Obama Screwed Up.

[David Zephyr]

I'm as big of a Barack Obama fan as anyone else, but his statement about "clinging" to guns and religion was about as big of a political mistake as I've ever seen. It may prove to be suicidal. I sure hope not, but there it is, his own words to be played over and over this fall.

I don't think that Obama would have made the same comments about poor, urban Americans, but for some reason it's easy for liberals to disparage poor rural folks. I don't like that.

The eternal butt of the joke, the proverbial "toothless hillbilly woman" probably doesn't choose to be toothless because she wishes to make a fashion statement, but rather because she is too poor to afford to dental care or because she can't travel to a dentist. And yet, hillbillies are always cannon fodder for the easy joke.

I really admire Senator Obama whose great intellect motivates him to declare (and sensibly so) that he will speak to America's worst enemies to help create a bridge between our cultures, to enhance better understanding about our differences with the goal of bringing us together. And yet, he can't refer to those within his own country whose culture is different than that of many of us (affluent liberals) without demeaning them. Why is that?

Making matters worse, is that Obama's comments were right here on the West Coast -- in San Francisco, of all places! -- where many of us are uneasy with fundamentalist Christianity and do look down on hunting. If he'd been talking about rural Pennsylvanians to rural Pennsylvanians, well, it would never have come out as it did. But, speaking to rich and tony San Franciscans about rural Pennsylvanians with the words that he chose was simply ugly. I am still cringing.

Barack screwed up. This will hurt him.

I hope he can find a way to make the best out of the mess that he has created.

And Obama's supporters are foolish to believe that John McCain and Hillary Clinton are not going to take full advantage of his mistake. They will.

Here's hoping that he can pull himself out of this one.

I'd suggest that Barack Obama get on the first jet he can find and face the music in rural Pennsylvania. That's the only way he is going to get out of this self-created mess.

[Nitrogenica]

1. I thought he's been addressing this head on all weekend, and

there's a pretty big list of rural pennsylvania newspapers that have endorsed him just this weekend.

[B Calm]

58. People hear what they want to hear! The media will twist his words

and the people swallow it!

[leftofcool]

2. You may be right

about him going straight to rural PA. Maybe that is the best way. Confront the people directly. I must say I was really proud of him last night as well as Hillary. They answered questions in a forum that should never really take place in this country and did a hell of a job.

[Lucinda]

3. I agree. But you'd better buckle up...

:popcorn:

[AtomicKitten]

4. And Clinton will suffer a backlash for twisting his words in a sustained assault on him.

If his performance in this campaign to date is any indication, he will turn this into an opportunity to soar.

[tblue]

12. Precisely. If anyone can make lemonade out of lemons, it's Barack.

He can unite us once again.

[leftynyc]

20. Sigh - let me know when he manages

to unite this party - let alone the country.

[SammyWinstonJack]

76. No kidding!

[haymakeragain]

97. As soon as Hillary puts country and party above self.

And the Hillararians can give the kitchen sink a rest.

[uponit7771]

14. People are smarter than the image she's trying to portray, her NAFTA support isn't going to be a....

...positive

[Mezzo]

73. No she won't This is politics, not tiddlywinks. nt

[uponit7771]

5. I'm black and live in rich urban and I'm bitter too. The reason why his AWEFUL choice of words will

...still resonate and has (look at the backfiring PA FAUX on the street interviews for a belly busting laugh) is because people can look past the thought less choice of wording to agree to SOME degree with the exactness of the statement.

"cling to..." and "bitter..." may not have been the right choice of words but people knew the meaning and can give him the benefit of the doubt.

Also, I pray McSame and Hillary CONTINUE to use this because Mr and Mrs 100 million dollars and NAFTA supporters have little room to talk and Obama is calling them out on it.

Another net positive IMHO but maybe because this urban rich dweller can relate to the rural working folk on being bitter.

Thx

[babylonsister]

6. You've been listening to too much cable.

;) What 'wedge' issues have been used for so many years? Guns, abortions, religion, gays, for a few examples. He was just making the distinction that people choose to embrace whatever issue, like pro-gun, for instance, because they know no politician will ever listen to them about economic issues if the past is preview. Obama was merely trying to distinguish why people used the wedge issues, and to let them know he's aware of economic problems and will do something about them. That's why he also claimed people are so bitter. He's right, you know...

