Video: Obama says he’s always been “a little bit conservative”
posted at 2:49 pm on May 13, 2007 by Ian
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In an interview with ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama drew a distinction between left-wing “ideologues” and liberals like him who are a “little bit conservative” in their willingness to actually listen to opposing viewpoints. Good thing there are no left-wing ideologues among his supporters; a statement like that might have proved alienating.
A look at his voting record reveals that when he says “a little bit conservative,” he means “a little bit conservative.” Yikes.
Transcript:
SEN. BARACK OBAMA: I’m not an ideologue, never have been. Even during my younger days when I was tempted by, you know, sort of more radical or left-wing politics, there was a part of me that always was a little bit conservative in that sense, that believes that you make progress by sitting down, listening to people, recognizing everybody’s concerns, seeing other people’s points of views.
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Of course, this comes well after Newsweek already put him on its cover next to the headline, “Seeing Purple: A Rising Star Who Wants to Get Beyond Blue vs. Red.”
As long as getting beyond blue and red means voting blue 100 percent of the time and calling it purple.
saint kansas on May 13, 2007 at 3:03 PM
1995 Chevy, loaded, runs great. $5 obo.
Limerick on May 13, 2007 at 3:10 PM
is this a clintonite machinery left out for republicans to pick up and use unwittingly?
http://obamatruth.org/
i mean, the whole insight magazine madrassa thing, you know?
jummy on May 13, 2007 at 3:11 PM
Its your typical political disconnet. Here is a ramussen report where what democrats think of themselves and what the public does is two different things
Poll: Voters See Democratic Candidates as Politically Liberal, Democrats See Them as Moderate
Friday, April 27, 2007
Democrats see the men and women competing for their party’s Presidential nomination as politically moderate. Among all voters, the Democratic field is generally seen as politically liberal (with the exception of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson).
A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that Senator Hillary Clinton is viewed as politically liberal by 52% of American voters. Just 29% see her as politically moderate and 13% see her as politically conservative. That puts perceptions of her to the left of other Democrats seeking the White House in 2008. However, they also show that perceptions of the former First Lady have moved a bit to the center since December when 57% viewed her as politically liberal.
A plurality of all voters also view Senator Barack Obama (44% liberal, 35% moderate, 11% not sure), former Senator John Edwards (39% liberal, 37% moderate, 12% not sure), and Senator Joe Biden (29% liberal, 27% moderate, 39% not sure) as politically liberal. While far less well known than his competitors, those with an opinion tend to see New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson as politically moderate (14% liberal, 34% moderate, 47% not sure).
Generally, perceptions have shifted little in four surveys conducted since December (see history). However, perceptions of Obama have shifted a bit to the left in each successive poll. Last December, 38% viewed the Senator from Illinois as politically liberal. That figure is six percentage points higher today.
Clinton, Obama, and Edwards have consistently been the top three performers in polls for the Democratic nomination. Thirty-three percent (33%) of Americans say they will definitely vote for Obama no matter who he runs against. That’s the highest total for any candidate in either party. Forty-eight percent (48%) would definitely vote against Clinton, a percentage topped only by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R).
Among Democrats, Clinton is seen as politically moderate by 40%, liberal by 37% and conservative by 19%.
The numbers among Democrats for Obama are 39% moderate, 39% liberal, and 12% conservative.
Edwards is viewed by 46% of Democrats as politically moderate. Thirty percent (30%) say liberal and 13% conservative.
William Amos on May 13, 2007 at 3:17 PM
Hey, he’s a little bit conservative just like Donnie Osmond is a little bit rock and roll.
- The Cat
MirCat on May 13, 2007 at 3:19 PM
I’m no fan of his, but how exactly is he more liberal than Kucinich? Obama seems like a pretty standard liberal to me. If he has some votes that he thinks are more “moderate”, I’d like to hear what he thinks they are.
Dash on May 13, 2007 at 3:26 PM
As liberal as he is, He doesn’t scare me as much as Hillary does. Not by a long shot.
Rightwingsparkle on May 13, 2007 at 3:39 PM
I’m having a flashback to the 70s. Please send help.
“I’m a little bit Country.”
- Barack Obama
“And I’m a little bit Rock & Roll!”
- Hillary Clinton
Dave Shay on May 13, 2007 at 3:53 PM
Apparently ABC isn’t worthy of his phony black accent.
infidel4life on May 13, 2007 at 4:02 PM
So “a little bit conservative” is that like being “a little bit pregnant?”
Iblis on May 13, 2007 at 4:12 PM
I just vote like one. Minor detail.
