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Good Humor vs. Ill Humor

By SusanUnPC on March 4, 2008 at 8:49 AM in Barack Obama, Daily Show, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sexism

– Hillary Clinton last night on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show.” (Part 2 is below.)

craigrobclintong.jpg“If I Was a Woman, I’d Be Embarrassed for Her”

Michelle Obama’s brother, Craig Robinson, on Hillary Clinton: “It’s so ludicrous that it’s almost comical . . . . And the whole crying now before every primary? You’ve got to be kidding me.” [Robinson also] says Bill Clinton is a liar: “He’s straight up saying things that aren’t true.” “No one’s ever called those people on it.”  – From Mark Halperin, The Page blog at Time magazine. Dare I add that is reprehensibly sexist?

Like Newsweek writer Jonathan Alter’s misogynistic remark the other night at a NYC forum:

Alter did say he thought Clinton was sometimes treated unfairly because she is a woman, but hedged even on that, saying, “It’s hard to disaggregate her Clinton-ness from her gender.”

Here’s part 2 of “The Daily Show” interview last night:

  • IndyRobin

    Jon Stewart LOVES him some Hillary Clinton!! I loved it when he advocated for her to STAY IN THE RACE.
    The OBots are screaming their heads off today :)

    • Simon

      The OBots are screaming their heads off today

      Good to know.

    • Kathleen

      I’m with Stewart on this one…keep the debate going.

      Although would be great to have them (all of them McCain too) discuss/debate the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and be pressured to committing to NO LOBBYIST IN ANY OF THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS.

      • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

        Stewart did great hosting the Oscars. Maybe he should host debates. God knows he’d ask more productive questions, and with some humor.

        • Kathleen

          Great idea..but the I/P conflict is off topic on Stewarts program too. He will tackle the hypocrisy in many Religions,(I have heard him rip up the Catholic hypocrisies (pedophiles etc) nations and cultures but he will not challenge anything Israel does Religious cultural and hypocrisy

          I heard Stewart rip into Chris Matthews but had previously treated Bill Kristol and David Frum with kid gloves compared to the way he treated Matthews. Go to his site and listen.

          There are topics that even Stewart will not touch

  • Blunt Force Trauma

    I wonder if Craig Robinson can address what is contained within;

    http://www.obamatruth.org/

  • mimi

    What a sexist thing to say!!!

    Well, you’re not a woman. I am! And I’m proud of Hillary Rodham Clinton. She is super smart something your BIL isn’t. But what you, your sister and your BIL do have in common is that you all are SHAMELESS LIARS. You continue to perpetuate the LIE that Bill Clinton made a racist remark. For the record and it is on record Bill, the fairytale he was referring to was in regard to Obama’s posturing about being against the Iraq War and how he wouldn’t have voted for it had he been in the Senate. Now that’s IS a fairytale. Even he admitted that he might have voted differently had he seen the info that Congress had.

    But you and your sister continue to stir up racial animosity. I’ll tell you this, as an AA I’m ashamed of all of you. You have perpetuated a fraud against the black community by pawning off Obama as someone who shares a common heritage. He does not. His ancestor/his father did not have to suffer the tragedy of being shipped here in a slave ship. But even more important he doesn’t share the modern day AA experience of struggle since he was raised by his Caucasian grandparents in Hawaii. Did he go to school in the inner city? Did he witness the wholescale decimation of the black community during the Reagan years, whom he salutes as inspiring the Republican Party to be one of ideas. Yeah right! The idea that there were Cadillac-driving welfare queens on every corner when in truth, families were trapped in drug-infested communities struggling to survive with very few options.

    Obama was a stone’s throw away from Harlem during his Columbia years, the Reagan years and yet he has obscured this whole period. He could have walked less than 10 blocks to have connected with authentic black experience. Actually, he could have connected with inner city black youth right there on campus at their Double Discovery Program, an outreach academic program for inner city minorities in Manhattan. I won’t even get into how he could have experienced the authentic latino experience had he walked those same 10 blocks from Columbia’s campus. Yet, now that he needs the latino vote, he’s faking being an ‘hermano en la luta continua.’

