Obama Was Asked Not to Use Bracelet (Update 9/29/08)

According to the Associated Press:  “Jopek acknowledged e-mailing the Obama campaign in February asking that the presidential candidate not mention her son in speeches or debates.”

Tracy Jopek, mother of soldier Ryan Jopek who was killed in Iraq, had given Obama the bracelet, but apparently had second thoughts about Obama using it.

She remains a supporter of Obama, and her response to his bringing up the issue after being asked not to was:  “Obama’s mention on Friday was appropriate because he was responding after Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, said a soldier’s mother gave him a bracelet”

Not exactly sure how that justifies it, but it is hardly surprising that she would back Obama when the alternative would potentially be devasting to him.  It may not have made much difference to those already committed to Obama, but if Mrs. Jopek had been upset about Obama’s use of her son’s story after she had asked him not to mention it, it seems likely that undecided voters would see it very negatively.  Whether or not the mainstream media addressed the story, the McCain campaign would have been able to make some very effective ads.

It certainly had the potential to be the defining meme by which Obama’s defeat would later be remembered.  In any case, notwithstanding Mrs. Jopek’s ratification of Obama bringing up the bracelet, I think it reflects very poorly on him (totally aside from the ridiculous ‘me too!’ aspect of it) since she admits to having asked him not to.  I guess it is more important to make a point than to honor the wishes of a dead soldier’s parents.

It would be interesting to know if Obama’s campaign (or Obama himself) has recently spoken with Mrs. Jopek, and when, and what was said.  Somehow I doubt the media will ask those questions.

UPDATE (September 29, 2008 at 08:45):

Ed Morrissey over at Hot Air has a different take on what this means.  He says:

We can criticize Obama for his delivery and for forgetting Jopek’s name in that moment of the debate, but Obama didn’t disrespect Tracy Jopek’s wishes.

I disagree with the latter.  She asked him not to bring it up.  He then brought it up.  The fact that she later ratified his actions means that this will not become a ‘big deal’ in the campaign, but he very clearly did ‘disrespect Tracy Jopek’s wishes.’  It is not something to hang one’s hat on, but it is one more thing that shows Obama’s disregard for anything but winning:  all he knew at that moment in the debate was that he had been asked not to bring it up, and he did so anyway.