Obama's Temper

That's why I love the internet; links. JNS, it's worth noting that this happened while he was out trick or treating with his seven year old daughter.

Barack Obama had taken a break from the campaign trail for a few hours of Halloween fun at home with his family four days before the election, but ended up visibly annoyed when news crews dogged their footsteps in their Chicago neighborhood.

"That's enough. You've got a shot. Leave us alone," Obama told reporters as he walked down the block with his 7-year-old daughter Sasha in her costume on the way to a party at a neighbor's home.

is a far cry from:

"reporters waiting for him in front of his home this afternoon."

Bravo for Obama. I'd have been harsher...poor guy.

"Snippy black man" doesn't quite have the same power to alarm as "angry black man".

JNS-
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First, I stand by my observation that the Reuters story is quite a bit different from yours.
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Second, I thought Obama (and McCain) were being pooled outside of campaign events. This certainly sounds like downtime.
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Ok... not trick or treating... the press still got uncomfortably close to his kid. Tired? How about naturally protective?

OH,and thanks for the trick or treating correction. That was wrong.

Press has been really good about kids for as long as I can remember. Amy Carter.

I'd be peeved at reporters jacking around with a family moment with one of my kids. It's not clear to me how this can be construed as an event of any legitimate interest to the press or to those the press communicates to. Unless "the press" has become closer to bands of paparazzi than I had realized.

Ted, do you really see racism in this? If so...

I used to love the press. I admired the press. I wanted to be part of the press, when I was a kid. And I still maintain a respect for the media and a sense of the role it plays in our society.

But this election has disabused me of many positive feelings; I can think of few professions that demonstrate the same petulence and sense of entitlement as the national political media. "Disgraceful" is a little strong, but the press isn't doing itself any favors when it makes itself the story.

Snippy? Because he wanted some quality time with his kid

Looks to me like JNS just wanted an excuse to bring up Rev. Wright again, and posing Obama as an a$$hole is just an added bonus.

Cheap shot.

Non-story. Who is he, Britney Spears? What journalistic purpose was served by following him as he walked down the street with his very small child? Are you people under the impression that he is underexposed? That the public is starved for action shots?

# Jay Newton-Small Says:
Friday, October 31, 2008 at 10:21 pm

They weren't trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt's house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.

Doubtless the press should interrogate parents as they walk with their children. After all, it's not as if you care about the real issues, is it?

No Yoshi, I don't see racism. What I'm saying is 'candidate gets a bit snippy' is not exactly the lead item on the 9 o'clock news.

They weren't trick or treating, they were walking about the corner to Nesbitt's house and having press there is part of the job description, sorry.

And isn't determining what's actually newsworthy part of your "job description"?

Sorry.

JNS--

No disrespect, but you come off as a complete tool in this post--including your follow-up comment. Yes, Obama is a candidate, that has sought media attention to get his message to voters, but please explain to me how it was necessary to get right next to him and Sasha to cover this story? In other pool reports, they have attended Malia's soccer games and have taken good pictures at a respectable distance, why should today's event be any different, especially when other children were in close proximity?

Oh, and thank you for the false equivalency between walking to a friend's house, and actual trick or treating, because Lord knows if it was the latter, this absolutely wouldn't have happened. Also, I find it quite refreshing to learn that getting followed to a halloween party by the press is part of his "job description" as president. It sure helped me decide how to vote.

This is what is wrong with the press, instead of reporting news, they do things to create it.

Fascinating. There have been a lot of stories lately about the Angry Old Man's press pool lapping up his barbecue sauce and getting so cozy with him they go to great lengths to hide his apparently frequent outbursts and incivilities. And here Mr. Cool's press corps buzzes the newswire when he gets protective about his daughter.
Is there some kind of Stockholm Syndrome vs. whatever its opposite is (Perth Syndrome, perhaps?) vibe going on here?
Or am I misreading this, and I'm supposed to note that Obama actually does have a human (that's non-preternatural) side, and will in fact fiercely defend his offspring and presumably by extension his country from unwelcome intrusions?

Why do you neglect to mention the obvious? His kids were right there. Doesn't he deserve a couple hours alone with his kids?

After reading this post, I feel some regret that Obama does not toss offensive imbeciles in the press corps out of the plane at 30,000 feet. I suppose he prefers to minimize environmental damage, but there is such a thing as being too scrupulous. But then, I can't see why Time would waste space on ignorant and offensive juveniles who are apparently incapable of writing clear, correct English or filing worthwhile copy. Neither Carney, nor Tumulty, nor Klein would sink to this depth of fatuous self-gratification. Why is is that only JNS and MS fail the quality test?

Dear,

No one, anywhere, agreed to let you mess with that little girl's hour with her daddy on halloween. No one. Ever.

As for the candidate, that was an extraordinarily cool response to truly severe provocation.

The Obama nation is capable of extraordinary innovation on very short notice. Could be sit-ins. Could be phone-a-thons. Could be shareholder actions. Could be witty. Could be blunt. Could be really memorable.

Either stop because you're decent human beings, or stop because you realize that decent human beings are prepared to take whatever action necessary to give those children decent lives.

And don't, under any circumstances, try claiming either freedom of the press or the dignity of your profession. Mess with those girls, and you're ghouls, not journalists.

With all due respect, what is the press doing when he is spending time with his family? Is it a national security issue? Tell me what exactly the press is trying to cover? the press is acting like paparazzi! Same thing happened when he went to visit his Grandma. Its very sad to see the behavior of the press. JNS, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW THIS SERVES THE INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

JNS,
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I echo the sentiments of all the other commentors. First its disengenuous not to include the fact that Obama was with his daughter and THAT is likely why he was testy, not just because he was "tired". Second you didn't point out that he had already asked the media to back off. This wasn't a campaign stop. This wasn't a photo op. This was a special moment between a father and daughter. And bigger than all of that the man didnt even cuss or yell according to the press report you linked to. All he did was take his shades off and then break out into a trot with his daughter to get away from press corps. The way you reported this was in my opinion beneath you. But hey I guess your sentiment that this is "part of the job description" makes me question my impression of you more than anything else.

Can't wait for the next JNS post after she gets a chance to dig through Obama's trash.

I believe the syndrome is Sedona Syndrome, and is found among hacks who prefer the McCain bbq to the more refined taste of integrity and judgment. Doubtless we can look forward to "Girlish Giggles" as JNS explains how she and Sarah Palin shared policy insights.