    But thanks for giving an insight into the sexism in your family. You guys are sin verguenza. No shame!!!!

    • TeakWoodKite

      Actually, he could have connected with inner city black youth right there on campus at their Double Discovery Program, an outreach academic program for inner city minorities in Manhattan

      Obama was afriad to do so.

  • Mike Howell

    Why would Michelle Obama’s brother be any less hateful than his sister? Put a wig on him and it is her!

    Who cares what someone who only is proud of Barack Obama despite the entire history of the U.S. has to say about anything other than it shows that he and his sister would both be terrible repreentatives of the U.S.

    Sure, they’ll gladly take free ivy league educations and bitch about them. And Board of Directors jobs and screw latino workers. And V.P. jobs at hospitals and turn away the poor. This is last few years stuff, not ancient history.

    Shit, they’re just plain wicked!

  • JoeySky18

    It’s nice to have a good laugh. Both John and Hillary are so funny.

  • AF

    Hillary has a pretty good sense of humor. Michelle Obama and her brother Craig? Not so much.

  • JP

    I cannot believe this! Again, the Obama campaign launches their sexist remarks. I AM a woman and I am NOT embarrassed for Senator Clinton. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am very proud of her and how she has handled herself in this campaign!

    Maybe Mr. Robinson would like to look at Senator Obama’s recent behaviour regarding Rezko and NAFTA. It is a little embarrassing that a political figure makes a major political blunder and when questioned, he:

    a) hides behind a foreign government
    b) blames his opponent for the situation
    c) flees the scene
    d) all of the above

    Talk about embarrassing.

    • AF

      I get more of a misogynist vibe from the Obama campaign than the McCain campaign.

    • Marjorie

      I can’t remember the details-I think it was on Tucker Carlson-and the discussion touched on the first day of the Rezko trial. The guest was, perhaps, a reporter covering the trial. The guest said choosing the jury went very quickly because none of the potential jurors had ever heard of Rezko, despite living in Chicago and the news of Rezko covered on television and newspapers.
      Enough said?
      If anyone has clarification to assist my vague memory, please clarify.

      • It’sNotMe

        That was Jim Warren, Chicago Tribune, Deputy Managing Editor. I saw that segment too. Pretty pathetic, wasn’t it? Chicagoans who had never heard the name Tony Rezko? My question was, “What rock have they been living under?”

        I worry that they really DO know Rezko, the entire sordid story and are Mr. Hope supporters who will let him walk free even if he IS guilty of crimes. OJ Simpson’s trial came to mind.:(

        • Marjorie

          A chilling thought. I was working in Detroit at Wayne State University [WSU prides itself on being an inner city university] as a researcher and funded program evaluator. A group of employees- AA and white, myself included, crowded into a small room with a television to watch the O.J. trial verdict. The screams of joy and vindication when the verdict was announced could have been heard on Mars.
          Before you brought up the O.J. trial, I envisioned another scenario: the media wakes up and Obama’s connections to Rezko are scrutinized. Next, whatever the results of the election race, the DNC decides they cannot come down on the side of Obama, and Hillary will be our next president.
          What do you think?

          • It’sNotMe

            Yes. I have envisioned the same thing and I think that may be why Hillary is staying in the race.

      • AF
        • AF

          Ahh oops screwed up that link .

  • apishapa

    Obama supporters and family can say anything at all and it is all good. But, if Hillary is not properly supportive of Obama, she has “crossed the line”.

    I am of course referring to the whole is Obama muslim thing. The question was imporper and the interviewer should be the one Obama is all down on. He should be fired for ragging on Hillary about Obama’s religion. She is not obligated to defend Obama, and it is not her fault the guy would not shut up.

    And Michelle’s brother is disgusting.

