We are so fortunate that we have Obama to explain things for us

[2rth2pwr]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Obama_on_smalltown_PA_Clinging_religion_guns_xenophobia.html



April 11, 2008
Categories: Barack Obama

Obama on small-town PA: Clinging religion, guns, xenophobia

Mayhill Fowler has more from Obama's remarks at a San Francisco fundraiser Sunday, and they include an attempt to explain the resentment in small-town Pennsylvania that won't be appreciated by some of the people whose votes Obama's seeking:

You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them...And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not.
And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

That's pretty broad list of things to explain with job loss.



--And he's got the whole race thing figured out too.

eta- 2 words to title

[leftofcool]

1. LOL

[Symarip]

2. HOLY SHIT

This man is horrible. What the fuck are people thinking?

Quick, bang on a pot and get their attention.

[movonne]

3. It sounds good to me....

[DJ13]

4. He's 100% right, so whats your problem?

[Texas Hill Country]

10. its arrogant and condescending.

[2rth2pwr]

11. Kerry's comments about the troops were defended and he refused to apologize

for them.

Within days he was saying he was sorry.

[DemGa]

5. Wow, Obama's really condescending toward these people

I doubt the people of PA will appreciate very much BO's arrogance.

[Danger Mouse]

6. He's right. Again.

Yet people lacking critical thinking skills will spout plenty of fake outrage about it.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[azmouse]

7. I lived the first 30 years of my life in very small-town PA.

Most of my family still lives there. I got out and found a better life for myself.
All the jobs ARE gone. Factories that employed people for decades have moved. Larger, better paying employers have closed shop. All that is left is serving burgers to each other and that won't get them very far.

And all I hear from them is what Obama said..."they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

[TahitiNut]

15. Some call it "the politics of scarcity."

It's a time-worn approach to exploiting folks in such circumstances. We're all vulnerable to having our hardships blamed on "powers" over which we have no control. It appeals to the entrenched childhood 'experience' when our dependency on parents (who may have modeled codependent behavior) was the most influential. We're not very good in this society in empowering people. After all, the advertisers will tell us that 'happiness' comes from elsewhere ... some product or some person. The fundmental weakness of 'capitalism' is how ownership becomes a separate and distinct interest from labor. Thus, folks enriched by the labors of those in their community can cash in and walk away ... and those who labored to entrench that wealth are left behind.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. Ok, so what does he propose to do about it? He's saying nothing

original here, & just restating the obvious in his profound way. What's the answer to the problem?

[2rth2pwr]

13. Maybe he could outlaw the guns and take Wright out of retirement

so he could show these yahoos what a true church is all about.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. THe only resentment they might feel is that Obama is pointing this out & is

unapologetically empty handed when it comes to solid solutions or advice that might really change anything for the better.

[PVnRT]

30. Funny, tonight he said he believes in the second amendment

So much for the first half. As for the second....whatever.

[Texas Hill Country]

9. lol

[rug]

12. I suppose people have just been shooting squirrels and waiting 25 years for Obama to show up.

[BlueIdaho]

34. You really don't understand anything about poverty do you? nt.

[bowens43]

16. I'm sorry that these issues are too complex for you to comprehend.

I'm sorry that you feel the need to pull quotes out of context in an attempt to boost your candidates feeble campaign.

[2rth2pwr]

18. What context would make this not condescending to white people

who live in small towns?

The Unity candidate my ass.

[BlueIdaho]

35. What makes you think he was just talking about white people? nt.

[Cheap_Trick]

17. this...is a POUTRAGE!

too bad it's true.

[MethuenProgressive]

19. BO to PA "I hate you, please vote for me."

What an asshole.

[2rth2pwr]

24. BO to PA "Ya'll are just some Typical White People, aren't cha?

What do you think Michelle? You ever seen so many dumb rednecks in one place?"

[BlueIdaho]

36. Again, where did he say he was only talking about white people? nt.

[DemBones DemBones]

44. He didn't and that's the best part -- he insulted his AA base in PA because

you can bet many of them are religious and/or fit one of his other stereotypes about those "bitter" PA people.

Stick a fork in BO, he's done.

[BlueIdaho]

50. Meanwhile

Little Mary Sunshine blows smoke up their asses - who do you think people will respect more? Someone that relates to their frustration or Mrs. Richie Rich telling them the sun will come up tomorrow and she will be back in her mansion in NY?

