Sarah Palin apologizes (sort of) to Barack Obama and community organizers

An early excerpt has surfaced from Part II of Sarah Palin's interview with Sean Hannity (airing tonight on Fox News Channel, following up Wednesday night's Part I), and in it she addresses the taunt she directed at Barack Obama's background as a community organizer during her early moments on the national stage (all of a couple of weeks ago).

“I certainly didn’t mean to hurt his feelings," she tells Hannity. "Didn’t mean to offend any community organizers either."

She adds: "I do have respect for those who have chosen public service. What I was doing certainly, should be obvious, was direct a comment to him as he had taken a shot at small mayors across the nation."

Palin was referring to Obama, back when he was more focused on the Republican vice presidential nominee then many Democrats thought he should have been, noting that as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, she had supervised fewer employees than he has in running a presidential campaign.

Palin continues to recycle many of the lines that gained her so much attention in her initial appearances. But the crack about community organizers seems to have been waylaid. After all, angering folks who specialize in galvanizing large numbers of people is not a particularly wise tactic as an election approaches.

For more on community organizers, check out this piece by The Times' Richard Fausset.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Freedom Eagle]

Blah, blah, blah, Palin, Palin, Palin.

Where's the coverage about McCain, not seeming to understand who the leader of Spain is, and if he's an ally or enemy?

[BJ]

Of course people knew what she meant. And any other interpretation was an"opportunistic" ploy by Obama and his supporters. Playing the "victim" card again. Give it a rest already.

[I sold it on ebay]

I watched her speech and she pointedly insulted community organizers, along with generally sneering at Obama's experience. I guess, to her, teaching the Constitution for 12 years, as Obama did, isn't anything relevant to the office.

[Carlos]

AS THE CAMPAIGN TO BECOME PRESIDENT DRAWS NEAR, MANY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE POLICIES EACH CANIDATE REPRESENTS. MANY WONDER HOW SENATOR OBAMA WILL PAY FOR HIS PROPOSED IDEAS AND THE SENATOR OF ARIZONA SEEMS TO HAVE A PROBLEM CONVINCING THE ORDINARY JOE THAT HE WILL BE A MAVRICK FOR THEM AND NOT THE STATICE QUO. WE ALL KNOW WHO EVER WINS WON'T HAVE IT SO EASY TO PASS ALL AGENDAS. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHAT EVER JOB YOU HAVE PREVIOUS, JUST WON'T PREPARE YOU FOR THE DAILY GRIND OF THE PRESIDENCY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, AND KNOWING THAT ARE ECONOMIC FUTURE IS IN PERIL. WHY WOULD WE ELECT MCCAIN, KNOWING HE REGARDS OUR ECONOMY AS "FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND", AS WALL STREET LOSES 1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS IN THE PAST 5 DAYS. BEFORE I GO ON, I WILL SAY THAT OBAMA DIDN'T CLOSE THE DEAL WITH ME UNTIL HE PICKED JOE BIDEN AS A RUNNING MATE. I AM JUST SICK OF THE DOUBLE TALK FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE ALREADY GAVE A GUY WITH A "C" AVERAGE IN SCHOOL A CHANCE TO LEAD US INTO MUCK AND DISGRACE AND KNOW THAT OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE IS AT RISK, WE MAY ELECT A GUY HOWS' FINANCIAL ADVISOR SAYS " WE NEED TO STOP WHINNING", WHEN REFERRING TO THE ECONOMY. I THINK NOT!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! LETS GIVE A GENUINE SMART GUY A CHANCE TO FIX OR MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH OUR CONCERNS OF TODAY. WE CAN NOT TOLERATE ANOTHER PRESIDENT WHO IS OUT OF TOUCH, WAR HUNGRY, AND WILLING TO TURN ON A DIME ON IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS TAX CUTS FOR THE TOP 5% AND DRILLING OFF OUR COAST FOR OIL. HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THIS, JOHN MCCAIN IS AN AMERICAN HERO AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL GOV. PALIN IS A GOOD PERSON WHO TAKES EARMARKS TO BETTER HER COMMUNITY. BOTH ARE GOOD PEOPLE BUT BOTH ARE GREAT AT THE DOUBLE TALK GAME WHICH CAUSES SOME CONCERN WITH ME. RACE IS PLAYING ITS ROLL AND ITS SAD. IT GOES TO SHOW THAT SOME PEOPLE STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN RACE AND THE DESIRE WE HAVE TO FEEL WELCOMED AND LOVED NO MATTER THE RACE, RELIGON, HANDICAP, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR POLITICAL AFFILIATION WE REPRESENT. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE HILLARY SUPPORTERS. WHY WOULD YOU VOTE FOR MCCAIN WHEN HIS VIEWS ARE OPPOSITE OF HILLARYS'? IS IT BECAUSE OBAMA IS HALF AFRICAN AND HALF CAUCASION? I WISH WE COULD GET OVER THE DOMINATION OF OTHER RACES AND THE PRECIEVED NOTION THAT YOU ARE BETTER THAN ME BECAUSE OF YOUR SKIN TONE. WE ARE A NATION OF ONE AND WE DESERVE TO BE CRUSHED BY THOSE WHO SOUGHT TO DESTROY US IF THIS IS THE VISION WE PLAN TO CONTINUE. LETS PUT AN END TO THE CONSTANT DOUBLE TALK AND TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY FROM THOSE LOBBIST IN WASHIGTON AND IN JOHN MCCAINS' CAMPAIGN!! I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY RESPONSES AND HOPEFULLY, SOME ONE CAN EXPLAIN TO ME MCCAINS' ECONOMIC PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE IN DETAIL, NOT GENERAL TALKING POINTS. I BET YOU HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU. THANK YOU AMERICA UNITED.!