    About those Obama Republicans, if Republicans are allowed to choose the Democratic candidate, I will vote Independent. I refuse to vote for anyone supported by Republicans no matter what party he purports to represent. Republicans are the enemy and courting them is wrong. And stating that you intend to name Republicans to the cabinet is traitorous to the Democratic Party. Hagel and Lugar are Republicans for a reason, they are part of the enemy, even if they do pretend otherwise once in a while.

    • DisenfranchisedVoter

      I agree apishapa, Michelle’s brother is absolutely disgusting. It’s a disgrace that they are being compared to the Kennedy family. This family is a bunch of no class, arrogant fools. If you are going to criticize someone at least do it with class and not like this. It really tells you where Michelle is coming from and why she saw nothing wrong with her comment that this year was the first time she’s been proud of her country. They are the embarassments.

    • TeakWoodKite

      I am of course referring to the whole is Obama muslim thingMy sane half was watching a Cnn interview yesterday with Al Aribia(sp?)

      The implcation was the good folks in the ME think he is a Muslim.

      1) His name.
      2) His picute of Kenya.

      I hope I have time to find the youtube video…did anyone else see this?

      Please ding the messenger I just relaying info. :)

      • apishapa

        But, that is not Hillary’s problem and she is not obligated todiscuss it at all. Wht should she be asked what religion Obama is? Why should she care at all?

        The fact taht the Obamdroids demanded an apology from her and said she “crossed the line” because she said she accepted whatever Obama said concerning his religion. That her answer was not deferential enough toward him is what pisses me off. Obama needs to handle his issues and leave Hillary out of it.

        Hillary has her own issues and Obama is not helping her out on any of them. He is encouraging his family to call her names.

        • Andy

          Barack –middle name not to be mention for fear of offending the man — Obama and his clan have been manipulating race and religion in the most evil way to their advantage from day 1.

          It is absurd McCain held a press conference to apologize for some radio host on stage before him using Obama’s full name.

          Did you read Sean Wilentz piece “The Race Man” ?
          Susan put the link up a few days ago.

          It’s brillant and right on.

  • Kourian

    @mini: Thanks for that. Good info! Thanks again.

  • pm317

    That brother of hers outshines her in this regard. What a disappointment Obama’s campaign and his supporters have been. For all the historical nature of this race, and the unexpected support they garnered, they just could not run a classy campaign to expand their base, I guess. They promised a lofty not your typical politics as usual campaign and ended up running the most divisive, hate-filled, dirty campaign. There in lies the folly of Obama’s candidacy.

    Alternatively, it may have been a deliberate strategy. Their base to start with was anti-Clinton, so they thought. So they ran a campaign to try to change everyone to hate the Clintons — I think they succeeded with the 20+ year-olds because these young people don’t know anything about the Clintons and are too lazy to find out. Fortunately that did not work with the majority of rest of the people.

  • Fred C. Dobbs

    Not only can’t Obama control Michelle’s mouth, he can’t control Craig Robinson’s, either.

    Or else the whole gang of them are so uncultured as to not even realize how much they embarass themselves.

    Well, they’ll probably, “necklace,” me for that, won’t they?

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Oh Fred. You don’t make me proud to be an American. (Now where’s the first American here who’ll make me proud?)

      • Fred C. Dobbs

        If one expects to lead from the front and have a “Y” chromosome, there is, logically and traditionally, someone with two “X” chromosomes supporting this effort. Makes no difference whether it’s running a feed store in Split Lip, OK, or running for POTUS.

        (And, obviously, the converse can also be true, in the case of HRC).

        The Supporting Party should take care to guard her/his utterances and NOT embarass the Getting Voted For Party or Running the Business Party. Makes a bad impression and confuses the Help or the Voters (whichever is appropriate).

        This does NOT escalate into, “Knowing One’s Place,” thank you very much.

        It does embrace the concept of knowing when to hold one’s tongue, lest said tongue shoot OTHERS in the Foot.

        This also includes the In-Laws and Assorted Kinfolk.

        With Donald Nixon and Billy Carter, at least it had some amusement value. But Julie Nixon just made me want to hurl. My family would have had her off to the Peace Corps or working for the Embassy in Bang – The – Desk.

