ouch

it's been a terrific couple of days for barack obama. So why did he mess up yesterday, so unnecessarily?

State of the Union speeches are uneasy occasions for congressman at the best of times. They have to sit and mingle with their enemies in both parties, under the hawkish gaze of the press and the cameras. They have to remember to make the appropriate facial expressions throughout the President's speech. Then they have to make agonizingly difficult decisions about when to applaud, and how (sitting down? Standing up? Dutifully, or with gusto?). And of course, who to sit next to ('Save me a seat, Senator, I'm just off for a piss.') It's an orgy of self-consciousness. And things only get more uneasy when it's an election year. (Apparently Hillary Clinton looked over at Obama at one point during the speech to see if he was applauding a line about Iran, before deciding to follow suit - such fine calculations).

so anyway, Barack takes a seat next to Teddy Kennedy, both having come straight from the Kennedy endorsement announcement. After the speech, Clinton, responding to a gesture from Teddy, comes over to shake Teddy's hand. And Obama turns away, issuing a frosty rebuff - or as we might say in Britain, cutting her dead.

this was, in my view, a needless own goal. First, it gives the press something to write and talk about other than the Kennedy endorsement. Second, it shows the man who constantly preaches about 'reaching out' across political divides turning away from his own colleague. Third, it reminds voters of Obama's worst moment in the campaign so far: his seemingly snarky comment about Clinton during the New Hampshire Presidential debate. As Clinton answered a question about her supposed likeability problem with a degree of wit and self-deprecation, Obama interjected with 'You're likeable, enough, Hillary'. In the view of some commentators it was this moment, more than Hillary's tears, that turned women voters against him and towards her. It suggested a mean-spirited side of Obama that voters hadn't seen before. He may have just created a repeat of that moment.

UPDATE: Obama has tried to explain it away. Maureen Dowd in the NYT is sympathetic to him but doesn't believe his explanation.

UPDATE: watch this clip of Whoopi Goldberg on popular daytime show The View to see how bad this makes Obama look - esp bad as he is already vulnerable to HRC amongst women...most of the TV coverage has been along similar lines

Comments

[caucus raucous]

Dude, reading WAY too much into the "snub". Imagine how awkward that moment was -- do you think it would have been easier for everyone if Obama's shining face was glued to his new best friend's elbow just as Hillary was trying to summon up a little dignity and shake Teddy's hand? More tactful just to quietly step back.

I'm willing to give you a little more room on the "likable" comment, but I still think there wasn't anything mean at play here. Obama looks embarrassed at all the flattery and coughs up a mild defense of Hillary. Not his most on-target joke, sure. But if he had been thoroughly earnest in telling Hillary she was likable, that would be incredibly patronizing. Instead he backhands it, with the premise (as I see it) that of course she's likable. Again, I think it was an attempt at tact.

I gotta get some more of that Kool Aid.

[marbury]

You're right, it may not have been intended as a snub. The Obama campaign has issued two differing explanations. One - from his communications chief - was close to yours, ie that Obama didn't want to be seen 'lording it' over Hillary. The second - from Obama himself - was that Senator McCaskill (another BHO endorser) happened to call his name right at that moment, so he turned around. Hmmm, fishy. But even if it was innocent, point is, it didn't look good.