Cory Booker: ‘I wanted to scream out’ during the first debate
posted at 2:41 pm on October 11, 2012 by Mary Katharine Ham
Who, me? Cory Booker? Dashing mayor by day and occasional superhero by night? You’d like me to comment on the president’s dismal performance in his debate last week? Why, no, I just don’t think I could. I really shouldn’t. Do you have a permit for arm-twisting, buddy? Ha, just a little mayor humor. Well, all right, if you insist:
Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a top President Obama surrogate, said Thursday he wanted to “scream” during last week’s debate when Obama did not pounce on Mitt Romney’s joke about needing to “get a new accountant.”
“I wanted to scream out, Obama, say, ‘keep your accountant, they’re allowing you to pay only 13 percent in taxes,’” Booker said. “The rest of us should have accountants like that.”
Surely sensing Stef Cutter with zip ties at the ready behind him, the famous hostage video star turned the corner, saying the president made the right decision not to attack:
But, Booker conceded, the “right advice” for Obama was to “stay presidential.”
“That’s like a shot I don’t want to hear from my president,” Booker said. “So he’s got a fine line to walk. The reality is, I would have liked to see some hard punches to the gut when Romney would say something factually inaccurate, like President Obama was raiding … from Medicare, which is factually inaccurate.”
Actually, that’s exactly the shot Obama should have delivered. Painting Romney as a heartless tax evader has been the strategy of his entire campaign, and there’s nearly nothing unpresidential enough for Obama to avoid in service of that strategy. Please see Big Bird and the Murderer Mitt ad. A well-timed debate zinger would have been a high-water mark. I had the mirror reaction at that moment— “If we all keep our mouths closed, maybe Obama won’t notice he left that on the table.” I watched in amazement as the line improbably worked in Romney’s favor and the president said nothing.
Booker wanted to scream because the retort was aggravatingly obvious and should have been deployed, not because the president was doing the right thing. It’s like yelling the correct answer at your TV as a losing Jeopardy contestant stands mouth agape and later claiming the contestant’s -600 finish was dignified.
Are we still talking about the worst parts of President Obama’s bad debate performance on CNN more than a week after it happened? Why, yes we are. Thanks, Cory Booker! Let that be a lesson to you, Team Obama.
Nobody puts Booker in a corner.
Who else has a measured, reasonable reaction to the president’s debate performance that won’t at all encourage reporters to continue asking about it and people like me to continue posting about it? Robert Gibbs?
“Five minutes in, I thought, ‘Oh s**t.’” Gibbs promised a very different Obama in rounds II and III.
Update: Left a link out for The Hill, and it’s now been added.
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Go Rand
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:17 AM
The buck stops here. Oh, and thanks for the buck. Now, may I be excused?
The Rogue Tomato on January 23, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Where are the survivors and are the available for interviews by the Senate committee..?
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:18 AM
We’ve been as transparent as we can
Hillary
Trying to make the gop look political
Puhleeze
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:18 AM
IRB! IRB! IRB! Next question?
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:19 AM
It’s embarrassing how unprepared they are as a whole.
Anti-Control on January 23, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Fought the wars under false pretenses….who is that idiot
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Gitmo? Dead? North Korea??
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:20 AM
It’s complicated..!
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:21 AM
I could be wrong, but I believe he’s the dude who defeated Linda McMahon last November. You can tell the Dems are desperate to circle the wagons when they’re trying to re-litigate the Iraq War….which Hillary voted for BTW.
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 11:21 AM
You’re not kidding anti control
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:21 AM
Hillary is telling Congress what they should do
Puhleeze
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Why were there 30 or more people in a consulate that needed rescue by CIA agents that officially weren’t there.
tom daschle concerned on January 23, 2013 at 11:23 AM
What a revolting display this is.
Naturally Curly on January 23, 2013 at 11:24 AM
Taking responsibility is easy when you know there will be ABSOLUTELY ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY.
“I take responsibility” also known as:
“So what if I am incompetent. What are you going to do about it? Don’t forget, I have the media in my hip pocket. And didn’t you hear, I’m going to be the next POTUS?!”
Carnac on January 23, 2013 at 11:24 AM
The “what difference does it make” answer should have been nailed to the wall. Of course it makes a difference. Someone should have pointed out to her that the actual circumstances have a bearing on future embassy security at the very least. That was a Bill answer, you can tell he coached her.
