Obama's comments about small town Pennsylvanians explain 2 things.

[BzaDem]

1. Why the netroots love him so much.
2. Why he will never win the general election.

I'm sure 95% of you will reply insulting me or saying "he was right, good for him, you can't understand post-high-school analysis." But you are the same people who say that Obama can't possibly lose against McCain, because McCain is just so bad. And the same people who said Kerry couldn't possibly lose against Bush, because Bush was just so bad. And that, "I'm not offended by his comments, therefore, other people aren't offended by his comments."

I don't care what you think about his statement. That is simply not something you say as a political candidate running for political office if you actually intend to win. Period.

[Tropics_Dude83]

1. Exactly n/t

[Yael]

9. Can you please decide who you are supporting here?

You have been on a clueless rant from your initial post (anti-Edwards) and every other post is either anti-Obama or anti-Clinton.

All over the map to the point my head is spinning.

[boston bean]

17. so, take some aspirin for your whiplash. the poster isn't breaking any rules. nt

[Yael]

21. Nah -- no need for aspirin.

Just restating the obvious.

[uponit7771]

2. The MsM would do take his statements out of context no matter what he said then.

[BzaDem]

6. No way. You can dump out a truckload of context. That doesn't make what he said any less damaging.

Guns, religion, etc are just things that people cling to because they are bitter? That's his implication. He can try to justify it from now to November and it won't change anything.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

3. It may have been a mistake, but then it may actually resonate with people

Particularly those who are in those towns he was talking about. The danger in speaking the truth in politics today, is how your opponent will use your own words against you.

It's going to tell us an awful lot when April 22nd rolls around.

[PurityOfEssence]

50. No, period, and this is something Obama supporters need to get: disasters aren't really beneficial

The Wright disaster was a body-blow, and no matter how many people here chorus that it's a blessing in disguise (which it isn't) and how many swoon that his handling of the situation was masterful (it wasn't) the rest of the world sees things like this for what they are: extreme impediments.

It's just another ludicrous slap in the face for the rational and objective as the blinkered acolytes traipse merrily along JUST SURE that everyone else will "see the light" eventually. It's literally like talking to a proselyte: they will say over and over again that you just don't get it, seemingly unable to comprehend that it's possible to come to another conclusion. I don't get it. Many, many others don't get it. Not getting it is more widespread than getting it. It can get even worse.

His words were stupid. His hero Reagan would laugh at the extreme stupidity of the comments because they trample on the two truly sacred necessities of American Politics: Anti-elitism and the depiction of the electorate as upbeat. Even when Reagan appealed to the concept of whether one was better off now than four years ago, it wasn't larded in the agony of how one felt now, but in the comparison and nostalgia.

This was an idiotic comment, and it was, once again, evidence of this guy's standard operating procedure: telling the audience at hand what it wants to hear. He's pro-gun around pro-gun people and anti-gun in Marin County. He makes a sneering reference to religion as some kind of a crutch to which people cling when in the Bay Area, but he's Jesus' best friend in South Carolina. He's sinking himself and it's not the fault of big meanie Clinton supporters or the unaligned disillusioned like me, it's his own greasy, mealy-mouthed, appeasing silliness.

These are disasters and will be used vigorously by the reactionaries if nominated. He'll be derided as anti-American, intellectually snobbish, out of touch and inconsistent.

Sadly, I don't see how she'd fare much better, although there's NO abundent ammunition to decry her patriotism.

Scorning reality is fun for the faithful, but it's a disaster when trying to win an election.

[rwheeler31]

4. What he said is that some of these people vote against their

economic interest,or don't vote at all.

[movonne]

5. Hillary won't get it either....so I guess It will be President mc cain.....

[blogslut]

7. Why bother?

You don't care what I say and your mind is made up.

[BzaDem]

10. Ya know, I realize that Obama is more likely than not to be the nominee

and I keep trying to convince myself that he can somehow still win by bring in new people/etc. That this election might actually be about ideas, on which he would school McCain. But then he says something like this. Seriously. The reason he's in full damage control mode now is that he knows how much damage this could potentially do. PA is the one state that even most Obama supporters admit he absolutely needs to win in the GE. Now all McCain has to does is loop these comments on TV ads a week before the election. This is why presidential candidates need experience -- so they know not to say stupid things like this.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

26. I can't imagine McCain saying anything to win the voters in PA

At least if all those elected Dems endorsing Hillary there stand by the nominee.

