The Snub: It just got worse
by Scan, Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 08:50:35 AM EST
You know The Snub must be bad, because already Obama is...well...lying about it.
"I was turning away because Claire [McCaskill] asked me a question, as Senator Kennedy was reaching for her [Clinton]," Obama said.
Really? Seems like an odd time for her to ask a question, doesn't it?
Luckily, we can go to the photos and judge for ourselves:
Here's the precise moment he turned away:

Whats Claire doing here? She's clapping, mouth closed, and looking at Hillary.
Different angle, taken just a second before. You make the call. Where's Claire? And why isn't he looking at her?:
Incidentally, apparently David Axelrod didn't get the memo, because he has a different story:
"This was obviously an awkward day from that standpoint, and I don't think he wanted to stand there while Senator Kennedy was greeting Senator Clinton."
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0 108/Axelrod_explains_.html
Media accounts agree: He turned away on his own, with no prompting from McCaskill. However, I did read an account that said she tapped him on the shoulder after a couple of awkward moments of him with his back to Hillary. Maybe thats what they are latching onto. Pretty weak though.
Anyway....thank you once again, Barack, for not only needlessly bringing this public relations problem upon yourself, but making it worse by not telling the truth.
UPDATE: Question....anybody know where a video of this can be found? Also, further analysis: This was all taking place in a noisy Senate chamber. If McCaskill wanted to get Barack's attention, she would have had to do one of two things: tap on his shoulder or, because Teddy was standing between, yell out "HEY BARACK!". We know that the tap on the shoulder didn't happen, that is obvious from the 2nd photo. And we can guess that she didn't yell out his name, because every person's natural reaction to that is to immediately snap in the direction of the yell and look right at the person. What he did was sorta duck away and look to her left (2nd photo). And again, wouldn't she be looking at him if she was desperate to get his attention at such an awkward time? In other words..."Back, and to the left...."UPDATE II: Thank you, Taylor Marsh, for your most excellent shout-out to this diary on your radio show today! Much appreciated.
Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, snub (all tags)












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