People never vote for their economic interests because no one has honestly ever addressed them before to such an extent. If this is what it takes for this conversation to go forward, so be it.

[Cha]

77. Exactly..you only have to

check out his video from yesterday called the "counterpunch" and have faith in the guy..Jeeze. All he's done for us and, yeah, I have his back.

[donheld]

7. David, you clearly haven't been paying attention

Barack has indeed "Faced the music" on this matter. He's addressed this very well to most everyone's satisfaction. Only the Hillary whiners are still going on about it.

[azmouse]

8. It's Hillary that is under fire for her response to this non-issue.

Didn't you hear how she was booed?

Did you listen to any of Barack's responses to this?

He's just fine. People in small towns understood what he said.
It's just desperate RW Hillary supporters that are trying to make hay for their girl.

[cali]

9. I think you're overstating this-- massively

And really, this can't possibly be the biggest political mistake you've ever seen. v

[Shakespeare]

21. I agree completely.

I missed the firestorm on DU (was out of town all weekend), but when I saw it on the news Saturday it struck me at the time as no big deal, and potentially a mistake for Hillary to fixate on it. That take was reinfroced when I saw the clip last night of Obama responding forcefully (in Altoona, I think).

In fact, not only do I think this was NOT a huge misstep, I think he can turn it into an advantage by using the opportunity to keep talking about the issue in terms of the need for economic justice. I'm impressed that he's not shying away from it.

[tblue]

10. Yes. It's just unwise to generalize about any group of people. However,

I believe he will work his way thru this because he's got generally sound judgment and a top-notch campaign team. He needs to make an equivalent of Bill Clinton's 'we don't have a person to waste' kinda statement. The people suffering in small towns have problems so much bigger than any one comment. Just watch. McCain's demons will rear their ugly heads and before long it will be a wash.

[uponit7771]

18. The negatives of his statements are outweighed by the connection to truth he makes to mid America

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I disagree.

This type of response is accepting the distortions that have plagued this campaign since before Super Tuesday.

Enough with the microscopic twisting around of the meaning of "words" and putting that ahead of the meaning behind them. It's juvenile to play into the faux outrage over this type of nonsense when soldiers continue to be killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, banks around the world are failing, oil is sitting at $110/barrel, and food prices are sky high.

Democrats need to reset their priorities and stop jerking around to look at the shiny object.

[book_worm]

13. fine, he put something the wrong way but fundamentally what he was trying to say is correct

I think the American people are basically fair and will understand what he tried to say and will respect him more than somebody who lies not once but several times to bolster her credentials as a "commander-in-chief."

[uponit7771]

15. BINGO! Great minds think alike :-)

[tblue]

29. It's Hillary and McBush who are stoking the flames and telling people to be outraged.

I am so done with Hillary. Mme Sniper Fire has no room to criticize anyone for a misstatement. Neither does McBush.

[AZBlue]

16. Except that people are agreeing with him.

[LisaM]

17. I just think he has not been exposed to small town America

I think it is way more complex than he thinks it is. Although I live in a city now, I am from a small town. My father was the football coach there. Our family had politics that were known to be more liberal than a lot of the other people in town, but it was live and let live as far as that goes.

It was the kind of town where, when our team went undefeated one year, people who are diametrically opposite of us in outlook called our house to say my dad was "the best thing that ever happened to this town!" It was the kind of town where my mother, liberal as they come, ran the Fourth of July fireworks show for years, and our conservative neighbors sat at a big table and bought buckets of beer for all and sundry.

It's also the kind of town that was proud of its Quiz Bowl team and put up a sign honoring them one year.

I honestly believe that Obama doesn't really know small town America. Oh, there are small minded people in small towns. But they exist in the city too - like the rest of us, they just blend in more. But for those of from small towns, there will always be the tug-at-your-heartstrings community pride, the shared glory of a basketball team that made it to regional finals after one win all season, the buses of fans being delivered to out-of-town football games, the fundraisers whenever someone is in trouble, the roads that have the same name as the citizens, the community cookbooks, the shared grief when a kid dies young in a traffic accident.

