Obama: If You Disagree With Me You Are Stupid

Senator Obama has long been criticized for arrogance, but today he went way past the line.

“Two points: One, they know they are lying about what my energy plan is, but the other thing is they are making fun of a step that every expert says would absolutely reduce our oil consumption by 3 to 4 percent.“It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant,” he said.

If that is not the height of arrogance I don't know what is. Its one thing to say that I disagree with my opponent or they are wrong. But to Obama anyone who disagrees with his ideas is ignorant. Sounds like the Senator has a tire gauge up his arse:

Obama: GOP Detractors ‘Take Pride in Being Ignorant’

Barack Obama, responding to a week of taunts from John McCain’s campaign, said Tuesday that his Republican detractors “take pride in being ignorant” and that it’s time to get serious.

The Illinois senator was responding in part to criticism from Republicans who mocked him for suggesting last week that Americans could save on energy costs and gas by properly inflating their tires. McCain surrogates passed out tire gauges that say “Obama’s Energy Plan,” and McCain said last week the “only thing” Obama has proposed with regard to energy is to inflate tires.

“This is the kind of thing they do. I don’t understand it,” Obama said at a town hall meeting in Berea, Ohio, Tuesday. “Two points: One, they know they are lying about what my energy plan is, but the other thing is they are making fun of a step that every expert says would absolutely reduce our oil consumption by 3 to 4 percent.

“It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant,” he said.

Obama also suggested that the McCain campaign’s ad last week comparing his alleged celebrity status to that of pop idols is distracting from more serious issues.

“They need to do their homework, because this is serious business,” Obama said. “Instead of running ads about Paris Hilton and Britney Spears they should go talk to some energy experts and actually make a difference.”

But if McCain’s campaign is “ignorant,” then Obama is just plain “confused” — so said McCain on Tuesday.

The Arizona told reporters that Obama is off base when he criticizes him for taking oil company campaign contributions, since Obama himself voted for a 2005 energy bill backed by Bush that included billions in subsidies for oil and natural gas production.

“I saw that Senator Obama’s latest attack is, has got to do with oil and campaign contributions,” McCain said. “I think he might be a little bit confused because when the energy bill came to the floor of the Senate full of goodies and breaks for the oil companies, I voted against it. Senator Obama voted for it. People care not only what you say but how you vote. “

Both candidates are putting extra attention on energy issues this week. McCain, who has called for the construction of 45 new nuclear plants by 2030, visited a nuclear facility in Michigan on Tuesday as Obama spoke to voters in Ohio.

Obama said Tuesday that if elected he would direct the full resources of the federal government to make sure the United States eliminates the need for oil from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 years.