Video: Obama scratches mouth with middle finger, earns banner treatment on Drudge
posted at 1:44 pm on November 3, 2008 by Allahpundit
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An unlikely meme du jour for the day before the election, but you go to war with the content you have. Here’s the video of him supposedly doing this to Hillary in April. To believe it’s intentional, you have to believe The One is either stupid or reckless. Uncomfortably comfortable with radical leftists? Yes. Vastly overrated as an orator? Yes. Stupid and reckless? No.
It’ll be fun watching Drudge follow this dopey tic throughout The One’s term if he wins tomorrow, though. One absent-minded chin scratch with the wrong finger during a summit with Vladimir Putin and presto — international incident.
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I don’t buy it as intentional, but it is a very odd thing to do.
warrenmr on November 3, 2008 at 1:45 PM
FU2BO.
greggriffith on November 3, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Rush sure thought it was intentional…obama hates hillary…and mccain and uses the same gesture.
right4life on November 3, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Well Putin hunts tigers but only ones that are shot off camera after being drugged into a coma.
William Amos on November 3, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Berry really needs to stop doing that, it is a bad habit for an orator.
bnelson44 on November 3, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Doesn’t seem intentional to me. Drudge is stirring the pot and driving traffic to his site, like any good capitalist would.
Tacitus_SGL on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Our passive-aggressive Messiah…
Realist on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
He had done this before, it is a little signal to his cronies…he is still just a babe in elections.
right2bright on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Rush sure thought it was intentional
What a shock.
Tom_Shipley on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
I really don’t like this guy.
joepub on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
This doesn’t help Michelle’s kids.
tdavisjr on November 3, 2008 at 1:47 PM
I’ve noticed him touching his nose a lot lately too I guess because it’s growing due to the lies he is telling.
Brat on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
I dont think Obama was giving McCain the finger
I think he was giving America the finger.
William Amos on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
That really doesn’t look like an accident. Last time it could have been, but this is definitely intentional.
CherokeeJack on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Why? Most Americans won’t hear about it unless they monitor Drudge. The MSM isn’t going to push it, so why not give a little sign?
If he didn’t do it intentionally, then he’s still stupid or reckless. He got crap for it when he did it to Hillary, so he should know that he’d also get crap if he did it to McCain. You make sure that you’re not giving what appears to be the middle finger when talking about an opponent.
If McCain gets crap for saying “that one”, Obama should get crap for giving the middle finger to two opponents in a row now.
amerpundit on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
He’s not stupid, but I think he’s a little reckless since he knows he can get away with alot… he’s mental and a megalomaniac…
Regardless, don’t touch Team McCain…
ninjapirate on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Looks intentional being made to look unintentional.
hey just saying…
johnnyU on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Man, they even blink when he blinks…
pherrman on November 3, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Rush is right. deal with it. oh you’re a lib, you can’t deal with the truth!
right4life on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Yes, stupid AND reckless and not presidential, this is not funny. To believe this was not intentional you would have to believe he didn’t hear of the accusation that he gave the finger to Hillary the first time around.
Maxx on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
There’s at least one other choice: overweening arrogance. If you believe you are the One, the rules that constrain ordinary mortals do not apply.
zerosheep on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
For one thing, why would he do the same kind of weird motion twice in a row? Wouldn’t he be trying to avoid it after what happened last time?
CherokeeJack on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Let’s ask Hillary if it was intentional.
JudetheFossil on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
“Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America.”- The One
Say it ain’t so?!?!? This whole time you were lying to us. Who knew! Oh right, we did. Too bad most Americans are too dumb to realize it.
Lance Murdock on November 3, 2008 at 1:49 PM
His middle finger sure pops out there with real vigor doesn’t it? He is such a slime. I’d like to see SarahCuda in a death match round against Barry & break that middle finger off.
portlandon on November 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Hell, maybe he served on the USS Pueblo while no one was looking.
BillH on November 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Why is it “the finger” only seems to appear when Barry is talking about his opponents? Highly suspicious.
txsurveyor on November 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Definitely intentional. scratching your chin with your middle finger just feels unnatural.
devil dog on November 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
I do think it was deliberate (albeit not stop-the-presses material), because of the way he switched his finger. People just don’t scratch like that.
That said, there’s only one way to solve this… Body Language Segment on The Factor!!!
Pasalubong on November 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
And if you believe this was unintentional I have a bridge for sale over the East River in NY.
johnsteele on November 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
It is ABSOLUTELY intentional. I have many friends on major campaigns (one is on the payroll at McCain HQ) and we’ve discussed this before. They ALL agreed, it’s an old, intentional political gesture.
