Senator Barack Hussein Obama (D- Ill), Maureen Dowd, Rush Limbaugh

SENATOR THIN SKIN

Why Obama Just Isn't Ready For Prime Time







Is Senator Barack Hussein Obama (D- Ill) now so accustomed to fawning press coverage that even the slightest bit of criticism can send him racing toward the offending party in a state of sheer anger?

And with his vague stances and mindless platitudes, should this first- term politician really be taken seriously as he seeks the presidency? After all, it takes a very thick skin to be president, even more than it does to be a radio talk host!

You might expect the objects of Obama's scorn to be right- wing critics, but as Rush Limbaugh pointed out today, it was actually liberal New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd that found herself on his bad side.

Note to mainstream media types: don't tease Obama about his ears.

From Rush's official show transcript:

RUSH: ...which takes us now to Barack Obama, ladies and gentlemen. Yesterday on PMSNBC live, here is a montage of the "Wonkette" blogger. This is a classic illustration. There's a blogger out there called Wonkette. Her name is Anna Marie Cox, and because she had this blog that nobody read, TIME Magazine snuffed her up and she's now a cultural writer, political writer. She's the hot info babe of the moment, and she was on PMSNBC live discussing Barack Obama.

COX (montage): He is a rock star! He hasn't gone old for us! Uh, he hasn't developed into some joke that he tells over and over! He's the neeeew, vaguely exotic foreign exchange student! He's the sexiest of the new people! We talk about him being vaguely exotic... Sexy and rock star! ... Drop dead sex appeal! He's someone who you want to follow! Suuuure, I like Obama, too! I actually was at a cocktail party where Barack was! Talk about sexy! He's so young! It's the first blush... Obama can do no wrong! Sexy! Sexy! Sexy!

RUSH: (Sigh.) All right, that's the appeal to Anna Marie Cox. (interruption) Well, there's no question the power is crackling through his jeans! Hell, yes, Snerdley! That's the translation of this: "vaguely exotic sexy rock star, drop-dead sex appeal." Now, we have some EIB exclusive audio here. It's from Sunday in New Hampshire when Barack Obama made a speech up there. After his speech was over he made a beeline for Maureen Dowd and the audience. The camera kept rolling. We have this. I haven't seen it. I mean, it's not really "exclusive" to us. It's exclusive in the sense we're the only ones that are going to use it. Just listen. He goes up to Maureen Dowd. This is your sexy rock star, drop dead sex appeal, somebody you want to follow, somebody firm in his convictions. This guy is a rock, not just a star, and this is what he said to Maureen Dowd.

OBAMA (off mic): You talked about my ears, and I just want to put you on notice: I'm very sensitive about -- What I told them was, ''I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears.'"

DOWD (purring): We're trying to toughen you up.

RUSH: Did you hear all that? Were you able to hear it? You want me to translate this? All right. Maureen Dowd has written about his big ears, and after his speech Barack Obama made a beeline to Maureen Dowd and said, "You talked about my ears, and I just want to put you on notice: I'm very sensitive about -- What at I told them was, 'I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears.'" Maureen said, "We're just trying to tough you up." Just trying to toughen you up.

I tend to personalize a lot of these things. I'm sorry, my friends, I'm like everybody else: everything is about me -- and I hear this, and I think, "If I went to a reporter and said, "You know, don't talk about X aspect of me. I'm very sensitive. I was made fun of my whole life because of X. Would you just stop? I'm putting you on notice that I'm very sensitive about that," instead of Maureen Dowd saying, "Come on, Rush! We're trying to toughen you up," it would be the subject of her next column.

The weak, cowardly, insecure and insensitive Rush Limbaugh begged me not to make fun of X!

But Maureen Dowd has decided that the Drive-By Media needs to toughen Barack up. Listen to the bite again now that you know what was said.

OBAMA (off mic): You talked about my ears, and I just want to put you on notice: I'm very sensitive about -- What I told them was, ''I was teased relentlessly when I was a kid about my big ears.'"

DOWD (purring): We're trying to toughen you up.

RUSH: We're just trying to toughen you up. You sexy, exotic rock star, sexy, sexy, sexy, we're just trying to toughen you up! (interruption) Snerdley is convinced that Maureen wants Barack Hussein Obama. (sigh) I don't even want to go there. I know more than you do about this and I'm not going to talk about it. Here is a question. An unidentified reporter said to Barack, "What do you make of the recent fascination that people have as they are getting to know you about your middle name being 'Hussein'?"

OBAMA: It would be one thing if my name was John Hussein Smith. Then, you know, this might be a real problem. When you're already starting with Barack Obama, you know, let me put it this way. If name's -- if my name is going to be an issue, then -- then I don't think, uh, my middle name is relevant. The American people are not concerned about middle names.

RUSH: (Laughing.) Ha-ha-ha! (Clinton impression) "The American people are not concerned about middle names. It doesn't matter to people. Middle names, Limbaugh? You folks keep focusing on this. I mean, my name is Jefferson Blythe, and nobody cared! I mean, I'm Bill Clinton: Good Old Boy." Okay, so that's our Barack Obama segment for today, ladies and gentlemen. Maureen Dowd trying to toughen him up as he tells her he's very insecure about being made fun of over the size of his ears.

There's more on the subject from Rush here.


Like his even lighter- weight counterpart in Massachusetts, Governor- elect Deval Patrick, Obama seems to expect that he will be able to make a career out of politics without ever facing criticism or opposition. By denouncing opponents as merely fearful, Obama also appears to believe he can win a presidential election merely on his supposed "rock star" looks, rather than through any real passion for the difficult issues facing America today.

For now, the mainstream media is letting him get away with this, but if he begins to make enemies of insiders such as Dowd, they could turn on him in a heartbeat.

Looking for gift ideas? Your Amazon orders that begin with clicks here, regardless of what you ultimately select for purchase, greatly help to support this site's efforts. Thanks again!

Technorati tags: barack hussein obama senator obama talk radio rush limbaugh democrats 2008 presidential election

Odumbo: Rush Limbaugh.com