People who are displaced economically are bitter - ABOUT THAT. But they also manage to sustain community pride in the face of pretty big odds.

[uponit7771]

24. Looking at the CONTEXT of the statement I think he nails it. Uses aweful choice of words but peggs..

...it dead on.

I don't like in a small town either but know people who do who agree with him totally

[azmouse]

41. I was raised in about as small a town as one could imagine.

The town was 5 miles away and barely 5000 people. I lived surrounded by cows and corn fields in rural PA.
I now live in AZ in city of 250,000 people. I don't detect any difference between the people I left behind and the people I now live among.

We all want the same things... jobs, respect, love, pride in our community, safety. You get the idea.
I don't buy into the idea that people are different because of the size of the town they live in.

Obama's word resonated with people all over because we're all facing the same challenges.

[riskpeace]

47. Your post points out that people are persuaded

by their emotions rather than their intellect. All the talk about folks "voting against their economic interest" avoids this fact.

Senator Obama's comments, whether through a peripheral route, will trigger these shared emotions which are very strong motivators as you eloquently show.

[LisaM]

48. I don't know. I think he would seem very out of place in a small town.

Has he ever really known Main Street? I'm not saying Main Street is all good; I know that that small towns have issues. But he seems like such a city guy to me. For example, very few people in small town go to private school. He has never attended a public school at all. I'm not sure he understands the ties people have and the pride in their resiliency to survive.

[amandabeech]

89. Another small-towner here.

I live in the city, because there are few enticing jobs for me, but there's a lot of small town in me yet.

Your posts have been spot on.

For all the positive things that Obama brings to this campaign, understanding rural and small town America is not one of them.

[haymakeragain]

99. geez,

what a bunch of baloney. Sounds like it came right out of a blastfax or spam from the Hillarian campaign. Very transparent.

[haymakeragain]

98. that post reads like a form letter.

But I'm certain it is real. ;-)

[redqueen]

19. He said he chose his words poorly.

So... yeah... he gets it.

As for whether it hurts him or not, that remains to be seen. Many voters are fed up with this kind of non-issue BS... I think most are, actually.

[tishaLA]

22. He has said it is true of poor urban folks

But I understand your point. To me, the issue has to be this: are people really willing to look for the latest "gaffe" or are they looking for solutions? And if they are looking for solutions, are they going to shun those who make gaffes? Because that's what got them in this mess--looking for the safest option.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

23. Bitter urbanites

like myself are just happy that somebody has the stones to say it.

At this point I believe that Obama's moving-right-along style will pull him through this, and ultimately the negativity that Hillary and McCain keep spouting off about is only going to affect their campaigns.

[MannyGoldstein]

25. Polls Say... Nah

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm

I think this will help Obama. He spoke the truth, in a very thoughtful way. Middle America seems to be connecting with his message.

[wurzel]

26. Get a life!

He was speaking in casual conversation. This was not a speech where words are carefully chosen. Everyone complains that politicians don't address issues or they speak like robots. When one actually articulates a thought he is immediately slammed. What Obama said is manifestly true. If you admire his intellect so much how come you are so upset when he uses it?.

[RememberWellstone]

71. Obamanites attacking each other

Something we Hillary supporters do not do, we respect each other's views even when they jump ship, we support their views. Obamanites will have no mutinous thoughts or theories being put forth.

This even makes it more dangerous to think this guy might be President with the mindset of his jackboots.

[Median Democrat]

27. The Fact That We As Americans Will Make A Decision

Based on an out of context is sad. You are right, however,

This comment will cost him the election, and possibly the nomination. Americans will look past Bush's record, the Iraq war, the mis-management of the economy, and McCain steady support of these policies. Yet, they will vote against Hillary for her sniper comments and Obama because of his bitter comments.

Journalism is dead, and has been replaced with punditry with consultants and commentators telling us how to think and feel. However, since the consultants and commentators are paid by big business, I don't see any change real soon. Even the internet and forums like this have been hijacked by folks who spam attacks at each candidate, rather than dealing with real issues.

Hillary and McCain are tag team and blow Obama out of the water as a viable candidate. McCain will in 2008, which should set the stage for Hillary in 2012.