That will be the real test. Will Rendell come out as strongly for Obama as he has for Hillary.

[blogslut]

28. Experience at what?

At learning to say exactly what people want to hear in order to get elected? Aren't you tired of that?

[BzaDem]

31. You would rather have McCain wins while Obama is speaking his mind?

It's not a question of what you or I are tired of. We actually need to win this election. If Obama's only solution to the problem of "saying anything to get elected" is offending a huge portion of his constituency, then Obama will lose and shouldn't even bother running. There is a balance between "saying anything to get elected" and offending a huge portion of his constituency.

[blogslut]

33. He didn't insult anyone

And he is going to mop the floor with John McCain.

Did you see this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc9PepjyDow

[BzaDem]

35. Yes, I did, and I like it. But that doesn't change the fact that what he said offended

a huge portion of his constituency. I didn't say "insult," I said offended. And offended he did. I'm glad he's addressing the issue head on, but Republicans are going to loop that quote over and over again in the fall. He could have avoided it by not saying it.

[blogslut]

38. Let the pubs do whatever they want

It won't work. Not this time. The voters know the game now. They know they're being played. We've had 8 years of their lies. The wolves aren't coming but the foxes are absolutely guarding the henhouse. It's over for the GOP. They'll be lucky to have a political party after November.

[chill factor]

40. then watch Senator Obama's comeback - AWESOME!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgraham...

[gcomeau]

8. Someone hasn't seen his response to this yet.

He just turned this into a new section of his stump speech... it just got a standing ovation in Indiana. He nailed it, in terms anyone can understand.

[BzaDem]

12. Nice. Considering how his audience at his speech is representative of the votes he needs to win

he clearly ended this. There's no way now that McCain can't just loop ads in rural PA and OH with his quote.

[OzarkDem]

22. a hand picked audience of supporters

is a lot different than average voters, particularly those who are undecided or leaning towards Clinton.

[Moderate-Democrate]

11. I agree with you

[lander]

13. Interesting.

"I'm sure 95% of you will reply insulting me or saying "he was right, good for him, you can't understand post-high-school analysis.""

And you're still here because...

[BzaDem]

16. Because when the media projects PA at 7 pm on Nov 4 for McCain, and Obama conceeds later that night,

I don't want to be for not trying.

[lander]

19. You mean right after HRC finds the WMD in Baghdad? n/t

[knixphan]

14. And we will continue to donate

And the MsM will covet Obama's campaign piggybank more than anyone's.

GOBAMA. See you in January.

[cali]

15. nope. I'd never say that Obama can't lose to McCain

I'll only say that only idiots would predict he can't lose or he can't
win. And I'll remind you that hillbots and others forecast his demise over Wright. YOU are not some oracle, or even terribly bright. Making absolutist predictions in a volatile election year is just plain stupid.

[davidpdx]

18. I actually did grow up in a fairly small town

of 18,000 in Southern Oregon. The timber industry in the 1980's and 90's began to dry up and jobs were scarce. Many of the jobs were moving to the service sector, which is low pay, low benefits. It is no wonder those who had little education and no job security were upset at the government.

I never said that I thought Kerry would win against Bush, in fact I was very nervous about the election in 2004. Kerry was clearly not a good candidate. I supported him wholeheartedly as the nominee though. Would someone else have done better? We'll never know for sure.

Obama is very much willing to take on issues head on and defend himself against swift boating (which Kerry wasn't willing to do).

Yes, I have an above average education. No, I am not a latte sipping liberal (I prefer Coke).

Maybe we can stop with the insults for a few minutes and try to see it from someone else's point of view.

[OzarkDem]

20. Its also not the way Democrats talk

it goes against everything our party stands for. Pretending to be right wing Republicans is not what we do.

Obama supporters need to come back in 4 years when they have more experience and try it again.

[undeterred]

23. ...

