Obama’s Temper

That’s why I love the internet; links. JNS, it’s worth noting that this happened while he was out trick or treating with his seven year old daughter.

Barack Obama had taken a break from the campaign trail for a few hours of Halloween fun at home with his family four days before the election, but ended up visibly annoyed when news crews dogged their footsteps in their Chicago neighborhood.

“That’s enough. You’ve got a shot. Leave us alone,” Obama told reporters as he walked down the block with his 7-year-old daughter Sasha in her costume on the way to a party at a neighbor’s home.

is a far cry from:

“reporters waiting for him in front of his home this afternoon.”

Bravo for Obama. I’d have been harsher…poor guy.

They weren’t trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt’s house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.

“Snippy black man” doesn’t quite have the same power to alarm as “angry black man”.

JNS-
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First, I stand by my observation that the Reuters story is quite a bit different from yours.
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Second, I thought Obama (and McCain) were being pooled outside of campaign events. This certainly sounds like downtime.
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Ok… not trick or treating… the press still got uncomfortably close to his kid. Tired? How about naturally protective?

OH,and thanks for the trick or treating correction. That was wrong.

Press has been really good about kids for as long as I can remember. Amy Carter.

I’d be peeved at reporters jacking around with a family moment with one of my kids. It’s not clear to me how this can be construed as an event of any legitimate interest to the press or to those the press communicates to. Unless “the press” has become closer to bands of paparazzi than I had realized.

Ted, do you really see racism in this? If so…

I used to love the press. I admired the press. I wanted to be part of the press, when I was a kid. And I still maintain a respect for the media and a sense of the role it plays in our society.

But this election has disabused me of many positive feelings; I can think of few professions that demonstrate the same petulence and sense of entitlement as the national political media. “Disgraceful” is a little strong, but the press isn’t doing itself any favors when it makes itself the story.

Snippy? Because he wanted some quality time with his kid

Looks to me like JNS just wanted an excuse to bring up Rev. Wright again, and posing Obama as an a$$hole is just an added bonus.

Cheap shot.

Non-story. Who is he, Britney Spears? What journalistic purpose was served by following him as he walked down the street with his very small child? Are you people under the impression that he is underexposed? That the public is starved for action shots?

# Jay Newton-Small Says:
Friday, October 31, 2008 at 10:21 pm

They weren’t trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt’s house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.

Doubtless the press should interrogate parents as they walk with their children. After all, it’s not as if you care about the real issues, is it?

No Yoshi, I don’t see racism. What I’m saying is ‘candidate gets a bit snippy’ is not exactly the lead item on the 9 o’clock news.

They weren’t trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt’s house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.

And isn’t determining what’s actually newsworthy part of your “job description”?

Sorry.

JNS–

No disrespect, but you come off as a complete tool in this post–including your follow-up comment. Yes, Obama is a candidate, that has sought media attention to get his message to voters, but please explain to me how it was necessary to get right next to him and Sasha to cover this story? In other pool reports, they have attended Malia’s soccer games and have taken good pictures at a respectable distance, why should today’s event be any different, especially when other children were in close proximity?

Oh, and thank you for the false equivalency between walking to a friend’s house, and actual trick or treating, because Lord knows if it was the latter, this absolutely wouldn’t have happened. Also, I find it quite refreshing to learn that getting followed to a halloween party by the press is part of his “job description” as president. It sure helped me decide how to vote.

This is what is wrong with the press, instead of reporting news, they do things to create it.

Fascinating. There have been a lot of stories lately about the Angry Old Man’s press pool lapping up his barbecue sauce and getting so cozy with him they go to great lengths to hide his apparently frequent outbursts and incivilities. And here Mr. Cool’s press corps buzzes the newswire when he gets protective about his daughter.
Is there some kind of Stockholm Syndrome vs. whatever its opposite is (Perth Syndrome, perhaps?) vibe going on here?
Or am I misreading this, and I’m supposed to note that Obama actually does have a human (that’s non-preternatural) side, and will in fact fiercely defend his offspring and presumably by extension his country from unwelcome intrusions?

Why do you neglect to mention the obvious? His kids were right there. Doesn’t he deserve a couple hours alone with his kids?

After reading this post, I feel some regret that Obama does not toss offensive imbeciles in the press corps out of the plane at 30,000 feet. I suppose he prefers to minimize environmental damage, but there is such a thing as being too scrupulous. But then, I can’t see why Time would waste space on ignorant and offensive juveniles who are apparently incapable of writing clear, correct English or filing worthwhile copy. Neither Carney, nor Tumulty, nor Klein would sink to this depth of fatuous self-gratification. Why is is that only JNS and MS fail the quality test?

Dear,

No one, anywhere, agreed to let you mess with that little girl’s hour with her daddy on halloween. No one. Ever.

As for the candidate, that was an extraordinarily cool response to truly severe provocation.

The Obama nation is capable of extraordinary innovation on very short notice. Could be sit-ins. Could be phone-a-thons. Could be shareholder actions. Could be witty. Could be blunt. Could be really memorable.

Either stop because you’re decent human beings, or stop because you realize that decent human beings are prepared to take whatever action necessary to give those children decent lives.

And don’t, under any circumstances, try claiming either freedom of the press or the dignity of your profession. Mess with those girls, and you’re ghouls, not journalists.

With all due respect, what is the press doing when he is spending time with his family? Is it a national security issue? Tell me what exactly the press is trying to cover? the press is acting like paparazzi! Same thing happened when he went to visit his Grandma. Its very sad to see the behavior of the press. JNS, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THIS SERVES THE INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

JNS,
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I echo the sentiments of all the other commentors. First its disengenuous not to include the fact that Obama was with his daughter and THAT is likely why he was testy, not just because he was “tired”. Second you didn’t point out that he had already asked the media to back off. This wasn’t a campaign stop. This wasn’t a photo op. This was a special moment between a father and daughter. And bigger than all of that the man didnt even cuss or yell according to the press report you linked to. All he did was take his shades off and then break out into a trot with his daughter to get away from press corps. The way you reported this was in my opinion beneath you. But hey I guess your sentiment that this is “part of the job description” makes me question my impression of you more than anything else.

Can’t wait for the next JNS post after she gets a chance to dig through Obama’s trash.

I believe the syndrome is Sedona Syndrome, and is found among hacks who prefer the McCain bbq to the more refined taste of integrity and judgment. Doubtless we can look forward to “Girlish Giggles” as JNS explains how she and Sarah Palin shared policy insights.

Snippy be be more likely a description I would apply to members of the media that don’t like their access to Obama being pulled.

Parent being mildly irritated at being harassed by massive media presence as they try to walk their child down the block to a holiday party.

You don’t give up your right to have a life simply because you run for public office. Nobody should be expected to pay that price to serve the public. Period. You can observe from a reasonable distance. Two hundred feet is more than fine. Long distance lens have been around for ages.

JNS,

the story you write around the report that you link to bear little relationship to one another. You dram some strange pychological extrapolations based on little or no direct evidence of Obama’s behavior.

This is crap journalism, and a misleading headline.

Are you really that bored?

JNS – did you read the article you linked to? I’m glad I did, because if I relied on your version, I would have had the wrong impression I think.

BTW – being asked to back off for 5 minutes so a guy can have some family time may be part of the media’s job description as well. Sorry.

She can’t read these comments because she’s currently hiding in the bushes waiting to pop out at Barack and Sasha. Maybe he’ll lose his sh*t again and she’ll have material for another post.

I don’t mean to double post, but I still can’t get past how crappy this write up is. Not only did JNS liberally stretch this story to portray Obama as losing his temper (which if this is what it looks like, my hat goes off to him)–she reached back to find other “examples”–is the news day really this slow?

Sedona Syndrome
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Every once in a while it needs to be pointed out that TIME didn’t assign anyone to the BBQ, that neither Scherer nor JNS were there, that only AMC was there, and that she was not on assignment.
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Sorry JNS but as a parent I can absolutely understand why he would be annoyed with the press and I’m pretty sure that his response was not nearly as harsh as you people probably deserved. Then you have the nerve to complain about it and blame it on his inadequacies — he is tired or impatient. No he got pissed because you people were rude and insensitive. Did it not occur to any of you that you might ruining the few moments that his child has been able to carve out with her father lately. She has probably been looking forward to this quality time all day and then here you’ll come like a hoarde of hyenas taking her fathers attention away again. But of course the perspective you have is that he hurt your feelings. Please grow up. If his daughter didn’t have a tantrum (she would have been justified by the way) then why should you.