[MethuenProgressive]

28. Lord Obama said the peasants cling to their anti-immigrant sentiments out of bitterness.

And his DU serfs cheered!

[donheld]

34. He's right on that point

I've seen it over and over again.

[amandabeech]

90. I think that plenty of peasants understand exactly what he said,

and all this spinning about what he meant is just adding insult to injury.

On edit: thanks for focusing on the word "cling" instead of the word "bitter." "Cling" is the operative word here.

[Bullet1987]

30. Prove to be fatal? I think you're vastly overreacting David

[Avalux]

31. I don't think I can agree with you on this one....

being from rural PA and having a lot of family members there, they are agreeing with Obama. He made a statement about them because that's whos voting in 8 days.

He was stating an observation and he hit the nail on the head. A lot of people don't like what he said and say they are offended, but for once, at least these 'forgotten' people and their plight are at the center of attention.

[bowens43]

32. Nonsense.

Most Americans , including rural Pennsylvanians, agree that Obama's words were right on the mark. Stop listening to hillary and her supports in the MSM.

[CC]

33. You are right, he screwed up and he made

my job of convincing the local rural wavering repukes harder.

The words bitter, gun clinging or religious clinging part wasn't what upset them. One old guy put his opinion of it this way...replace the words "small town folks" with the word "redneck" and we just got slammed again for being poor backwoods racist.

It doesn't matter what Obama meant by it that is how a lot of them are taking it around Oxford, New Garden, Nottingham, West Grove, Kennett Square, Quarryville and outskirts of Lancaster and that area. I don't know how western PA rural people are taking it but it would not surprise me if they aren't feeling pretty much the same.


BTW- I have already voted in my primary and have been spending my time across the state line trying to convince people to vote for the Democratic candidate (who ever it is) and not McCain so I have to find something good to say about either one and try to do damage control on either one. I usually stay out of GD/P so I can stay on task on getting a Dem elected. Most I am trying to convince are registered repukes so are not going to be voting in the PA Dem primary.

[Bensthename]

35. Nah, he came out of the Wright issue just fine and it was 100 x's worse. Dont worry

[GoldieAZ49]

54. These are his own words

Wright was his pastor/mentor and while it did not set well at all some might overlook it because they were Wrights words

And David is correct, talking down about rural America to the San Francisco crowd adds more insult

[harun]

36. The MSM wants to tank his campaign, they aren't voting April 22nd, we

are and he will win PA, wait and see.

[Stephanie]

37. YOU'RE taking the bait, David? Seriously?

OBAMA: So, it depends on where you are, but I think it's fair to say that the places where we are going to have to do the most work are the places where people are most cynical about government. The people are mis-appre...they're misunderstanding why the demographics in our, in this contest have broken out as they are. Because everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class don't wanna work -- don't wanna vote for the black guy.' That's...there were intimations of that in an article in the Sunday New York Times today - kind of implies that it's sort of a race thing.

Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long. They feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama, then that adds another layer of skepticism.

But -- so the questions you're most likely to get about me, 'Well, what is this guy going to do for me? What is the concrete thing?' What they wanna hear is -- so, we'll give you talking points about what we're proposing -- to close tax loopholes, you know, roll back the tax cuts for the top 1 percent. Obama's gonna give tax breaks to middle-class folks and we're gonna provide health care for every American.

But the truth is, is that, our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of 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.

Um, now these are in some communities, you know. I think what you'll find is, is that people of every background -- there are gonna be a mix of people, you can go in the toughest neighborhoods, you know working-class lunch-pail folks, you'll find Obama enthusiasts. And you can go into places where you think I'd be very strong and people will just be skeptical. The important thing is that you show up and you're doing what you're doing.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayhill-fowler/obama-no-surprise-that-ha_b_96188.html







TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA – At a town hall meeting in Indiana, U.S. Senator Barack Obama made the following comments in response to the Clinton and McCain campaign’s attacks:

“When I go around and I talk to people there is frustration and there is anger and there is bitterness. And what’s worse is when people are expressing their anger then politicians try to say what are you angry about? This just happened – I want to make a point here today.