        For the Record, I have assumed since 1992 that HRC was the one with the larger brain and greater ambition in the family. The political skills were, I think, MUCH harder for her to master, as she had to learn them largely from scratch, whereas WJC is a born Courthouse Weasel, as we call them in the South.

        Betcha HRC’s told him to, “Dial it back a notch or so,” in this campaign.

        (My mother had, probably, 25 IQ points on my father. When I was 14, he explained to me that the Secret of his Success was that my mother managed to spend, Tastefully and Judiciously, $1.07 for every dollar he earned. Yet, one NEVER noticed the place in his back where her hand went, because she didn’t shoot him in the foot with her tongue. This made no differences in their Lodgings, where they differed often and long. But, when one spoke outside the tipi, he/she spoke for both.)

        I cite the old joke, the punchline to which is:

        “Listen, Bill: if I’d married him, HE’D be President of the United States!”

        ::::

        And, EVERY time I see/hear Michelle Obama, I see/hear Winnie Mandela. “And we will come for them with our boxes of matches and our necklaces…”

    • Rob Gard

      Fred—–Aside from the shear entertainment value, siblings of presidents and their spouses have been a regular source of embarassment for just about every administration that I can remember (Teddy Kennedy,Donald Nixon, Billy Carter, Roger Clinton, Neil Bush.) Maybe we should nominate only candidates without siblings, or we may need to make room in the dubious history books for Hugh Rodham as well. If we can get Hillary elected President, I’ll gladly suffer Hugh.

      • Fred C. Dobbs

        Si! Remember when Teddy was the Not-Too-Bright Brother?

        Hugh might be full of crap, but then, often, so am I.

  • http://www.sugarnspice.typepad.com Sugar

    Wow, who knew ignorance was a gene? I’m from South Carolina and I know some Robinsons down there…all ignorant. Maybe they’re from that family.

  • Mel

    The question in the election season becomes what message is America sending out to the world?

    This is not a status of which candidate, it is on the truth of the elections scene!

    America’s reputation is weak presently, and based upon foreign press reporting on the candidates, it is getting worse!

    Forget the fact that a man with the name Barack Hussein Obama is running and the marvel of the media!

    Forget the fact that a candidate tells forgeign goverments the opposite of what he tells the American voters! Then causing embarrassment to a forgeign government for telling the truth and exposing concerns being raised in their country!

    Forget the fact that a candidates wife smears statements made by a former President into racial tones!

    Forget the fact that a candidate running for President conveniently uses the excuse “I didn’t know” and “I have no recollection” when asked tough questions about associations with shady characters who have links to people like Auchi, a former Baathe Party memeber and banker for Saddam Hussein!

    Forget the fact that a candidates brother in law uses sexist remarks when talking of an opposing candidate, while America trumpets Womens rights around the world!

    Forget the fact that promises of “change” are met with actions of the opposite!

    Forget the fact that SD’s are being threatened if they do not support a certain candidate which goes unreported by the media!

    Forget the fact that those who have nothing to gain such as 30 former Generals are supporting a certain candidate on the basis of strong leadership and experience, the largest showing of support by former Generals in American history goes without reporting in the mass media, when the country is at war on 2 fronts!

    Forget the fact that America has 2 wars going on promoting freedom for those people and yet America at home has forgotten what those words thanks to a bias medias!

    The list goes on and on, and yet Americans wonder why it is in the state it is in!

  • http://www.despair.com/changewinds.html Smilin’ Jim

    It looks like Barack has a Billy Carter problem but chill out folks, we’ve seen people say worse about Barack here.

    And this is also going to get worse before it gets better. Racism and sexism have always been like spores in American soil.

    We haven’t yet touched xenophobia and jingoism.

    This is only March.

    • apishapa

      We have never heard Bill or even brother Billy say that Obama is an embarassment to his race. I have never said that either, but what I say is not the same as what the candidate’s brother in law says.

      Candidates are responsible for keeping their families comments within the bounds of decency. Obama is not doing that. He doesn’t even try, and he is not held to account.