:rofl:

[AllentownJake]

29. Than

Why is her campaign repeating whatever the RW says about Obama?

Just curious?

[chill factor]

42. no way...

this is Senator Obama's time...and this is our year!

[knixphan]

24. And Obama will win.

[smalll]

25. He's Triumph, the Insult Comic Candidate!

Look, "sweeties" -- you're likeable enough ...

FOR ME TO POOP ON!

[blonndee]

27. Whatever.

All Obama supporters appreciate the concern, I'm sure.

[JoFerret]

30. It was an ncredibly dumb thing to say

A gift to his political opponents.

[ShortnFiery]

32. You and they WISH, but taken in CONTEXT, it makes perfect sense. No more "gotcha" politics

If you wish to be treated like "an adult" instead of an over-emotional "junior high student" one must be able to handle "hard truths" and the FACT that it was in a larger context of a fundraiser highlighting the divisions within OUR Democratic Party.

If you just want to take sound bytes, point fingers and feign outrage, the TRUE Power Politico *elites* will continue to run this country in favor of "more of the same" = making the rich-richer and the poor-poorer.

No thank-you, I'll go with Obama. He trusts us to THOUGHTFULLY consider the hard facts and not just run off like hormonally driven teenagers.

[BzaDem]

34. Fine. You do that while McCain wins.

It's really a fundamental question. Would you rather lose with someone brutally honest or win with someone who knows how not to offend a huge portion of his constituency?

I think bringing our troops home from Iraq and keeping the SCOTUS from going hard-right are much more important than feeling like I'm being treated like "an adult."

[ShortnFiery]

36. We're not wired like the GOP. If we can't pull together for each other instead of love of authority

then WE ARE NOT truly DEMOCRATIC.

If you want to be intimidated by dirty SMEAR Campaigns (like this one of taking words out of context) and believe that HRC can play as dirty as McCain and the M$M, then have at it?

My Point: I'm like increasing numbers of the American People: Tired of the same old "DIVIDE AND CONQUER" tactics that only proves to serve the upper 1% of the American populace. :thumbsdown:

[NanceGreggs]

44. You've got to be kiddin' ...

"... win with someone who knows how not to offend a huge portion of his constituency?"

So far Hill has dissed entire states by declaring they don't count, and lying about sniper-fire didn't exactly endear her to most.

When do you think she (and you) will realize that every time she throws a nail at Obama, he catches in his teeth, spits it out, and slams it into her campaign's coffin?

[BzaDem]

46. Downplaying electoral losses and snipergate are not saying "clinging to guns

and religion." That is just an extremely stupid thing to say, and offends many people.

[NanceGreggs]

48. Don't look now, but ...

... it looks like the only people who are offended are the Hill supporters.

[JoFerret]

49. It was a misstep

...as Obama has now realized.
Keep all your fauxrage for the general election. You will need it - whoever gains the nomination.

[chill factor]

37. then you have not seen Senator Obama's comeback.....

he knocked Hillary and McSame down flat! He turned lemons into lemonadae!!!!!!!!! Senator Obama is the man!!!!!!

here is the link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgraham...
:bounce:

[AtomicKitten]

39. Change is kinda scary, huh? Man/woman up because it's go time.

Yes we can. Seriously, we can ... and will.

[PVnRT]

41. So....do you live in small-town Pennsylvania? Or Midwest?

Or interact much at all with regular people? If you think they're not bitter and cynical, you're the one whose out of touch.

[AX10]

43. Exactly!

1. Why the netroots love him so much. (Because they are the party elites who think they know everything)
2. Why he will never win the general election. (Because he is showing that he is out of touch with the working class.)

[Yes We Did]

45. I'm not going to insult you but I think you're wrong. You sell the...

American people short. Kerry didn't lose the election because many voted for Bush. You are into the perception that Kerry lost. Kerry won but politics is dirty and perceptions give vote rigging ample reasoning. Kerry actually lost because he didn't want the presidencey bad enough.

[BzaDem]

47. I agree with you that Kerry should have contested the result in Ohio.

[Craftsman]

51. Yet another reason not to vote for Obigot

He is an elitest as well.