Deanna on January 23, 2013 at 11:25 AM
that idiot was the new CT senator.
Now Kaine is up
CoffeeLover on January 23, 2013 at 11:25 AM
Hillary does not read all the cables that come into the department..sounds a lot like Eric Holder..?
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:27 AM
i missed little rand paul. did he call hillary a liar?…..didn’t think so. putz.
renalin on January 23, 2013 at 11:28 AM
So you think launching wars without Congressional approval is considered a “success”…..
You do realize that taking down Gaddafi has given al-qaeda and other jihadist groups free reign in most of this country now.
Gaddafi’s weapons and many of the weapons that Hillary/Obama supplied the “Rebels” are in the hands of al-qaeda and are being used to launch attacks against us and to take over large parts of N. Africa like Mali.
This “pro-American” Government has been shown to have been complicit in the attack on our Consulate and to embrace shira law along with many of the jihadist groups.
America cannot even put up a flag in the city of Benghazi….the same city that Obama claimed was our reason for going into this war.
The Libyan war has emboldened the terrorist….provided them with arms,territory,opening terrorist training camps,and wide open trade routes for weapons.
If this is considered a “success” by Hillary…..
……….what the he!! would constitute failure.
Baxter Greene on January 23, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Mendez is a commie.
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:29 AM
Oh yeah doughboy
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:30 AM
I’m glad I’m at work. I’d hurl or throw something at the TV…or both.
kingsjester on January 23, 2013 at 11:31 AM
More budget money for state. Unfuc*ing believable.
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:31 AM
See, Iraq and WMD = Benghazi.
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:32 AM
He basically called her incompetent. Not just for not reading the cables requesting more security, but for blaming a lack of funding for the lack of security while at the same time we were p-ssing away hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on electric cars and comedy shows at other US consulates.
Rand really tore her a new one. If Hillary is gonna be the nominee in 2016, I want him opposing her. Not only does he have a grasp on the facts, he’s not afraid to take it to her instead of giving her softball questions.
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Paul called her answers “false ones.” So that’s kinda like ‘liar’.
Now blaming the GOP House for stopping “progress.” Chair is a buffoon from hell.
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:32 AM
Menendez…in other words, it was only four dead Americans. We had 4000 on 9/11.
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Corker(R) is an embarrassment. He needs a good primary.
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Why do we pay any of these people? This has got to be the most useless body of government we have. Both sides.
DanMan on January 23, 2013 at 11:34 AM
money and false comparison to Iraq War. Lovely
CoffeeLover on January 23, 2013 at 11:34 AM
Waiting for Chrissy Matthews to spin her catchphrase into the most appropriate response..evah…
BobMbx on January 23, 2013 at 11:34 AM
She believed that in 2008 too. How’d that work out for her?
But’s it’s so noble of her to declare that she takes full responsibility for all these screw-ups that didn’t really matter and weren’t her fault anyway, according to her.
I feel safer already.
AZCoyote on January 23, 2013 at 11:35 AM
A side-effect of Big Government that liberals absolutely love…The bigger government is, the less accountability there is at the top.
weaselyone on January 23, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Now to comb transcripts for inconsistencies. Were we “clear-eyed” or did we not get the memo? Which is it?
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Yep. Rand Paul said that if he were POTUS, he would have relieved her of her responsibilities…heh.
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:35 AM
Best questioner – Rand Paul!!
Wendy on January 23, 2013 at 11:36 AM
Actually, I don’t think Menendez was referring to the casualties on 9/11. He was talking about troops killed in Iraq. That was the Dems’ playbook today. Suck up to Hillary and rehash the claim that Bush misled us about WMDs. Conveniently ignoring the fact that Hillary voted for the Iraq War and stated publicly that Saddam had WMDs(which is a big reason Obama’s President today and not her).
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 11:36 AM
I liked Johnson’s approach better.
Anti-Control on January 23, 2013 at 11:37 AM
If you truly are a Time Lord, maybe your time machine jumper over that portion of history known as Bush 43.
GWB got Qaddafi to give up his weapons in exchange for staying in power. He was to resist al-qaida which he was already doing and to keep terrorism subdued. He kept his end of the bargain and got betrayed by the judgeared jac kass and the SoS.