[Patti]

BJ: Yes, people knew what she meant, and all understand it as political posturing. Duh. And talk about playing the victim...what do you think McCain/Palin have been doing by crying "sexism" over the necessary scrutiny of Governor Palin's background, experience and beliefs? Republicans have lost the ability to point the finger at Democrats for playing the victim with their recent whining.

[Jeremiah]

The problem was the particular socialist group for which Obama was a "community organizer."

[scootmandubious]

Wasn't Jesus a community organizer? Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr? Susan B. Anthony?

As for Palin, so much material, so little time:

If The Revlon Fits (thanks queen of pork)
http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/09/if-revlon-fits.html

Palin on the Palin/McCain administration
http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/09/palin-touts-palin-mccain-administration.html

The lies on the Bridge to Nowhere debunked
http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/2008/09/debunking-lies-of-mccain-palin-bridge.html

and that's just for starters.

[Paul]

Why the heck are we still talking about crap like this?

IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

[Mike]

She is too snotty to win my vote, John McCain Just lost it. I don't need someone so sarcastic in office. what a jerk.

[Frieda]

Obama started the whole silliness ...he can not throw a punch and expect no one will respond.

well, I understand Michelle is baaaaaaaack today and saying that "don't vote for her because she is cute"...

so here we go again, Obamas started another silly game.

[Cal]

Sarah Palin, smug and snotty and totally incapable of telling the truth about anything. McCain/Palin are the sleaziest bunch of politicos since...well lets see....Bush/Cheney!

Time to send these GOP clowns packing.

No McCain. No Palin. No Way!

[Lola Sanderman]

Palin needs to public apologize to McCain on the Palin/McCain flub. Or was it?

John, maybe you should get a food taster on staff.

[Jane]

"The problem was the particular socialist group for which Obama was a "community organizer."

Good Lord, what subterranean wormhole is this coming from? No, it's more like whack-a-mole. Republicans use name-calling smear tactics on one issue, get whacked, pop up again with another namecalling smear tactic. . . It's tedious and childish. NO More Years.

[Israel Lozano]

I think, no matter who wins the elction, the next president first needs to make a list of priorities according to the worst problem the nation has today. That's going to be veri difficult, because the situation is messy and chaos.
For 8 years, most of the Americans elected a United Methodist Lay to be a president. Well, there he is, but you know what? Fidel said it once and for all: "Mr. Bush can not talk about politics with a 5 year old Cuban boy."
Now, who can tell me if Castro was wrong or not? What you elected 8 years ago is what you got, and the possibility is that you may have another 4 years of more Mc.Bush game. I bet Mr. Bush has trillions of $$ from investment money under one of his daugther's name made out of oil and iraki blood. Prove me I am wrong if any one can. So, the ball is in the American people's court. Is McBush or Obama and that's it, because Jess. Ventura is living in Mexico as an ilegal alient, and he is not able to run and beat the two candidates.
Israel Lozano said this

[Julia Lozano]

I want to give my opinion, and it maybe different than my husban's. First: Mr. Bush made a good one stealing both elections from his oponents, but he wants other nations to elect presidents without stealing, so he set an example
Second: Mr. McCain can not think with cohisiveness, because he jumps from one word to something different,
and he wants the American parents to send their kids to Irak for the next 100 years to be killed and kill civilians. Mr McCain is not a hero, he was a prisoner because he did not know how to be a smart soldier. If he is elected and he dies, then we are going to have his vice as president, and I do not think that his vice will be able to handle the presidency, because she is not well prepared to be vice, how will she manage to be president? As for Mr. Obama, I think that if he wants to be elected, he needs the votes of Blacks and Latinos, because we are living in a White Society relugtant to see other cultures as viable and capable people. What we need here is the two parties to allow a third party to be born, and that is not possible as long as we have the rich controlling the politics in Washington. So, as for Mr. Jess Ventura, do not think that you are coming back 4 years from now to be elected, unless you convince the poor people here that you was a poor at one time, and also you have to be away from the crooks from Washington.
Julia Lozano wrote this and I approve this message.

[ann]

I will vote for whichever candidate can build the best missile defense system, kick all the illegals out and build the best highways. Just give congress and the new president these 3 issues...That is all they need to do.. Surely they can get atleast these 3 accomplished in 4 years and do it well.
Forget about all the other stuff ...it is a distraction...just do these 3 things. I dont think congress or politicians are at fault for the economy. John Q Public is. If you are too stupid to buy things you cant afford then you are in for a reality check...If you lose your job you find another one. If gas is too high now take the bus. Learn to tighten the belt and yes"Quit Whining". People are just too spoiled and selfish and eager to blame others for their own demise.

[Arnie]

Argh, enough Palin drivel, already! Grow a brain and write something significant.

[Tom]

Palin is just rehashing this old comment, because she has nothing to say on the issues. She should apologize for suggesting that Obama was referring to her as a pig, which he clearly was not. He used the line "lipstick on a pig" long before she ever entered this race. Republicans are the ones playing victim.;

[chicagopearl]

Obama can sure dish it out, but he isn't EXPERIENCED enough to take it. Face it people, what we have here in this year's election is a handful of inexperienced people. That's just the way it works some years. Deal with it.

[Brock Keeling]

She's 100% lost. Hasn't a clue what's going on. Her implosion is nice to watch.

[JD]

Apology not accepted. The damage has been done.