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

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Comments

[MandyW]

I guess that in the latest wave of economy moves, the LA Times has fired all the reporters that might be smart and competent enough to offer actual news about the candidates' positions and qualification on real issues. So the field is left to Beavis-and-Butthead idiots whose only "insights" are junior-high-school jokes.

Will chapter two in this "story" also point out that Obama was scratching his face with his right hand, and that obviously is a "cover up" of the fact that he is left handed (which is clearly a "sinister" trait)?

Get a grip! This is the kind of "reporting" that helps elect idiots like the current occupant in the White House,

Aaaaaaarrrrrrggggghhhh!!!!

[Laura]

Wow! Obama really does speak for the people!

Seriously, we aren't talking about middle-schoolers here. Is there some contest going on to see who can reach a new low in journalism?

[Starscream]

After a debate where Obama points out that the media is focused on irrelevant and manufactured minutae, I'm glad to see the Los Angeles Times rising to the challenge of doing something more than that.

It's scientifically proven that those who scratch their face with index fingers alone rather than with multiple fingers make 38% better presidents. It's a fact.

And that, my friends, is issue #1.

[ChrisK]

Do some homework before posting BS. Here's a feed from a camera at side angle which clearly shows he's using two fingers to scratch his face.

At 20:56 here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/355941

Look at it the exercise some journalistic integrity & post a retraction.

[ron_mexico]

I am a finger, so I am really getting a kick out of these replies.

/seriously, the National Enquirer called and they want their reporter back

[BobO]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've seen in the news in quite some time. I can't believe you have the audacity to post this and treat it like a revelation that we should be thanking you for uncovering.
Either you were very drunk, or you're a hack.

[swannyj]

This is Obama's message to HRC supporters. If necessary WE WILL REPLY IN NOVEMBER.
If you watch the entire video and the reaction of the crowd there is no doubt it was intentional.
Some comments have stated this is no big deal. It is a big deal when it comes from the man who claims to be a uniter but his actions and behavior indicate different.

[SeanR]

Here is a sequence of nine frames from the scratch. Note than in every last frame he is clearly using two fingers while scratching his cheek:

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll11/moreperfectunion/TwoFingersABC.jpg

Please update your blog with a retraction.

[Frank R.]

I love this bit about the audience knowing Obama was being a naughty, naughty boy. I've been to a packed Obama rally, and a lot of other public events with stages and crowds. Few audience members would ever be privy to a momentary gesture involving one finger -- you can barely see the speaker's hands if you're close by, but up in the seats away from the stage? Please. It's absurd, and intentionally provocative in the basest way, to suggest the audience was in on some schoolboy joke. It's even more absurd to think a candidate who's been lambasted lately over inconsequential hooplah would ever think to make such a gesture in a public setting, where most of the other hands present are holding up cameras.

Don't delude yourself into thinking that by intentionally stirring the pot, you have fulfilled anything approximating a journalistic standard.

Get a life, Andy. At the very least, get some dignity. And by that, I mean get out of journalism.

[Attaturk]

Let's see:

Suicide bombers conducted 658 attacks around the world last year, including 542 in U.S.-occupied Afghanistan and Iraq, according to data compiled by U.S. government experts.

The large number of attacks -- more than double the number in any of the past 25 years -- reflects a trend that has surprised and worried U.S. intelligence and military analysts.

More than four-fifths of the suicide bombings over that period have occurred in the past seven years

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/17/AR2008041703595.html?hpid=topnews

And then there's...

Mental health injuries scar 300,000 U.S. troops

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24183188/

BUT, by all means, create something out of NOTHING and make it into the silliest thing possible and throw it up on your site.

Because surely THAT IS WHY YOU GOT INTO JOURNALISM!

slowly clapping

BRAVO SIR!

[Jerry]

Woe to you Mr. Malcolm, for you will spend your nether-days without a tongue for your calumny, and without eyes for your willful blindness.

[jes]

It's very clear that he gave her the one fingered salute.

It's also clear that this man is too immature for the job of being President.

[Dave]

You've GOT to be kidding me - this is just the media making stuff up. I suppose if he formed a fist while stressing a point he would want to beat the stuffing out of Hillary. Not like that would be a bad idea, but you see where I'm going with this.

[julie]

Cone on, folks. This was a deliberate flicking off of another U.S. Senator, and former First Lady. The finger gesture was part and parcel of a whole series of physical movements including the clenched fist/twust the kife, and the brushing off of his shoulder and knee. If you look at the gesture in slow motion you can really see it then. If further proof is needed, Obama is left handed. When you have an itch, you scratch with your dominat hand. It is an automatic physical response. This was 7th grade juvenile. Look at the smile. He even pauses for effect and for the audience to see what he is doing. Their hoots and hollars confirm that he meant it. He should be ashamed. But he won't feel any remorse. The man is shameless and should never be POTUS.

[D Victor]

No wonder the main stream media is quickly becoming irrelevant to most Americans.

[Phil McCockie]

It's not even Obama That's a cyborg being controlled by the scientist in the pink shirt and white lab coat behind him on the left hand side of the picture. Geez people get a clue!

[WTL]

You get PAID for this garbage?

[Johnny]

Barry wasn't just flipping off Hillary, he was flipping off all of us. For such a glorified orator, he can't seem to perform without a script.
Obamaniacs, sober up!

[Erica]

again, poor journalism.

Obama often scratches in the same way. You really are reaching too hard. But keep it going because it only works against your other candidates.

(idiots)

[Alex]

BO thinks he's clever. He's not.

Do we really need another unbelievably immature person in the White House? Obama is like a teenager, and not a smart or nice one. He needs to step out of the race, and down from his Senate seat.

[Corey]

so even though the photo clearly shows 2 fingers, somehow this means one finger and somehow it means he's giving the finger to Hillary Clinton

this is shameless yellow journalism, and i am going to wipe my rear end with the next copy of the LA times i see. shame on you Andrew, for this tripe.

[Alex]

I'd also like to compliment Andrew Malcolm on reporting this. That's what good reporters do - they tell the truth. They disperse information that is important for voters to know. And voters should know what kind of a person Obama is. This type of brave reporter is helping us find out, before it's too late.

[Halo]

No wonder your "newspaper" is in financial trouble. This is yellow journalism at its best. He is very clearly scratching his cheek, not flipping off Clinton. So, how much money is the Clinton camp giving you to run this fake fluff piece?

[Manny]

I think the author is reading too much into his finger gesture. People may not realize but its not uncommon to scratch itchiness on face with one finger while talking and especially when giving a speech the guy probably was more image aware not to look goofy scratching his face with his full hand while talking :)

[Shawn]

It's sad.. it really is, Obama has resorted to "flipping the bird" and you people want him as president? This guy can't form a single solid sentence without UH or ummmm...

Step down Obama.. You're trash.