(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
by Frank James
Sen. Barack Obama was asked today on his campaign plane about what appeared to many witnesses at last night’s State of the Union speech to be a snub of Sen. Hillary Clinton as he turned his back to her as she leaned in to shake the hand of Sen. Kennedy who was next to Obama.
Here’s what Obama said after he was asked about his body language last night.
OBAMA: “I was surprised by the reports this morning. There was a photograph in the Times of me turning away. I was turning away because (Sen.) Claire (McCaskill) asked me a question as Sen. Kennedy was reaching forward. Sen. Clinton and I have had very cordial relations off the floor and on the floor. I waved at her as I was coming into the Senate chamber before we walked over last night. I think there is just a lot more tea leaf reading going on here than I think people are suggesting.”
McCaskill, who was traveling with Obama today, dismissed many journalists’ interpretation of last night’s near-miss.
MCCASKILL: It was not a snub. I had a ringside seat. It was one of those accidents that just happened, caught on film. Frankly, everybody’s spoiling for a fight, which is the politics of old. This campaign isn’t about the politics of old, it’s about new. So it’s unfortunate that everyone’s so anxious for there to be some kind of problem on a personal level. I’ve got to tell you, it’s just not there. I hope that you guys correct the impression that’s out there, that somehow there was some kind of an attempt on the part of Barack to be in any way disrespectful or impolite to Senator Clinton.”
Q. Was there a handshake we missed?
MCCASKILL: “There was a wave. There was a wave. There was a friendly moment. 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. It was one of those things that all of a sudden it’s been blown into something that frankly just wasn’t. We’ve got lots to argue about, that isn’t one of those.”
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