Try to keep up. Mubarek and Qaddafi were betrayed by the US. I don’t care that they were bad guys – they were helping us. Oh yeah, and sending Stevens to die was easily foreseeable, and he was sacrificed for no gain. He’s a hero even though as a known homosexual he should NEVER have been there.
POTUS is such a real friend of teh ghey. All for SSM but your individual lives mean nothing.
I would not shed a tear for any of these slimy slugs, and you shouldn’t either. Get that time machine fixed, mm’kay?
platypus on January 23, 2013 at 11:37 AM
Yes, doughboy. He would in no way blame the terrorists for anything.
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:38 AM
CSPAN call in is a scam huh?
Mr. Arrogant on January 23, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Bill Clinton was recently asked how Hillary’s head was. He remarked that it was not as good as Monica’s……
mouell on January 23, 2013 at 11:38 AM
I wish Rand Paul had stood up and said to her “Wipe that smirk off your face you incompetent lying cow…”
workingclass artist on January 23, 2013 at 11:39 AM
I agree Rand Paul came across the best of what I saw and McCain started strong but it was like he left the room when she answered.
Listening to the callers that CSPAN gets Paul and McCain have the left unwound so I guess they did something.
DanMan on January 23, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Yup, you may be right. Did he mention Americans death since Dear Leader came into office..?
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Yes, the answer and the gesticulating did have a whiff of Billy-boy’s finger air-stabbing gestures as he emphatically insisted: “I did not have sex with that woman . . . with Miss Lewinsky!”
AZCoyote on January 23, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Hillary: #WhatDifferenceDoesItMake?
lol
Resist We Much on January 23, 2013 at 11:41 AM
Listen to the females whine on CSPAN. This is the problem. Some women cannot stand a woman being attacked verbally and women can do no wrong. Just marshmallows. Useless, all of them.
I’m female. It’s not everyone but they position her as a victim and these bleeding hearts fall for it. Truth doesn’t matter.
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:42 AM
Saddam started two major wars….committed genocide on a large scale….responsible for the deaths of over 1 million people including using WMD on them…..and possessed one of the largest armies in the Middle East.
When the Iraq war was over…al-qaeda and Iran backed Sadr have suffered a humiliating defeat on the world stage.
Was the Iraq war perfect..he!! no….no war is.
But the surge was a success and the Iraq people were able to form their own form of a democratic government.
….contrast that with a Libyan dictator that had no standing army…..controlled most of his area with paid militias.Was a state sponsor of terrorism….and had killed Americans. But had given up it’s WMD without a fight when we went into Iraq.
The end result of this war is that jihadist groups like al-qaeda have actually gained power and prominence in the area.
The end result of these two wars could not be further apart.
Baxter Greene on January 23, 2013 at 11:43 AM
He’s demanding answers as to why he can’t have the kind of toilet he wants.
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Sound familiar? It should …
(but reno only murdered innocent “cultists” not like those peaceful Muslims)
Ooooooooooooooo K, Mz Rodham:Then RESIGN!
Why is it that Leftists always get a pass when innocent Americans are murdered?
BTW … Hillary Rodham LIED (again). She was responsible for sloppy staffing, at best, complicit in murder at worst.
Lying beeches.
~(Ä)~
Karl Magnus on January 23, 2013 at 11:45 AM
all those sexist white men asking her questions should be ashamed of themselves, you know that’s how it’ll play.
Wagthatdog on January 23, 2013 at 11:45 AM
I’d love hearing your take on the senators who are fighting for first place position in the tongue-bath-nether-regions line.
Astounding and appalling, to me.
platypus on January 23, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Hillary has a short memory.
-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjcTb2ORVd0
diogenes on January 23, 2013 at 11:45 AM
He and Paul were by far the only ones worth a damn today. McCain was PO’d, but he used most of the 5 minutes to rant instead of forcing Hillary to answer for what happened. We’ve been waiting months for her testimony. Let’s hear from the witness already.
BTW, I’d just like to point out that Johnson and Paul were backed by the Tea Party in 2010. The establishment Republicans(with the lone exception of Rubio who was worthless) were all too timid to go after Hillary.
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 11:46 AM
Good one.
