Obama On "Meet The Press"
This entry was posted on 5/4/2008 9:53 AM and is filed under 2008 Election,All Posts.
After twenty-two minutes of wall-to-wall Wright, Russert asks his first policy question. Way to go Tim!
One of Obama's answers I found pretty funny, and strong. The latest take on Obama's handling of Rev. Wright is that Obama only disavowed the Reverend when the situation became "politically uncomfortable" last week. Russert repeated the charge in this morning's interview. Obama's answer, with a smile: "I think it became politically uncomfortable a lot earlier than last week."
Exactly, folks. Remember that Sen. Obama gave some sort of famous speech on race about six weeks ago? I seem to recall that was also in the midst of a "politically uncomfortable" environment. He didn't kick Wright to the curb then, when he certainly could have.
The fact is that there have been many "politically uncomfortable" moments for Obama and Rev. Wright, and the senator has done his very best to restrain himself and not cut loose the man who presided over his wedding, and baptized his children. After Wright's high-profile betrayal of Sen. Obama last week, he could afford this loyalty no longer.
The first policy question, after the required twenty-minutes of scandal rummaging, was about Clinton and McCain's "gas tax holiday" proposal. Russert asked why a little relief was such a terrible thing. Obama responded that it's such a measly amount of relief ($28), and that this is the problem with Washington, that people don't craft solutions to problems, they craft meaningless tactical solutions to winning elections.
I wish he and his campaign would hit back harder on this issue. It's not that it would be such small relief—it's that it's no relief at all. If the tax is removed, demand will rise, and the oil companies will simply raise the price in response. As even Paul Krugman admitted, it's Economics 101. As Mayor Bloomberg offered: "It’s about the dumbest thing I’ve heard in an awful long time."
It would be better for Obama to say "you know what, I would be all for it, if it actually provided even the tiny amount of relief my opponents are claiming it will. People are hurting, and every little bit helps. But this won't provide any relief. You'll never see that $28 dollars. And for my opponents to continue to say that you will is a particularly cruel form of dishonesty."
Staying on the high road, without getting down and hitting them back hard like this, provides Clinton the opening she wants: she's for the little guy, while that latte-sipping professor over there has his head buried in some economics book.
Honestly, what's more elitist than assuming the "little guy" isn't smart enough to tell when you're lying to him? 
