Obama raises money using his 'bitter' remarks, but leaves out the controversial 'cling to' part

[bigtree]

from the Clinton campaign: http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=7092


Obama Campaign Fundraising Email Mischaracterizes Sen. Obama's Controversial Remarks


The Obama campaign is trying to raise money off Sen. Obama's controversial remarks at a San Francisco fundraiser. From a fundraising email sent by the campaign today:

A few days ago, Barack spoke about the frustrations that working people in this country are feeling and said what we all know is true: that many people are bitter and angry because they believe their government isn't listening to them… our opponents have been spinning the media and peddling fake outrage around the clock.

But the letter sent by the campaign manager David Plouffe omits the portion of his remarks that are causing the most controversy. Specifically, Sen. Obama didn't just say that people in small town America were "bitter." Sen. Obama said that because they were 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."

ABC's Jake Tapper reported yesterday (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-allies-av.html) that "As Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and his allies have locked into damage control mode and attempted to explain his controversial remarks about small-town Pennsylvanians, they've attempted to focus their pushback away from the most controversial part of his remarks to an elite crowd at a San Francisco fundraiser." It's all part of the Obama campaign's frenzied effort to spin his remarks. (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-spin-leve.html)



my own take: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5501815&mesg_id=5501815

[AllentownJake]

1. He could of asked for money in sanskript yesterday

He still would have gotten my $100.

[hogwyld]

35. Just sent him another $50

from out here in the wilds of Oregon

[Armstead]

2. Oh, I dunno....I think Hillary wins in the misintreperting department

[Maribelle]

16. Obama's rant about 'guns and God' needs no interpretation.

That's EXACTLY why he has tried to spin it this way and spintit that way, now for the, what?, fourth or fifth time - - and all the while none of his spinning has worked.

His 'guns and God' stab has a face value on it.

[DarienComp]

25. You obviously don't know the definition of "rant".

[Maribelle]

28. It was a pure and unadulterated RANT

A rant or harangue is a speech or text that does not present a well-researched and calm argument; rather, it is typically an attack on an idea, a person or an institution, and very often lacks proven claims


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rant

[DarienComp]

40. Ah, wikipedia.

In realityland, we usually go to dictionaries for word definitions. Luckily, we have online dictionaries:

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary

rant(1)
intransitive verb
1 : to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
2 : to scold vehemently
transitive verb
: to utter in a bombastic declamatory fashion

rant(2)
noun
1 a: a bombastic extravagant speech b: bombastic extravagant language
2 dialect British : a rousing good time

edited for a misspelling

[Armstead]

52. And what part do you disagree with?

Would you disagree with the fact that the GOP has used wedge issues like guns and right-wing fundamentalist religious issues to build up their electoral base?

Do you think that when the government fails to deliver, while special interests get all of the pie, people don't get angry?

[Cant trust em]

3. They're his own words

He can use them however he wants.

[Adelante]

4. Why did those stickers say "I'm not Bitter"?

Why did Hillary talk so much about how not bitter she is?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Tell it to Hillary.

She's campaigning against the word "bitter." Apparently she says Pennsylvanians are happy when the federal government screws them over.

[cali]

6. who focused on the bitter part of his comment?

Hillary, with her silly stickers and her comments. and yes, he's spinning, something hillary never stops doing. but he's better at it.

[AtomicKitten]

7. How's parsing his words working out for you?

[bigtree]

14. the most egregious 'parsing' has come from Obama himself

. . . as he's changed, qualified, embellished, and otherwise obscured what he originally said.

[AtomicKitten]

21. Are you talking about the Clinton-fueled mischaracterization of what he said?

The boomerang of this lame, pathetic, desperate strategy is about to come back and hit her upside the head.

:hi:

[ShortnFiery]

8. Give it a rest. Even smarmy Mark Penn is discerning "that dog won't hunt." eom

[Bonobo]

9. Sure sucks when your opponent runs rings around you, doesn't it?

[olkaz]

10. Thanks for saving me the trouble, Hillaryhub.

Yeah, not going to take a minute out of my day to read a freaking campaign press release.

