Clinton campaign tied to "O'Bama" image of candidate in "extremely Irish hat"

The war of images and innuendo between the rival campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton took another ugly turn today here in rural northern Texas. Spokespersons for regional campaign offices for each of the candidates are trading accusations about the circumstances of an anonymous press release that came to light this week.

The piece in question was delivered to several local newspaper offices throughout the region and the local cable access television studios of Waxahachie, Texas on Tuesday morning. The release includes an image of the Illinois Senator in what is described as an "extremely Irish hat" (above) under a headline that reads "Baraugh Who's Sayin' O'Bama —Secret Irishman!"

The text of the release describes "O'Bama" as an essentially devious character "prone to indolence, sloth and intemperate habits" and that, if elected, he would be "beholden to Papist conspirators and their superstitions." The release alleges that "O'Bama's" professed Kenyan ancestry is a sham intended to throw us off "the stench of the bog and the brew."

"C'mon guys! This is really fake! This is Obama's picture from the Senate website. You can go see on the original —the hat's just cut in from some other picture —not even very well!," said Bill Bryman, a local volunteer coordinator for the Obama campaign, when asked to comment on the release. "Obama is definitely not Irish!"

Joanna Stearns, speaking for the local Clinton campaign office, would not explicitly disavow the release and commented that "them Irish have the gift of gab and all —maybe he kissed the Blarney Stone —that's what I think!" She stopped short of admitting authorship of the release for herself, but did say "we ain't denyin' it, neither!"

"We're not offended so much as annoyed —you know?," was Bryman's last word on the subject, speaking to reporters from the local Waxahachie Obama campaign office.

The national campaign has not responded to the question with the same consistency or clarity as to message and this has experts questioning how Obama would handle similar attacks were he to proceed to the general election .

Obama campaign strategist, David Axelrod essentially echoed Bryman's statement, saying only that "Barach is is no way —or to any degree— Irish!" The candidate himself, however, only added to the confusion surrounding the issue by sharply responding, "Hush yer gob, ye daft wanker, ye!" —when asked about the press release on a morning talk show appearance in Ohio. The Illinois senator then offered to resolve the question by "stepping outside" for a fist fight.

Though the whole controversy mightn't have a negative impact on Barack Obama's chances in Ohio, charges of "Irishness" are particularly controversial in the area of rural Texas where the story came to light. The local cable TV station and five of Waxahachie county's six newspapers are owned by renowned and influential oil man, entrepenueur and cattle rancher, Billy Paul Stinton, who is known to harbor a virulent contempt for the Irish "and their ways" ever since the rock supergroup, U2 had a stay at one of his motels during one of their U.S. tours and the lads vandalized the ice-making machine.