Obama Explains Why Some Small Town Pennsylvanians Are "Bitter"

[ruggerson]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-explains.html

"The Huffington Post's Mayhill Fowler reports that, at that same San Francisco fundraiser where Obama revealed his previously unknown college sojourn to Pakistan, the junior senator from Illinois seemed to try to get inside the mind of small towners in Pennsylvania, with a dose of sociology and a dollop of dime-store psychology.

"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," Obama said. "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."

It seems to me that this comment could be interpreted fairly easily as dismissing people who hold views on guns, or religion, or immigration, or trade because they believe in those views -- and not because they're "bitter" or lashing back at a system that has discarded them."

[jackson_dem]

1. What a bigot. More proof his unity theme is just words...

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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

[Bonobo]

5. Well, we don't want a candidate that lies and gives smarmy platitudes.

Fake laugh, fake everything.

[MercutioATC]

11. I have to laugh at your posts...

...some "supporters" here are so focused on smearing the opposition that they deny the truth when it smacks them in the face.

I have no problem with what Obama said. I believe it's true.

Not particularly politically smooth, perhaps, but true nonetheless.

[jackson_dem]

14. Oh. So all rural folks are bigots?

:eyes:

[MercutioATC]

17. No, and Obama never said they were. In fact, he didn't say ANYBODY was a bigot.

He said that when people fall upon hard times beyond their control, they often place blame...occasionally where it does not belong.

What baffles me is how anybody with half a brain could object to his statement.

[anonymous171]

12. What, he said the truth. Everyone promises rural voters jobs but no one has ever delivered.

Both Clinton and Bush used to rural vote to get ahead, and both did nothing for rural voters after. Clinton gave them NAFTA and Bush gave them the Iraq War and more outsourcing.

[jackson_dem]

15. Clinton gave them 22 million jobs

Will Obama?

Besides, even if we accept that it is true it is still bigoted. Something can be true but also bigoted.

[anonymous171]

16. Bill Clinton, yes. But he gave them NAFTA too. Hillary Rodham is a different entity, however.

[Neshanic]

28. This a part of a disturbing pattern that is becoming very apparent.

He just is really a fucking snob. He is and his wife is too.

He will glad hand you for your vote, but he does not necessarily like you, not unless you are part of his "core" belief group of massive white liberal guilt, and cafeteria situational Democrats that will defend every misstep and blatant lie he spews.

What he said about in code about Pennsylvanians would be beamed non-stop if Hillary or anyone else said it.

He gets the pass.

[LisaM]

3. And notice he blamed the Clinton administration

which is beyond disingenuous.

[Cant trust em]

8. I dig the sigline. NT

[LisaM]

25. Thanks!

I got it from a bookstore in Vancouver, BC, called "Women in Print". Great store, probably mostly funded by sales of Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables books!

[zulchzulu]

29. Who was president when NAFTA was signed? Could you tell me?

Also, what First Lady has now been exposed for having been very involved in trying to make NAFTA happen?

:popcorn:

[mantis]

4. If Hillary said this

If Hillary said this it would be BREAKING NEWS all over the networks. I'm guessing we will not hear much about this from our "fair" newscasts.

[Faygo Kid]

30. If Hillary had said it, she would have been right.

Instead, she is taking a page from the Rove playbook and misconstruing Barack's words and intent.

Again.

[IDemo]

6. Stay tuned for 47 'Bitter-Gate' threads

yawn......

[MethuenProgressive]

7. "Words matter," - Deval Patrick

Obama should've plagiarized the meaning of Deval's message, not just the words.

[ruggerson]

9. The interesting thing is that Drudge has this highlighted on top of the page

It's one of the very first times he's done this with an Obama gaffe story.

He usually buries them or doesn't link to them at all.

Has he decided that Obama is going to be the nominee and it's time to start taking him down?

Time will tell.

[Cant trust em]

10. "guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them"

AKA wedge issues.

[noel711]

13. And the problem with this statement is....???

For the past 13 years I've lived in a rural area in PA...
and Yes, there are many folks who have that attitude.
I don't see Obama's words as being judgmental.
It's the truth..

[2rth2pwr]

18. These people cling to religion because they're bitter?

They support the Bill of Rights including the second amendment

because they were lied to by the President?

The truth?

[anonymous171]

22. No. They cling to certainties b/c everytime they are promised something new they are fucked over.

[2rth2pwr]

23. They go to church and celebrate the life of Jesus because they

didn't get a government check or program?

This will have lasting impact, my guess is it will become part of videos like this-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI77cU3jsFs&eurl

[anonymous171]

24. That's from his book, dumbass.

First you post a video uploaded by a racist youtuber, now your pushing this shit? WTF is wrong with you?

[2rth2pwr]

31. Why are you calling his book shit? The video is Obama's own words along with Michelles and Wrights.

What's the big deal?

[Skinner]

19. I'm reminded of that quote from Michael Kinsley:

"A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth."

[AllentownJake]

20. Actually

I agree with everything he said. Maybe its actually the truth.

[butterfly77]

21. It seems that anything he says they turn it into...

a little something that it is not.

[Faygo Kid]

26. The point he was making is valid, and the strategy has worked for Rove.

Divide us, put issues like banning gay marriage on the ballot, shift blame elsewhere, pit us against one another.

His comments were thoughtful and accurate.

Hillary's response to his comments shows she has learned well from Karl Rove.

[zulchzulu]

27. Anyone who has been in Walmarted towns knows EXACTLY what Obama is talking about

This is actually a PERFECT CHANCE for Obama to talk about trade, NAFTA and how the Clintons are in many ways directly responsible for many of the jobs that have left Pennsylvania and elsewhere.