This is ridiculous. He was protecting his kid. The press doesn’t have any right to mess with either candidate’s children, ever. You’re just flat out in the wrong here, and you should own up to it.

This shouldn’t have been a story to begin with, on Time, Reuters or whatever. It’s really dispicable after having stepped over the line like this as a group and then act like he was somehow at fault. He’s a human, you’re shocked to find out. Maybe you should treat him, his daughter, and yourselves like humans and realize a child is involved and should be protected. Knock it off, guys.

Look, JNS is not acting alone here — as she cites, this is posted in a lot of places. My question is, why does this get attention when McCain’s snarls don’t? Is there something about the nature of interaction with the press corps that means that rare frowns from Obama get posted while frequent tantrums from McCain don’t?
Is it just that one’s more out of character and gets noticed? If so that’s a problem, because if you only hear about the exceptions you don’t notice that they’re not the rule.

POLL SHOCK! McCain ahead in Zogby * (* if you don’t count black people or Democrats – or people who live in cities).

Sorry JNS but I can absolutely understand why he would be annoyed with the press and I’m pretty sure that his response was not nearly harsh @s you people probably deserved. Then you have the nerve to complain about it and blame it on his inadequacies — he is tired or impatient. No he was annoyed because you people were rude and insensitive. Did it not occur to any of you that you might ruining the few moments that his child has been able to carve out with her father lately. She has probably been looking forward to this quality time all day and then here you’ll come like a thundering hoarde taking her fathers attention away again. But of course the perspective you have is that he hurt your feelings. Please grow up. If his daughter didn’t have a tantrum (she would have been justified by the way) then why should you.

Joe,
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I have yet to see another post ANYWHERE on the net about this encounter that doesnt point out that Obama was with his daughter. And I am talking about even on the wingnut websites. There is no way to justify the sh!tty reporting in this post period point blank. Even if you say that its a story because people don’t think Obama has a temper the fact that he was with his daughter and they were trying to share a special moment is ABSOLUTELY germaine to the story and has to be included in order to have any shot at being a fair accounting of what happened. Thats not opinion, thats a fact

Is there any wonder the press is held in the regard it is…

Reuters says: “He grew especially testy when a Polish television cameraman tried to approach them. “Come on guys, get back on the bus,” he pleaded with journalists…” OMG, so testy!! We’ve got a scoop here.

JNS says: “Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator…” So your interpretation is that its the strain of the campaign and not the untoward intrusion on him AND HIS DAUGHTER? Oh, OK…. Well done

Reuters says: “The fact that Obama took time out for Halloween showed a candidate feeling confident about his chances on Tuesday…” Wow, the press are incredible mind-readers, aren’t they? Or maybe he feels he should spend some time with the kids??

Okay now that I read the Reuters story I’d just like to say that clearly my comment was not harsh enough. And for the record the fact you are not alone in this insanity doesn’t make it any better –this is not the kind of thing where there’s safety in numbers.

Take it from a father, JNS – when you come home from work on Halloween night and go out walking with your seven year old kid — you ARE trick-or-treating, no matter what you might call it. That’s what they’ve been waiting for – you to come and get the party started in there.

Wow, you guys just won’t give Obama a break will you? This is the most pathetic thing I have seen. I think I might cancel my subscription and my mother’s, Grandmother’s and sister’s too for this crap.

I guess it’s just fine that Palin & McCain pimp out their children by having 9 year-olds introduce Mommy and sign autographs when she should be in school. Why don’t you write the truth about the poor little infant Palin uses as a prop late at night? Not to mention the fact that her husband doesn’t seem to work, kids don’t go to school. I’m so tired of the free pass McCain/Palin get.

Palin said today that the PRESS was jeopardizing the First Amendment by reporting what politicians say. She doesn’t even know the FIRST AMENDMENT gives freedom to the press and the people to say whatever they want about the GOVERNMENT, not the other way around!!! Isn’t that a little more newsworthy than Obama asking some reporters to give his little girl some space for 5 minutes? What is wrong with YOU? He doesn’t want to pimp his children out like Palin does. No doubt Palin is hoping her kid gets an agent so she can pimp her out to Hollywood.

What about the fact that Palin won’t release medical records!! What is she hiding? Where are her tax returns prior to 2006? OMG, I can’t even go on anymore there is too much- she has not been vetted at all.

McCain has serious Alzheimers moment on MTP last Sunday and no one reported it except Jon Stewart. He was telling Brokaw the 5 Sec. of State that support him (trying to brush off the Powell endorsement of Obama) and he couldn’t name all of them! He tried again, and used his fingers to count like a child does and he still couln’t name the 5th one! Then a few minutes later, long after this subjecy had passed, he interrupted Brokaw “I got it! George Shultz! I got it! That’s who it is!” Again, just like a child. This crap happens everyday and the PRESS cover it up for McCain.

Jay Newton-Small – she puts the RAT in paparazzi.

coffee — it is clear that JNS doesn’t have any kids or she wouldn’t have come to the ridiculouas conclusion that he came home for halloween because he was confident or he got testy because of the strain of the campaign. If they had approached me with my kid I’d have slapped them.

This is the last Halloween Obama and his kids will ever have the same, he deserves a bit of space.

The kids are off limits. And that goes for the Palin kids too. Even when they are used for cute photo-ops.
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OTOH, I’d love to see this journalistic persistence on issues like the rapidly deteriorating state of Pakistan, and American-Pakistani relations – thank you Rachel Maddow for talking rationally about this serious issue! I really didn’t need to know that Sasha was wearing a corpse-bride costume. Although, cool choice.

I’m gonna take a third run at this. I’m neither defending nor villifying JNS. My concern is a general press bias — why did ANYONE report this?
And by comparison, why do we only hear stories about McCain’s outbursts weeks or months after the fact, and from outside his press pool?

My question is, why does this get attention when McCain’s snarls don’t?
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Man bites dog.
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The trouble is that McCain’s temper is well known among the Villagers, and so seems unnewsworthy. But all the people listening to say “my friends” don’t know about the various incidents of rage and violence.
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Nor the derision. “You little Jerks.”
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Here is the typical blog post about the incident, this one from “the Swamp”. Again disregarding for a moment that this is a non story- story look at how a reasonably adequate journalist reports the incident as opposed to what we have here on Swampland.
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http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obama_halloween.html

OH I”m sorry JNS it just occurred to me what you are donig. At first I thought you were just being obtuse because you didn’t recgonize the importance of his child to the story. But this isn’t really about that is it it? The msm has decided to join Mac is back McCain in his you don’t really know this guy meme in the last 48 hours. So how does it work? Do you people have a meeting to discuss how to help him out so this thing is not a blow out or do you just kind of read each others signals on the play?

Oh I’m sorry JNS it just occurred to me what you are doing. At first I thought you didn’t recgonize the importance of his child to the story out of ignorance. But this isn’t really about that at all is it? There is four days to go and Mac’s base has decided to help him out with the old “you don’t really know this guy” meme. So how does it work? Do you people have a meeting to discuss how to help him out so this thing is not a blow out or do you just kind of read each others signals on the play?

Oh I’m sorry JNS it just occurred to me what you are doing. At first I thought you didn’t recgonize the importance of his child to the story. But this isn’t really about that at all is it? There are four days to go and Mac’s b@se has decided to help him out with the old “you don’t really know this guy” meme. So how does it work? Do you people have a meeting to decide how to help him out so this thing is not a landslide or do you just kind of read each others signals on the play? (And if I get caught by the modbot again I will give up)

Calling your wife a c*nt unprovoked in front of reporters — not a story.
Telling aggressive reporters to back off from your 7 y.o. kid — big news story.

Aha. Thanks for posting that sg.
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So this WAS a pool report. So JNS wasn’t there. This pooling thing is kinda weird that way. It wasn’t good when Jayson Blair filed from somewhere other than the story location. But reporting a pool report as if you were (Reuters too, apparently) is okay.
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I liked it a lot better when KT just posted the pool report. The pools are funny, as a side bonus.

nibblybits–

I belive AMC posted the other day that McCain blows up all the time they’re used to it. I guess they just chalk it up to another senior moment.

sgw, that’s a little better write-up, but I don’t like it either.
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Nibblybits, thank you for finally making my point for me.
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And now I’m off to bed, where no doubt I’ll continue ranting in my sleep. ‘Night, all!

