you racist fool.
John, Charlottesville, VA

It's unclear which one you are talking about, Obama or Davis?

Kay (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:37 PM)

Guess the Republicans really don't want the black vote if they let racist comments like this fly. This is Dog Whistle time. Fire off a racist, disgusting epithet like calling a respectable black man a "Boy" and then let it simmer in the press all weekend, only to aplogise today. The apology rings false and hollow. The whistle has already been blown.

Mike L, Burlington, Vermont (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:37 PM)

someone give the congressman the sad news: not only can you NOT call Black men "boy" anymore, you also can't call Black people "uppity," either. you have to use the code word, "elitist" now.

Quinton, Lower M., PA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:38 PM)

good for Bill burton who avoided the obvious racist implication and went straight for the truth: the Davis is "in lock-stepwith Bush-McCain policies that have devastated our national security while Barack Obama has stood up against a misguided war in Iraq and worked with respected Republicans like Dick Lugar and Chuck Hagel" now THAT's the truth, "boy".

denise prior, tampa, fl (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:38 PM)

I'll bet Hillary told Davis to say that.

Andress (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:38 PM)

This country's politicians are doing more to destroy America. They are driving a wedge in the country's endeavor to reach peace, economic stability, and national security.
With their disordered minds, Republicans are done more to protect corporate America and leave the orindary citizenry exposed to the future of terrorism that could have been contained with sensible foreign policies. But the GOP chose to simply sit on its ugly butt and back almost anything its cynical and superarrogant leader, Bush, dreams of.
Studies after studies demonstrate that America under the leadership of Bush remains a dangerously vulnerable, with its armed forces stretched thin and their readiness to protect the nation on the rocks because our nation has depleted much of the needed resources through chronically wasteful Bush budget proposals.

Tired of hypocrisy (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

Rule number #73 - Don't ever refer to Obama's middle name. That would be yet another racial slur you would need to apologize for, else the elites will make you suffer.

Candy Sessions, Bronx NY (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

But of course no one in small town American has antipathy for non-whites. That's just something Senator Obama made up like slavery and lynching.

Dee of VA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

Just another GOP elitist making a fool of himself. I bet Mr. Republican Chickenhawk never served his country's military but I bet he's quick to pull the trigger to start yet another stupid costly war.

Go Obama!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

Yeah, Geoff...but once it's out there....

Margaret, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

That is her level - 40% , hope even less.
We should understand, what we may expect with Clintons: That what you will get with Clintons:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/12/carl-bernstein-what-a-hillary-clinton-presidency-look-like/

Linda,fl (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:39 PM)

Is America the mother of attack dogs? Are our politicians men and women with underdeveloped brains?

Jon, TX (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:41 PM)

The issues, can we get back to the issues. Hillary is a typical angry female, they will say and do whatever it takes. I thought the republicans did enough lying and things behind our backs, now can we get back to the real problems that we have, and we do have bitter people because they have been lied to and are hurting financially but Bush and his buddies are just getting richer. I have NO RESPECT left for the Clinton, I was going to vote for her but not now.

Carmen Colorado (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:41 PM)

Obama is about to show everyone the real difference between him and his opponents: compassion.

His comments were disgusting. But when someone offers a heart-felt apology and asks forgiveness, as a Christian, you give it.

Obama will show his true character in accepting this apology and moving forward. I doubt his opponents would be so decent.

Sam, Muncie, Ind. (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:42 PM)

DANG! Looks like McCain got a boomerang. What comes around will go around GOP!

Erik (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:42 PM)

What a blatantly racist comment. Spoken like a true regressive. (The labeling system in modern politics is all wrong. We don't have liberals & conservatives. Much more to the point---we have progressives (democrats) and regressives (republicans).

JohnnyU, WA State (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:42 PM)

At least this member of congress has the intestinal fortitude to stand up and say a mistake is a mistake.
Give some where some is due.
There will be a lot more of this in the days, weeks, months & years ahead if we are to truly turn some pages.
Let us ask if Geoff Davis would be available to introduce senator Obama at a rally in his home district and set the record straight with his constituents in person.
It is always better to accept a hand extended and open than to slap it away.

Tom, Tennessee (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:42 PM)

It certainly comforting that we now know the rules of how we are supposed to refer to The Obama. If nothing else, while our buildings are falling around us from terrorist attacks, we'll know the proper etiquette for refering to the young man.

LT Smith (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:43 PM)

I'm not sure what the apology is all about. Is it over the use of the word "boy"? I don't know Geoff Davis and I sure don't support his party but in Kentucky every male is "boy". Old guys are "Ol' boys". Everyone is very sensitive and that may be good but let's not call people racist over regional colloquialisms.

campdog (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:43 PM)

"That boy..."? Are you kidding? Is the GOP calling him "boy" now? OMG. How idiotic.

MI Chick (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:43 PM)

I'm an African American and I didn't find it offensive. Why does everytime someone says something in politics, they go back the next day an apoligize? If you say what is on your mind, then let it flow as it may. Whoever doesn't like it, oh well, this is a FREE country. No one says apologize to any ignorant remarks made against the POTUS. I hear ill-responsible remarks against him everyday but when something is said about the little "can't do anything wrong" Obama, oh #&^$ look out.

Gregg, Texas (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:43 PM)

Wow yeah that's dumb. "Oh hai I was in a secret meeting and all I can tell you is that Obama sucks and got us nuked in our simulation. No specifics, though, 'cause it was classified. Aren't I important?"

Chris, MI (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:43 PM)

These racist pigs are starting to come out of the wood works. all this individual is missing is his white hood & robe.

boogyeman, mamaroneck, ny

=======

Lets keep Robert Byrd out of this conversation.

Tex in WV (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:44 PM)

MSNBC: I wasn't sure where I should post this, but I wanted to send my congratulations to all involved in Friday night's Meeting David Wilson program.

It had to be one of the most moving programs I have ever seen on past and present race relations. The trip David took to Africa took my breath away. I had never seen anything like it.

It is so hard to come across people who can speak openly about race with maturity, eloquence and most importantly - the hurt and the shame we have all had to deal with in one way or another.

So again, to both David Wilsons and Brian Williams - it was an extraordinary extraordinary program.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, April 14, 2008 4:44 PM)

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