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 11:46 AM
In other words, “That Obama, U.N. ambassador Susan Rice, press secretary Jay Carney, and I lied to the American people about the cause of the attack being a demonstration about a YouTube video is irrelevant. Don’t you understand that, Senator, that my presidential ambitions in 2016 are more important than the truth?”
She is a shameless liar. Of course, we all knew that.
Colony14 on January 23, 2013 at 11:47 AM
d1carter on January 23, 2013 at 11:48 AM
I meant ARB, of course. Sorry.
winoceros on January 23, 2013 at 11:48 AM
McCain made a strong point about how he kept hearing first hand about security concerns.
Curious what he did in response?
And, in the spirit of his hindsight approach attacks on Clinton – what did he not do?
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 11:48 AM
And to think..
They will be in charge of our healthcare.
What difference does it make?
Electrongod on January 23, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Hillary Clinton “took responsibility” and in the very next statement talked about how super busy she was and how the lapses were those of her underlings…… The ones that denied pleas for additional security, ignored the attacks on the British ambassador, and admitted to watching real time. None of whom were actually fired. That doesn’t sound like taking responsibility in my book.
The most candid comment was the “what difference does it make” outrage because it really doesn’t make a difference. Hillary Clinton is living in this administration’s scandal free environment. Hillary can kill the first Ambassador since 1979 and what difference does it make? Eric Holder killed hundreds of Mexicans and what difference does it make? The rat-eared wonder has done nothing that merits a second term and just got one but what difference does it make? Morality, ethics, accomplishment, and inclusiveness are all victims of this tyrannical regime and we are being told it makes no difference whatsoever. Just as long as whores like Sandra Fluke get her free contraception, homosexuals think their lifestyle is about to be legitimized in society by legal protections, illegals think they’ll be getting amnesty, and all the rest of the moochers and takers still get their free government money, food stamps, Obamaphones, etc.
Happy Nomad on January 23, 2013 at 11:49 AM
Is it just me or what? But shouldn’t responsibily have consequences?
Winebabe on January 23, 2013 at 11:49 AM
He’s imagining that a lot lately…
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 11:51 AM
The lsm is defending Hillary on Congress not giving her money….that’ll be their focus…. why didn’t thw gop give her money
Was rand Paul was too tough on Hillary according to the lsm
Awwwwwww
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 11:52 AM
I thought McCain’s content was very good, but it didn’t fit the format. Paul didn’t engage Shrillary directly enough for my liking. Johnson was by far the best of them all imo – he’s the only one who took her out of her comfort zone.
Anti-Control on January 23, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Rand Paul broke his foot off in HRC’s ass.
Ouch.
Red Cloud on January 23, 2013 at 11:55 AM
It’s still untenable to me that Hillary and Barky will absolutely get away with Benghazi and that we’re somehow supposed to be satisfied with a couple Senators hammering her ever so lightly. What difference does any of this theater make if nobody actually has any intention of holding her accountable?
Slainte on January 23, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Wow! Go, Rand!
aryeung on January 23, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Yep. Rand Paul’s too busy campaigning for preznit, and it’s too obvious.
ddrintn on January 23, 2013 at 11:58 AM
We’ll know if Rand Paul did any good by how the MSM attacks him latter in the day. I didn’t see Paul’s attack, but what I did see looked to me like nobody was looking for the truth. Those that lost love ones in the Benghazi fiasco will never learn the truth in this official hearing that is nothing but a cover up.
savage24 on January 23, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Just curious. Who or which politicians get your blessings?
Resist We Much on January 23, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Let them run with the money excuse. Rand Paul had that teed up for him perfectly(and BTW, Paul Ryan also talked about it in the VP debate). Why the hell are we spending 6 figures on electric cars and comedians at our embassies and not putting that money towards more security in Libya when it was requested repeatedly? Don’t tell me the House was being stingy when we obviously have plenty of money to burn on non-security related matters.
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Thank you for the laugh mouell! Nicely done!
Bmore on January 23, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Palin, in his case. I like Scott Walker, Mike Pence, Jim DeMint and Palin. Rand is starting to seem like Michele “Look At Meeeeeee!” Bachmann.
ddrintn on January 23, 2013 at 12:00 PM
I’m with you. The only Repub with real cajones.
itsspideyman on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Obama used to imagine Bush’s hundred billion budget deficits as “unpatriotic.”
