Obama: I didn't snub Clinton
The moment: Obama looks toward Sen. Clair McCaskill as Kennedy and Clinton shake hands. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
(CNN) - It seems a snub is in the eye of the beholder.
The question swirling around Barack Obama Tuesday: did he, or didn’t he, deliberately snub presidential rival Hillary Clinton at the State of the Union speech?
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, the Illinois senator said all the talk swirling around the moment the two crossed paths Monday night is much ado about nothing. (Watch Obama comment on the moment.)
"I was surprised by sort of the reports this morning," Obama told reporters. "You know there was the photograph in the Times about, sort of, me turning away. I was turning away because [Sen.] Claire [McCaskill] asked me a question as Sen. [Ted] Kennedy was reaching for her."
"Sen. Clinton and I have very cordial relations off the floor and on the floor. I waved at her as we were coming into the Senate chamber before we walked over last night," he continued. "I think that there's just a lot more tea leaf reading going on here than I think people are suggesting."
The moment came at Monday's speech when Clinton headed to shake hands with a congressman seated in front of Obama. CNN's Jessica Yellin reports that Kennedy, seated directly next to Obama, then moved to shake Clinton's hand. As the two senators spoke, Obama turned to look at the back of the room. It was only after Obama turned away, Yellin reports, that McCaskill struck up a conversation with Obama.
McCaskill also commented on the incident Tuesday, calling it "one of those accidents that just happened and got caught on film."
"There was a wave and there was a friendly moment," she said at an Obama campaign press availability. "And I think that, as somebody who watched the whole thing, I was amazed when I woke up this morning and I was part of it, I didn’t even realize. I mean, it was one of those things that all of a sudden it's being blown into something that it frankly just wasn’t."
- CNN's Chris Welch and Alexander Mooney
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Kennedy supported the loser Kerry. Now, he is supporting Obama. I think he is a joke and a jinx to a potential president of this country.
I was shocked when I saw it. It is worse than "You are likable enough, Hilary".
He has not learn his lesson.
HEY... "Yes We Can..Brain Wash YOU"
The issue is...Obama's character is called into question.
News flash, the charater of a President is important!
Go Vote for Hillary!
Barack transcends any of this childish drama. Let the survivor episode/Hollywood reality viewing public soak this crud up and corrupt their minds further. It's too bad that our nation is degenerating into a nation where we elect presidents based on how the power of the Media displays them to be. I am continuously losing faith in our collective representation of this country.
We have a chance to elect someone who could repair our image in the world, and yet people would rather perpetuate a dynasty/tyranny based on human behavioral semiotics and gestures, kinesics, body posturing, etc... when they aren't even specialists on analyzing such things.
Can't you see!!! This sort of analysis of human behavior is not much different that being judgemental, or having prejudices based on race, becasue what you think should happen doesn't!
Stop being judgemental! It leads to racism.
Obama deliberately ignored Senator Clinton. She was facing him and he turned his back to her. Time to grow up. Play the tape. The truth in in that tape and photos.
You people are all insane and the amount of time you are devoting to this should nullify your vote.
Arrogance, sense of entitlement, attacking anyone who questions his past as liars (surrogates raise the race card) — we saw all this in 2000 when our current Prez was running for office.
A vote for BUSHAMA is a vote for “FOUR MORE YEARS”
To all those immature people that say that Obama snubbed Hillary:
He waved at her when they first met in the hall. Then when Obama is on the way when she is reaching out for Kennedy, it is a nice gesture to turn away instead of standing still and watching/hearing them talk.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. GROW UP !!!
This is an issue? Really? Big deal. Don't we have something more important to discuss? Or, is this going mole hill going to get turned into a mountain too? I guess we shouldn't be surprised given the tenor of the primaries so far. Everything of consequence is ignored and trivial matters like this get debated for meaning and blown out of proportion into indications of how each of the candidates will act as President.