And that doesn’t contradict Drudge using it to generate traffic.
aquaviva on November 3, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Scumbag.
Just go ahead and do it Hussein…call him a white devil..you know you want to.
SaintOlaf on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Yeah, I saw this earlier when someone posted this in another thread. I started to buy into that stupid subliminal messages crap, but then I realized I was no better than those Truther nuts. I guess you can’t just project God-like qualities on an empty suit like Obama, but you can also project your worst nightmares.
If he was supposed to be flipping of McCain (or Hillary, for that matter), how does he expect either McCain or Hillary to know without their supporters digging up videos like these and posting them all over the Internet.
Achilles on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Er … he’s been both for the duration of this election. There is a saying in the stock market – “Don’t confuse genius with a bull market.” The same goes for election campaigns – “Don’t confuse intelligence with a media in the bag and fighting tooth and nail to cover up every mistake that a moron candidate makes.”
Oh sorry, I forgot that some think BHO has a “first-class intellect”. I forgot that some think that Harvard sheepskin in a non-science means something special …
progressoverpeace on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Who gives a f###?
The only finger that matters is the one that presses the ballot for McCain/Palin tomorrow. Okay?
Sugar Land on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
It was deliberate. Look at the smirk which he cannot quite hide. He believes he has bought the election and has won, and believes that he will be taking a throne instead of taking on the most life-sucking job on the planet.
bonnie_ on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
The middle finger is just a distraction from his ears: they grow bigger when he lies.
VibrioCocci on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Reckless.
The left live in nuance. Why did Tina Fey get laughs when stroking her lapel after saying that campaigns are expensive? Nuance.
Or are we to believe it was just a coincidental hand gesture just at the moment he’s supposedly congratulating his opponent?
eforhan on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
It certainly looks absent-minded, but the Hillary incident was quite deliberate,the crowd egged him on and he smirked. Hard to say if this is a coincidence or a pattern, but it’s trivial.
obladioblada on November 3, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America.”- The One
What happened to John Edwards “Two Americas”. I guess that disappeared like John has.
Sailor on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Anyone who preps for public speaking at this level does not do that on accident.
Vashta.Nerada on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
This doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Obama’s unbelievably bad policies and overwhelming hubris do.
bilups on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
What a childish creep he is.
Cicero43 on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
It was intentional. Go back through YouTubes of his speeches and see if you find that finger action elsewhere. My guess is you won’t unless he’s talking about someone or something he dislikes greatly.
Oink on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
I hope it’s on purpose, as bad as that would be. If it’s accidental, it’s something he should have learned to control a long time ago.
If he can’t keep from accidentally flipping people off and forgets to put his hand over his heart during the national anthem, he’s really not ready for prime time.
But we’d figured that out already…
MamaAJ on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Right back at ya, Barry.
rbj on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
These are the things arrogant people do when no one will call them out on it.
100% intentional.
cadams on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
See, Billy Rich Boy Ayers did this to McCain in the 60’s, now his hellspawn Barry gets to do it all over again in 2008.
How about that…
benrand on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Not a coincidence
Just ask one question: where else, and when else, has he
done this?
If the answer is that he doesn’t normally do this, then it’s an intentional gesture (whether consious or not).
Besides, what was this but a victory speech? and what kind of arrogance does it take to do this before the election? My guess, the same kind of arrogance that lets him give defeated opponents the finger.
Paul Murphy on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
BillH on November 3, 2008 at 1:50 PM
You can’t pin that on him. He was only 7 years old!
fluffy on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
Who uses their index finger… then calls an audible and comes back for more with the middle finger?
Was it conscious? Unconscious? A kinetic Freudian slip? Sure is ironic that it isn’t the first time he’s done it and at the least isn’t more careful.
Try it… no really, go ahead. Watch what he does, then stand in the mirror and do the same.
Doesn’t it take a little too much effort to tuck in the index finger to extend the middle finger for it to be subconscious? Yeah, I thought so too.
Fozzy Bear on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
I suggest using your dominant hand and do what Obama did yourself. Putting your middle finger up like that just doesn’t come naturally.
If it is a coincidence, then Obama has great timing.
zimee on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
no, no, no. that was intentional. when you scratch your face you usually use the finger next to your thumb, not your middle finger. i’ve mimicked what he did, and it’s uncomfortable to switch to the middle finger. it’s unatural, just like him.