“I was in San Francisco talking to a group at a fundraiser and somebody asked how’re you going to get votes in Pennsylvania? What’s going on there? We hear that’s its hard for some working class people to get behind you’re campaign. I said, “Well look, they’re frustrated and for good reason. Because for the last 25 years they’ve seen jobs shipped overseas. They’ve seen their economies collapse. They have lost their jobs. They have lost their pensions. They have lost their healthcare.

“And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said we’re going to make your community better. We’re going to make it right and nothing ever happens. And of course they’re bitter. Of course they’re frustrated. You would be too. In fact many of you are. Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur. The same thing has happened all across the country. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody is thinking about you. And so people end up- they don’t vote on economic issues because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don’t believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here’s what rich. Senator Clinton says ‘No, I don’t think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania. You know, I think Barack’s being condescending.’ John McCain says, ‘Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? You know, he’s obviously out of touch with people.’

“Out of touch? Out of touch? I mean, John McCain—it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he’s saying I’m out of touch? Senator Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I’m out of touch? No, I’m in touch. I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania. I know what’s going on in Indiana. I know what’s going on in Illinois. People are fed-up. They’re angry and they’re frustrated and they’re bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington and that’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America.”

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGBWx9

[GoldieAZ49]

61. Try looking at it differently:

OBAMA: So, it depends on where you are, but I think it's fair to say that the places where we are going to have to do the most work are the places where people are most cynical about government. The people are mis-appre...they're misunderstanding why the demographics in our, in this contest have broken out as they are. Because everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class don't wanna work -- don't wanna vote for the black guy.' That's...there were intimations of that in an article in the Sunday New York Times today - kind of implies that it's sort of a race thing.

Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long. They feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama, then that adds another layer of skepticism.

But -- so the questions you're most likely to get about me, 'Well, what is this guy going to do for me? What is the concrete thing?' What they wanna hear is -- so, we'll give you talking points about what we're proposing -- to close tax loopholes, you know, roll back the tax cuts for the top 1 percent. Obama's gonna give tax breaks to middle-class folks and we're gonna provide health care for every American.

But the truth is, is that, our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of 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.


The white working class doesn't want to work? They don't want to vote for the black guy cuz he is different? There religion and their gun ownership that they value and vote over because they value them so much is out of frustration? This is how he is describing rural Americans to the snobs in San Francisco and you don't think it bothers them?

No wonder we lose presidential elections.

[Lerkfish]

38. thanks for your concern, Obama "fan".

hey, I'm a big hillary fan, but I think she should stop lying evertime she speaks and stop going negative, cause like, I'm really concerned for her lying butt and I really hate for her to screw up this bad, after all.

:sarcasm:

[cali]

42. oh for pity's sake. David is a big Obama supporter

you're doing it again. You are so rigid and doctrinaire.

[Lerkfish]

49. my apologies, then.

.........

[cali]

51. no problem, lerkfish.

david's just overreacting. and I can understand that. it's upsetting to see the MSM and hilly pushing this.

[David Zephyr]

80. It's cool.

No problem. I may be, as cali said, over-reacting. I had not internet accesss this entire weekend and relied on the newspapers and cable television for my "information" as I was in Palm Springs (tough assignment!).

Still, it's what he said and where he said it (S.F.) that really hurts.

Obama is making a lot of work toward this already, but it should have never happened.

Now we will wait out the primary in Pennsylvania because I am distrustful of polls and the honesty of the public on matters like this.

I don't think rural voters are angry at Obama, but I know that they are hurt.

Since our party's weakest link in the chain is with rural voters, we need to do everything we can to win them and to avoid every hurting them.

DZ

[Tatiana]

39. Most Americans don't expect perfection from our elected leaders. They just want someone who is REAL.

Someone who is honest, who doesn't lie to them, who speaks to them as adults. Obama fits the bill, more than any of the other candidates.

This is already backfiring with the so-called "lunch bucket" "blue collar" union crowd.

People knew what he meant. And I think people are offended that the deliberate distortions of his admittedly poorly worded comments.

He'll weather this storm and come out stronger. I don't think I've ever seen this much fire and passion from him during this race as I have seen in the past couple of days. I like what I am seeing, the fight, and the desire to stand up and advocate for those that government has left behind.

