Barack Obama to Hillary Clinton: You're No Annie Oakley
And Other Comparisons by Candidates to the Greats of History
Besides criticizing her alleged stance on numerous free trade agreements, Barack Obama mocked Hillary Clinton for a new found interest in firearms. Senator Clinton reminisced about learning to shoot during summer vacations. "She is running around talking about how this (meaning Obama's remarks in San Francisco) is an insult to sportsmen, how she values the Second Amendment. She's talking like she's Annie Oakley," Obama said.
One wonders when Obama will be called upon to apologize for mentioning Annie Oakley in the same sentence as Hillary Clinton.
This incident is not the first time a politician has been compared to some famous, historical figure and then had that comparison disputed by an opponent. The most famous example was when Dan Quayle, then running for vice president, was debating Lloyd Bentsen, also running for vice president. When Quayle, trying to answer attacks on him because of his youth, tried to make a comparison to John F. Kennedy, Bentsen responded with the following zinger:
"I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."
Senator Quayle, at that moment, learned that comparisons to John F. Kennedy are reserved solely to Democrats. On the other hand, considering President Kennedy's sexual peccadilloes, Ms. Quayle was probably relieved.
Comparisons to John F. Kennedy has been an old tradition in Democratic politics. The most famous was one used by Bill Clinton, who even had a picture of himself at age 16 shaking hands with President Kennedy. Other Democrats who have used the gambit have ranged from Gary Hart to even Jimmy Carter. Most Democrats who want to be the second coming of JFK would not dream of supporting his agenda, which included tax cuts and an aggressive foreign and defense policy.
Even Barack Obama has tried out the Kennedy aura. He has been compared to both John and Robert Kennedy, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King.
On the Republican side, the preferred comparison is to President Ronald Reagan. Every Republican Presidential candidate since Reagan has given a nod to the Reagan legacy. John McCain never fails to mention how he was a "foot soldier in the Reagan revolution." McCain also likes Teddy Roosevelt. This comparison to Reagan is made no matter how much the candidate making it differs from Reagan in political philosophy.
Negative comparisons are also a staple on the campaign trail. Republicans never fail to point out how their opponents are either McGovern or Mondale or, better still, a little of both. McGovern and Mondale both lost their Presidential bids by epic landslides. Democrats have compared their Republican opponents to Herbert Hoover for nearly three quarters of a century. Hoover is often blamed for the Great Depression.
Some day one would like to see an original comparison made by or on behalf of a politician. And not just-say-to Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, or even FDR. John Adams is getting pretty popular these days. Anyone for a return of the Alien and Sedition Act?
Sources: Obama Rips Clinton "Shame on You", CBS46 News, April 14th, 2008
Senator, You're No Jack Kennedy, Wikipedia
Is Barack Obama the Second Coming of John F. Kennedy, Mark R. Whittington, Associated Content, Jan 27th, 2008
McCain Seeks Reagan's Mantle, Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post, Feb 1, 2008
John Adams: A Miniseries from HBO, Mark R. Whittington, Associated Content, March 18th, 2008
Published by Mark Whittington
Mark R. Whittington is a writer residing in Houston, Texas. He is the author of The Last Moonwalker, Children of Apollo, Dark Sanction, and Nocturne. He has written numerous articles, some for the Washington... View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentThere is not a single candidate that I could sleep comfortably, knowing that they were in the oval office. I say we hand the White House over to Petraeus, whether he likes it or not!
Mr. Campbell ,,Gun control is NOT the answer, we have more gun laws the law enforcement to enforce then. I live in a area that every household owns guns. Never in my 55 years of life have we had shooting in the streets at night or anytime. The problem is not legal guns but illegal guns. Mr Campbell take all the legal guns from us and you will still have the same problem..Every hear of the black market, that's were your guns are coming from .You or me can't walk into a gun store and buy a gun and walk out.
Excuse those of us whose urban communities are plagued by weapons fire and dead children to be too busy grieving over their loss than to grieve over the gun rights of a minority of persons which might be lost through more efficient gun control.
That is a truth which is, yes, bitter.
Its seems that Naz def is a anit -American just like all the libs. Never in my life time have i seen Hate for the Untied States from its own people. People like you wouldn't fight for this country on this soil...
Obama told the truth and everyone knows it. $109M Hillary the champion of gun-toting, racist inbred cretins? Now that's precious.
Barack is an idiot and would be the worst President for the US right now. A President who looks down his nose at half the country is not someone we need in the White House and if he's the Democratic Party's candidate, I'll be voting for Nader.
Obama and Clinton don't want to cut taxes, both along with the Democrats want this Country to be Soc list. People would get along better without Government in our lives so much. Take our money and spend it like we have deep pockets, that we don't have . Removing the gun from Americans, the Government will do as they please, Hitler did that to the people in Germany look what happen .
What scandal? Obama told the truth: That white working class voters don't like him as he's black, and they have let their frustration be channelled into racism that Hillary Clinton is exploiting.
This is a poor article. The gist of Obama's comment is that Clinton is a liar. She has never been pro-gun. She panders to the racists that moved from the New Deal coalition Democratic Party to the GOP and are not going to vote for her anyway.
Your comment about John Adams is a non sequitur. The Alien & Sedition Act has never been repealed, and in fact, is evocative of PAATRiOT ACT. Adams is not popular but David McCullough, a popular best-selling historian, wrote a book about him. He is the epitome of the President as Unelected King that George W. Bush has made himself out to be, quashing dissent. Why didn't you expand on that?
Why limit yourself to writing an inadequate Associated Content-style 2-pg article to merely serve as a platform for Google Ad-Sense ads. Why not write somethi
You made a great point about JFK--he cut taxes, cut spending, and expanded the military. Why don't Democrats every talk about that?
one wonders when ANYTHING will stick to Obama and he have to answer for it. Please see my piece, Teflon Obama, under my content. This was a good read thanks!