Nuge em on November 3, 2008 at 1:54 PM
I’d give him a pass if he hadn’t done it before, I’d give him a pass if he didn’t make the pig in lipstick comment after Palin’s speech.
Funny how the crowd always seems to understand the point he is trying to make.
It was intentional.
Jim T on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Was that a signal to his Aunt and Uncle in Boston? BHO is a calculating pol, not much that happens is unintentional. Except for interviews where he doesn’t have his teleprompter…
Gohawgs on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
If you believe this was unintentional…you are a moron.
SaintOlaf on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Seems to me the answer lies in whether or not he has done this while talking about someone or something other than his opponent.
RedWinged Blackbird on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Hee hee! I think you’re right!
Badger40 on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
No…
Cocky and reckless?
Cockiness I can believe in…
liquidflorian on November 3, 2008 at 1:55 PM
That was a CODE,issued to the Roman Temple Pillar
Troopers of the Temple Pillars of Perpetual Hope
and NeverEnding Everlasting Change!(Sarc.)
canopfor on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
This is “overwhelming hubris” if I ever saw it.
Fozzy Bear on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
The standard defense for all of the wrongs committed by Obama is: “He did not mean to do it.” (Or, “he did not mean to say it.”)
At some unknown point, that defense is going to run dry. I believe that it has ceased to work already, and McCain will win this election hands down.
And Allahpundit, no thanks for all your pessimism. You are no help.
indythinker on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
He has a habit of doing this now, look at the Hillary incident in context.
drudged on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
He’s not going to do this to Putin.
capitalist piglet on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Probably a secret signal to secret co-conspirators.
carl todd hand on November 3, 2008 at 1:56 PM
Fact: I am sure Obama has heard the allegations that he appeared to be flipping off Hillary by using his middle finger to scratch his face.
Therefore, you would think the guy would become aware of what it implies. I think it was intentional.
carbon_footprint on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
This doesn’t bother me in the slightest. Obama’s unbelievably bad policies and overwhelming hubris do.
bilups on November 3, 2008 at 1:53 PM
seriously? that doesn’t bother you???? so you will just excuse this childish behavior from someone who want sto hold the most powerful position in the U.S.?????
Nuge em on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Someone, yesterday, said Oprah would claim this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tbkAGvJsEI
Predictable?
lorien1973 on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
It was intentional.
Why would he do it? Because he has a Messiah complex. He can do whatever he bloody well wants.
We are || close to electing somebody with significant mental problems to the presidency.
The Europeans love this guy? If he will flip off a fellow American and fellow senator, what will he do once he is Commander in Chief and another world leader with mental problems, whether Putin, Chavez, Kim Jong-Il, or about half the klepotocrats in the Middle East, tick him off?
__________
RJGatorEsq. on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Isn’t it stupid and reckless to associate with domestic terrorists, especially one who was pictured standing on the American flag on 9/11?
I don’t know about this one, but I have no problem believing, as the crowd seemed to, that he was flipping Hillary off. His demeanor was enough to cover plausible deniability and thus makes it stupid but not reckless.
Esthier on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Notice he only did it when he was speaking about Sen. McCain, as he did before when speaking about Hillary……….
……………. definately “code” for the truthers.
McCain/Palin 2008!
Seven Percent Solution on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
It was intentional he did this to Hillary Clinton on at least two occasions.
canditaylor68 on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
There’s no way this was unintentional…just try doing it yourself (switching from index to middle finger). It takes a CONSCIOUS effort. What a tool. My Gawd I hope enough good people come out tomorrow to defeat this pig.
jbtripp on November 3, 2008 at 1:57 PM
It’s intentional.
And we’re next.
swami on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Telling what he really thinks of us?
ThePrez on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
What’s his disincentive? He’s got the media in his hip pocket. He’s getting away with murder. He already thinks he’s the president. Why shouldn’t he be a passive-aggressive 21st Century Eddie Haskell?
Just look at the evidence: Obama might just be a jerk.
Jim Treacher on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Looked rather intentional to me just as he did with Hillary Clinton. Especially given the affected hand movements leading up to him flipping the bird. If he was given to these kinds of physical mannerisms it would have been obvious to all by now. Stupid, reckless and a lowlife: that’s Obama.