  • http://noquartersusa.net/blog/2008/03/04/good-humor-vs-ill-humor/#comments waldenpond

    I hope this is on topic… I am very frustrated that nothing touches Obama. Not his wife’s comments, not his comments or lack thereof. I don’t think this will touch him either. I was just over on Halperin’s page and there is a report that Obama has 50 more superdelegates in his pocket and they are to endorse soon.

    • IndyRobin

      Yeah, I just posted the same story. I think people are annoyed that we are off topic.

    • Andy

      Yeap, I think that even if Hillary wins TX&OH today the superdelegates will force her out: isn’t that ironic after all the Obama cries of “foul” the Obama camp did on superdelegates… You could tell by the comments several are making that “Tuesday is the D day” from (now the offical clown) Richardson who will make splashy announcement Wed. AM (my guess) or even tonight.

      • IndyRobin

        I loved that Jon Stewart totally encouaged Hillary to stay in the race last night. Also loved the ” yeah I’ve been clicking my heels together” hope hit aganist BO

  • IndyRobin

    Hey,

    off topic but I saw this posted at TM

    Tom Brokaw stated today Mr. Obama has 50 Superdelegates that will announce I think tomorrow their support for the Big O? Your thoughts? could this mean Obama does not think he will do well today so he needs something good to report?

    Anybody else see this? Also, makes me ill the SDel’s
    would soooo try to rig this race

    • Andy

      Even if this is true, Florida and Michigan would need to be resolved before anyone shouts too loud for Clinton to drop…

      How ironic after the dirt Obama stirred in these past few months about superdelegates…

      He is a hypocrite.

    • Ga6thDem

      This comes from the Obama campaign. And you know how honest they are right?

  • Paul

    If I Was a Black, I’d Be Embarrassed for him [CR].

  • http://www.despair.com/changewinds.html Smilin’ Jim

    The topic is humor, right?

    Sometimes wee gems just fall from the sky:

    And so, General, I want to thank you for your service. And I appreciate the fact that you really snatched defeat out of the jaws of those who are trying to defeat us in Iraq. You were the — you and General Petraeus were a unbelievably strong one-two combination.

    Reported in one of the LA Times blogs and there for everyone to see in the White House Transcript.

    Come on, can we really stand to lose one so eloquent?

  • Mel

    Here is an OT thought, maybe if the stacking up against Clinton keeps going on by the DNP, a call should be made between McCain and Clinton for Clinton to run as McCain’s VP!

    This would certainly be uniting for the common good of America and give the DNP the message they deserve for running such a bias and polorizing nomination election!

  • ybnormal

    What I find ludicrous is:
    “And the whole crying now before every primary? You’ve got to be kidding me. If I was a woman, I’d be embarrassed for her”

    To say this, he has to assume 4 things:
    1. that Clinton actually broke out crying before all, or even any of the primaries
    2. there’s no crying in politics, anyone who does can’t be taken seriously
    3. men in politics never cry
    4. if women cry in politics, they embarrass other women, by demonstrating they’re weaker than men

    Think about it; ALL 4 are False

    Craig Robinson’s own weakness is his reliance on his illusions

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      Then there’s that — since he doesn’t seem to be a very original thinker or very articulate — he probably (surely?!) heard this from his sister or brother-in-law. You can imagine that they’ve had many derisive exchanges about it. Anything to belittle her.

  • Kathleen

    This compare and contrast between Michelle Obama and Laura Bush is interesting

    http://firedoglake.com/2008/03/03/compare-and-contrast-2/

  • Kathleen

    If Hillary wins and stays in…let’s push both Obama and Clinton (HELL EVEN MCCAIN) to commit to NO LOBBYIST IN THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      AS IF that’d ever happen. Obama would do it anyway and do his “wink, wink” thing followed by “No, I did not” thing.

      He’s always about the “green.”

  • Kathleen

    Tough to get McCain to commit to No LOBBYIST IN HIS ADMINISTRATION. (John Edwards commitment to NO LOBBYISt who have have lobbied for a foreign nation) is what really drew me in to his campaign.

