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

[didi]

LOL, LOL, LOL,

An African-American male "supposedly" flicking-off a rich white powerful female politician !

Okay, this is supposed to sabatoge Obama's reputation, how?

Hillary is at a point where "she can do no right" and is way over her head in "dishonesty" that Obama's rude gesture -even if it were calculated - just may win him more supporters!

[riki]

HE' S DONE...........stupid thing to do five days before an election...he's gone...........

[Desmo]

Wow, life imitates a Seinfeld episode once again.

I guess that makes Donnie and all the HillBots on this board George. Paranoid. Insecure. Neurotic. Chubby. Slow witted.

If you go to the Atlantic.com and Yglesies's blog, you find a direct video, not a cellphone capture of the TV, you'll see he used two fingers.

But hey, Donnie, politics is hard. I don't blame the retard HillBots, they are old and uneducated and, um, let me see if there is a good word to describe them ... bitter. Ellen and Palamino and the usual old, stupid trolls on this board see what they want, and they could always go to You Tube and get outraged. Or Taylor Marsh's site for single, bitter, menopausal women.

But for an alleged reporter from the establishment press to dignify this is just beyond stupid. After your defense of Boy George and the debate and now psoting this, the MSM rot is deeper than I could ever imagine. No wonder your medium in dying and the LA Times is tanking. Should have taken the buyout, fool. Have fun working for Sam Zell. Stupid fool.

[Uninterested]

C'mon this is dumb. I'm taking LA Times off my favorites in protest. Smarten up the content.

[bearnut]

Hey Andrew,

you are out of your flipping mind!! Take a vacation and don't come back. How dare you post this garbage.

[florescant lights]

Honey,

If Bill was speaking at a press conference and made this same gesture, I don't think he'd be thinking of Hillary ! It would probably be signal for Monica to go to corner market, buy a fresh box of cigars and with his shy-smile serves as a reminder to leave the light on.

Well, if those who created this video have a point of view, I could use my imagination too !

This campaign is getting fun !

[Frenchie]

You know, if we were in France, and thier potential leader prompted the same exact same gesture against his rival, there would not be this much "hoopla".

If Bill Cinton, were at a French press conference, and conducted himself in a similar fashion, it probably means that Gennifer Flowers is waiting to "water his loo".

[elctown]

Thank you so much for exposing this communist, pinko, fascist boy from being elected and ruining God's own America. 96 more years in Iraq!

[Andrews Conscience]

I can't believe I thought this was worth throwing may career as a Really Important Blogger away. What am I going to tell Mom?

[Christopher]

And you call yourself a journalist?

I'm embarrassed for you. More idiocy from the American press.

[chris]

He's a jerk.

[geejay]

are you kidding me? this is ridiculous and shallow. Please grow up.

[blah]

It's official: covering the presidential race causes brain damage.

[theojshuablog]

You're a moron.

[steve]

Stupid story,
I've scratched my face with one finger in the past and probably with my middle finger without even thinking about it

[Kevin]

Folks like you are what's wrong with "journalism" and politics. Engage your brain in something more serious and meaningful, if you're capable.

[eric]

Well if Bill denies having any sex with Monica, why can't Obama deny that this gesture was calculated?

[mario]

America is unique in that most Americans believe we have free press in this country, and so long they believe it the press will continue to praise themselves. It is hard to find a country, historically or now, in which journalists are capable of praising themselves all the time for writing freely whatever they want while disregarding the fact that if they did write anything, over a long period of time, that would not please their owners they would not be in that position in the first place. That is also reflection of a more broader intellectual culture that allows for dissent but only on comfortable issues where outcome, one way or another, does not matter.
In that context, journalists are allowed to write about Obama's finger as much as they want and let the public comment on it. This way we are forced to accept a general frame of debates during which nothing of importance to the people can be discussed.

[Michael]

TWO FINGERS genius!

Look at this video that's not ads grainy and from a better angle, both the middle and index finger are extended:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlR9DNfqGD4&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/18/0537/55037/262/498070

You guys all so tired of getting nailed by Jon Stewart and Stephen Clobert that you're just parodying yourselves now??

[James David Walley]

If anyone outside of the most overzealous and truth-challenged of Hill's Shills seriously believes that Obama was flipping off Clinton...well, I'd sure like some of whatever it is you've been drinking (or smoking)!

[Lukes]

TOTALLY a FLIPOFF!!

I've done exactly that myself many a time. I'm not gonna take sides here, but I know one when I see it. And he flipped her off.

[Gilberto Gil]

Is this a joke? I watched the video 5 times before coming to this website, and not once did I see the so called "obscene gesture". I guess the media has decided to really take Obama down. This is beyond stupid.

[mike]

I'm a clinton supporter, and even I can support journalism like yours. This is pure garbage, go back to journalism school.

[Brianne Glickman]

I watched this a few times and I have to say its a tough call. He "scratches" his face, but I don't see an immediate smile or smirk. He takes a pause, hooting ensues, and then he continues. Maybe he smiles because he made an obscene gesture or maybe because he is reflecting on what Hilary Clinton has said from before. I think its hard to say.

[elle]

Of course he flipped the bird! It is completely obvious that is what he is doing. The audience knows it too, that is crystal clear.

Taken in context of what he's saying and the other gestures he uses (turning the knife, brushing the dust off his shoulders), it is obvious... not even subtle.

Any young person would immediately read, understand and "get" those gestures he's making (and they clearly did). The brushing his shirt is a rap reference to a Jay-Z song.

What an arrogant jerk. Good grief. Can the press please call him on this bigtime? This guy might be President!?!