[DemBones DemBones]

45. He did that down his nose look at HRC so many times in debates.

It was either that or scribble, scribble on his note pad, taking notes so he could copy what she said.

He is a big-time snob and so is his wife.

[unblock]

26. how do you get "i hate you" from that???

i understand you've had it rough and have been treated poorly, and i understand how you've had to cope with it.

that's hate in your book?

[anamandujano]

38. He wasn't talking to them, he was talking to their polar opposites ABOUT THEM.

[unblock]

51. so ... you resent that he was at a san francisco fundraiser??

and i'm not sure that those participants are necessarily "polar opposites".

sorry, i'm still not seeing the hatred. is talking about someone hatred now?

[Danger Mouse]

29. and that is constructive criticism...how?

[PVnRT]

31. It's Methuen, what do you expect?

[Danger Mouse]

33. i was a fool to expect reasoned and civil discourse!

:banghead:

[DemBones DemBones]

43. . . .

:rofl:

[Beaverhausen]

20. and just what is Obama going to do about it?

oh yeah, some non-binding law about CEO pay. :eyes:

[NewHampster]

21. He is redefining Elitist NE Liberal

This from a man who never held a full-time job. Telling people with 2 jobs that they cling to their religion. Their religion is their life.

He must think they are Typical White Folks

[2rth2pwr]

23. Effete Latte Liberal just might start to stick.

[DemBones DemBones]

47. I believe it will. I think it's time to stick a fork in Obama,

he's done.

[cali]

28. oh, please.

Never held a full time job? I simply don't get people who have to lie so pathetically. And I live in the Northeast Kingdom, an area rife with rural poverty. I certainly understand what he's saying.

[nichomachus]

25. Yes, Obama should stick to telling us he was under sniper fire

or explain his vote in favor of the war, instead of talking about the issues that face the country. Or maybe he should just dress up in a pants suit and some jewelry and sit at his desk at 3 a.m. waiting for a phone call -- and hoping he's not so sleep deprived that he makes up stuff that never happened.

[anonymous171]

27. Obama needs to attack Hillary now. Refocus the media narrative.

[Marie26]

32. So elitist

Stuff like this is why Obama rubs me the wrong way. I've got no problem with the comments about jobs & bitterness, it's true. But when he veers into saying that small-town Americans are all xenophobic gun nuts, he's just spouting stereotypes & being condescending. Obama reminds me of Kerry in some ways - sort of a cool intellectual who doesn't really get working-class voters. With Clinton, I always get the impression that she respects working-class voters, speaks their language & addresses their concerns. That's a major reason why she's getting more support from those voters, IMO.

[Hoof Hearted]

37. LOVE your sig art! Nice post too. Good for a K&R!

[DemBones DemBones]

49. Amen!

:kick:

[AZBlue]

39. You're absolutely right! We're DAMN FORTUNATE to have Obama!

GOBAMA!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

40. dang them bitter white bread rural americans!

[DemBones DemBones]

41. Obama is so clueless. Who hasn't he insulted now? He's insulted

the "typical white person," gun owners, religious people, people who oppose outsourcing and illegal immigration, favoring FAIR trade and obeying laws.

Except for the "typical white person," many in his AA base will fit into one or more or his stereotypes. He goes to church himself, is that because he's "bitter" and "frustrated"? Actually, I'm sure he is and that's why he goes to that church, to feed his bitterness.

He insulted vets and Filipino-Americans by comparing the rigors of the campaign to the Bataan Death March. I still can't believe he said that. Guess he 'don't know much about history,' am sure he 'don't know what a slide rule is for,' may have never heard the song.

Rookie mistakes! We cannot have this man be our nominee unless we want John McCain as our president.

[uponit7771]

42. Hillary nor McSame have to work another day in there lives and Obamas a Snob?!!??!?!!?

[DemBones DemBones]

48. Like he does? Michelle is spending $10 grand to send the kiddies to summer

camp and pay for piano lessons for them. THAT is elitist.

And she WHINES all the time about how much things cost, when they're pulling in at least $600,000, not counting his book money.

[IowaGirl]

53. Yeah, don't forget flying the personal hair stylist all over the country.....

[chill factor]

46. This is the most innane "conversation" I have seen on DU.....

No substance, no logic, no critical thinking, no reasoning, just attacks...people get a life! Off I go to find some intelligent people....

[Barack_America]

52. He doesn't "explain things", he gives voice to them.

There is a difference.

And, yes, we are lucky to finally have a politician willing to do this.