<p>Smacks of desperation, stupidity and the worst of old style attack politics to create TV ads attacking the wife of a presidential contender.</p>
<p>(CNN) – In a preview of the political onslaught Michelle Obama may face in the fall, the Tennessee Republican Party unveiled a Web video Thursday highlighting her comment that she was proud of America “for the first time in my adult life.”</p>
<p>The four-minute video coincides with a visit to the state by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s wife for a Democratic Party event Thursday evening.</p>
<p>It features several Tennesseans saying why they are proud of American while repeatedly cutting to Michelle Obama’s comments.</p>
<p>“The Tennessee Republican Party has always been proud of America. To further honor the occasion of Mrs. Obama’s visit, the Tennessee Republican Party has requested the playing of patriotic music by radio stations across the state,” said a statement on the party’s Web site that accompanied the video…</p>
<p>“This is a shameful attempt to attack a woman who has repeatedly said she wouldn’t be here without the opportunities and blessings of this nation,” Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said. "The Republican Party’s pathetic attempts to use the same smear tactics to win elections have failed in Mississippi, failed in Louisiana and will fail in November because the American people are looking for a positive vision of real change.</p>
<p>Michelle Obama will be the worst first lady in history if her husband is elected President. She continues to make foolish statements that raise serious question about her views of America. She needs to shut up and let her husband do the talking. After all, he is the one running for President. Cindy McCain appears to be a lot smarter than Michelle Obama when it comes to politics.</p>
<p>Yes, Cindy is brilliant. An ex-drug addict, thief of drugs from her charity, refuses to release her tax return, AND invested two million dollars in Sudan, which is engaged in a huge genocide. Oh, yes, they also have lots of oil.</p>
<p>Vote Cindy McCain if you are an immoral, heartless crook.</p>
<p>Direct quote? It’s a phrase within a larger quotation. Why not decide what you think after reading the paragraph. Also see what you think of her post-explanation. </p>
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<p>To me, the phrase that drew negative attention sounds like hyperbole, comparable to saying, “That’s the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen in my life,” or saying “it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” She was enthusiastic for the democratic process taking such large form, and expressed it that way, then got nailed for it.</p>
<p>So now the Repugs are taking an off the cuff line out of context and which was phrased imprecisely to be the basis of a campaign ad. Oh yeah, this is sooo important. And McCain seems to have trouble figuring out the difference between Suni/Shia, forcing Joe Lieberman to correct him. And how about the war mongering "Bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran ditty?</p>
<p>"So now the Repugs are taking an off the cuff line out of context and which was phrased imprecisely to be the basis of a campaign ad. Oh yeah, this is sooo important. "</p>
<p>Whether it is important or not is subject to debate. What is not subject to debate is that it was NOT off the cuff. It was part of a prepared speech which she said twice in the same day - the only difference being that one time she qualified it with “really” as in “really proud”. </p>
<p>Also, McCain’s problem was not one of mixing up Sunni and Shia - it was his willingness to be corrected by Lieberman. McCain had it right the first time - Iran’s aid to insurgents in Iraq was not limited to just the Shia.</p>
<p>“Whether it is important or not is subject to debate. What is not subject to debate is that it was NOT off the cuff. It was part of a prepared speech which she said twice in the same day - the only difference being that one time she qualified it with “really” as in “really proud”.” </p>
<p>Is Cindy McCain investing two milion dollars in Sudan off the cuff or subject to debate?</p>
<p>Really, it was her hedge fund managers’ doings.</p>
<p>"Whether it is important or not is subject to debate. What is not subject to debate is that it was NOT off the cuff. It was part of a prepared speech which she said twice in the same day - the only difference being that one time she qualified it with “really” as in “really proud”.</p>
<p>Regardless, she isn’t running for president, so it seems stupid to be making her comments the focus of a political ad. Also makes it seem as if the GOP is grasping for straws.</p>
