What should Obama have done?

Hillary started talking to and shaking the hand of Kennedy.

Should Obama have waited until they were done talking? Sat idly and listened in? Even if Hillary wasn't looking at him, pushed his hand out in front of her so she could take her attention away from Kennedy and shake it?

There was a mere 5 minutes from that point until everyone had to sit, I believe. Now, if Obama avoided Hillary during 20, 15, or even 10 minutes of socializing, that would seem more of a "snub". As it is, it could just be he walked away to give them space, conversed with a couple more people in the short time he had, and time would have ran out already. No chance to go back and consort with Clinton, even if he wanted to (which we can't know).

This has happened at with me at social events before. I end up not consorting at all with a friend, because there was little opening to do so, even if I was standing right next to them at some moment.

These are professionals, colleagues. Just because they don't consort every single time they come into contact, doesn't mean it's a "snub". IMO, he would have had to been extra aware that he should make extra nice with her, otherwise, in many other situations, it would have been completely acceptable for him not to consort with her at that moment.

I am not saying he didn't necessarily snub her. I DONT KNOW. Because Obama is a politician, I would tend to think he WOULDN'T make such an gregarious move as trying to avoid Hillary the whole night. I would guess he just thought he would talk to later.

Once again, I don't know. But jumping to such concrete conclusions over one photo, and one observer, seems pretty wrong to me.

...and they are both cold to each other during debates. In the grand scheme of things, this shouldn't matter at all. Personally, I love the rivalry.

If you really wonder what happened, I think the AP report is pretty accurate.

it was a bustling social event, and little time. Stuff happens, everyone doesn't talk to everyone else. I think there's a chance Hillary and Obama didn't even take notice, that this story will catch them both by surprise.

And I believe in fairy tales.

"Did you see her reach across Obama to shake Teddy's hand. How terribly rude!"

It's all in the framing. The MSM plays us like a fiddle.

they tend to act as they normally would at other times. WE ARE THE ONES MAKING IT A POLITICAL EVENT, not them. Weird, I know. They should always be in 100% complete politician mode, huh? Thinking about the ramifications of every possible action.

Pat Buchanan went on for several minutes about it on MSNBC. Dr. Pat regaled listeners with his in-depth dissection of Barack's political and emotional motivation for snubbing Clinton. He was able to come to his incisive conclusions via his viewing of 2 photographs. Much like our crack team of armchair psychologists/sociologists here on DU.

That's not psychoanalysis. People have known that simple truth since Sigmund Freud was in diapers.

Tell me about your mother.

...interesting choice of words, ja? Tell me about your father.

He came off like a thin-skinned little punk tonight.

Hillary was gracious and classy.

She looked fake but Obama still shouldn't have fallen into the trap.

...and she STILL shook his hand.

That's CLASS!

Learn form it, Obamaniacs.

I know he is probably very personally insulted by the Clinton machines slime but kill them with a SMILE.

to someone seated beside him when Hillary was there shaking hands with someone else?

You can tell from a still photo of a split second in time what was going on just before and after?

Since we don't know...who cares?

And my understanding is CNN actually broadcast it.

Simple as that. Why is it that you Obama supporters have to ask about simple manners?

Why shouldn't Hillary have quickly offered her hand to Obama first, before starting to talk to Kennedy? Huh? I think that is proper etiquette, when you approach more than one person.

and make eye contact?

Oh yeah, you know he didn't. Because you were there.

:bounce:

and I don't think other people can either.

If I saw a video, I can much more easily conclude if it was rude. If he truly "snubbed" her, "shrugged" her off, I would make no defense.

As of now, I'm not saying he was polite, I'm not saying he wasn't. I don't know.

told him to hush it?

And then challenged her to a game of hopscotch.

"He should have forced open her eyelids and licked her eyeball."

Now THAT would have gotten some coverage.