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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Obama: Hillary 'looked in her element'

Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2008 3:18 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Ben Weltman and Mark Murray
At his rally in Raleigh, NC today, Obama said the following: "So last night Sen. Clinton and I had our 21st debate of the year [pro-Obama boos]. I will tell you it does not get much more fun than these debates. They are, they are inspiring events [laughter]. I mean 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. Took us 45 minutes... 45 minutes before we heard about health care, 45 minutes before we heard about Iraq, 45 minutes before we heard about jobs, 45 minutes before we heard about gas prices."

VIDEO: Obama tells a North Carolina audience that he just had to brush off negative attacks.

He went on to say: "I don't blame Washington for this because that is just how Washington is. They like stirring up controversy and they like playing gotcha games, getting us to attack each other. And I have to say, Senator Clinton looked in her element. You know, she was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there. You know, that's al right. That's her right to kind of twist the knife a little bit [smiles, laughs at crowd]."

"That's why she is only airing negative attacks on TV in Pennsylvania... Look, I understand that because that's the textbook Washington game. That's how our politics has been taught to be played. That's the lesson that she learned when the Republicans were doing the same thing to her back in the 1990s. So I understand it and when you are running for the presidency than you've got to expect it and then you've got to kind of [makes a "brush off shoulder" motion]. That's what you got to do. That's what you got to do [brushes off his shoulder again]."

"But, understand this: That is also precisely why I'm running for president, to change that kind of politics."

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Comments

That Keith Dolderman, the Obama lap dog on MSNBC makes me sick.  He feels sorry he is not gay or a woman so he wont be able to give his body to the man.  If MSNBC kicks him off their network, it won't be soon enough for me.  Let him go back to sportscasting.
What some of you fail to realize is that Obama doesn't mind going toe to toe with McCain. Being negative with your own party member is not going to help them as you noticed that he didn't take as many jabs as he could have with her on some issues. He answered every question thrown at him and that he has answered a million times over. The same with Hillary. We want to know whats going to be done. And to all those people wondering about the flag pin.....do you wear one?
OK,"Obama stutters and is at a loss for words". That means he is THINKING, which is a new concept in government. Many just spew out comments, such as "I was under fire in Bosnia"(Hillary) or The Shiites (Should have been Sunnis). (McCain). George Bush never stuttered when he said there were WMDs in Iraq or proposed the war in the first place. It is time for a change, an intelligent, thoughtful administration, even one who stammers at times would be nice.
Blaming the media and blaming your opponent and blaming Washington isn't a new kind of politics.  It's politics as usual.  He may get away with being dismissive now, but believe you me, all these questions about his patriotism are not going to end in the fall.  He better quit being so dismissive.  At some point, he has to get in the game.
Here is what I saw and heard:  Obama WAS furious, as would be anyone in the same circumstances.  It became faily evident about halfway through the first half of the debate that the moderators were gunning for him.  You could see by his face how angry he was at the ridiculous questions that he has answered about a ZILLION times.  When Russert and Williams piled up on  Clinton in the previous debate at least the questions were relevant and policy related.  If I have to hear about the the bloody lapel pin one more time I'm going to scream! WHO CARES???  Then, Senator Clinton, who was loving every minute of it, starts in with her equally ridiculous "patriotic" reminiscing, about her grandfather in PA, and how religious and patriotic HE was.  Good God, people, do we have to go down this religion/fake patriotism road in yet another election year???? This is how the Republicans scared the s--t out of the electorate in the LAST election and put "W" and his goons in the White House.  The politics of fear...I can't stand it. I swear, the American people are their own worst enemy sometimes. P.S.  Early voting has started here in NC, and Senator Obama received three votes from my family this morning!        
Regardless of which candidate you favor, if you honestly think that a televised debate between potential Presidential nominees should focus so much on things like lapel pins and if someone like Wright is “patriotic”, then congratulations- you are lined up with the inertia that keeps us from tackling any real problems.

You have a nation seriously divided over a war. We are facing massive economic pressures, environmental disasters, and a whole host of failing systems from education to health care to regulation and oversight. We have critical questions to answer about individual freedoms vs. national security, how to handle diminishing water resources, and the role of corporations and industry in shaping government.

No matter who is president, they will shape the Supreme Court- which will affect you. They will decide what priorities we (as taxpayers) will fund, and equally critical, which ones we don’t. That will affect you. They will be the voice of our country when dealing with Iran, Russia, China, Korea etc.- and their success or failure in those efforts  determine how are military will be deployed, how many of our troops remain continuously in harms way and how much of our resources are spent on those activities versus here at home. That affects you.

So, again, if you think Clinton’s statements on Bosnia or Obama’s board membership with Ayers are REALLY the issues we as a people should be focusing on, you need to wake up and see the boat we are in. The past eight years have demonstrated what happens when you choose media fodder over substance.

Can we afford to be that insanely stupid again?
Where's Hillary's Pin?


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