Forget democrat and vote Republican for 2008. We need to find a president work for people of the United States. "Bringing the Universe together to live as one"
is old go home and younth go work
is illegal immingrates have right to live to drive to work to use our Midcal and you work to paying they live here
is if I am a poor is your false
is I can not work is your false
is I stay home and dance on stree and you have pay it
is your money? You do not want to give me!
Go OBa!!! The Universe together to live as one!
I need your money $$$$
Who cares if he does not want to talk to her. How many of you have people you do not talk to. People are quick to insult Bush and no one has anything to say about that. Give me a break!!
The more this politic is shown the more I lost my trust and respect for Barack Obama.
The comment from Obama's supportors does bother me a lot in term of double standard and lack of logic.
I'm considering to not vote in general election at all if Barack Obama wins the primary.
Let's see...
Rezco contributions and below market price property
Ads in Florida against Dec agreement
Snub and denial
Change? What change?
Imagine–Ted Kennedy and the Clintons are friends and mutual supporters for years, and Ted endorses another candidate, very publicly. If I had been in Obama's exact position last night, I would have turned aside in deference to the situation, and to allow Clinton and Kennedy a little privacy. Regardless of our political persuasions and choices, let's not succumb to rampant cynicism and rash judgment! I wonder, had Obama stood silently smiling next to Kennedy as he greeted Clinton, would his opponents have accused him of gloating?
Wow, people really are watching cable news too much these days. Obama has no reason to snub Hillary, this is a non-issue. Funny that America might get a great president because of a writer's guild strike.
WHO CARES IF HE DID OR DIDN'T!! IS THIS ACTUALLY AN ISSUE TO DO A FULL STORY ON? SEEMS LIKE THE MEDIA, AKA CNN, IS CREATING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING! I THOUGHT NEWS AGENCIES WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT THE NEWS AND NOT CREATE IT??
SO FAR THIS STORY GOT 720 COMMENTS. YOU KIDDING ME? WHERE ARE ALL YOU PEOPLE DURING A NON ELECTION YEAR WHEN REAL ISSUES ARE AT STAKE, LIKE THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS GETTING WATER, DARFUR, THE ENVIRONMENT,EDUCATION. THESE ISSUES AND MORE ARE PREVELANT AND HAVE BEEN PREVELANT FOR YEARS!
ALL OF YOU LOOK TO HILLARY AND OBAMA TO HELP SOLVE THESE ISSUES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IF AMERICANS WEREN'T SO LAZY AND GOT UP AND DID SOMETHING TO HELP, AMERICANS WOULDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON A SAVIOR TO FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS. THE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!
So What, If he did nt snub her he should have.
Thats it! Where is Pat Paulson when you need him to run.
A little levity will go along way until October...
Any Democrat has GOT to be better than what we have suffered with W.
The bar has been set quite low.
BTW-IF I TYPE IN ALL CAPS IT MEANS THAT I REALLY MEAN IT AND IT MUST BE TRUE.
In my native language, that kind of gesture is just plain bad manners, its the kind your Mother taught you as you grew older....also we called "playing dumb"...
it gets certified as such when the subject inq uestion, says "I did not do it"
gotcha!
oh....my.....gooodnesss. He didn't shake her hand? That does it! He lost my vote.. GOOD ONE Obama.
After weeks of media gangbanging Hillary it's Barack's turn! Maybe we can also comment on male body parts.
Pathetic attempt at news.... come on CNN......what are you a tabloid now?
Almost 1000 comments!! So those who think its not news to them..It is to others. I guess because it's not a pro-Nobama article then its not news. I guess Obama Cult members are as big of baby's as Nobama is himself!!
This picture speaks for itself. Don't you see Barrack talking to Claire McCaskill.
Jeeezzzzz, you Clinton people............really, really, REALLY NEED TO BUY A CLUE & GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Such a NON-ISSUE!!!!
So what???????????? Who Cares???????????????????????????????????