Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 4/30/08
Tonight, Michele Obama speaks out, for the first time, since yesterday’s press conference during which her husband criticized Rev. Wright. She talks about the controversy, how her husband finally put the hammer down, race and the possibility of Hillary Clinton as a running mate.
We want to hear your thoughts so we’ll start posting comments at 10p ET and stop at 11p ET.
Anderson is off tonight so Campbell Brown will be anchoring the show. You can see her and Erica Hill on our web camera starting at 9:45p ET. LINK TO THE BLOG CAMERA
And for those of you feel like your comments are being ignored please check out a post that explains why some comments get posted while others do not. LINK TO COMMENTS POST
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CNN why not do an analysis on Michelle’s thesis.
The facts are undeniable.
@Pam: I have read Michelle's Princeton thesis as well and it is a real eye opener. Just another thing the media has been hiding from the voters. You can see Wright's influence all over it.
Michelle Obama handled the interview much in the manner in "don't question so I must not answer."!
What kind of message is she sending ? I expected direct and honest answers and instead ,I heard her say" do not ask anymore on the subject matter that concerned Wright.
Is this how the Obamas will face all public questions of complications?
Well ,why don't we brush this aside and move on to other questions please.
Not quite the composure and honest direct approach I expect from a presidential candidates wife.
Dissapointing interview indeed .
Good night all! See you tomorrow. Same time same place 🙂
I love beat 360! Congrats John in Pennsylvania!!!!!!!
Good night Campbell, bloggers, and Erica............
Mike from Syracuse NY> I love that analogy, I'll definitely remember it. This country is most certainly in the ER.
Night all, Congratulations Candy Crowley for the New Hampshire Primary Award. You deserve it, for all you hard work. Good night.
McCain isn't getting scrutinized as much as he should be–I agree with Huffington–I think the media is hesitant to dig deeper on him because of his history and service to the country–but this is a presidential race and he should be examined as closely as the other candidates.
That's disgusting! Seeing that 73 year old creep vacationing without his shirt on!
Nite everyone!
McCain is in the running because the Republicans have the luxury to set back and watch the Democratic fight and have their strategists push for Hillary.
Rev. Wright is an attempt to knock Obama out in the primaries. They want to run against Bill and Hillary and replay the 1990's. They can't beat Obama.
Wonderful interview Michelle,
You control the conversation. All the media wants to do is to continue the Rev. Wright conversation with additional snipets–while we are still out here suffering and want relief.
Rev. Wright was unwillingly dragged into the mess–remember the man was in retirement until the media starting making him an issue.
I heard enough about Rev. Wright–I'm ready for bread and butter issues that can help me support my family. Rev. Wright and the media are doing just fine financially.
I've always thought Obama would have made a great civil rights leader. Just imagine how this successful this race would be if Obama had been more vocal on civil rights issues while continiuing to move up in the political world?
We all would have learned more about him, he would have been helping the "underprivileged" or minorities, and we would have GLADLY voted for him.
Hi Clyde,
The fact is that the democrats are so divided that do not be surprised that because one candidate or the other, wins the nomination, we will see McCain-Bush-Cheney all over again because of a lack of organization amongst the democrats.
I onyly hope I am wrong.
Hope you have a great day.
Phil
Don't forget Michelle Obama sat at the same church for 20+ years. Come on America this is the issue who is Obama?
I like Adriana Huffington's comment.
I used to have an admirable view of Caroline Kennedy, yet everytime I see her refer to Obama as in her dad's likeness I think she cheapens her fathers legacy. How well does she really know this man? Let's hope better than most of us. The campaign must really think most of us are fools to fall for what CNN and this interview portrayed tonite. Fox news is much more honest in their coverage. I watch them much more these days.
TESS, you're right.
I think J. Kennedy was taken to the interview as a Back-Up! 🙂
I don't get the point of Mrs. Obama saying they are ready "to move forward".
Does she really mean forward, or does she mean: away from Rev. Wright dirt?