Good grief – could you be more silly?
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he signed on for this – but surely it’s not too much to ask that Obama’s 7 year old get to be a kid on halloween without a gazillion reporters hounding her?

jay,
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Actually I think JNS HAS been in the pool this week with Obama. Remember how she was whining about being in the rain on Tuesday? I think she linked to reuters just out of sheer laziness honestly.

Thanks a lot SG at first I was just annoyed now I feel like I’ve been bent over.

Joe,
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I don’t like it either but at the very least it pointed out the man was with his daughter and THATS why he was pi$$ed off and rightly so.
I took my daughter and son trick or treating tonight and we had a ball so maybe I am being overly partial about it but I still think any journalist with any kind of integrity would have at the minimum included the fact that his daughter was with him in the story. At the mid level meaning average I would expect to not even hear about it. Funny that they have time to blog about this but not about Reagan’s former chief of staff endorsing Obama today. Go figure

The pool is usually one reporter, sg. At least that’s how it’s been explained here before. In this case, Lynn Sweet.
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Lynn Sweet, our friend at the Chicago Sun-Times who was in the journalist pool keeping an eye on the presidential candidate for the rest of the press corps filed this report:

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This is just what the pool is for–to catch unexpected events outside the flow of the campaign’s events. It’s just interesting that reporting it as if you were there, as in the Reuters piece (bylined, datelined) is considered okay. It makes sense. It would be insane for both Obama and the press to have three dozen of them dogging every step.

And, sg, her presence at the muddy even would not put her in the pool. The pool is for keeping an eye on him when he is in public, but not at an event. Of course, one part of that is a watch in case something awful happens.
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But there was obviously foreign press there too, who were not part of the pool arrangement.

jay,
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I stand corrected. But how lazy would you have to be to link an article that evidently you didnt even read? And journalists wonder why they are being downsized. Any one of us could have written a better post. Better than that all of US would have seen it for what it was, a non story.

They reported on it at huffpo but check out the final line in the story.
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“In a final dash for the presidency, Obama stopped into Chicago specifically to spend some time on Halloween with his family, including his other daughter, Malia, who is 10.”

The candidate conducted himself with dignity.

The father conducted himself with extraordinary restraint.

The reporters in question behaved like ghouls.

Back off. Back way off.

This is the same press that can’t find time to report about substantive issues, right?

Ok, I get it now. Of course the story itself now sits at the tippy top of Drudge. I guess JNS wanted to get a star turn by writing the most biased assessment of the situation so Drudge would link her version. Alas breitbart beat her out. And surprise surprise breitbart gave the standard account that includes the fact that he was with his daughter. Thats ok JNS you’ll get em next time. Stay classy.

Ok, I get it now. Of course the story itself now sits at the tippy top of Drudge. I guess JNS wanted to get a star turn by writing the most biased a$$essment of the situation so Drudge would link her version. Alas breitbart beat her out. And surprise surprise breitbart gave the standard account that includes the fact that he was with his daughter. Thats ok JNS you’ll get em next time. Stay classy.

Ok, I get it now. Of course the story itself now sits at the tippy top of Drudge. I guess JNS wanted to get a star turn by writing the most biased a$$essment of the situation so Drudge would link her version. Alas breitbart beat her out. And surprise surprise breitbart gave the standard account that includes the fact that he was with his daughter. Thats ok JNS you’ll get em next time. Stay cla$$y.

They weren’t trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt’s house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.
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Jay, you’ve posted a lot of terrific, well-reported, insightful, relevant stuff here. I am taking a deep breath and trying not to fly off the handle.
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Respectfully, the “press’s job” that you describe in this post does not seem to have “informing the public about the likely consequences of the election” anywhere in the top 15 priorities.

You have to be kidding, he’s spending time with his family, has some stern, but technically polite words for a nosy reporter, and you say he “snapped”? You think this is a story about his temper?

This is a story about the space and respect his young children, who did *not* sign up for this, deserve.

Get it together and get some priorities.

Geraldine Ferraro endorsed Barack Obama after all. I wonder if we will get an article out of THAT.

I wrote this on a KT thread two days ago:

It’s nice that while noting Biden’s lack of availability, you aren’t taking it as a personal affront and reporting accordingly. I’ve seen several instances of reporters taking a situation like that and making it about them doing serious harm to the credibilty of the balance of their writing.

I’ll just cite this thread as evidence that I know of which I speak.

While I’m happy he didn’t go Czech PM on your arse (see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/29/czech-republic-prime-mini_n_139097.html ), this amounts to piffle.

Next posts? Barack Obama is human, Barack Obama wipes–it’s true!

And for the record, Mac’s temper doesn’t concern me either. If you’re not angry you’re not paying attn. Anger does not disqualify anyone for a job in my book. Now, his impulsive, by the gut, fighter jock decisionmaking, that’s another thing. But getting pissed off once in a while. Spare me. And at the media–make that a number of spares.

While the reporters were nursing their wounded pride, they may have missed these associations.
————off topic – on kindred spirits
” .. So, Joe The Plumber, the Ohio plumber, who has no license and is actually named Samuel Wurzelbacher, spoke at a McCain campaign event in Columbus Monday, Oct, 27, 2008.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/foxs-shepard-smith-forced_n_138674.html
—and why not this?
“So, Eldon The Carpetbagger, the Arizona senator, who was not born in USA and is actually named John Sidney McCain III (aka Eldon Smith) spoke at a McCain campaign event in Columbus Monday, Oct, 27, 2008.”
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/26/14301/4165/432/575184
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Surprise! Parents can get “snippy” when they’re trying to protect their kids. It’s not like he accused anyone of plastering her makeup on like a trollop. Or worse.

Irritable – is that all you’ve got? He gets snippy sometimes. Why should we care?

Barack Obama: Secret Muslim, Secret Radical, Secret Foreigner, Secret Communist, Secret Angry Man?

This report tells us that Obama is a good dad , protective of his children. GOOD FOR HIM

This report tells us more about you, that you could actually report this and indulge in your psuedo-psychololgy.

SHAME ON YOU

Chill out guys, Jay Newton-Small, who has been covering politics since all the way back in the Tom DeLay era, is simply following the time (TIME?)-honored tradition of Politico and trolling for a Drudge link. What a t–t.

So the man wants to take his child for a trick or treat. The reporters want to hound him as he trys this chore while being exahusted by the Presidential campaign. He “snaps” at them. Very mild snap as I saw it on the teevee. So this is a big story??

Obama’s temper? Truly? After 20 months, you finally discovered it? Wonder what McCain thinks of this new finding.

They weren’t trick or treating

They were walking to a trick-or-treat party. (Many parents do that with young kids.)

Jay Newton-Small thinks it’s OK to stalk them UNTIL the children start trick-or-treating.

Sorry!

“Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator ”
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I’m not sure that the tone of this post and follow up comment demonstrates that it is the Senator who feels under strain.

Looks like poor form reporting all the way around on this one JNS, sorry. Even Obama detractors (the few that even bothered to bring this up) put a bit of context and perspective in their commentary.

JNS: What were you thinkin’?

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It might be time to apply the KT rule. Before posting something like this, think to yourself, would KT post something like this, and if she would, would she treat it seriously, or would she make fun of herself for needing to do it.

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One of the things that makes KT good is that she doesn’t take herself too seriously. It’s a valuable quality to cultivate.

For example, there’s this write up, in the light hearted “The Trail” section of Wapo, from Shaleigh Murray, called, “Obama Says, ‘Boo’ to Reporters”:
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Obama Says ‘Boo’ to Reporters
By Shailagh Murray
GARY, Ind. — Halloween got a little scary for Sen. Barack Obama’s press corps tonight.

The Democratic nominee took a short break from the campaign trail to spend the evening with his family in their Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, but he wasn’t happy to see reporters amid the trick-or-treaters. In a rare flash of emotion for the normally cool candidate, Obama became annoyed when his press pool caught up with him as he walked down the street with 7-year-old daughter Sasha.

