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There is an argument to be made for America’s
never-ending
presidential campaign in that it tests a candidate in a variety of
different ways. ... Judging by what has
transpired this week for Barack Obama and his suddenly faltering
campaign, one would think the candidate would have had a bellyfull of
untoward occurrences, staff gaffes, bad luck, and perhaps a touch of
incompetence on the part of the candidate himself.
It began Monday with Obama’s worst performance before
the national media to date. The candidate has
been chided
in the past for his lack of press availability so perhaps the media was
a little on edge as Obama, smiling, stepped up to the podium.
He
wasn’t smiling when he stepped down 15 minutes later. After a staffer
called out “Last question,” Obama didn’t even wait for the query but
instead, stomped away while the press roared out a cacophony of
questions about Tony Rezko and the NAFTA
flap at the retreating candidate. Opening himself up to derision, the
candidate turned back briefly and with a forced smile on his face,
pleading with the press, “C’mon guys. I answered like 8 questions.”
The
Chicago Sun Times, whose reporters were a big part of making the
presser an uncomfortable experience for the candidate, taunted Obama;
first, with
a piece that
featured the phone number of the newspaper in the headline asking the
candidate to call in and answer questions about his relationship with
Tony Rezko – this after Obama said that he had been unable to sit down
with reporters about the matter. Then today, the Sun Times takes Obama
to task for only answering
8 questions: ...
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