SCRANTON, Pa. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama kicked off a day of campaigning in Pennsylvania by dropping by a Scranton diner for a breakfast of waffles, sausage and orange juice.
But the press corps went hungry — hungry for an answer that is.
The Illinois senator brushed aside a question from one reporter on his reaction to former President Jimmy Carter’s description of a positive meeting with leaders of the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas.
“Why can’t I just eat my waffle?” Obama replied.
Reporters traveling with the Illinois senator, fighting with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton over Pennsylvania ahead of its vote on Tuesday, are venting frustration over a lack of access to the candidate lately. Obama has not held a press availability in 10 days, though he has given dozens of interviews to local press in Pennyslvania.
Republicans have pounced on Obama’s “waffle” comment, suggesting he is evading tough questions.
“Today, Obama continued to dodge questions from the media, responding that he just wanted to eat his waffle,” the Republican National Committee said in an email sent to reporters that included press accounts of the waffle incident at the Glider diner.
Both Obama and Clinton are far less accessible to the media than presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, known for holding lengthy question-and-answer sessions with reporters on his Straight Talk Express bus.
The sessions last so long that some reporters say they run out of questions.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: Reuters/Tim Shaffer (Obama greets Pennsylvania supporter)
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I like a man who eats waffles. I feed them to my son. Hopefully one day he can grow up, run for president, and fend off rabid reporters while he eats his waffles!
- Posted by Dee TThis isn’t even newsworthy.. The man was trying to eat breakfast, which is kind of necessary in order to have energy during the day.
If I was trying to enjoy breakfast and people I don’t know were bothering me, I’d probably be a lot more rude than he was.
- Posted by DanThis one thing the ObamaBabies just can’t seem to grasp.
- Posted by RoBoTechThis guy is trying to be the President of the United States. It is, if not the #1 most powerful position for a single person in the world, it’s in the top 5.
This is not kindergarten, or the grade school playground. You can’t get “do overs”. You can’t blame it on the dog or say “well, Johnny did it, too” (which is something I read a lot from ObamaBaby posters).
MAN UP.
Grow up and be Adults for crissake.
If this guy OR HIS SUPPORTERS can’t take tough questions, or the constant pressure, then they shpould repack their Hannah Montana lunch and pencil boxes and go home.
Jeez!
He always ducks, he always evades. The sign of a real wimp. Good material for a University Professor. Bad material for President.
- Posted by Johnny B. Goodethose of you throwing a hissy fit over this should just grow up. What part of “he has given dozens of interviews to the local press” do you not understand?
- Posted by edIf he wants privacy order room service…..obviously he didn’t want privacy, he went public to eat.
- Posted by JanHe loves it when the press is around…this was just another Obama elitist, arrogant attitude letting the reporter know he thinks he is better than they are.
You don’t like the heat don’t go in the kitchen….there is private room service…he can afford it.
The Republican Party should be worried, since McCain’s answers to Stupidnopolis on Sunday morning, on why he had saught for Hague’s endorsement. Then he stated he shouldn’t have, but he’ll accept the endorsement.
McCain’s Straight Talk Express is NOT so straight anymore.
- Posted by BoogyemanSimple Really: “Senator Obama, Since you are destined for the White House, is that what you’ll have the cook preparing for you breakfast?” Let’s see here, would Obama have minded answering that??? I think not.
If you don’t want to answer questions during breakfast, do not have breakfast with reporters.
If you do not want to be interrupted, deal with tough questions, get tired, get frustrated, do not run for President.
- Posted by yaelWhile you eat . lets read this article here.
It answers the open questions.
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/art icle/2662
- Posted by hlgTo be accessible does not mean answer every question every minute of the day..Hillery has an advance team that screens ALL the people that are allowed around her or close to her..Chelsea has guards to keep people screened for proper voter responce…This is petty!!!
- Posted by DocbHow stupid is this? Obama decides not turn his breakfast into a press conference and his opponents with the help of the media use it to spin up another meaningless issue.
The truly stupid thing is some people actually buy into these type tactics. See the prior posts for case and point.
It’s breakfast people. Besides, there nothing enjoyable about a cold waffle.
- Posted by OenoThe word “waffle” alone is enough to put a candidate in political peril.
- Posted by George H.Obama already answered the same question before, so why should he disrupt his breakfast for a rude reporter that should have known his/her manners?
- Posted by WaffleNutOh, come on. The man should be able to eat in peace. And while it’s fair for the gaggle around Obama to get a little miffed that he doesn’t spend more time talking to them, at the same time it’s obvious that he’s got no real incentive to do so when these are the stories that get written. John McCain is a media darling because he’s happy to talk to the press, but his ability to answer to the American people leaves a lot to be desired. Obama would rather spend time on the ground with actual voters, and the press excoriate him for wanting to eat his breakfast without interruption for a catch-22 type question. Nice.
- Posted by thisnissAm I reading National Lampoon? What a stupid issue for the real world. Get over it.
- Posted by SteveA. No, because the press must earn money to buy waffles too.
- Posted by Dave M.Phone rings. It’s 3AM. Obama: “Come on, can’t I just eat my waffle?”
- Posted by TamaraQ. “Why can’t I just eat my waffle?”
A. Because you chose to run for President. On top of that, you said the issues matter and you have criticized questions that you say weren’t about issues. The Hamas question was about an issue. It was not about your breakfast, either time it was asked.
- Posted by Dave F.How is this man going to run the country.
- Posted by TinaObama: Waaaah, you promised not to get so tough guys
I wanna have my cake and eat it too
- Posted by David shaw