[LSparkle]

11. The "cling" part was a Biblical reference, for Pete's sake

He explained this during the "Compassion Forum" on CNN -- it's from a verse
in the Old Testament that advocates "clinging" to one's faith during hard times.

[Ysabel]

30. yes i caught that and was going to post the same...

gee kinda funny when atheists (i'm one) know the bible better than some others...

[Straight Shooter]

74. Just what we need, more insinuation of religion into political discourse.

Now we've all got to read the Bible to understand W.O.R.M.? (What Obama Really Meant.)

How clever and disingenuous of him.

[lwcon]

81. Ah, yes

Was it this verse? "He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you."
Deuteronomy 28:59-61

Or this? "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."
Jonah 2:7-9

But seriously folks, if his statement re: clinging to religion was meant positively, he must have also been speaking positively about gun-obsessions and xenophobic racism, right?

http://www.correntewire.com/bitterblue

[scheming daemons]

12. Dammit.... outmaneuvering Hillary again.....

Obama is the Roadrunner...

Hillary is Wile E. Coyote.


Time to call Acme again.

[bunnies]

13. Poor Hillary.

Maybe she should harp on it more.

[Bensthename]

15. Obama is cheating.. That waskaly waskal.

:cry:

[jsamuel]

17. the scandal should be called "cling" not "bitter"

[Cant trust em]

18. Yup. Clinton has been spinning the wrong half of the quote. NT

[Lone_Star_Dem]

29. Oh, then they could have saved money on printing "I'm not bitter" stickers

They could have just had their supporters pin fabric softener sheets to their shirts!

[DearAbby]

19. Don't you cling to your faith?

I WILL CLING TO THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.....they even have hymns about it. Why are you ashamed you cling to your faith during rough times?

You know what Obama meant...The GOP has been using wedge issues to get out their vote. Not issues that could actually help and benefit the American people. But wedge issues based on Religion, Guns, and Patriotism.

Bill Clinton said something very similar to what Obama stated, back in 1992...was there all this brouhaha when he said it?

Hypocrites. You know what Obama said was the truth.

[bigtree]

20. you go on and tell me what I believe

I'm really not listening to all of that . . . from you or from your candidate.

[DearAbby]

23. I actually don't care what you believe....

your faith, if you have one, is your business. Should not be legislated. It should not be used as a wedge in a political campaign. And since you don't care or not "Listening" why post your questions?

Your pretend outrage is noted.

[bigtree]

27. you most certainly are telling me what I believe, and, you're doing it as badly

. . . as your candidate did at that fundraiser.

[DearAbby]

33. I also noted you didn't address the rest of my post

avoided that didn't you...Let me refresh your memory

You know what Obama meant...The GOP has been using wedge issues to get out their vote. Not issues that could actually help and benefit the American people. But wedge issues based on Religion, Guns, and Patriotism.

Bill Clinton said something very similar to what Obama stated, back in 1992...was there all this brouhaha when he said it?

You know what Obama said was the truth.

[bigtree]

37. again, you've made your own assumptions about what I believe

. . . and are now trying to berate me into agreeing with your biased interpretation of my beliefs. No sale.

[DearAbby]

45. No, it's a fact.

The GOP has been using wedge issues to get out their vote, wedge issues based on Religion, Guns, and Patriotism.

Bill Clinton said something very similar to what Obama stated, back in 1992..Was Clinton wrong back in 1992? Was he called an elitist?

Also note, that on the radio just in the last few minutes, they are mentioning the "Uppity black man" phrase...you believe this is what Hillary planned on?

This bullshit is going to backfire on Hillary. People are not falling for it. They know what Obama meant. You know what Obama meant, Hillary knows, we all know...your pretend outrage is noted.

[bigtree]

53. I'm not the least bit 'outraged'. You aren't very good at speaking for folks

Why don't you (and your candidate) let folks speak for themselves without the insult of your biased spin.?