“All right guys, that’s enough. You’ve got a shot. Leave us alone,” Obama told the gaggle of national and local reporters who had staked out the visit. “Come on guys. Get back on the bus.”

And then Obama staged a getaway, trotting off with Sasha, who was dressed as a “corpse bride” in a white cape and black leotard. They were headed to a party at the house of Marty Nesbitt, Obama’s friend and campaign treasurer.

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See, now’s there’s a lovely light touch that doesn’t leave a reporter looking like she decided to dressed up as a tool for Halloween. Okay, that last part was harsh, but I am a parent, and there’s a rather large part of me that wants you to know that someday you will have children and you will understand.

Shorter media: Sleeper Cell Awakened.

I find it interesting that JNS was quick to fire back at Jayack that they ‘were not trick or treating’ but disappears when people all her on what a ridiculous lie this post is. She really needs to post an apology. Maybe the long campaign has gotten to her and she needs a rest but linking to a story and then fabricating a post about it is inexcusable.
I was struck yesterday by the pictures of Palin’s seven year old daughter standing at a campaign rally dressed as a ‘snow queen’ I thought it was so sad that this poor little girl has had to miss out on Halloween activities with her friends back home to be a prop for mommy’s campaign. She has not been to school in months and has no time with children her own age. The Obama’s have done everything they can to keep their children grounded in real life. It says a lot about what kind of people they are that Obama would fly home five days before the election to give his daughter some time. That the press would disrupt this moment says a lot about what kind of people they are.

Really? This passes for reporting on TIME now? What the public needs to know, after 21 months on the campaign trail, is that Sen Obama is protective of his child, gets snippy with aggressive reporters, and therefore is human? JNS, your arms must be getting tired – jump off the Tire Swing and take a breather.

JNS has clearly run out of ideas and story lines if this is what passes as reporting. One could write volumes on McCain’s temper but that’s a story that has largely been ignored during this election. The juxtaposition of a first class temperment with that of a volcanic hothead would have been worth letting people know about. It’s time to yank Jay’s press pass and send her back to the junior high newsletter.

Now I’m getting all curious. Reuters and JNS make it sound like they were there. The Swamp has a pool report, which makes the most sense, given that there was no campaign event going on. The “bus” was there. Murray sounds like she was there with a “gaggle” of reporters.
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Is there video of this somewhere?

What’s this I hear about Obama taking reporters hostage? I’m against that.

Give me a break. Obama is father of the year and Palin is the worst parent on the planet? Get a grip in reality people. Where were the questions about how Obama can possibly do the job as president with two small daughters versus the endless inquiry on Palin’s ability to handle a job, while being the mother of 5? Obama isn’t a saint and the Republicans aren’t the anti-christ. These people all chose a public life and intrusion into their private life is part of it. They all, in some respects, use their families as props. Is it sad that Obama and his kid were stalked while they were trick or treating? Yes. Should he have gotten mad? Yes. But it was equally terrible, if not more so, that all major news networks decided to splash pictures of Palin’s 17 year old daughter all over the news for weeks on end after her pregnancy was announced.

Jay-I went looking for a video and couldn’t find it. Google and Youtube.

I did read that Congressman Boner called Senator Obama a Chickensh!t. Good to see the stress isn’t getting to him either.

So Obama gets “snippy” to McCain’s profane rants and anger? Which would you rather have there…

http://www.political-buzz.com/

Here’s what’s funny and true: this event is/was insignificant. Meaningless. Getting late. Running out of stories. Tensions high. Move along. Nothing to see here.

Wanna see Obama get mad–let’s see if a press person has the stones to ask Obama whether his illegal alien aunt should (a) have to pay back all of the benefits she’s gotten illegally and whether (b) she should be immediately deported.

She should be deported tomorrow. Any illegal alien who illegally gets government services should be on the next plane.

“versus the endless inquiry on Palin’s ability to handle a job, while being the mother of 5″
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I read some and don’t recall that being an issue. Can you link to a few of the endless inquires please?

I understand how Zogby is using the one-day results to persuade, but something I don’t understand about the below — is Zogby’s margin of error FIVE points? Isn’t that high?

UTICA, New York — Republican John McCain made a small gain against Democrat Barack Obama and has pulled back within the margin of error, now trailing Obama by five points, 49.1% to 44.1%, the latest Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby daily tracking telephone poll shows.

http://www.zogby.com/main.htm

pour, as always Nate at 538 addresses all poll related questions. His top post, currently, discusses the Zogby poll.

“Getting annoyed at a pack of press following you is only natural, but the blanket coverage is something he has asked for by running for president. But the episode shows he’s also human: irritable when tired”

JNS-

By the same token, getting annoyed at a pack of blog commenters for questioning bits of your post is also only natural, but it’s something you ask for when you write stories or post on the blog. This episode shows that you too are irritable when tired.

To the commenters – JNS has been very consistent and fair in her coverage of Obama – and let’s not forget that she’s been following him around for weeks, months, etc., and must be tired herself. Some of you are really really really nitpicking here and jumping on her for the smallest of perceived slights. Just back off a little bit. Three days to go.

@paul – I have already read that, and don’t see where it addresses that issue. I believe it’s a mistake. I think Zogby’s release says that the full tracking poll shows McCain within the margin of error when, in fact, he is not.

I consider this a big deal because it would completely undercut the transparent effort by Drudge/Zogby to cook the books to make a Hope Pie for McCain. Zogby’s release clearly states the race is now within the margin of error, yet he lists his margin of error at 2.9% and the race is at 5%. Forget the ridiculous “one-day” shell game – this is an outright misstatement of fact. That’s a big deal when you are talking about a pollster and his reputation.

Zogby’s release clearly states the race is now within the margin of error, yet he lists his margin of error at 2.9% and the race is at 5%. Given the propaganda effort he and Drudge are undertaking, this is the kind of error that could really undercut his reputation. Pollsters can’t lie about numbers. What am I missing?

‘irritable when tired’….this is news? Obama has been very upfront with the media about coverage of children. He was more than direct about it – I believe “they are off limits” was his statement when questioned about Palin’s teenage daughter’s pregnancy.
Coverage of Palin’s children however has turned into paparazzi value. She is inclusive with her children in public events, including bringing them front and centre on stage in campaign rallies, PR appearances such as hockey games, etc. Taking a 7yr old and a pregnant teenager to a hockey game to buffer the expected negativity of a crowd (and that’s by her own admission people, not my interpretation) is disgraceful and really quite sad.
Regardless of voting preference I respect Obama as a parent on this issue and if he became ‘testy’ about it well good for him -so he doesn’t just talk the talk. Surely you can do better than this for ‘news’.

Re: 103, Ana Marie Cox has gotten into the act:

“Little baby Trig must be so glad he wasn’t aborted for this, his first Halloween, because his parents dressed him up like a political party symbol to be carried around at snarling political events. Aww. Isn’t life just grand?”

What a sick twisted harpie AMC is.

Hey, SpoogeBob – It’s not AMC. Learn to read.

hey pourmecoffee, learn not to be a DB . . . .

do you really think that she gets to hide behind that figleaf?

You misspelled, “I made an embarrassingly wrong accusation.”

Pattersonellen,
Palin brought the nonpregnant teenager to the hockey game. The pregant one has been hidden away since the convention.

SpoogeBob – You misspelled, “I was wrong.”

This tone from JNS is familiar. Lemme Eat My Waffe, anyone?
http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/04/21/lemme_eat_my_waffle/

JNS,

Why did you post the story without all the facts? He was with his daughter who was in a Halloween costume, so the “walk” was probably Halloween related and the TV crew was getting a little close to his daughter. You are right that he asked for the coverage, but I’m sure his daughter didn’t ask for the coverage, so he was well within his rights to ask someone to back off and don’t get too close to his child.

You need to check your motives, especially with a deliberately inflammatory headline. This was hardly a disply of temper more of annoyance. You’re really stretching to make that angry black man link.

Casey Morris, I like it! The Tumulty Doctrine of Press Blogging. WWKTD?

Pourmecoffee, I’m sorry, I forgot that the word “context” has been removed from the English language. Prior to its removal, one would conclude that by uncritically giving real estate to a quote like that (and by the way, you should read the vile comments in the sewer that is the Wonkette comment section) signals the harpie’s approval. But since we have removed “context” from the English language, then I guess I was wrong. My bad.