“I’m a little bit multilingual” –Hillary
RodhamClintonEntelechy on May 13, 2007 at 4:15 PM
Conservative my ass! His conservatism is not a little bit, minuscule in measure or of a subatomic amount.
He is not at all conservative.
George on May 13, 2007 at 4:20 PM
He’s a trained, degreed Marxist whose favorite professor during his first two years of college Roger Boesche, was the Marxist-in-Chief of that school’s polisci dept and who subsequently went on to finish his undergrad in polisci at Columbia University, where the famous so-called “Frankfort School” of Marxism was created in the 30s… the school of thought that “a long march through the institutions” of government and academia was a better path to revolution than a sudden violent upheaval.
And, hey, looks like they were right, because of of their own is just about to be elected president.
Now, who won the Cold War again?
wordwarp on May 13, 2007 at 4:25 PM
“I am a little bit conservative – before I vote liberal”
As an Ill-noise voter I would like to add “BARF”
BobK on May 13, 2007 at 4:29 PM
I think the guy is a little bit stupid.
JammieWearingFool on May 13, 2007 at 4:37 PM
Anybody who believes that is more than a little bit stupid.
Sean M. on May 13, 2007 at 4:56 PM
Heh! That’s funny Ian. During the State of the Union address guess who Obama was sitting next to? His spiritual father Ted Kennedy. I made a spreadsheet of his voting record compared to Ted Kennedy’s. In his entire career Obama voted the opposite of Kennedy 5 times. Making his a little bit conservative one tick to the right of Kennedy which puts him much further left than Hilary. He is a farce. Bagger Vance you ain’t gonna make it.
If anyone wants the spreadsheet theworldisnotenough23-at-yahoo-dot-com.
Theworldisnotenough on May 13, 2007 at 4:56 PM
Let me say right off the bat that any liberal president is a bad president. But given that Hillary is so bitter and vengeful, I would rather see Obama win the nomination. He at least seems in control of himself.
unamused on May 13, 2007 at 4:56 PM
I’m a little bit horrified by the words President
OsamaObama.Buck Turgidson on May 13, 2007 at 5:12 PM
He Voted no on:
now, why would anyone vote no on that?
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on May 13, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Yes, and monkeys have always flown out of my butt, Barry.
ReubenJCogburn on May 13, 2007 at 5:26 PM
He thinks we’re “a little bit children, or chickens/sheep, or born yesterday”.
Entelechy on May 13, 2007 at 5:48 PM
>just like Donnie Osmond is a little bit rock and roll.
Hey, “Crazy Horses” rocked!
Doghouse on May 13, 2007 at 5:48 PM
Just like your average Truther is just a little bit divorced from reality.
ZK on May 13, 2007 at 6:11 PM
I dunno….This guy is too cocky. Somewhere, there is skeleton in a closet, with a crobar. Just a matter of time……..
ronsfi on May 13, 2007 at 6:12 PM
My collie says:
Stupid dog.
CyberCipher on May 13, 2007 at 6:32 PM
So lemme see if I understand the situation. BaRRookie considers it “a little bit conservative” to be willing to listen to opposing viewpoints. He is effectively admitting that if you are not a little bit conservative, you have no use for listening to opposing viewpoints.
BaRRookie reminds me of one of those old-fashioned wooden Nutcrackers with the lever on the back where you can move its lower jaw up and down.
RushBaby on May 13, 2007 at 6:41 PM
My collie asks:
Stupid dog.
CyberCipher on May 13, 2007 at 6:42 PM
I associate with nutroots and black supremecists but I’m really not that bad – obama
Defector01 on May 13, 2007 at 6:49 PM
Are you sure the quote is correct?
Are you sure that he didn’t actually say that he once bit a little conservative.
LegendHasIt on May 13, 2007 at 6:56 PM
anarchists
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 7:24 PM
html messed that one up, fer sure
anarchists leftists liberals democrats blue dog democrats
Lions and tigers and bears…Oh my!
running to the right
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 7:27 PM
ANT & GRASSHOPPER
Conservative version:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
Obama version:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the news stations film the group singing, “We shall overcome.”
Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake.
Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act, retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
Hillary gets her former employer, the Rose Law Firm, to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a jury comprised of single-parent welfare recipients.
The ant loses the case.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him because he doesn’t maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug-related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote.
csdeven on May 13, 2007 at 7:36 PM
What, are we supposed to start believing he has some wisdom or experience? The more this guy bumps his gums, the more I dislike him.
CrimsonFisted on May 13, 2007 at 7:39 PM
LOL. Congrats.
(Presuming that you made that up all by yourself.)