Mr Gus on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Once, and it might be an accident or whatever. Second time, not so much. You can label those of us that think this was done on purpose as wingnuts, but I do not put anything pass THE ONE. He thinks he is THE MESSIAH, and can do whatever he wants to do. I think he did it on purpose, and the reason why is because if you have been watching his body language these past few days you would see a very frustrated and angry dude. He had been pointing, and preaching, and screaming, and looking really ticked. When Mac has been campaigning he as least has been smiling. Obama looks like he has been sucking on a sour persimmon. I think the finger was intentional because he knows he is losing!
McCain/Palin ‘08 WINNNERS!
freeus on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
the fact that he’s done it twice, both times when discussing a rival, is telling.
hippie_chucker on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
That is so fu*king stupid.
And desperate.
And predictable.
Dave Rywall on November 3, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Try to do the same thing as BO did. Go ahead…I’ll wait.
It’s much easier to use your middle finger like he did if your pointer finger stays up. You have to deliberately fold the others down.
Middle school punk behavior. Deliberate.
hoosiermama on November 3, 2008 at 1:59 PM
And the thugocracy’s agents respond:
“Matt Drudge, confirmed homosexual.”
Again and again and again.
CarpeFishem on November 3, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Everything about him makes me sick.
He is a little thug in disguise.
Once, twice, three times??? No class at all.
It was intentional..look at his followers.
But this is nothing compared to what he will do to this country if elected.
VOTE!!!
I waited 4 hours Saturday to vote here in NC.
msdonna2148 on November 3, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Someone with more time on their hands than I have should look back and see how often he does this middle finger scratching when he is talking about something other than his opponents…..
Makers Mark on November 3, 2008 at 1:59 PM
Oh snap,I forgot!
That was deliberate,the fly’in Bird!!
Nice try,HopeLess!
canopfor on November 3, 2008 at 1:59 PM
http://www.village-idiot.org/archives/2004/10/20/vote-for-me-americuh/
you seem to have overlooked something.
your_worst_enemy on November 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM
I agree Dave. Why are you voting for him then????
carbon_footprint on November 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Oh, you are Canadian. Forgot.
carbon_footprint on November 3, 2008 at 2:00 PM
In all my many years of scratching my chin I don’t believe I have ever used my middle finger, unless I intended to.
ctmom on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee….
It is the Chicago variation of the Hook-Em-Horns sign.
Limerick on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Obama is a truly effed up individual filled with radical ideas seasoned with lots of jeremiah wright hate! This was no accident he is clearly giving the finger to McCain. Actually I think that finger was meant for all of us who aren’t falling for his con job.
LET’S GET OUT THE VOTE! WE CAN DEFEAT THIS CLOWN! I don’t believe any information the drive by media is peddling. The polls are in the tank also just like the rest of them. ON TUESDAY – SHOCK AND AWE THEM WITH MASSIVE VOTER TURN OUT – LET’S ROLL!
lanesmerge on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Keep in mind, this is the same Obama who during the Democratic primary debates kept asking Hillary Clinton “sphinctersayswhat?”
YYZ on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
That is so fu*king stupid.
And desperate.
And predictable.
watch how desperate you are wed. morning
now on this: notice he does the index first to give himself an excuse, like he did w/ hillary and had an excuse set up for the lipstick on a pig comment
YRM on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
O.K
Time to play a little, “What If” game shall we?
This afternoon McCain accidentally uses his middle finger to scratch his nose, (or other facial area) during the time he talks about his opponent….
…..then, how long until MSNBC, et al runs this every five minutes until the election is decided and has a 24 hour discussion with body language “experts” to decipher whether it was intentional or not?
….then…. how long until Allahpundit runs a blog commentary for every TV station that runs this event, questioning McCain’s sanity?
Mcguyver on November 3, 2008 at 2:01 PM
The Hillary one was obviously intentional.
This one? Maybe… but I don’t think so.
“Do you bite your thumb at me?”
“No sir… but I do bite my thumb.”
Skywise on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
For all his talk of unity, Barry sure loves to marginalize his opponents.
KingGold on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
If O’Reilly doesn’t have this on his “Body Language” segment, he has completely lost his…nerve.
Star20 on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
He’s an immature overgrown child.
Whether he’s talking about Hillary “periodically” getting “hysterical”…
an “Orgy” of “Earmarks” that are “hard to swallow”
or seeing how many times he can use pie in a sentence, it’s all intentional.
Then you go back and check all the time Obama or his wife have used the word pie, and in what context, and it’s not so cute anymore.
Obamalama Deprogrammer on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
This guy needs his ass kicked.
carbon_footprint on November 3, 2008 at 2:02 PM
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