[DearAbby]

55. Well Gee BigTree

I had made a mistake, I had just noted the numerous threads on this topic, and had mistakingly thought you were pretending outrage. My humble apologies.

:sarcasm:

[Two Americas]

72. not what he said

He didn't say that the Republicans use wedge issues, and he didn't say that the Democrats have failed to connect with people. Those two statements focus blame where it belongs, and are true. That may be what he meant to say, hard to tell. But he focused on some "them" as the problem and then characterized "them."

Some Obama supporters are defending his remarks the way you are - that he meant to say that the Republicans use wedge issues, and that the Democrats have failed to connect with people. Some Obama supporters are defending the exact opposite interpretation - that those people are the problem and that this is the "truth."

When even Obama supporters are tacitly and perhaps inadvertently admitting that he meant to say that the problem is with "those people" - many have even said "the hell with them! We don't need them!" - is it any wonder that many Democrats have a problem with his remarks, let alone that the general public might, as well?

[Qutzupalotl]

75. Who is saying the people are the problem?

I have yet to see that here. It's wrong.


When even Obama supporters are tacitly and perhaps inadvertently admitting that he meant to say that the problem is with "those people" - many have even said "the hell with them! We don't need them!"...

I haven't seen his supporters say that. That's certainly not what Obama said.

[Two Americas]

76. it is very common

It is very common in the progressive activist community, and it is a severe handicap for the party. That is why this discussion is so important.

I don't know if people don't see this, or don't want to see it. Hardly a day goes by without remarks about fundies, rednecks, gun nuts, stupid and on and on. When people make those remarks, anyone who objects is deluged with angry responses defending the stereotyping and prejudice. But then when you try to discuss it later, or in a different context people say "what? I don't see anything like that."

It is a blind spot, I think, and discussing it is very powerful. It is not anything against Obama, nor is it defending Clinton, it is not even an attack on Obama supporters. It is merely talking about a pervasive problem with all of us, and one that cripples the party and needs to be brought out into the open.

[Qutzupalotl]

77. Perhaps it would be helpful to point to a specific instance.

If you can find one relevant to Obama and the "cling" flap, all the better.

I've been here six years, and the few times I see someone insult a group, they get SMACKED down hard.

[Two Americas]

80. seriously?

Amazing how we see two completely different things happening. I didn't think my statement would be controversial.

I will hunt down some examples of what I am talking about.

[DemGa]

22. Jeezus, that Sen. Obama is a very, very slick one ---NT

[scheming daemons]

24. The Big Dawg is jealous.... Obama is Bubba 2.0... new and improved....

..

[uponit7771]

26. people know by now what Obama meant and that Hillary is being an oppurtunist

[bigtree]

31. 'people'

How self-serving and myopic of you (and your candidate) to speak for 'people'. Obviously *many 'people' don't accept Obama's explanation that it was just a 'poor choice of words'.

But, you go on . . .

[Maribelle]

32. people know by now from which version of Obama's attempts to explain this away?

[jsamuel]

34. really, all the explinations are just trying to spin away a bad statement

but they don't unmake it

[Ian_rd]

36. Keep digging, Hillary. Soon you'll hit Rove.

:eyes:

[smiley_glad_hands]

38. Whats really controversial is clinton pushing republican frames at the expense of the party and

progressives. I guess you are OK with tearing the party apart. Good job, rush thanks you again.

[dchill]

39. Now it's a right-wing smear against the word...

CLING...

What's next - liberal? Oh, done and done.

[bigtree]

42. I'm not right-wing

and my impression of what Obama said is sincere.

But, you go on and put me into your little box. Magnify that attitude to include those voters in question and you're right in line with Sen. Obama's remarks.

[dchill]

46. I KNOW you're not right-wing...

but my impression of your post is sincere. I'm bitter about the obviously deliberate misinterpretation of Obama's remarks I see all over this DEMOCRATIC board.

