Michelle Obama's speech ignites gunfire in Florida

OK, everybody is talking this morning about Hillary Rodham Clinton's powerful speech to the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, which The Ticket wrote all about here.

But here's a postscript on that cozy little video family interlude Monday night with Barack Obama, on the giant screen in Denver's Pepsi Center. The presumed Democratic nominee got a little mixed up about where he was. He said he was in St. Louis, when actually he was in Kansas City.

But the freshman Illinois senator has otherwise built quite a reputation as a real good talker on the stump -- smooth, cadenced, turning his eyes smoothly from teleprompter to teleprompter without the gawky jerkiness of George W. Bush.

Monday was also the first real opportunity for millions of Americans to see Obama's wife, Michelle, talking at length, except for that unfortunate winter sound bite about not being proud of America until now.

Her assignment was to help humanize her family and man, who seems cool and aloof to some. She told stories and tried to draw the positive biographical portrait that has become so crucial in the minds of American voters as they decide their voting preference for November, especially when the story of Obama's Republican opponent is much better known.

But down in Florida, Michelle Obama's speech apparently drove one as-yet-unidentified viewer a little crazy. Police in Pasco near Tampa Bay said a man exited his RV and began yelling and shooting his rifle into the air, apparently not celebrating. When police arrived and later the SWAT team, the man ducked back inside and held them at bay for six hours, despite tear gas canisters.

According to Sheriff spokesman Kevin Doll, when the man finally surrendered at dawn, he said the cause of his unhappiness was Michelle Obama's speech. He was taken for psychological evaluation. Which makes sense since we thought it was a pretty good speech.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Milbert O. Brown / Chicago Tribune

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Comments

[The Holywriter]

I can forgive Obama for the gaff. When you're on the campaign trial, all cities seem like Kansas City.

[Dnc error]

DEMOCRATES GOT THIS SO WRONG THIS ELECTION YEAR! When all the benefits are with the Democrats this election, they selected the wrong candidate by a mile…
What would Clinton of added to the ticket? Apparently a WIN. Poll shows Obama loosing McCain by three points. If Clinton were at the top of the ticket, shows she would be leading McCain by eight and that two months after she ended her campaign. Since Obama continues to fall in polls. “BUYERS REMORSE”

Clinton was remarkable!!!! As expected the roaring Democratic convention audience at Denver's Pepsi Center greeted her like rock star and frequently drowned out her speech with long applause. The stakes for Clinton's speech could not have been higher. As she said we made 18 million historic cracks in the ceiling no one can argue she blew the ceiling off the Pepsi center.

The Gallup Organization yesterday reported McCain had a 2 percent lead on Obama, edging ahead of him for the first time since Clinton left the race. Obama's selection of Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden had gained him no "bounce" in the polls. Infact it underlines his inexperienced to lead.

Clinton herself now enjoys 87 percent approval ratings among Democrats, Gallup reported, and three out of four Democrats would like to see her as president and be a major-party spokeswoman over the next four years. Other polls continue to show that Clinton's supporters lukewarm in their support for Obama and the way his camp has treated Senator and President Clinton. Obama called Hillary Clinton, saying how grateful he was for her support, that she gave a terrific speech and that all those he watched it with were moved by her video and introduction from Chelsea. No matter how you choose to see her, She is tough, ready to lead immediately and very Presidential. As in the debates and even now, when you compare Obama to Clinton, he fails in comparison, No doubt the DNC gave the nomination clearly to the wrong candidate, we are seeing more and more each day, perhaps Obama is just cable news pundit made.. Bottom line, he has showed weakness not selecting her, and selecting Biden who got 9000 votes compared to her 18 million, since June 7, obama has accepted ALL of Clintons solutions during the primaries that he argued against, he specifically whined the entire primary as did the obamakins “ But she voted for the war” wa wa wa... SO DID JOE BIDEN! But she has been in Washington too long, that’s not change" wa wa wa... BIDEN has been in Washington much Longer... David Axelrod said Obama doesn’t need her supporters, then why are they begging for them now since he continues to fall in the polls daily.

Tabloid Cable media especially CNN ( Obama hired help)& MSNBC has frankly put the security of our great country at risk with an Obama coronation. It’s extremely concerning that so many Americans could care less about who their candidate really is?? He’s ½ black, lets make it happen???? Simply amazing and frankly scary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89m0pC_bpY

[william gillespie]

"Michelle Obama's speech ignites gunfire in Florida" You're a goofball! What a stretch to link a minor incident involving the actions of a mentally unstable guy in Florida with Michelle Obama's speech, as if she actually had anything at all to do with it, or that the incident is in any way illuminating in regard the issues facing America in this election. Even though it's your blog, you're still a journalist with some marginal obligation to accuracy and fairness. Are you thinking Hillary's speech last night caused the overcast skies in Kentucky this morning? Don't answer that. You're losing it. Get checked.

[maz hess]

"Which makes sense since we thought it was a pretty good speech". Maybe the man went mad just because of the quality of the speech.

[Tom Canavan]

Don't bother supporting Sen. Obama until he answers this question.

Sen. Obama, What is your response to the $60 Billion Dollar a year green non tax payer jobs creation proposal Tom Canavan of The Benefactor Project has on YouTube? See it at my website if you want Obama to win or...... lose.
thebenefactorproject.com

[08vote]

Overall, I'd give Hillary a B+ on her speech; the speech started out a little slow but then picked up speed by the end. (But you folks at top Of the Ticket were probably highly disappointed last evening when Michelle Obama declared her love for America and actually had the nerve to tell the American voters that Barack Obama was as normal and a family man as the rest of us..............)

The only criticism would be that she failed to "answer" many of the primary campaign criticisms of Obama that the Republicans are now famously using; she should have brought up something to the effect of.... 'I've seen Obama grow in confidence and leadership.... he would make an excellent commander in chief for all the right reasons..... having a front row seat to many of the debates between him and I, I do clearly see him as a man of strong character, strength and trust...... he will lead our party to victory in November with your help, with my help, with the help of our communities...... all around America, we are united behind one cause, etc., etc

[dgk]

humor seems to be lost on some...

[Hank]

Heck that's nothing. All that simpering and little fake whimpering cadences Michelle kept putting into her ordinarily-steely voice ... trying to sound like Marilyn Monroe in the throes of JFK love ... I came very close to shooting a hole in my TV screen.

[S.A.]

Barack Obama is running for president. He said he's in St. Louis but he's really in Kansas City. Why does educated Obama at his young age, continue to get mixed up on so many little things that he should easily know? He sounds more senior than John McCain.

[charles]

Obama will fail in Nov.

[Jerry]

Can't wait to see that beautiful woman in The White House! NoWay,NoHow, NOMcCAIN!