Any illegal alien who illegally gets government services should be on the next plane.
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Unless he’s keeping the kids of John McCain’s lawn.

Dude, she doesn’t work there anymore. FAIL.

Latest AMC tweet:

Transparency alert: I overslept. Almost missed the motorcade. Would have refunded everyone’s money, I promise

Dancingoutlaw – it is my view that only a few folks will buy your argument that the means that children get to Halloween parties is an important an issue as unwed pregnancies. But thanks for the insight.

And by the way, as I remember, didn’t the McCain campaign try to keep that issue in front of us? I seem to remember some staged Tarmac photo op with the boyfriend. And something at the convention. My memory is cloudy so correct me if I’m wrong.

JNS-
Your response #3 is total bullsh%t. This is a brief period of family down-time; being tracked by paparazzi/press is not part of the job description. You should be sorry.

“Ana Marie Cox, is the founding editor of Wonkette and the author of the novel Dog Days.”

I guess I don’t know what the meaning of “is” is. I’d be appalled if my creation posted such a sick twisted thing like that. We’ll see if AMC is.

jayackroyd, so are you saying that this illegal alien should continue to get government assistance? How ’bout we let you pay for it.

pourme,
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update that to EPIC FAIL
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AMC had nothing to do with the article in question.
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spob admit you were wrong and move on
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Or keep looking stupider by continuing to argue that an article neither written nor edited by AMC is her fault

Spooge – Wow. Thick. Ray Crok is the founding Prsident of McDonald’s, but he’s not working there now either. She retired in 2006.

That means, spob, that she was the first wage slave hired in the Gawker media empire for that particular blog. It wasn’t her “creation.”
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Pretty vulgar, though. As for sick and vile, I refer you to the eliminationists that David Niewart has been tracking for years.

dennisdenuto114

No, you are right. There was a photo op on the tarmac, which followed the announcement of her pregnancy, which was in response to the rumors that Trig was really the 17 year old’s baby — published by, among others, the Atlantic. 3 days prior to the tarmac photo, and for at least a week after, the 17 year old’s picture was plastered all over every internet site and newspaper. My point is, simply, if kids are off limits, then they are off limits — your own candidate even said so.

coffee–
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It’s more like pointing to the manager of the first Kroc store, in this case.

From jarais’ blast from the past link-
“Obama might consider holding avails with a little more regularity. Then, maybe, reporters would let him to eat in peace.”
From her post
“but the blanket coverage is something he has asked for by running for president”
From her comment
“having press there is part of the job description, sorry.”
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What a sad person JNS is. She’s too weak to call her a bully but jerk might be fair.

I thought the whole point of Wonkette was to be sick and twisted. And AMC is too busy vlogging about Schwarzenegger-Shriver makeup sex to care.

This isn’t the first time that JNS has put up a post like this asserting her right and privelege to hound the candidate. She’s done a good job covering legislative battles, but in the battle for dignity, she’s been found seriously wanting.

“That’s enough.”

What a hot head.

@jay – “She’s behind it somehow. She must be or … I’m wrong.” Cognitive dissonance much?

This isn’t the first time that JNS has put up a post like this a$$erting her right and privelege to hound the candidate. She’s done a good job covering legislative battles, but in the battle for dignity, she’s been found seriously wanting.

In any event, the thing is vile. Sorry if I don’t keep up with the ins and outs of AMC’s job title–bottom line is that she is obviously proud of her association with the blog, since it’s mentioned prominently in this page. We’ll see if she has anything to say about the disgusting comment.

Guys, does having your kids at campaign events make them fair game? Is the rule that you must hermetically seal your kids from your appearances or else anything goes?

What it comes down to once again is that JNS did a shi!tty job of reporting. I went and read that post #109 that jarais linked to (h/t) and what do you know JNS is complaining that Barack Obama has to give more media access because John McCain is all about total access to the press. Yeah JNS how is THAT working out for you. I wonder if JNS ever wrote a correction, that John McCain uses the mindless peons in the press until they actually start doing their job and try asking him a few tough questions. Some how I would bet she didnt. No matter if you think the subject of the post is news worthy or not, if a journalist chcoses to report a story then they should be held accountable to report the story correctly. This story was bush league not just in the fact that its a non story but also in the fact that it was reported in an intentionally deceptive way. Just a way for JNS to try to get in some innocuous quotes from Claire McCaskill and Marty Nesbitt. And I for one am going to keep posting here about the lack of journalistic ethics JNS showed in writing this blog until she responds. As another poster pointed out, she had plenty to say when she first posted the blog. Where is she now? JNS being a blogger comes with getting criticized, its in the job description.

spob
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Dont try to change the subject until you admit you were wrong
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Otherwise you will be treated like any other trolled and whacked repeatedly
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Have some honor and some dignity

Or mistaken. Oh well. In any event, let’s see if she disassociates herself with “Wonkette” after such a vile, disgusting post.

What it comes down to once again is that JNS did a sh!tty job of reporting. I went and read that post #109 that jarais linked to (h/t) and what do you know JNS is complaining that Barack Obama has to give more media access because John McCain is all about total access to the press. Yeah JNS how is THAT working out for you. I wonder if JNS ever wrote a correction, that John McCain uses the mindless pe0ns in the press until they actually start doing their job and try asking him a few tough questions. Some how I would bet she didnt. No matter if you think the subject of the post is news worthy or not, if a journalist chcoses to report a story then they should be held accountable to report the story correctly. This story was bush league not just in the fact that its a non story but also in the fact that it was reported in an intentionally deceptive way. Just a way for JNS to try to get in some innocuous quotes from Claire McCaskill and Marty Nesbitt. And I for one am going to keep posting here about the lack of journalistic ethics JNS showed in writing this blog until she responds. As another poster pointed out, she had plenty to say when she first posted the blog. Where is she now? JNS being a blogger comes with getting criticized, its in the job description.

Someone in the 538 comments answered me about Zogby, and I think I’m wrong about Zogby being wrong — but I still don’t understand why! How is the +5 race “within the margin of error” if the margin of error is 2.9%? What determines when the race is within the MOE? Put aside the one-day thing – that has nothing to do with my question. Can anyone explain this to me?

I think pourmecoffee that the MOE is plus minus, so it’s really 5.8%. That’s harkening back to my physics days where we had to calculate errors in lab, yuck. C

sgwhite, weren’t you the one that thought that the Jena Six victim deserved his beating?? If so, you have no room to say anything about anyone.

What it comes down to once again is that JNS did a pi$$ poor job of reporting. I went and read that post #109 that jarais linked to (h/t) and what do you know, JNS is complaining that Barack Obama has to give more media access because John McCain is all about total access to the press. Yeah JNS how is THAT working out for you. I wonder if JNS ever wrote a correction, that John McCain uses the mindless pe0ns in the press until they actually start doing their job and try asking him a few tough questions. Some how I would bet she didnt. No matter if you think the subject of the post is news worthy or not, if a journalist chcoses to report a story then they should be held accountable to report the story correctly. This story was bu$h league not just in the fact that its a non story but also in the fact that it was reported in an intentionally deceptive way. Just a way for JNS to try to get in some innocuous quotes from Claire McCask!ll and Marty Nesbitt. And I for one am going to keep posting here about the lack of journalistic ethics JNS showed in writing this blog until she responds. As another poster pointed out, she had plenty to say when she first posted the blog. Where is she now? JNS being a blogger comes with getting criticized, its in the job description.

oh ok everyone wouldnt you know one of our old trolls has made it back…Now which troll were you spob??? You were such a non factor that I don’t think anybody remembers your name. lol

The +/- That makes sense, I think. Wow. Rasmussen MOE=2 vs. Zogby 2.9 – a full point value on the +/- spread.

I remember the Jena Six obsession. But not the name.

Excellent point! Anyone who once thought something someone thinks is wrong should never again think anything about anything. Michelle Bachmann, add this to your investigation!