Let's see what other Pennsylvanians have to say.

[YOY]

40. Sorry.

[tokenlib]

43. It wouldn't hurt to get on the bus again for a few days.....

...but not knowing what the campaign has set up, maybe they have a plan to reach out to the small towns with more appearances...

I do agree these last few days it would be good to get out in the rural areas again. It wouldn't hurt.

[4themind]

44. Too late now, we find ourselves in the midsts of an experiment.

I'll tell you if obama wins despite the reaction to these comments, it may very well refelect a changing of the framing of issues, that will help progressive democrats and hopefully help those people themselves in the long term, brining both financial security, and social tolerance (to what ever degree it was lacking before). The questions is will it? I don't know, and I've learned to spend little time worrying about the things I cannot control (him taking back that comment). We'll have to watch this experiment unfold now, and I'll save my hand-wringing till the results come in on November 4th. In the mean time, I'll be working damn hard at the bench for my candidate.

[oasis]

45. It didn't help that Obama made the comment while addressing San Francisco elitists.(eom)

[catgirl]

46. I don't see "toothless hillbilly" from his comments at all

Let's not get defeatist and throw him under the bus. He's empathizing with these people,
not ridiculing them, like you're suggesting.

[BeyondGeography]

50. He'll get pounded for a week, then he'll re-group

He needs to take his medicine, stop feeding the story with "what I really meant" quotes and move on with it.

[GoldieAZ49]

52. Fox News: Republicans are going to hammer on this all the way to the election

I don't know if it was just a talking head or someone from McCain's Campaign, but you are right, they are lovin it.

One of them said McCain is using it in a campaign ad...is or going to not sure, am going to check youtube for it.

[hayu_lol]

53. It would have been better for Obama if he had made some of these...

statements at one of his regular speech/fundraising spots.

His mistake(read miscalculation)was in stirring the hornet's nest at that little fundraiser in San Francisco:

http://www.zombietime.com/obama_visits_billionaires_row


Obama has very Sybil-like personalities. Would the 'real' Obama stand up?

[GoldieAZ49]

56. private conversation with financial backers reveal more of who he really is

than his stump speeches

[amandabeech]

92. You betcha. n/t

[uponit7771]

59. That's good, Mr. 9 houses can call Obama "out of touch" all he wants to. Please, tell him to do such

[quiet.american]

55. Hillary knows Obama was referring to wedge issues, and so does everyone else.

This whole manufactured controversy is complete nonsense.

We are all familiar with the wedge issues of gay marriage, guns for all, so-called illegal immigration and the GOP's utter reliance on the evangelical vote.

Clinton knows this is what Obama was referring to, yet she still disingenously pretends she's too dumb to understand the meaning of his words in context.

I'm as disgusted by her actions regarding this as I am by that horrid pic of bloody meat being chopped up on DU's ad bar.

Come to think of it, maybe that's an apt metaphor for what Clinton is doing to the Democratic Party with her insistence on prolonging the primary with whatever nonsense she can whip up. Obama's the elitist? She's out of her flipping mind.

[Catherine Vincent]

57. Yes, he screwed up.

Obama supporters please move on. Geeze.

[ProSense]

60. Really?

How will three huge endorsements hurt him?

[butterfly77]

62. I guess Bill Clinton did too...

"The reason (George H. W. Bush's tactic) works so well now is that you have all these economically insecure white people who are scared to death," Clinton was quoted saying by the Los Angeles Times in September 1991.

A couple months later, Joe Klein, writing for the Sunday Times, reported that Clinton made the following remarks:

"You know, he wants to divide us over race. I'm from the South. I understand this. This quota deal they're gonna pull in the next election is the same old scam they've been pulling on us for decade after decade after decade. When their economic policies fail, when the country's coming apart rather than coming together, what do they do? They find the most economically insecure white men and scare the living daylights out of them. They know if they can keep us looking at each other across a racial divide, if I can look at Bobby Rush and think, Bobby wants my job, my promotion, then neither of us can look at George Bush and say, 'What happened to everybody's job? What happened to everybody's income? What ... have ... you ... done ... to ... our ... country?'"

