ABC: "Tension Ticks Up as Race Narrows"

[bidenista]

Looks like the MSM aren't going to leave this one alone:

Tension Ticks Up as Race Narrows
In Field of Two, Perceived Snubs and Personal Attacks Could Alienate Voters

It was a mere moment. But a moment that many are reading as a snapshot of the rising level of tension in the Democratic primary race.

When Sen. Barack Obama seemed to snub Sen. Hillary Clinton on the floor of Congress on Monday night, a blizzard of conflicting interpretations cut loose.

While political junkies and pundits analyze photographs of the incident as intently as the Zapruder film, questions remain about Obama's true intentions, Clinton's sensitivity and the media's obsessions.

The snub, or non-snub, took on added weight in light of the increasing rhetoric in the rivalry: "We can be a party that tries to beat the other side by practicing the same do-anything, say-anything, divisive politics that has stood in the way of progress, or we can be a party that puts an end to it," Obama told a crowd of 18,000 at the University of Denver today, reports ABC News' David Wright.

The key photograph depicts Clinton reaching out to shake the hand of Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-MA, while Obama turns his back on the interaction. Obama claims that he was not turning his back on his chief rival but that he was engaged in conversation with Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-MO....

Another photo depicts Obama and Kennedy standing and seemingly looking coldly at Clinton and a female colleague. That photo could have particular resonance with female voters, especially after the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women released a statement condemning Kennedy for his endorsement of Obama: "Women have just experienced the ultimate betrayal." Whoopi Goldberg expressed her anger on "The View" on Tuesday, saying, "I was very proud of her for walking up and shaking hands, and going to take Barack's hand, and I have to tell you, I think he was wrong to turn away."

More: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=4217248&page=1

Edited to add: the Whoopi Goldberg reaction is here.

[sunonmars]

1. its weird but its the simple little things that kill campaigns dead

if the msm makes enough of it

[BootinUp]

6. yes

sometimes you never know it till after the fact.

[Big Blue Marble]

10. Yes, especially when the media is pushing it.

Is this the establishment's way to push HRC on us when Obama is surging?

This is so silly. I hope tomorrow night will end this crap when Obama and Hillary shake hands in front of us all.

[C_U_L8R]

2. It's in the media's interest to stir up controversy

there really is no reason to believe them at all

but they can be amusing nonetheless.

[BeyondGeography]

3. See? The boys are being mean to me again!

I wonder how tired the country will get of that routine if that's what we serve up in the GE.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I can't believe she is going to try to become the first woman president by playing victim over and

over again.

Truly pathetic.

[K Gardner]

5. Victim is the only card she has, aside from outright dishonesty.

[Pirate Smile]

8. It is disgusting and demeaning to the rest of us women trying to get by

based on merit without playing victim all the time.

[K Gardner]

9. That's what I hear at work from RNs who signed up to vote for her but have since

changed their minds after seeing the multiple faces and campaign tactics she has deployed. To many women in the south, it is insulting and not rewarded with a vote.

[rinsd]

7. LOL Obama's whole campaign surge has been built around playing victim.

[JackORoses]

11. did you see this part?

"Maxine Lucille Fiel, a body language expert who has written extensively about political interactions, says that she tends to believe Obama's account of the incident.

"It's clear that he was preoccupied with another conversation," she explains. "I don't think it was really a snub."

Rather, Fiel thinks that Clinton has helped turn the incident into a scandal by discussing her desire to shake his hand.

"I don't know why she would have even brought it up. She seems intent on raising the issue and it's a sign of desperation….She should let it go. It's a way of saying, 'Look at the old boys club. They're snubbing me.'""

[tishaLA]

12. It seems she's being overly sensitive about this

It doesn't shock me the media would play into this because they like to play up anti-feminist narratives.

[Raffi Ella]

13. hmm. I've stayed out of this.

I gave Obama the benefit of the doubt - it could have been as he said.

But after hearing what Whoopi said I went back and looked at the pictures again and Hillary is indeed reaching her hand toward Obama after she shook Kennedy's hand!I didn't realize that before....IF Obama had let things occur they would have definitely shaken hands.

He did snub her and THAT is poor Statesmanship,end of story.Kennedy needs to take Obama aside and teach him a thing or two about graciousness;A more mature and seasoned Candidate would never allow something like this to occur.

Say what you will about Hillary but Obamas supporters have no one to blame but HIM for this incredible gaffe.

[Hoof Hearted]

14. While political junkies and pundits analyze photographs of the incident as intently as the Zapruder

Ack. They've been watching us.