This is such an amusingly rich incident of wingnuttery that it deserves comment.
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First, we’ve got the classic “Clinton did it too” argument. This is the twisted hypocrisy argument. Here, it seems to take the form of “Vile people in internet comment threads and open diaries spread baseless rumors about Trig’s parentage and therefore it’s okay for the traditional media to harass Obama and his kid on Halloween.”
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Second, of course, it’s inaccurate. The only reporting in the traditional media I saw about the Trig pregnancy came from the McCain campaign, blaming those rumors on the need to tell the public about the teenaged pregnant drop-out.
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Third, it’s kinda stunning they should say that the coverage of this has been unduly negative. The fact that the Palins represent a living, breathing example of the effects of abstinence only pregnancy prevention, with two high school drop outs as the result, has not been spoken about much, speaks to quite a bit of self-restraint. When one tries to imagine the firestorm that would have erupted if even a sibling of one of the Obama’s had a pregnant teenaged daughter, it’s literally laughable that they could complain about the restraint the traditional media has shown.
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Finally, and seriously, this is a reminder of what digby said earlier this week. These people do not blink at hypocrisy, at all. They will, turning on a dime, violate the principle they are accusing you of violating five minutes ago. We are going to suddenly be told about the importance of divided government, of voting against party, and, most important, of the perils of a jack-booted all powerful executive. In the most lurid and dishonest terms, at the same time they try that the pursuing exactly the same issues in the past administration is entirely political in nature.

[crossing fingers. No preview. Long post. Did I say @ss by accident somewhere?]

Post on today’s troll blocked. Reposted on the lagoon.

PNNTO,
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I know it was a girly name but thats all I can remember. Oh and I remember he/it was an internet g@ngster who was going to kick my @ss lol.
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But mostly I remember that the troll loves to try to change the subject. So f%ck off troll, grown people are talking here.

OT –Rest in peace Studs Terkel.

This is kinda funny. Not rip roaring but mildly amusing.
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I DO understand the press frustration in not ever getting access to the candidate. But since this has been the rule since Nixon introduced message control in 1972, you’d think they’d stop complaining about it, and adjust.
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As Douglas MacArthur Shaftoe likes to say, “Display some f#cking adaptability.”

OT –Rest in peace Studs Terkel.
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A long life.

pattersonellen, nothing, not even 7 year old incessantly handwaving daughters and 17 year old preggers daughters, can be expected to counter the negativity to be expected from a Philadelphia sports crowd. They boo Santa Claus, they booed Bud Selig after the Phillies won the series. I still wonder whether they have schools in Alaska, after seeing these Palin kids constantly trotted out for campaign events.

JNS really dropped the ball (or showed too much of the real ball) with this story. Like many others, I’m disappointed and a bit surprised.

Anyone still fuming over the Jena Six incident has issues with, um, the coloreds.

One bit from that post that the bot has taken control of, What digby said about hypocrisy and wingnuttery.

Re: the coverage of children. Reporting that Bristol Palin is pregnant is news. Following her around her hometown when she’s minding her own beeswax and trying to live her life is off limits.

Why do people make so many false equivalencies? In this particular case, giving Sasha her dad for a hour while they are tooting around the neighborhood (on Halloween, no less) seems the humane thing to do.

One thing aggressive moderation does constantly remind you of–your words are not your own in these comment threads. The belong to the owner of the server, and the application software it is running.

dancingoutlaw, I agree. And most Obama supporters also agree. There are a few people on either side who reach for some crazy justifications to talk about the kids – Palin’s pro-life (although also pro-contraception) so it’s okay to obsess on Bristol! Obama let his 3 year-old listen to an R-rated song (that she couldn’t understand) so we need to see his kids and let people know what a horrible father he is! – but most of us get that there is no excuse to focus on the kids.
–
BTW, for anyone who is still pretending that Palin didn’t face ridiculously sexist media coverage about her ability to raise 5 (actually 3) children as a VP should really look at the first 3 minutes of Campbell Brown’s Tucker Bounds interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohkdj1Gw9Ac Everyone knows about the later section of the interview where she demolishes Bounds on the experience argument, but there was more to the interview. And isn’t it interesting that no one in the MSM (or progressive blogosphere) ever talks about the first 3 minutes of that now legendary interview? They really protect each other.
I know she’s supposed to be our new heroine – even Frank Rich cites her – but she’s an embarrassment to journalism.

Wow. This has already been more than adequately covered, but just thought I’d pile on and say: you’re way off base here, JNS.

Not to be persnickety, but the journalism sin committed here is less than meets the eye: elevating it to the level of the story. It’s late in a long campaign. There are a lot of blank spaces to fill. Five years ago, it’s a sentence in the eighth paragraph and no one notices. Today, it’s a full post and the wolves descend. Everything gets jumpy at DefCon 1.

I have an on-topic comment stuck in moderation. Very frustrating…

At long last we’ve stumbled upon the key differentiation between our two candidates for President of the United States!

Barack Obama: Irritable When Tired
John McCain: Irritable When Awake

Off topic:

JMM notes that as we get closer to Tuesday, the two Gallup voter screens are converging to the wider “registered voter” Obama lead. He suggests, with good reason IMO, that people who were not identified as “likely voters” have often already voted, and so have jumped the screen.
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If true, you can expect a full-throated, full-bore assault on early voting by the Republicans. What this would mean is that some voters who were discouraged, intimidated, suppressed by any or all of the measures they use managed to vote early this time. If they lose their ability to limit turnout, they may be in the wilderness a long time.

coffee–
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Yeah. And it was on a blog that’s pretty hard to find if you’re a regular Joe, on a Friday night. Friday Halloween night.

Rose–
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Can you email me?
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jay@ackroyd.org

@jay – Maybe it was like “Monty Python’s Contractual Obligation Album,” too.

pourme,
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For me its not that JNS posted the story. For me its about JNS leaving out crucial facts in the story to further her own agenda. If someone read this post and had no other source of information they would think that for no apparent reason Obama went off on the press as he was minding his own business just going to his house. He is so “strained” from the campaign trail. Now if I am joe free republic blogger I am going to see that and say to myself and others “hey this guy can’t even take campaigning with out losing his temper, how will he handle ahmadenijhad.” That is a far cry from a man asking the press to back off while he has a special moment with his daughter. Like I said before it appears JNS was just trying to get top billing on Drudge. Notice not even ONE other source for a story about this focused on Obama’s temperment enough to bring in quotes from other people about what it takes to make him angry. This was a classic example of an attempt at a “hit piece” that had little to no resemblence to the facts of the situation.

pourme,
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For me its not that JNS posted the story. For me its about JNS leaving out crucial facts in the story to further her own agenda. If someone read this post and had no other source of information they would think that for no apparent reason Obama went off on the press as he was minding his own business just going to his house. He is so “strained” from the campaign trail. Now if I am joe free republic blogger I am going to see that and say to myself and others “hey this guy can’t even take campaigning with out losing his temper, how will he handle ahmadenijhad.” That is a far cry from a man asking the press to back off while he has a special moment with his daughter. Like I said before it appears JNS was just trying to get top billing on Drudge. Notice not even ONE other source for a story about this focused on Obama’s temperment enough to bring in quotes from other people about what it takes to make him angry. This was a cla$$ic example of an attempt at a “hit piece” that had little to no resemblence to the facts of the situation.

btw they showed the video of the situation on MSNBC this morning and it was as lame as we all presumed

yeah but jay this story still has top billing right now on Swampland and I doubt there are going to be a slew of articles going up today

@sgwhite – Agreed, on all counts. You’re right, no question. But – there’s still the matter of scale and perspective. It’s just a mini-obsession of mine – that what’s right and wrong about journalism has as much to do with proportion as content.

Jay’s reporting is fair. I just wish the press would leave him alone for an hour so he can have some quality time with his girls.

The man is not superhuman. I’m amazed at his workload, both physical and mental.

If someone read this post and had no other source of information they would think that for no apparent reason Obama went off on the press as he was minding his own business just going to his house.
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But she DID link to a fuller, more accurate story. And there are comments. The medium addresses these problems. Look how much Joe has grown and adapted because of these features.

It’s a good way to force a president or nominee to stay inside a bubble when he can’t even walk down the street with his daughter to a Halloween party without being hounded by a press that isn’t satisfied with just getting a shot and moving on.
Then of course, once stuck in the bubble, the press can complain that he doesn’t do normal family things like take a walk with his daughter.
That whole story and you didn’t even mention he was walking his daughter to a neighborhood costume party?
Pathetic.

