Barack Obama makes a one-fingered gesture while speaking of Hillary Clinton

This is one of those political moments that really needs few words.

We'll no doubt hear much more about this incident in coming days.

Right now, we'll just leave this video for Ticket readers to view and judge for themselves. It's Sen. Barack Obama, according to the caption on YouTube posted just minutes ago, speaking to a friendly crowd in Raleigh, N.C., today.

He's talking critically about his opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, and the kind of distasteful gotcha politics that occur in Washington. And he says, "That's all right. Sen. Clinton looked in her element."

Watch the video right then. The presidential candidate raises his right hand to seemingly scratch his cheek.

He doesn't use his whole hand though. Just one finger. Briefly. A couple of strokes.

He pauses. He smiles slyly as the crowd begins to mumble and then he tries, somewhat distracted, to continue his remarks, smiling as the buzz spreads through the crowd.

He'll no doubt deny it later, but that mischievous smile seems to confirm plenty. And the crowd sure sees something.

(UPDATE: A new item has been posted on the Obama campaign's reaction to this issue, calling it "absurd and untrue.")

-- Andrew Malcolm

To get notices on each new Ticket item sent to your cellphone, go here and register. We've got tomorrow's vote and then, immediately, construction of a new White House administration

Comments

[O Stone]

WRONG!!

He's signaling Lee Harvey Oswald from the grassy knoll !!

see:

back and to the left !

back and to the left !

back and to the left !

[jammerbirdi]

You have an itch on your face. Scratch it as Obama did. Scrunch up your other fingers and scratch with your middle one. Just try it. You won't like it.

http://jammerbirdi.wordpress.com/

[lwps]

Jesus H. Christ. The top levels of government are corrupted beyond hope, waging a war out of control, many people are really hurting, and this is what the press spends their time on? SHAME!!!

[Will]

Two fingers. One yellow journalist.

[Bill Delyon]

If you think he is flipping anyone the bird, you’re MORE than a couple tomatoes short of a thick sauce and you’re out of your frigging mind!
This guy can't scratch his face now without the clintonista/rightwing and media jack arses saying he's flipping Wild Hillary "Screw Em" Hickok the bird???
And for all the nut job's posting here saying "See see, the two people back behind him saw what he did and they commented to each other!!!" That proves it... we got him! It’s his macaca moment!
From one of the better camera angles, showing there true vantage point of Obama, you can clearly see THERE'S NO WAY SHE COULD HAVE SEEN what you're all saying she saw. She's behind him you knuckle heads...
Same with the post with two links saying that they were "separate" venues, your sharp as a marble my friend, its the SAME event.... Nice try, maybe your poop will stick to the wall on your next attempt. Cripes…

[Bookelly]

Man...this guy is so cool. If he did it on purpose, it was cool. If he did it accidentally, it was cool. If he didn't even do it, it was cool.

Really, after all the crap she's thrown his way, all the damage she's done to herself, her party, and democracy; we should really be upset that she got flipped the "bird?"

This country has become a bunch of spoiled wussies. Wake up people, $10.00 a gallon is a few years away, and soon we won't have time to care about stupid crap like a rude gesture unless we do something to stop it...like elect Obama.

[perfectlysafe]

Nice work, man, nice work. I also heard that Barack Obama has cooties.

[immrlizard]

Congrats LA Times. You have just joined the ranks of other great news sources like Fox. Nothing beats hard hitting reporting like you have here.

[David]

The silly season is in high swing.

[andy]

The democratic party has clearly been hijacked by the extreme leftwing. For left-leaning independents, this is very frustrating. The extreme righwing nuts of the Republican party took control of the party and they gave us George W. Bush. The democratic party is in danger of repeating the same mistake---not electing the most capable person into the white house. Our country needs Clinton NOW. There is no time for the empty "hope" talks. In Wednesday debate, it was obvious that while Hillary has provided detailed and substantive proposals, Obama spent most of his time describing this country's problems that we already know. He provided little insight on the solutions to these problems. Obama, I am afraid, is quite hollow in terms of his plan to lead this country to a better future. We need to alarm the democratic party that many independent voters could turn to McCain if Obama is nominated. I think this scenario is quite real and it has not been talked about enough in the main stream media. Take a look. http://ivotemccainifobamaisnominated.blogspot.com/ (I vote for McCain if Obama is nominated)

[Johann Gervold]

Tell me, Mr. Andrew Malcolm, because I've always wondered something. What exactly is it like to have parents that never loved you?

(This is truly one of the best ones yet, Johann. Thanks for reading.)

[morpy]

Andrew Malcolm-

Seriously? You are an idiot.

[joe]

hell, I'd rather he just smack the stuffins out of her...dumb wench

[tony]

when i first saw this in blog land, i thought -- NO! this is just hysteria. but looking at it again, it's a close call. what makes it close to me is that he could clearly just be scratching his face --- BUT as a public speaker myself, why would you scratch your face during a talk by using the middle finger. it's awkward. it's harder to do, and it could be viewed as something unseemly. regardless, i do think obama is arrogant and just as cynical as everyone else. doing the annie oakley routine -- especially after he did bowling for votes and went out drinking with the gun-toting christians of western pa - shows him for what he is. a schmuck.

[tamera]

Get real, if he really wanted to get at Hil/Bill, he could have come out with a cigar in his hand. Andrew, are you for real? Shame on you Andrew!!!!!!

[Sandy in PA]

He absolutely flew the bird and the audinece ate it up. A snide comment about Hillary, then he scratches his face obviously with his middle finger for quite some time, while completely silent, pausing for effect so everyone sees it, then the audinece cheers. This man is the worst of the worst when it comes to politicians. He is so arrogant that he thinks he can get away with this. Kudos to the author of this blog for exposing this fraud! I can't wait to hear his excuse for this one. He blamed ABC for his demise in the debate, who will he blame for his?

[tamera]

If you are implying that he gave Clinton the "middle" finger, gotta give him credit, at least he is giving her more than Slick Willy...haha . Old Bill likes em young, them interns. Just wish he had a cigar in his other hand.

[Curtis]

Barack Obama is JERK!

JERK!

[upset at my party]

He made the same gesture when he spoke of "Hillary being in her element" in a different speech, too.

[Comment]

The Obamabots are outraged and offended that one would even suggest such a thing. Of course. Viperous in their denials of the obvious.

The crowd certainly got it. So will everyone not enthrall to junior Senator - know nothing - do nothing - is nothing - Obama.

It would be hard to find a Democrat less qualified to be President.

[Eric Marquez]

Are you serious? Serious Journalist that is? These are the days I long for the Herald Examiner! I would expect this to make news on Perezhilton.com or TheDirty.com, but the LA Times? Come on guys, GROW UP!
What's next? Instead of full sentences are you going to start using things like OMG (Oh My God), WTF (What The F*ck), LOL (Laughing Out Loud) and so on?
I put this right up there with the AP reporting how David Beckham was ticket for an illegal U-Turn the other day.

[jon_12]

Andrew, with all thats going on in the world this is your "report." I am embarrassed for you.

[yyoo]

No, he did not make the gesture in two separate speeches. There were two videos of same speech but shot at different angles.

Sheesh.

[Andrew]

Um, the LA Times should read their own Terms of Use: "If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate."

Clearly, that doesn't apply to the LA Times' journalists, who can't be older that 12.

[Heather]

This 'article' is just as bad as the so-called debate: trying to get the American public to care about anything and everything trivial the press can dig up, instead of actual issues. Grow up and try reporting about something important---right now you're on the level of schoolyard gossip, if that.