<p>“Is Cindy McCain investing two milion dollars in Sudan off the cuff or subject to debate?”</p>
<p>You can’t be serious! Cindy is doing a responsible thing by selling her mutual funds that have such holdings and you criticize her for it? Talk about grasping at straws. I suppose that back in the days of South Africa apartheid that if someone sold their funds that had investments there you would criticize them as well. How many people take the time to look at their mutual funds and investigate which of its holdings may have links to places like Sudan. I know I certainly have not. Have you? Has Obama?</p>
<p>fundingfather “Is Cindy McCain investing two milion dollars in Sudan off the cuff or subject to debate?”</p>
<p>You can’t be serious! Cindy is doing a responsible thing by selling her mutual funds that have such holdings and you criticize her for it? Talk about grasping at straws. I suppose that back in the days of South Africa apartheid that if someone sold their funds that had investments there you would criticize them as well. How many people take the time to look at their mutual funds and investigate which of its holdings may have links to places like Sudan. I know I certainly have not. Have you? Has Obama?</p>
<p>CINDY MCCAIN IS SELLING HER SUDAN HOLDINGS BECAUSE SHE GOT CAUGHT.</p>
<p>SUDAN IS THE PLACE TO INVEST IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY, SINCE IT IS ONE OF THE NEXT OIL HOT SPOTS.</p>
<p>INVEST IN A COUNTRY SLAUGHTERING PEOPLE? THIS WE WANT FOR OUR FIRST LADY? </p>
<p>AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY (OF EMBARRASSMENT) TO CRITICIZE OBAMA!</p>
<p>I DON’T INVESTIGATE MY MUTUAL FUND HOLDINGS BECAUSE I HAVE NONE, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE, I KNOW TO THE PENNY.</p>
<p>AND DURING THE DAYS OF APARTHEID I DIDN’T OWN A PIECE OF THEIR GOLD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A HOT INVESTMENT.</p>
<p>Boo Hoo. Both sides do this and I don’t see anything wrong with it, either way. As long as people aren’t making up lies why is this a bad thing? So what, it doesn’t look good, that’s the whole point. You think McCains 100 year in Iraq quote isn’t going to be flashing on your TV screens constantly this fall? He said it, he has to live with it. Just like Mrs. Obama said what she said and, as long as you don’t make anything up/lie about her, there’s nothing wrong with it. </p>
<p>I hate everyone saying “oh, can’t we just have a civil election?” Hell no, I don’t want a civil election. 1) It’s boring and 2) I’d like to know as much as I can about everybody, including their “bad” qualities or “poor” choice of words.</p>
<p>Why did we stop at the door ? Why not probe further ?</p>
<p>Mrs Obama said “she’s proud of America for the first time in her life”. </p>
<p>She is only proud because her husband stood to gain the oval office. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>It also meant she was not proud when Americans landed on the moon. </p></li>
<li><p>She was not proud when the wall came back. The Berlin Wall. That found its genesis in Mr Reagan’s “President Gorbachev, take down this wall !” speech with huge assist from venerable Maggie Thacher. Unlike the bloody war preceded it, we won the cold war without an armed conflict.</p></li>
<li><p>She was not proud when Americans came to the aid of her ally to repel Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, without seeking overt rewards. </p></li>
<li><p>She was not proud of American achievements in science, commerce and medicine in the last quarter century. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Was Mrs Obama and her family too close to the Rev Wright ?</p>
<p>Not only do I buy gasoline, I invest in it. </p>
<p>But, I invest in very select countries that do not engage in human rights’ violations, and I AM NOT RUNNING FOR FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES.
I am also not a multimillionaire, and my choices to not sink into poverty are much different than Cindy McCains.</p>
<p>The CORPORATE POLITICAL COMPLEX has made it impossible to not use gas and oil, since I live a civilized existence and heat my house with gas and drive a car. BUT, I am not investing in the Middle East, Venezuela, or Sudan. I know where the companies I own invest, and human rights violations don’t occur there.</p>
<p>Maybe my pea-size brain is regressing. I have a hard time following the post above. Is it a good thing or a bad thing, and who are you aiming at ? </p>
<p>And why don’t we probe deeper like YW suggests ? There is more to what Michelle Obama said and didn’t say.</p>