If you needed a surgeon, would you rather have one fresh out of med school full of new ideas or one who has done hundreds of operations? All Obama can do is say what he will do. He can't point at anything and say what he has done.
John McCain is certainly no maverick and it is so clear that the Democrats need to unite before it's too late.
Even though Michelle Obama’s thesis is blocked on the Princeton website until after the election. It is available by Google: “Michelle Obama’s thesis”. Please read it in it's entirity. Her views are in step with Rev. Wright. She should be asked pertinent questions regarding this thesis. With views like this how does she and Barack denounce Rev. Wright. This is the reason they could sit in Trinity['s pew and listen to Rev. Wright for 20+ years and not get up and leave.
Thank you in advance for pursuing this. Reporters need to ask the hard questions and I admire you for doing so.
Pam
Sooo cool to see Caroline Kennedy with Michelle Obama......sooo very
special as Caroline does not do interviews for just anybody. It appears that this generation which are the majority of the bloggees do not realize how much influence her appearance has to give support to Obama.
Michelle Obama was everything I want in a first lady.
She is open and forthright, she is articulate, and she obviously loves and believes in her husband.
She will be a refreshing first lady! Hopefully. . .she will be our next one!
I don't think Michelle Obama "needed" Caroline Kennedy to sit in on the interview–but considering how much of a firestorm the Wright issue is, she may have just wanted someone who is well-respected to show their support. Michelle Obama is a smart woman who can handle whatever is thrown her way.
Everyone keeps saying to get back to the issues...but how divided are Obama and Clinton on the issues? If we all voted on the issues democrats would be more than happy with either candidate, I feel like the only thing that will sway people's vote now is learning more about the candidates character and seeing how they handle themselves against attacks, we need to find out who will be strong enough to defeat McCain.
Obama bringing world leaders together.. he can't even fix his problems with his pastor.. what more with world leaders.. some with more hatred for us.. how can he handle such "BIG" issues when he can't even deal with this pastor issue and wants to keep moving on..
how can she make a great first lady when she admits to being proud of this country because her husband is running for president.. she might not have videos like that pastor hating on this country but with that comment.. that pastor has made more influence on this so called GREAT FIRST FAMILY than they admit..
Here in Atlanta there was a story in the AJC newspaper about the mother of a fellow Princeton roommate of Michelle Obama who tried to get her daughter moved to another dorm when she heard Michelle was black. Today their family is supporting Barack Obama. We've come a long way.
The Obama's kept Rev. Wright for 20 years. But we shouldn't keep the discussion today because it's "negative".
Are we suppose to discuss ONLY what favors Sen. Obama?
Lets sweep Rev. Wright under the rug to make the Obama's HAPPY!
Obama isn't handling this well because he lacks experience. The downside risk is only to him, he doesn't get elected. As President the downside risk of no experience could be a disaster. People have compared him to JFK. Well JFK approved the Bay of Pigs fiasco shortly after taking office. Experience matters.
Why has this story taken over the entire first half of my favorite news show? I want to hear about the abused boys in the compound and any headway made on that story.
I don’t understand why Michelle Obama and the rest of country keep referring to Barack as a black man. Is it because his skin is black? I thought his mother was white? You know maybe more blue collar white women would vote for him if him and his supporters would stop referring to his race or to him being a black man. I guess I don't understand why this never comes up. Technically he would not be our first "black" president.
Clinton and O'Bama agree on most of the issues, thats one reason for the focus on the personal stuff. Hopefully the general election will be more issues oriented, as the differences in the parties are like huge divides.
I don't understand the presence of Caroline Kennedy, can't Michelle Obama face the camera – the people of America by herself? Does she need a White Person to walk her talk? If she can't handle a simple TV interview by herself how could she handle the role of a 1st lady? Honestly speaking, Caroline's presence makes it truly obvious that she can't stand alone – she doesn't seem to be the ROCK Obama speaks off .......