Jay, are you still working at Time?There are probably lots of openings at National Inquiree

jay,
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Now this is totally hypothetical and normally I dont engage in this kind of fortune telling but imagine if Drudge HAD linked to JNS’s story. How many McCainiacs would have wasted time clicking on links before they started posting here? Not many. Mind you who knows how many of them would have had wordpress accounts but bigger than that what if some enterprising right leaning MSM outlet sees gets the story from Drudge and runs it. Its my personal opinion that when you are a journalist at one of the most esteemed mediums in the country you should write your article as if everyone in America might read it. And this article was something you would ascribe to a rank amateur posting at townhall.com. Again just my opinion.

spob must be sobrien.
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Only took him, what, a whole week to figure out how to get back on?
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Mental thunder, y’all…

53_3
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We have a winner!!!!!!!!!
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lol I was having a brain f@rt and couldn’t remember

sg–
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Sure. But this stuff is self-correcting. As you see Drudge’s influence wane. He’ll have no sources inside an Obama administration.

Thanks 53-your mad skillz with the trolls is appreciated.

jay
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I think at this point I catch myself arguing just to argue. We both agree that JNS didn’t live up to our standards of journalism in this post. Its moot whether or not it made a difference or not. I am still pi$$ed but I think its because I actually had a higher opinion of JNS’s writing than maybe was warranted. Especially after reading her earlier post about Obama trying to eat his breakfast. So Ill just leave it alone now. I am pretty sure my sentiments are well known at this point.

I expect snippy articles like this from the MSM in the next few days. If they can’t find drama, they will make it up, especially if it says something “negative” about the candidate who appears to have the lead.

Rose, I have to disagree with you about the coverage of Palin being sexist. She’s had an easy ride by the press, much more so than Hillary. Very few reporters have examined her record (or the Troopergate report) in detail and discussed how mediocre she’s been as mayor and governor. Imo, coverage of Wardrobegate wasn’t sexist because the main point was Palin was going about the country talking up her Average Janeness all the while wearing some expensive duds that were paid for by the RNC. John Edward’s Haircutgate caught traction because the Media tried to show his populism was only skin deep.

PNNTO:
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After the election, I’m going to make a donation in your name, so choose your weapon. Atfer all, it’s only fair…
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spob:
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A couple years ago, we had an incident in which this white guy came on the basketball court in my condo complex. He called one of the Black guys a n****r.
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I was watching. He got his arse singularly and serially kicked.
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Guess what?
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I did posilutely, absulartly, nothing. The ignorant offender took home, besides a bloody nose, a few bumps, and a scratch or two, a very harsh lesson in civics.
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I don’t even have to invoke race. He insulted someone, and he deserved what he got.
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There’s a very good reason for the old saw:
“Do unto others as they would do unto you.”
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You might keep it in mind….

Jay, if Obama gets elected, will you and others in the media consider “having press there [as] part of the job description” whenever Obama is with his children?

Even the tabloid press in the U.K. learned their lesson after Diana died and didn’t follow around Tony Blair and his young kids. I’d like to think that Time magazine has higher standards than The Sun.

Jay – you guys were being assholes and the problem is, you can’t even seem to see that. The guy was walking with his little girl. She gets to see him these days – ummm, about every other blue moon. And instead of respecting a girl’s need for her dad, you went after one more quote. So yes – that’s being an asshole.
Maybe you should be writing a blog entry about imposing some limits in the name of decency, or just a small note of apology.

Something he signed onto when he signed up to run for President? His daughter is 7. It’s Halloween. The press can’t keep back away for the short walk to the friend’s house?

Who wouldn’t be “snippy”?

This is a ridiculous story, frankly. And I think less of the author for deciding to post this.

“Come on guys, get back on the bus,”. Wow. He really lost control there didn’t he? This one needs a siren Jay.

Alright, guys, let me try and tackle this simply: this is the job he signed up for. He walked right through the press pool (I wasn’t there, by the way, but have had the scene described to me and seen the footage) which was standing in a pre-set area. So the idea that journalists were approaching them and coming too close to his kid is simply not true. All candidates know this is part of the job description. However morbid, since Kennedy was assassinated there is a protective pool that accompanies nominees everywhere and it is something that was negotiated and agreed to by the Obama campaign. So to complain about it, especially when you see where the press is set and choose to wade right through them, daughter in hand, rather than walk around the 20 or so reporters is just silly. If you want to be leader of the free world and you want to walk down a public street where anyone can get at you four days before the presidential election, you’ve got to assume there will be press there. We’re packing up to leave for Colorado, now, so I’ll leave it here. JNS

grandsophy Says:
“.. Obama’s temper? Truly? After 20 months, you finally discovered it? Wonder what McCain thinks of this new finding. ..”
“Now you tell us! You slow little jerks!” he yelled at the media, “20 months of my bbq!”
Then he turned to his wife and snapped, “What are you looking at, you little c-word!”
—
jarais Says:
” .. Surprise! Parents can get “snippy” when they’re trying to protect their kids. ..”
Is JNS supposed to know that?
—off-topic, retro
The Past – Never forgive, never forget: Ayers-Libby; Wright-Hagee/Parsley/Falwell; Michelle’s patriotism-Hanoi collaborator.
How is the republic best served?
The McCain Choice: A trip abroad to network with military and political leaders in a distant corner of the globe OR a trip abroad to network with floozies in a distant corners best known for carnality.
McCain’s choice?
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain/
—-

JNS,
.
Again why didnt you report on his daughter being there. You can try to explain it away but you know your article doesnt reflect the truth of the situation. Until you answer that question instead of fighting a strawman you will look even more guilty than you initially did.

sgwhiteinfla Says:
“..For me its not that JNS posted the story. For me its about JNS leaving out crucial facts in the story to further her own agenda. ..”
Well.
For further research, JNS included relevant links – which we used to get at her gleefully. So, she exercised due diligence.
She does not spot a masochistic side, does SHE?
["And, yes, despite the misleading name SHE is a she."]

“And, yes, despite the misleading name SHE is a she.”
!
There was a girl named Stanley ….. The rest is history.

I see. So Obama’s tactical and/or moral failure here was that he walked in the wrong place? Can you please provide a link to the tape that shows this (i.e., Obama barreling into the press corps with his 7 year old)? I’d love to see this.
.
Really, I don’t know why you’re insisting on this as in any way newsworthy. I don’t doubt that there have been instances where Obama (and every human being on the face of the earth) has been irritable and/or pissy. I think you would have been better served reporting on another instance — i.e., one that doesn’t involve the press chasing after Obama and his 7 year old daughter on Halloween eve — where it had been reported that he made a special trip home just to be with the girls on that particular child-oriented holiday. If, in fact, this is the ONLY instance you can come up with where Obama has been irritable, your reporting this is even more ridiculous, and one could conclude that one instance over a 20 month period yields the story of a man who has the temperament of a saint. Either way, your post & this story is absurd.

I see. So Obama’s tactical and/or moral failure here was that he walked in the wrong place? Can you please provide a link to the tape that shows this (i.e., Obama barreling into the press corps with his 7 year old)? I’d like to see this.
.
Really, I don’t know why you’re insisting on this as in any way newsworthy. I don’t doubt that there have been instances where Obama (and every human being on the face of the earth) has been irritable. I think you would have been better served reporting on another instance — i.e., one that doesn’t involve the press chasing after Obama and his 7 year old daughter on Halloween eve — where it had been reported that he made a special trip home just to be with the girls on that particular child-oriented holiday. If, in fact, this is the ONLY instance you can come up with where Obama has been irritable, your reporting this is even more ridiculous, and one could conclude that one instance over a 20 month period yields the story of a man who has the temperament of a saint. Either way, your post & this story is absurd.

Leave a Reply

JNS,
Thanks for sticking around and responding. I saw video of this and I don’t know why it merited even a blog post. As you said, he’s human and bound to be irritable once in a while. Please let him eat his waffles, Jay. And I hope you get a chance to take a nap. You must be tired.

cfukara,
.
Thats not my idea of due diligence but to each his own.
.
I don’t know if you were informing me or others bout JNS being a woman but her picture is right up there on the right hand side of this blog. AND if you reread my quote I refered to her as a her when i said “her own agenda”
.
But maybe it wasnt meant for me.
.