[bigtree]

57. Why do defenders of the senator get a pass from you on their interpretations of what he said

everyone is entitled to an opinion about remarks that even Obama said was a 'poor choice of words' and may be offensive to some.

I find it amazing that the defenses of those remarks don't even acknowledge that disavowal by the candidate himself. Folks want us to accept the comments whole cloth. Not even Obama is saying that.

If defenders (including Sen. Obama) can change and reinterpret his remarks, than others, in opposition, are certainly in line to do the same.

[dchill]

67. I personally don't think it did him that much good...

to "admit" his "poor choice of words" - he said what he meant, and the misinterpretations ALL involve avoiding the fact that he spoke the plain truth about segments of the populace with very little likelihood of ever voting for him, or Hillary, for that matter. Do you understand who he was talking about? I sure do, because I live among them, and he hit that nail right on the head. And no, I don't think that's elitism, I think it's honesty - and win or lose, I think it's the best policy, and it's one more reason he has my support.

Sincerely,

[smiley_glad_hands]

50. What planet have you been on for the past 30 years then? eom

[bigtree]

54. I'm just an 'uneducated' Clinton supporter

I just sit around and wait for the Obama folks to tell me what I think and believe.

[smiley_glad_hands]

56. Well your campaign is acting like a bunch of freepers so that explains alot. eom

[bigtree]

59. that's predictably condescending and arrogant

. . . in a nutshell.

[smiley_glad_hands]

62. Its obviously true too. eom

[bigtree]

64. fuck off

[smiley_glad_hands]

70. Thankyou very much. eom

[smiley_glad_hands]

44. Isnt that what she & repubs mean by elitist?eom

[dchill]

49. I honestly don't KNOW what they mean...

in this particular case.

[yodermon]

41. He was pointing out the wedge issues that the repukes have been tricking

small-town folk into voting for.

Apparently you and clinton think it's better to ignore these wedge issues.

Apparently you and clinton think it's better to buy into the right-wing framing of these issues, therefore validating them.

You guys should be applauding obama for pointing out these wedge issues, which exist *only* to benefit the right wing repukes.

Go re-read What's the Matter with Kansas.

Slowly.

[bigtree]

43. Sen. Obama fell right into that trap

. . . by offering his own biased characterization of what they believe and why, rather than letting those voters speak for themselves.

[smiley_glad_hands]

47. So the truth is a trap? So very republican of you? eom

[bigtree]

60. your little smear job isn't new. It's the last refuge of demagogues

. . . to pull out the accusations of republicanism when faced with criticisms of their candidate that get under the skin. It's transparently anti-intellectual and boring.

[smiley_glad_hands]

63. Projecting are we?

Denial is not a river in Egypt.

[bigtree]

66. like I said . . .

[smiley_glad_hands]

69. Thought so. eom

[yodermon]

58. oh, so small-town voters *haven't* actually been voting against their own interests

for the past 25 years.
sorry, my mistake.

[bigtree]

61. and you'll define what those interests are for them?

good for you.

[otohara]

48. NO Shit - I'm Outraged

:boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring: :boring:

One needs only to turn on cable news.

[Vinca]

51. How many times and in how many ways, must Obama apologize

for the way he worded his remark? For whatever reason, Clinton supporters gave Hillary a pass over the Bosnia sniper lie, figuring her "misspoke" apology was enough. That was an outright, videotaped lie that was told at least 3 times, but apparently there is nothing wrong with dishonesty. In this campaign it's honesty that gets you into trouble.

[Barack_America]

65. This from the "facts according to Hillary" site?

Oh.The.Irony.

[bigtree]

68. well we know the funding email exists, so . . .

kind of a petty defense to knock the source

[tekisui]

71. Hillary should have printed "We don't cling" stickers, it seems.

She attacked the wrong word, huh?

[anamnua]

73. 'Cling'

Sounds as if a lot of people are 'clinging' to Obama.

[bigtree]

78. bitter is

as bitter does

[anonymous171]

79. "bitter" about how Clinton's getting hurt by her own smears are they?

Good :evilgrin: