Sen. Barack Obama after addressing a rally at Nashua North High School January 5, 2008 in New Hampshire. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
by John McCormick
NASHUA, N.H. – Hours after Bill O’Reilly was recognized by Sen. Hillary Clinton at a campaign event, a less friendly exchange took place today between the FOX News commentator and a staff member for Sen. Barack Obama.
Marvin Nicholson, Obama’s national trip director, said he was “pushed” by O’Reilly following an event here.
“I was just shadowing the senator and I guess I was in his shot,” Nicholson said, adding that O’Reilly called him “low-class.”
Nicholson, 36, who served as Sen. John Kerry’s body man during his 2004 presidential campaign, is a former bartender and golf caddie. He stands 6-foot-8-inches tall.
Nicholson said the push happened after O’Reilly and Obama exchanged a few pleasant remarks. He said O’Reilly asked if Obama would appear on his show, prompting the Illinois Democrat to respond that he would think about it after the primary season.
“He started yelling at me to move out of the shot,” Nicholson said. “He was trying to push me out of the way.”
Nicholson said he then told O’Reilly that he did not appreciate being pushed. “He was pretty upset,” Nicholson added, smiling as he talked to reporters with an Obama press aide standing nearby.
Nicholson said Obama was not aware of the push until he was later told about it. “He was just shaking hands,” Nicholson said. “He didn’t see anything.”
It was a new campaign trail experience for Nicholson. “I’ve never seen a member of the press lay hands on a staffer,” he said.
Earlier today, as reported by the Tribune’s Mike Dorning, Clinton recognized O’Reilly at an event Penacook, N.H.