By John McCormick
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – There were no boxer vs. briefs moments.
But Sen. Barack Obama told a college audience here Monday that if he were filming a movie about himself, he might struggle to decide who would play the leading role.
"I suppose Denzel [Washington] is already taken," he said. "Will Smith is a possibility because his ears match mine."
Then, he gave a safe answer for someone to play his wife, Michelle. "There is nobody that good looking, so she would have to play herself," he said.
In a usual appearance as part of a candidate series sponsored by MTV and MySpace.com, Obama generally played it pretty cool, appearing more like a college professor, than a college rock star.
But the hour-long appearance at Coe College, to be broadcast nationally on MTV and online, offered a few tidbits about Obama's views and personality not commonly found at his more mainstream appearances. A live blog report was offered earlier in the Swamp.
Obama said he has a plan to counter the possible presence of comedian Stephen Colbert, who is toying with a primary run from his home state of South Carolina.
"I'm going for the Jon Stewart endorsement to offset the Colbert factor," he said. "Seriously, I don't know what kind of impact it might have. My hope is that by the time I get down to South Carolina, and we have the primary down there, that we have made the case that I will be the best president of the United States and that it doesn't matter who is in the race."
Obama also said the situation leaves him concerned about the media.
"It says something about what has happened to our news that many of you get your news from the Daily Show or Stephen Colbert," he said. "People feel that they have more straight talk from John Stewart and his correspondents than they are on the nightly news."
MTV made its name in presidential politics with the now-famous "boxers or briefs?" question posed to President Bill Clinton in 1994. But most of those asked Monday were far more serious, often dealing with America's role in the world.
Asked about the kind of Supreme Court justices he would pick, Obama said he would look for compassion.
"I'm not going to have a litmus test about on how you are going to rule on X or Y or Z," he said. "I want a Supreme Court justice who has a sense of empathy, who understands that part of the role of the courts is to defend and look after the interests of people who aren't going to be protected through the political process because they don’t have clout."
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was the first candidate to appear in the series. The Swamp report on his appearance is linked here.
An Obama spokesman has not responded to an e-mail question about whether the candidate wears boxers or briefs.
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Comments
"It says something about what has happened to our news that many of you get your news from the Daily Show or Stephen Colbert," Obama said. "People feel that they have more straight talk from John Stewart and his correspondents than they are on the nightly news."
Stewart & Colbert give a more honest take on the news than most of the MSM does.
The rightwing lunitic fringe considers this, "News":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Px_mEucuaw
Posted by: Bill-O is fighting to save Christmas so you won't have to | October 29, 2007 8:07 PM
John, get with the program, babe...Stewart's first name is Jon, not John! How Tribune of you, John! And anyone who is rational will NOT be supporting Senator Obama after his bizarre tour of South Carolina with the anti-gay former-gay preacher.
Posted by: Krishnan | October 29, 2007 8:07 PM
What a fun post! I'm sure a fun time was had by all.
Why, it almost made me forget that we're trying to decide who's going to be the next president of the United States and almost all we've been treated to by this site and the rest of the MSM is trivial junk.
What you can do is just ignore their attempts to trivialize the race.
And, go to campaign appearances and ask real questions then upload the responses. If the MSM won't concern themselves with real issues, hopefully everyone else will.
Posted by: TLB | October 29, 2007 9:38 PM
Fellow Swamp denizens and dwellers, you may now write down 10-29-07 as the official end of the Obama campaign. It's over. He's toast. His complete mishandling of the McClurkin mess is the last straw.
His rude and haughty dismissal of the well educated, progressive base will translate to a noticeable drop in poll numbers later this week. We're not buying a cult of personality, particularly when he pisses on his natural base and tells us it's raining. Sorry Obama, you're done.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | October 29, 2007 10:13 PM
"I'm sure a fun time was had by all."
Actually, as someone who hasn't watched MTV since it was only music videos, I was incredibly impressed by the depth of questioning by the students at the MTV forum today:
http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF0098989A00160098B090/
The forum addresses the Donnie McClurkin issue in detail, as well as every major issue in the presidential race that I've ever heard mentioned. A great starting point for those who want REAL information about Barack Obama, not sound-bytes spun to look as controversial as possible from the media.
And by the way, it was WAY more informative than these so-called political bloggers who seem more obsessed with boxers, briefs, and movie stars, than the real issues.