Thanks cnn for moving past the Wright problem we've had enough. I want to know who is going to provide healthcare, jobs, bring troops back from Irag. It's time to stop this pundaring.
Michelle seems to be a very good person.
@Diana: I am just curious, do you really believe that Obama thinks the Wright that appeared at the National Press Club is any different than the Wright who gave the "GD sermon?" If not how can you believe that Obama, after twenty years in his church, did not know that Wright harbored this racism and hatred, and why didn't he come out against Wright earlier?
If your husband didn’t have the ability to recognize Wright’s radical ideas in 20 years,
how is he going to deal with Ahmadinejad?
Obama is always late in his reply because he only does it if he needs to do it politically.
He even said it; the part that outraged him was about him and not this country.
Wow the lack of passion for American and our flag is amazing in this family.
Dee Dee Myers and Ed Rollins gave direct answers to direct questions posed by Campbell Brown. No pandering to either side. I appreciate it when the political analysts do that.
Thanks CNN for giving Michelle Obama an opportunity to share her committment to serve the people of this nation
That interview was like going to a tea party....It couldn't have been any more monotone or boring....I thought the questions could have been a little more of a challenge to her instead of like a couple of women having lunch......very disappointing interview. Why has everyone been so afraid of doing or saying anything negative about the Obamas? This is the leader of the free world we are talking about....we deserve to know all of his sides, not just the showman.
Ed Rollins is right. All the candidates have to show the toughness they will need. And they will need alot of it.
I don’t think the Republicans will swift boat Obama with the Wright connection. The Rezko connection will be so much more damaging.
Always a touch late...exactly
So, when all else fails, lets send in the wifey to clean up the mess. When political figures cheat on their wives, send in the wife. When the media / public is getting the wrong idea about politicians, send in the wife. Wives come in handy dont they?
We can learn alot from how OBAMA is handling these little bumps in the road. I guess we just 'fess up to the matter and MOVE ON. Let's all move on and pretend it didn't happen : )
I think Barrack is incredibly fortunate to have such an intelligent wife. Michelle is a very "grounding" type person.
Sen. Clinton believes that Rev. Wright's comments were offensive. At least she agrees with Sen. Obama on one thing.
To all of you who are being critical of how the Obama's have dealt with Rev. Wright...this wasn't an easy thing for them. Frankly, I am so done with it...if I saw the Obama's behaving in any way like Wright has sounded then it would be different, but for goodness sakes look at the way they've lived their lives. That's what I care about. Let's MOVE ON to world events and our own needs here in America. Some of you need to check the pulse of the rest of the world...they are pulling for Obama as the only one of the candidates with the chance of bringing together world leaders!
I put off an important errand to watch the Michelle Obama piece. I was disappointed to find that I wasted my time. Michelle did not answer any questions or provide any substantive comment. Instead, her performance was just another campaign speech. I fail to understand how I managed to learn more about Rev. Wright and his church in a brief visit to the Trinity United Church of Christ web site than Michelle and Barack were able to discern about him in a 20 year relationship! I was hoping for some answers.
Good interview with Michele Obama tonight; she seems like such a great lady.
I'm curious about the live wrap-up just before the break. Mses. Brown and Malveaux seemed to discuss the next week as if Senator Obama is losing. Unless the news media continues to define him with the rev Wright story, he is on track to win this thing.
Anyway, this story was badly needed, and thank you for bringing Ms. Obama and Ms. Kennedy on.
This is a great show tonight it seems CNN is trying to move past the Wright controversy and begin to focus on the candidates, good work! 😉
Not impressed by her sidestepping the questions. She wants us to get to know him better and what he's about yet can't explain how they sat in that church for so many years and weren't influenced by the Reverend.
Suzanne – you should have just said – OK – you’re not going to answer my questions – so go ahead with you’re talking points
Having Caroline there is obviously strategic...I think it s manipulative –and not subtle–by O'Bama's campaign to have her sitting with Michelle tonight. Of course, nothing against Caroline.