For comparison's sake, here is Obama's statement, reported by Mayhill Fowler for Huffington Post's OffTheBus:

[amandabeech]

91. He didn't use the word "cling" in close proximity to the words "religion" and "guns."

Bill's words were tough, but not condescending.

A part of Bill is still a hick from the sticks, and he knows how to word things. Obama just doesn't speak the lingo like Bill.

Please, I'm not a fan of any of Bill, Hill or Barack, but I'll vote for the dem nominee. McCain would be an absolute disaster.

[JuniperLea]

63. Makes you wonder...

Clearly he is smart enough NOT to make these mistakes... the horrifically sexist Annie Oakley comment... the "clinging" comment... both very condescending. Not like him to do that. I wonder if this is a calculated maneuver... very strange.

[B Calm]

64. What did Barack Obama say that was untrue?

[Lerkfish]

65. nothing

[Bake]

66. Zephyr is the ONE, the ONLY Obama supporter who is being realistic about this.

The rest of you are so busy defending Obama that you're choking on the Kool-Aid. Honestly. Zephyr is about as solid an Obama supporter as exists on DU (or maybe elsewhere, as well), and most of the time you all are praising his thoughtful and insightful posts. Now you're all but calling him a Hillbot ...

You'd all be funny if you weren't so pathetic in your "must defend BHO at all costs ... he cannot make a mistake ... if he did it, it must be right" attitude. You might want to open your eyes and let a little sunlight in.

Bake

[quiet.american]

68. The OP's "toothless hillbilly" bit is utter horse-hockey.

Obama supporter or no Obama supporter, to take this to another level about how Obama is singling out supposed "toothless hillbillies" buys wholeheartedly into the McCain/Clinton spin and kicks it up a notch. Talk about taking up the Kool-Aid. How can Obama's remarks even remotely be considered "elitist" when he is addressing the fact that people feel disenfranchised because of what politicians like DLC champs Evan Bayh and Hillary Clinton have championed lo these many years -- NAFTA, the Iraq invasion (which Evan Bayh called a "noble idea," etc. -- nothing makes me shudder more than the thought of a Clinton/Bayh ticket).

This whole uproar remains utter nonsense. Two privileged, wealthy, multi-millionaire candidates calling Obama "elitist." It reads like something off of Second City. No thinking person should give McCain or Clinton's complete B.S. over this any credibility.

[Bake]

69. See what you want to see.

Obama's not exactly working class either. Two Harvard-educated lawyers, his wife making somewhere near a half-mil a year? You call that working class? I don't.

Bake

[quiet.american]

70. It used to be called "the American Dream" for what it's worth.

In fact, it's the kind of story Republicans love to foist on working-class folk. "Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps," etc., etc. When Alberto Gonzales was the GOP poster boy, his story was "inspiring." Now, Obama is an "elitist" when he's the least wealthiest of the remaining candidates and is still paying off his student loans! When will the Twilight Zone this country is in be over?!

[Bake]

72. Yeah, and I'll be paying on my student loans for another 20 years.

Just don't act like Obama's "one of the regular guys," while HRC is a multimillionaire. She and Bill have done exceptionally well since leaving the White House. Apparently there is a market for speeches by former presidents. Who knew? Bill and Hillary didn't exactly come from money either, so if one is a bootstrap story, both are.

Bake

[quiet.american]

82. You make my point exactly.

If the definition of "elitist" is getting a good education and putting it to good use, then neither Clinton nor McCain has a basis to point to Obama as "elitist" without including themselves as well.

[Bake]

83. No, there's a difference.

Down South, we call it "gettin' above your raisin'." As in, don't ...

The Big Dog was and is the MASTER at talking to people of all levels, on their level, and understanding them and communicating with them. Hillary's not quite as good at it, but she's getting there. Obama's "hope"lessly clueless; he inevitably comes off as condescending and arrogant. In other words, he has gotten "above his raising." And sometimes his real thoughts slip out, like the "bitter" comment and the "typical white person" comment.

Bake

[quiet.american]

84. I seem to recall the "MASTER" making some gaffes of his own lately.

Obama said people are bitter in regard to being ignored by politicians in Washington. What is so "above his raisin'" about that?

[beachmom]

81. Too bad that there aren't any Hillary supporters out there who will speak their mind.

All we get are hack posts from the Hillary supporters on this board.