“..For me its not that JNS posted the story. For me its about JNS leaving out crucial facts in the story to further her own agenda. ..”
Well.
For further research, JNS included relevant links – which we used to get at her gleefully. So, she exercised due diligence.
She does not spot a masochistic side, does SHE?
["And, yes, despite the misleading name SHE is a she."]

This is the media reacting to Republican charges of being unfair.

“A Fit of Temper”. That’s a rather senational headline.

How about, “Obama Gives Media a Rebuke for Pursuing Close-In Shots As He Walks Down Home Street With Neighbor”.

Sinking to FoxNews sensationalism used to be beneath Time’s standards. Now the politicians supported by FoxNews cry unfairness, and Time caves to join them in the sensationalist gutter.

Jay, and Editor, you forgot the exclamation point on your headline !

Sorry, with Daughter

Small… that about sizes it up. This is a stupid article. She was clearly drinking while at work. Then she got a phone call from Campbell Brown. “We girl cretins have to stick together. I mean, Palin’s gotta have a wardrobe. I spend more on makeup!”

“That’s right,” says Ms. small, “He’s an angry black man! We have to tell america, especially considering the fact that he doesn’t return my calls.”

ALSO… This is a clever time to make everyone re-register to post things here. TRICK OR TREAT! But seriously, they’ve got to come up with something better than hounding Obama until he gets cranky, then reporting on it. And Ms. Small’s response to one of the first entries seems pretty cranky as well. Give up. You’ll get a call from GIRLS GONE WILD real soon.

[...] Time Magazine Related Articles:No [...]

The guy probably already feels like a bad dad for being away from his kids. I don’t blame him for snapping at an intrusive press crew (not that you JSN were one as it sounds like it was Polish camera crew) while he got to spend a few minutes alone with his daughter. He may have chosen this, but his daughter didn’t.

I think everyone wants this election to be over — my nerves are frayed and I’m not a candidate, campaign worker, or press member.

And when I read her final response… it’s pretty clear that this ‘reporter’ is bitter about the upcoming change of the guard. She says…

“If you want to be leader of the free world and you want to walk down a public street where anyone can get at you four days before the presidential election, you’ve got to assume there will be press there.”

I mean, that’s nothing short of being stupid. Focus on her inclusion of the words “If you want to be leader of the free world.” Snarky, at best. I’ll bet Ms Smalls fellow reporters keep conversation with her to a minimum just because of her obvious brain damage. Let’s start a fund. I won’t contribute.

JNS,

Do you have siblings, cousins, or friends with children under 10?

Would you please call them and ask how they’d feel if someone did that to their child?

Ask them what they’d say? Ask them what they’d do?

Ask them what they’d expect YOU to do if you saw a gang of people invading their child’s life to build their own adult careers?

You really are not going to find anyone in your audience or in your family or among your friends who agrees with you.

No one thinks Obama did the wrong thing.

No one thinks you and your colleagues did the right thing.

No one.

It must have been a computer link cross-over – I could swear it was Jay Newton Small I was reading in the article about Mr. Obama’s fit of pique – but it sounds JUST LIKE the tin-ear ranting of Michelle Malkin.
This blog doesn’t post simultaneously to “Swampland” AND the “Drudge Report”, does it?

Rush has Sunday’s off, so I guess we won’t have this confirmed as signs of a total character meltdown until Monday. The article itself was small potatoes – I presume Time pays by the word – but the JNS responses to the comments were just “snarky” – mayhap, “elitest”.

Decaf, Ms. Small, decaf. Your system will thank you for it after Tuesday.

JNS-
I am usually a defender of freedom of the press, but this non-story clearly crosses the line. Your story smacks of entitlement. It is true that candidates for public office face constant scrutiny and have their private lives excruciatingly examined. But JNS are you suggesting that candidates for public office are not allowed ANY private time with their families? Clearly, this was not a campaign stop and clearly BO was cognizant that the press wanted their pictures. But the press detail that got too close were Polish and perhaps did not understand English so BO gave them a verbal plus visual confirmation of his intention to spend some quality time with his daughter. It is irrelevant if they were actually “trick or treating” at the time. Also a “fit of temper” really?!! Isn’t that overreaching a bit?
I hate to say this but you sound a little irritable and just a wee bit snippy yourself. Maybe you need a break, too.

Um, no.

Yes, he walked through the reporters with his daughter. His response “you got your shot” shows that he knows the game, and knows he would have some grumbly photogs on his hands if he didn’t let them take a good pic. But anything beyond that, sorry, but the daughter is off limits no matter what you think.

The fact of the matter is, you reported this story as if the daughter *wasn’t there*, which is perhaps the most important element in this story. I know it’s a blog, and you are tired, but try.

Shorter JNS: I am the Sarah Palin of journalism, but without the charm, curiosity and wit.

[...] of 40,000. Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator. http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/10/31/obamas-temper/?xid=rss-topstoriespunknews.org Don Caballero album details announced – Altsounds.comIt was recorded by the bands [...]

Jay Newton-Small, original post – “reporters waiting for him in front of his home this afternoon”

Jay Newton-Small, second version – “He walked right through the press pool (I wasn’t there, by the way, but have had the scene described to me and seen the footage) which was standing in a pre-set area. So the idea that journalists were approaching them and coming too close to his kid is simply not true.”

Reporters who were actually there, apparently had a different point of view.

Matt Spetalnick:

Barack Obama had taken a break from the campaign trail for a few hours of Halloween fun at home with his family four days before the election, but ended up visibly annoyed when news crews dogged their footsteps in their Chicago neighborhood.

“That’s enough. You’ve got a shot. Leave us alone,” Obama told reporters as he walked down the block with his 7-year-old daughter Sasha in her costume on the way to a party at a neighbor’s home.

Shailagh Murray:

The Democratic nominee took a short break from the campaign trail to spend the evening with his family in their Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, but he wasn’t happy to see reporters amid the trick-or-treaters. In a rare flash of emotion for the normally cool candidate, Obama became annoyed when his press pool caught up with him as he walked down the street with 7-year-old daughter Sasha.

“All right guys, that’s enough. You’ve got a shot. Leave us alone,” Obama told the gaggle of national and local reporters who had staked out the visit. “Come on guys. Get back on the bus.”

There’s no harm in getting the story wrong the first time, and correcting it with an update.
When you get it wrong a second time when people have pointed out what you’ve got wrong, and an article you link to shows it …

I’ve got no problem with Barack’s behavior, no matter where or when the press was hounding him, specifically because he had his daughter with him. She was dressed in a costume. They were obviously doing something that was centered around HER. I respect him not only because he was trying to make sure his daughter knew SHE was the important thing right then, but also because it proves he’s not a camera-whore. The man knows when to shut off his campaign for a while for his kids to have some fun. Any journalist who doesn’t understand that has lost touch with a little bit of their humanity.

[...] of 40,000. Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator. http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/10/31/obamas-temper/?xid=rss-topstoriesBattle of the Planets – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaBattle of the Planets 1978 is the American [...]

As usual, I spend the weekend having a life and the big blog post goes down. 200+ comments, now stale as last week’s oatmeal, but I gotta say two things:

1) JNS is getting a lot of grief for a pretty innocuous post. All she did was take a very mild report of Obama snapping like any father would at intrusive press coverage and use it to hang a short rumination on how cool Obama usually is. What most posters are missing here is that this is a POSITIVE piece. As JNS said, Obama losing his temper is “uncharacteristic.” That’s why this little flash of anger is noteworthy. And it was LITTLE.

2) JNS is right – you run for President you have the press follow you around. Sometimes too close, that’s part of the deal. And the piece even notes that Obama’s flash of annoyance was “understandable.”

So give her a break, any of you who are still reading. What else was she going to post on a Friday when the candidate takes some time off for Daddy duty?

[...] of 40,000. Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator. http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/10/31/obamas-temper/?xid=rss-topstoriesElection 2008: Hope vs. Fear As the campaign for the 2008 Presidential election comes to a close, [...]

You say it but you don’t mean it. Why do you always bother me? Why are you always on my back!pass4sure / 642-825 / 920-221 / 640-863 / MB2-633

[...] of 40,000. Four days until the election and the strain is clearly getting to the Illinois senator. http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2008/10/31/obamas-temper/?xid=rss-topstoriespost info03Nov08 A Lucky?Girl By pinkroses521 Categories: Life, bdsm and submission Tags: [...]