Flipping Hillary the Bird?

I can scarcely believe that a candidate who's committed to "changing the tone" of the debate in this country would give his opponent "the finger." And from what I've known of Barack personally, I'm skeptical that he actually did it -- it's not his style; he's got too much respect for himself -- and too elevated a sense of his own dignity -- if not for her. There are plenty of reasons I object to Barack's very-left politics and policies, but I have never witnessed him acting like a jerk (the category into which this behavior would fall).

But some at the LA Times seem to think that Barack employed what it delicately terms "a one-fingered gesture" when referring to Senator Clinton (video here).

If this was just an inadvertent gesture, then this is, bar none, likely to be the silliest discussion of the season. But if a would-be president is actually making covert obscene gestures at his competitor, it's a travesty.

If I were part of Barack Obama's team, I'd get out there fast and make sure, seriously, that everyone knew this was completely accidental -- no winky-winky cheeky denial, or high-minded denunciations of the subject of the coverage. Why? Because this sort of behavior is unbecoming anyone who aspires to become the leader of the free world, and Barack is well-advised not to be associated with it in any way, shape or form.

What's more, if Democrats are going to throw rocks at John McCain's age, it's probably best if their own candidate doesn't seem to be living in the glass house of ridiculously juvenile behavior.

So what do you think when you see the video? Accidental, freudian, or neither?