David has written an interesting post that deserves some discussion. My take is that the jury is still out on this one.

[Bake]

101. I'm a Hillary supporter and I've criticized her several times.

When she's screwed up, I admit it. A lot of Obamans can't do that with their man, and will tolerate NO criticism whatsoever. Surely you've seen that in this forum.

Bake

[quiet.american]

67. Dupe.

[TheDonkey]

74. If this is the "biggest" political mistake you have ever seen then you must not have been following

politics much. We just had a candidate say that the economic crisis in America was only psychological and another claim she was under sniperfire multiple times when the actual story was nothing like that.

[H2O Man]

75. I respectfully disagree.

The road to the high ground of recapturing our constitutional democracy will -- and indeed must -- pass through valleys of doubt. More, good and decent people will wonder if we are on the correct trail, or if we should have made a different turn at one point or another. But we are on our way, and we are on the correct path. Everything is okay ....




.... in fact, things are good.

[KoKo]

87. We always have to hope the "Good Hearts of the People" will win out...

but...some of us have trusted that for longer than we can bear. We can't buy or trust that to hold...in these dire times.

I hope you are correct...(you know I do) but History seems to say...we fall into the same pit over and over and even honest people...don't get what they are up against...because they get "out of touch" at a certain level and the "whispers of the Sirens of Power" go into their brains like a wonderful song that sits there and sings and sings...and one becomes a victim of their own "good ambitions."

That's what I think...so I express it...even if it's not popular...because I feel I have to...for whatever reason from within myself...and observations...and experience. It's what it is...not all of us who resoect each other's opinions can agree about everything..totally and not feel dire times call for speaking one's heart...whether popular or not.

Peace!

[sniffa]

78. I doubt any of us are saying they won't use it (um, they already are)

For me at least, I'm saying he will handle it, and make it boomerang.

I've watched him part these waters too many times now, to think he'll all of a sudden cave.

[beachmom]

79. David, do you live in San Francisco? Because I think it best to hear from voters

in those rural areas, before we go in full panic mode. It was an inartful way to say it, but he was saying they cling to the ISSUES of guns and religion in HOW THEY VOTE. And that is the fault of politicians who never keep their promises.

[GoldieAZ49]

86. "They" vote to protect their religion and their guns because they value them

regardless of the economic situation. They did when the economy was strong and when it wasn't.

"They" are not afraid of people that are 'different' nor are they anti-trade.

BTW referring to middle America as "they" is another way of talking down to middle America, so is using the term 'cling'.


It implies that if America would just vote for Obama they would not need to cling to religion and guns because they would not be bitter and frustrated, they would not have to fear people that are different or immigrants.

We could just have a great big kumbya moment. Insulting and elitist is an understatement.

[BeyondGeography]

85. self-delete

[Condem]

88. Zephyr is one of those guys

That if Obama loses, he'll say I told you so. If he wins, he'll say I warned him.

[Hippo_Tron]

93. Zephyr, the saving grace is that there is no video footage (yet anyway)

[bigbrother05]

94. Watch this video, he was talking about this as early as 2004

This is from a 2004 interview with Charlie Rose. Obama has been talking about this for nearly four years. Maybe he thought that anyone who he spoke with had actually experienced what has been happening in our country. Guess he forgot that in the world of gotcha media and politics you have to explain yourself like you're teaching a 3rd grade Sunday School class.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/188674.php

[Jonathan2000]

95. Obama has started to bring up the Charlie Rose interview

About time.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/Exclusive_Obama_says_he_misspoke_but_didnt_lie_about_smalltown_Pa.html

[Hoof Hearted]

96. Thanks for your thoughtful post. For what it's worth, IF he's the nominee

I hope to hell he can pull himself out of it too. I'd never be so happy to be wrong, but I don't think I am. The trouble is this is just one more stone in his rowboat and they're really starting to add up. It doesn't help much when he tries to blame other people for these kinds of things either. I haven't read the responses yet, but I hope you were treated with respect. Your post is thoughtful and brave.

[info being]

100. I don't think he lost any votes that were his to lose

Anybody offended by this was never going to be an Obama supporter. The problem is not Obama.