CyberCipher on May 13, 2007 at 7:45 PM
Do kids even learn fables anymore? If not, then I think I’ve discovered the problem. Fables taught me just about everything I needed to know about life.
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 7:48 PM
I did not make that up. My daughter emailed it to me. I replaced the original versions to the “Obama” and “conservative” versions.
csdeven on May 13, 2007 at 8:05 PM
Many thanks for that relevant comment.
I just discovered this about Obamatruth.org. This exposure might explain why the site has been so quiet lately.
DannoJyd on May 13, 2007 at 8:49 PM
I think he meant to say (ya know the dems are ALWAYS telling us later what they MEANT to say) so, he meant to say is “he’s a little bit white.”
shooter on May 13, 2007 at 8:52 PM
Obama doesn’t know what the hell he is. He’s still wet behind the ears.
He is definitely a polititian, (not a good one) obviously pandering a little bit to the less crazy liberal left.
4shoes on May 13, 2007 at 10:32 PM
Like he’s a ‘little bit’ African?
Or a ‘little bit’ Muslim?
Or a ‘little bit’ organized crime affiliated?
He’s taken seriously… why?
DANEgerus on May 13, 2007 at 10:36 PM
He’s a suit who can communicate. Now they will tell him what to communicate. It’s just marketing.
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 10:39 PM
So you don’t think Hillary/Obama will be the Dem ticket?
Connie on May 13, 2007 at 10:42 PM
Connie, at this point I cannot see a Clinton/Obama pairing. Fortunately, Obama would only be allowed to be V.P. if he agreed to Clintons terms and I think he has a bit more character than that. I haven’t counted Obama out of the game yet.
My belief is a Clinton/Richardson will emerge as the 2 offer different
ideaspropaganda to their supporters and Richardson knows to toe the Clinton line.DannoJyd on May 13, 2007 at 11:21 PM
Obama is not conservative. He is simply trying to allay concerns about his being liberal, which he is.
It does not matter who is more liberal — Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or John Edwards. They are all plenty liberal in ways that no moderate or conservative should even think about voting for any of them.
Phil Byler on May 13, 2007 at 11:26 PM
A minimal analysis of his own words in this piece is revealing:
Are we supposed to take from this that refusing to listen to people, recognize everybody’s concerns, and see other peoples’ points of view is naturally the liberal way of doing things? Why, what do you know, he told the truth! The soc*alists do that now and then when they aren’t being careful, or when they think the audience will hear what they INTEND, rather than what they SAID.
This whole statement is just a gaffe. Political compromise and communication isn’t a standard of either side (or at least shouldn’t be), so it doesn’t represent an example of being “a little bit conservative”. Therefore, by this useless statement, he has no idea what being “a little bit conservative” could possibly mean. And well, his voting record proves that anyway.
Freelancer on May 14, 2007 at 12:12 AM
We’ll see during this campaign, that Obama is going to be a little bit everything. He’s really not running for 2008 but rather 2012 or ‘16. This is just the first pass.
The drive-by media could take a nit-wit like Kerry and get 40whatever percent to vote for him. The Dhems are living in a fantasy world if they think that he has a snowball’s chance in hell of ever winning the white house. He plays fine at Starbucks but he’ll never ever appeal to middle America. Those people have spines and they resent jellyfish politicos like B Hussein O.
Mojave Mark on May 14, 2007 at 1:17 AM
Hispanic vote?
Connie on May 14, 2007 at 2:53 AM
I really don’t think there is any danger of that.
Connie on May 14, 2007 at 2:55 AM
The Clinton War Room is working overtime on smearing Barry Hussein
OsamaObama.There is an article in the Telegraph titled “Obama called hypocrite for wife’s Wal-Mart link”
I first discovered it on Drudge but it dissappeared into a “memory” hole since then.
I love the Clinton’s attempt at taring Obama — through his wife, who happens to sit on the board of directors of a company whose largest customer happens to be Wal-Mart.
As if this means “jack squat” to anybody who has half a brain.
Once again, proving to one and all that Democrats are morons.
As well as lying pigs.
Vote Democrat, vote STUPID pig!
georgej on May 14, 2007 at 3:43 AM
You mean the same Wal-Mart that Shrillary used to sit on the board of? That Wal-Mart? So if it’s evil to do business with them (according to the nutroots), how much worse would actually helping to run the company be? I’d think the Clinton War Room would be the last ones to want to bring up the subject of Wally World.
ReubenJCogburn on May 14, 2007 at 4:23 AM
Absolutely! The libs already have the black vote locked.
DannoJyd on May 14, 2007 at 7:40 AM
I can’t stand the whistle in his speech.
Esthier on May 14, 2007 at 9:56 AM
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