SubscribeNYT Claims Obama Rejects Clark Comments
From the New York Times owned International Herald Tribune:
Gen. Wesley Clark at YearlyKos conference in Chicago, Aug. 3, 2007.
Obama rejects criticism of McCain’s military service
By Jeff Zeleny
Published: July 1, 2008INDEPENDENCE, Missouri: Senator Barack Obama rejected the comments from a leading Democrat and campaign military adviser who diminished Senator John McCain’s service as a naval aviator in Vietnam when he declared, "I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."
As Obama delivered a speech here Monday on patriotism that tried to defuse attacks on his own background, he responded to the remarks of Wesley Clark, the retired general and onetime Democratic presidential candidate who suggested on Sunday that McCain had not been tested as a wartime commander.
"For those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country, no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary," Obama said. "And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign - and that goes for supporters on both sides."
Asked whether he wanted an apology, McCain said, "That’s certainly up to Senator Obama." Later, he added, "I know that General Clark’s comment is not an isolated incident." …
"I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign," Obama said, speaking over the applause of hundreds of supporters. "And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine." …
Er, that is a pretty mild "rejection."
And yet our watchdog media is chock full of headlines about how Mr. Obama has "rejected" or "disowned" Clark’s remarks.
Why is that?
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4 Responses to “NYT Claims Obama Rejects Clark Comments”
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July 1st, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Good cop bad cop.
Not original, but true, I think.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I live in the KC/Independence area and according to the local news the campaign was passing out a statement rejecting the comments after Obama’s speech, Obama never directly rejected them himself. Of course I cannot find the story on their website now, I am just going by what I remember of the story.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Aha! The local paper’s site does have a story that says something about that. The link is to the second page of the article, the third paragraph of that page says:
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the candidate “rejects yesterday’s statement.” Shortly after, Obama repudiated them himself.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
If he has this little control over those affiliated with his campaign, how are we to expect BO to have any control in the highest, most stressful, demanding job in world?