Now, we are “unpatriotic” if we do not support his annual trillion-plus dollar deficits.
As Harry Reid what Obama was imagining when he came into the Senate. You’d probably want to eat your post.
Resist We Much on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Neither McCain or Rand were interested in ‘engaging’ – they were performing from scripts.
As Clinton rightly pointed out, once you get past that the political thirst for heads to roll and career building media appearances from one side or the other – there’s the matter of actually working on practical solutions towards improved safety and security. Congress has to step up here as much as anyone.
But I guess their first priority is…on with the show.
Certainly seems to be what most here are wanting.
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM
I sincerely hope if Hillary is the nominee in 2016 that the Republican Convention features in primetime family members of one or more of the victims in the Benghazi attack. Preferably the mother who Hillary reportedly told in advance about the plans to arrest the YouTube filmmaker.
Doughboy on January 23, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Bingo.
UltimateBob on January 23, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Ohhh msdnc is livid that paul and mccain were so aggressive against Hillary
Lol
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Exactamundo. None of this theater makes a difference whatsoever. In any other time in our history and under any Republican administration, heads would have been forced to roll. The media would have crucified Bush and Condi Rice, but Hillfarce and Barky are teflon.
Slainte on January 23, 2013 at 12:03 PM
-msdnc who cares about the video….
cmsinaz on January 23, 2013 at 12:04 PM
Certainly seems to be what most here are wanting.
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 12:01 PM
No, Lib. We want justice for 4 murdered Americans.We want to know who refused support. We want to know why Amb. Stevens was left so vulnerable. We want to know why a stupid, unwatched video was blamed for the mass murder. Finally, we want to know who and why are they so desperately covering it all up.
The only show going on is your obfuscation.
kingsjester on January 23, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Wow. I bet Huma is jealous. with only a couple exceptions, the tongue baths that she got from those Senators, (Especially Babs Boxer), were very passionate.
LegendHasIt on January 23, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Who pushed the video? – Greg Gutfeld
VengeanceIsMine on January 23, 2013 at 12:05 PM
I’m at work so I can’t watch, but it sounds like some fireworks are flying, thanks to these two guys.
Johnson is a smart, successful, no-nonsense businessman so I’m sure he’s not tolerating any of Hitlery’s lame excuses.
UltimateBob on January 23, 2013 at 12:10 PM
Rand just got my vote for pres.
johnnyboy on January 23, 2013 at 12:10 PM
After watching the video, “What difference does it make” means
Don’t Question Me On Why I Failed
Put her in jail!
TerryW on January 23, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Why can’t all Republicans act like Rand Paul and hold the lying Dems accountable. He seems to be the only one who is consistently engaged and paying attention. It’s like he actually cares!
ModerateMan on January 23, 2013 at 12:11 PM
She should know.
Tough to fix something when those at the top, who screwed it up in the first place, claim to be doing the fixing.
More like getting the fix in.
Jabberwock on January 23, 2013 at 12:12 PM
Warming to the Blue Buddha.
Bmore on January 23, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Goebbels orgasms in his grave and can hardly take it any more.
“Damn, Obama and Hillary are superseding all my wildest dreams” — Joseph G.
Every day brings a new low to the indecency of America.
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Really…that’s all?
Fact is what you want as ‘justice’ for this….ain’t any different as what you wanted from virtually every other ginned up scandal.
verbaluce on January 23, 2013 at 12:15 PM
verbaluce is always a fool.
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2013 at 12:15 PM
verbaluce, have you no shame left, you scum, all of you?
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Just once, just once, show a tad of decency, verbaluce.
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2013 at 12:16 PM
0dumba and his administration have been lying about Benghazi, and are not serious about taking responsibility for their errors.
Have you seen Sharyl Attkisson’s list of questions? Is her desire to have those concerns honestly addressed only “political”, too?
You’re a sidestepper, like Shrillary, who keeps trying to change the subject away from what it should be by so lamely pulling out the “politics” card.
Anti-Control on January 23, 2013 at 12:17 PM
Hillary and Barack have blood on their hands.
Always ask this question – why was Amb. Stevens in Benghazi on the anniv. of 9/11, officially and unofficially. The MO is for the ambassadors to be at the main embassy, in the bunker.
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2013 at 12:18 PM
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