Obama to Women, Get Over It

Original Link: http://donedems.com/2008/06/20/obama-to-women-get-over-it/

Now we know why Obama has sent out all the female Democratic Senators (sans Hillary) out with their “Checklist” to real back in Hillary’s female supporters…it’s women’s work, and Obama’s having none of it.

Sources at the meeting said that Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, a Clinton supporter, expressed the desire that Obama and his campaign would reach out the millions of women still aggrieved about what happened in the campaign and still disappointed that Clinton lost.

Obama agreed that a lot of work needs to be done to heal the Democratic Party, and that he hoped the Clinton supporters in the room would help as much as possible.

According to Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Obama then said, “However, I need to make a decision in the next few months as to how I manage that since I’m running against John McCain, which takes a lot of time. If women take a moment to realize that on every issue important to women, John McCain is not in their corner, that would help them get over it.”

Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., a longtime Clinton supporter, did not like those last three words — “Get over it.” She found them dismissive, off-putting.

“Don’t use that terminology,” Watson told Obama. [emphasis mine]

In short, “I’m busy running for office, which is going to take the bulk of my time. It would be so much easier if women would just get over it.”

We’ve heard this excuse before. He was too busy running for office to hold any oversight hearings on Afghanistan, as well. Too busy to vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment. Too busy to focus while in the Illinois State Senate and thus accidentally pressed the wrong buttons.

The disrespect is absolutely palpable. Senator Obama has no intention of working for the votes of women, or Hillary Clinton’s supporters.

Well, Senator Obama, we won’t be too busy to get up on Tuesday, November 4, and head to the polls and cast our ballot for Senator McCain. At least he’s working for our votes. When we deliver the election to Senator McCain, I hope it doesn’t take too long for you to “get over it.”

[Note: A big thanks to Rep. Jackson Lee and Rep. Watson for speaking on our behalf in this matter.]

[UPDATE] Apparently Senator Obama had a bit more to say at the meeting. The Hill Reports:

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) conciliatory tone turned sharp on Thursday when Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) pressed him on how there needs to be healing in the Democratic Party.

“Look, Diane,” Obama said, according to a participant who attended the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) meeting. “John McCain, if he’s elected, is going to pick a Supreme Court that will roll back every gain women have made in the last 50 years.”

Seeming frustrated, Obama started talking more bluntly about why women should be supporting him over Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.), whatever their feelings about the divisive Democratic primary campaign.
“He can be pretty direct,” said the CBC source. “It was a pretty lively meeting.”

ABC also has more on the exchange between Watson and Obama:
In Clarke’s view, Watson thought Obama had just told her to “get over it.” She didn’t appreciate that, and she told him so and emphasized that it was a heated campaign and lot of healing remains to be done.

“I agree,” Obama said. “There’s healing on both sides.”

Okay, Senator Obama, tell us about your problems, and why you are upset…

According to the sources, Obama suggested he bit his tongue every time. He could be asking for an apology, he could be asking for the Clintons to reconcile with him, but he chose to rise above it.
Obama then said [sic] two sources at the meeting said that he’d held his tongue many times during the campaign against Clinton in the interest of party unity and sensitivity. Clinton and her allies had suggested he was a Muslim, had said he wasn’t qualified to be president.

Excuse me, but WTF Senator Obama?!?! Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in no way suggested you were a Muslim. And as for you being unqualified to be president, yeah she said it, we’re all saying it, because it’s true. And she wasn’t the only one that said it! Or haven’t you seen the GOP’s new ad? Sorry if that hurts your feelings, but sometimes the truth hurts.

And as for you holding your tongue, there are too many instances of you saying hateful, untrue and offensive things about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to even list, much less link to (please google these instances, you will find them). You even sat next to her in a debate and said she wasn’t responsible for the “Somali Garb” photo, only to run to Mississippi and accuse of her a such a few days later. Not only that but your campaign sent out a four page memo accusing her, the former President of the United States and campaign surrogates of racism. That much you admitted to in a debate. Then, in the most disgusting tactic I have ever witnessed, you and your campaign twisted her words concerning RFK and accused her of the most sinister motives.

Yeah, but you “held your tongue,” sure. Perhaps you should permanently hold your tongue and STFU! The next five months will go much quicker without all your “uh’s.” In the words of Billy Madison, “T-t-t-TODAY, JUNIOR!”