Posted by: Trish | October 29, 2007 11:49 PM
weinerdog43,
I agree with you 100%! He's toast...Oh,and his middle Christian name is....... Hussein?
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | October 30, 2007 1:08 AM
When people do not have their facts straight they should keep quiet. Obama did not tour So Carolina with Rev McClurkin. From what I understand the Embrace the Change Gospel Tour was an immense success. And Weinerdog, it is your beloved Republicans and Bush who are pissing on their base and all of the American people, but it's only people like you who are asking for more.
Posted by: GW | October 30, 2007 8:50 AM
Another clueless Loony Lefty. GW is attacking weinerdog, saying to weiner "it is your beloved Republicans and Bush."
Now, GW, I've seen you posting here several times. Hence, you should know by now that weinerdog is a far left loon, much like you.
It always gives me a good laugh or two when I see one clueless Lefty attack another clueless Lefty, especially when one clueless Lefty says the other clueless Lefty is a right winger or right wingnut or Republicans or neocon, etc. But while always a good laugh, it does prove my contention that most on the Left have all the intelligence of a plastic bag.
Posted by: John D | October 30, 2007 9:04 AM
Uh, GW, I'm a Liberal Democrat. I'm fed up w/Obama for a number of reasons:
1.) There is nothing wrong w/Social Security. Using it as a wedge issue against Hillary Clinton only helps Repugs.
2.) McClurkin is a bigot. When you use him as an MC and he takes the opportunity to preach his hateful message against gays, the Obama campaign signed off and agrees by default.
3.) Failing to confront Shrub and the Republicans is the worst. He has a huge soapbox as a leading candidate plus in the Senate and he is missing in action. Leaders lead.
I'm certainly not thrilled with Clinton either. Regardless of the fault of our folks, they're heads and tails better than the dwarfs running on the Repub. side.
Oh, and Paulo, I thought your middle name is Osama. Right?
Posted by: weinerdog43 | October 30, 2007 9:15 AM
Weinerdog is 100% correct. I am not a right wing person either but because I do not like Obama I get called that all the time. I have voted for both Rep and Dem. Obama is a fake. Anyone who would on 1 hand talk about how he respects homosexuals and then have a rabid anti gay preacher on his campaign gospel tour is a joke. Also the nerve of this guy to attack Clinton for a vote that he didnt even bother to show up for. He has a long history of not voting on controversial issues in IL or voting present. In Cook County that garbage may work but on a national level people are too smart to let someone have it both ways. Imagine if a Republican had an anti-gay preacher in his campaign for president. As Hawk would say about Obama....HE GONE I am just glad that people outside Chicago and IL are a lot smarter than those that let the Dem Machine do what whatever they want here in IL and yet just keep voting for them again and again. I have said this numerous times. In IL we are the DUMBEST state in the union.
Posted by: Vinny | October 30, 2007 10:48 AM
Vinny, I agree with you that Illinois voters are dumb, especially Democratic ones. They continually vote for the most corrupt, incompetent and lame folks in The Boy Governor, the Crooked County King Wannabe and Daley. At least Daley does get things done, but he is as corrupt as they come.
But the Illinois Republicans are a bunch of weak, do-nothing idiots and will not get any money from me until they get a backbone and actually start doing something other than be bystanders.
Posted by: John D | October 30, 2007 11:39 AM
Obama has found his true calling at last. MTV
Posted by: K W Smith | October 30, 2007 2:24 PM
Posted by: Paulo | October 30, 2007 1:08 AM
Oh, and Paulo:
Are you EVER going to post any PROOF to back up your allegation that the Barack Obama "madrassa school" smear has any basis in reality? After all, you posted it back in February 2007...don't you think that you've had enough time to either POST PROOF or BE A MAN AND ADMIT THAT YOU MADE IT UP!
Unfortunately, you'll do neither one.
Posted by: BC | October 30, 2007 3:53 PM
[quote]
Vinny, I agree with you that Illinois voters are dumb, especially Democratic ones. They continually vote for the most corrupt, incompetent and lame folks in The Boy Governor, the Crooked County King Wannabe and Daley.
Posted by: John D | October 30, 2007 11:39 AM
[/quote]
Geographically Challenged Dumb Dumb Little Johnnie D, "the Joseph Stalin of Streamwood", please justify your support and vote for convicted corrupt George Ryan.
Posted by: BC | October 30, 2007 3:59 PM