Obama: Waffling without a prepared speech and an adoring crowd
Barack Obama needs a prepared speech, a teleprompter, and adoration. Left to his own extemporaneous devices, he missteps and in some cases "waffles."
Asked to comment on former President Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas officials, the senator replied sternly, "Why can't I just eat my waffle?" When the reporter repeated the question, the candidate bit into his breakfasts and replied, "Just let me eat my waffle."
The question was legitimate since Obama initially waffled on the subject of Carter's engagement with the terrorist organization Hamas. He said it was not his place to criticize former President Jimmy Carter... "I'm not going to comment on former President Carter. He's a private citizen. It's not my place to discuss who he shouldn't meet with," Obama (Reuters April 11, 2008) With the State Department and both Republican and Democratic members of Congress condemning the visit, Obama finally agreed that it was "not a good idea."
Why did the candidate snipe at the reporter's question? Clearly he was at the working-class diner as part of his campaign effort to show that he was not elitist, and he took time to sign autographs for adoring fans. Accustomed to being the darling of the press, Obama bristles and snaps at the "tough" questions. The first incident was a barrage of questions about new revelations about Obama's ties to Tony Rezko, who is on trial for corruption. (March 3, 2008) Obama, who was prepared for another press love fest with Chicago reporters (many of whom have Obama stickers on their bumpers), was stunned at the grilling and responded by berating Carol Marin NBC Channel 5 Chicago, snapping reporters and storming out, after answering only 8 questions.