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• On May 16, 2008, the Tennessee GOP released a video on YouTube called "Proud" which included a controversial comment made by Michelle Obama. "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country." The comment was made during campaign stops in February. The video replays the statement six times, each instance followed by commentary from Tennesseans stating reasons why they are proud of the U.S.

  On May 19, Obama was asked about the video in an interview on Good Morning America. He responded by stating that negative campaign tactics should only be directed towards him, and not his spouse.

• Fast Facts

  1. "Proud" video release on May 16, 2008
  2. GOP Tennessee press release asked local radio stations to play patriotic music during Michelle Obama's visit to the state
  3. GOP was criticized for using Obama's middle name Hussein in a news release in March of 2008
  4. Later said she meant to say: proud of the way "Americans are engaging in the political process"

• Obama Lay Off Quote

  • "The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record, If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

  • "Whoever is in charge of the Tennessee GOP needs to think long and hard about the kind of campaign they want to run, and I think that's true for everybody, Democrat or Republican, These folks should lay off my wife."

  • "For them to try to distort or to play snippets of her remarks in ways that are unflattering to her is, I think, just low class. I think that most of the American people would think that as well."

  Barack Obama - GMA

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Barack Obama | Michelle Obama

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