    Read this on McCain and lobbyist
    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/8814.html

  • Kathleen

    The light is coming in through the cracks.
    http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/03/04/iran
    -contra-20/#comments

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      I admire your passion and devotion to this topic. Can you post info like this in the open threads or relevant threads only? This is one reason I put up the “international open thread” yesterday. Especially since people won’t know that this is off-topic to the post until they click on the link.

      • Kathleen

        Got it

  • Blue State Girl

    Posted at HuffPo:

    Woman At Tony Rezko Trial Taking Notes For Obama Campaign

    From the Chicago-Sun Times:

    It was a low-key start to what could be an explosive trial that’s expected to highlight Rezko’s influence in Gov. Blagojevich’s administration. Rezko, 52, who was a key adviser to and fund-raiser for Blagojevich, stands accused of shaking down millions of dollars in kickbacks and campaign contributions from companies seeking state pension business.

    Obama’s name didn’t come up — until a court security officer asked spectators in the overflow courtroom whom they were representing. A woman told him privately she was there for Obama.

    “She was gathering information about the trial because there have been so many press inquiries,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said later, adding she won’t be there for the whole trial.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/04/woman-at-tony-rezko-trial_n_89764.html

    So who was this woman? A volunteer who went of her own volition? A low-level Obama campaign staffer?

    • http://noquartersusa.net/blog/2008/03/04/good-humor-vs-ill-humor/#comments waldenpond

      Here’s a couple of morning funnies….

      I like Wolfson’s response to hearing Obama had someone in the court….

      Wolfson said “We may well send someone to this trial. Learning that Sen. Obama has somebody there, we don’t want to be at any competitive disadvantage. Maybe the two people can sit together and compare notes at the end of the day and figure out what’s happened.” It could just be me, but I thought the sit together and compare notes was good.

      Next….. Apparently the Obama camp is in a little trouble trying to get access to polling places as official poll watchers. Ohio rejects them. Check out Politico.

  • Frostback

    Whoa. Do MO and her brother ever look alike!

    One of my fav bits in the article was MO’s dissing the 90′s. She must really hate the Clintons, huh.

    • Fred C. Dobbs

      Perhaps she was innoculated with some Nixon virus.

  • demfromphilly

    The way Senator Obama and his people have disrespected Senator Clinton has caused many within my immediate circle to decide that if Senator Obama is the nominee he will not be getting their vote come November. Some will stay home, some will vote for McCain, and some will write Senator Clinton’s name in. I am talking about truly loyal life long Democrats who belong to the most reliable demographics. The Obama people are assuming that all the Democrats who have witnessed his kind of “inspiration” will vote for him anyway. I personally know 17 who will not. For as magnanimous as Senator Clinton has been about party unity after the primaries(Obama espouses none of this)we feel that we can not support him – we do not respect him.

  • texas jina

    Mr. Robinson’s comment demonstrates that Sen. Obama has bigger problems than his Senior Economic Advisor talking with the Canadians. How is he going to keep Michelle’s side of the family quiet?
    Mr. Robinson truly doesn’t get the quality of Sen. Clinton: She is a strong, honorable woman married to a talented, charismatic, deeply flawed man [just read Pres. Clinton's background]. She got badly hurt—in public—by his foolishness. But she made a decision that not a lot of women might make [honestly, I don't know if I could]: she chose for her family and her marriage. Then, she went on to excel on her own—yesterday as a Senator, today as a candidate, and in the future as our 44th President.
    I’m a woman. And I am not embarrassed by her. To me, she’s a role model. And what I give her is something Mr. Robinson and Michelle Obama don’t seem to remotely understand: respect.

  • Marjorie

    Does the DNC have a stake in having a candidate in the national election that is ready on day one? If it is a close election, what can happen? The media coverage of Obama can only get more candid, and the trial should reveal some aspects of Obama that make him a less than appropriate president.
    Any thoughts?

    • Fred C. Dobbs

      Yes. We’re waiting for the media to start some candid coverage of Obama.