Obama Allies Avoid Trying to Explain Most Controversial Part of His Remarks

He was talking about voting behavior not eco-sociological reasons why people like guns and their faith.

Are people not BITTER they are losing their homes, jobs, that America is heading towards a recession?????
If this is not the height of hypocrisy and and stupidity of people to be jumping all over this….. maybe the AMERICAN people truly deserve Hillary Clinton as President.

Sorry, but Obama essentially called rural voters in Pennsylvania white trash. Politicians can think that, can talk in dismissive, patronizing tones in private, but Obama thought it would be wise to acknowledge his feelings in a public statement. Will he spin his way out of this one? He’s got a week and a couple of days, I’m not counting him out.

1. The Clinton years were a MIXED BAG!
2. Al Gore was UNABLE to extend the ‘stained’ ‘Clinton years’ pass the turned up noses of Americans. Thank god! lol
3. As was foreshadowed by his ineptness from the start, the ‘Bush years’ are a horror show. But sadly for America’s karma, that was what the Clinton years merit — a continued slide into the American abyss.
4. If only the Clintons were not so self-destructive, they would have cooled their self-absorbed jets over the years, appear more ‘humble’, less arrogant, less ‘entitled’, and allow the Bush years to redeem the horror shows of the Clinton years.
5. Now we see the Clintons as LIARS and as self-absorbed and self-destructive as ever.
6. Notice the Clintons cashing in on trade deals on the one hand, and FEIGN opposition on the other.
American workers, BE NOT FOOLED by the self-absorbed Clintons.
Those who are shameless cannot care for Americans, cannot care for the Presidency of AL Gore!

ahhh i love it. the democrats making themselves look like tooootal idiots even before the general election. a thing of beauty.

To “Thinking”:
Hillary probably will “lose” thanks to morons like you who can’t spell.

Anyone need any Snake Oil?

Note that comments about CLINTON’s foibles and shortcomings in NO way diminish the disaster of candidate Obama.
countallthevotes, in the very first comment here, writes:
“Obama and his surrogates are trying to reframe the dialogue into whether or not people in small towns (though I think it also applies to working class in general as that is the group to which he was referring) are bitter.
What he said on Billionaire’s Row was FAR MORE INJURIOUS AND DAMAGING [emphasis added] than just being “bitter.” It was a wholesale dismissal of working class way of life and religious belief system as something not worthy of respect, not heartfelt, not valued by him. Most egregious to me is the locale with billionaires as the audience, and the press prohibited from attendence. It sounded like an unscripted presentation and that is all the more telling.”

Jack’s one of those blind maniacal Obama supporters who can’t accept basic logic and reality. He has to project his own hatred and despair onto others who he feels threatened by. That’s typical of many Obama supporters. That’s why we need to dump this Obama-dude immediately. He cannot win.

Marros,
Glad to see you see it my way
Obama08

This is the point…why do people vote against their own economic self-interest? Because, since they have lost faith in government, they vote on other issue, i.e. guns and abortion (religion). It is not an insult, it’s a fact. It makes no sense that people who are losing jobs and have relatively low incomes would vote Republican. Republican economic policy is not geared towards helping those people. It is free market, wholly capitalist, trickle down…no help with your mortgage or unemployment. Republicans are all for free trade, industry leaves the country, find something else to do.
This is typical stuff that happens in this country, we are so easily distracted from what matters (economy, war, environment) and spend endless time and energy on things that don’t matter.
Obama did grow up in a single family home. Kerry, you should do you homework. His mother needed food stamps to provide for her family until she re-married. She took Barack with her to Indonesia (where he attended a Christian school) until he was 10 or so. She then sent him to Hawaii to live with his grandparents because she felt education was so important. They did send him to a prep school, but it was on a scholarship.
The idea that he is racist is absurd. He was raised in a WHITE family. Our society puts the title black on him (and others like him) even though that his only half of who he is.
The spewing of hate is very sad. The whole Muslim thing is ridiculous. It is really just an excuse. Everyone with so much hate in their heart should step back and really examine what has made them so bitter. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but wouldn’t it be so much more productive to put this amount of energy towards positive things? Anyone who has the guts to run for President of this country deeply cares about it and it’s people, why else put yourself and your family through the hell that the campaign entails. We should treat these people with respect and discuss things that really matter. In case you haven’t noticed, our country and it’s people are in trouble. Maybe if we try to look towards a common goal of bettering our future, things will improve.

CountalltheVotes,
I actually agree. This was unscripted and finally a glimpse of the real man. He is elitist – not that he doesn’t care or won’t care for the working class, but that they’re somehow beneath him and his class (elite university educated and wealthy) who need to be guided as to the errors of their ways.
For anyone with any familiarity with academia, this is exactly how most University Socialists (or, really, just University Scholars) act and think.
For better or worse.

Obama LAUNDRY LIST OF LIES.
1.) Selma Got Me Born – LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 – Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder – LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter – LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom – LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian – LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili – LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam – LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian – LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian – LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience – LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs – LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion – LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify – your classmates said you were just fine.
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office – LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life – LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 – LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois – LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted – LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law – LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer – LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill – LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass – LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill – LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation – mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records – LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess – LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America – LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois – LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year – LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA – LIAR, the Candian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism – LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet – LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida – LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks – and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan – LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada – LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count – LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide – LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate – LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend – LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics – LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money – LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists – LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad – LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace – LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words – LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate – LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate – for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq – LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date – AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care – LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail – LIAR, both companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record of any such letter ever being created or sent.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone – LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t put your hand over your heart during the Anthem.
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country – LIAR, your wife’s words follow lock-step in the vain of Wright and Farrahkan, in relation to their contempt and hatred of America.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support – LIAR, your wife has received nearly a quater of a million dollars through Treehouse, which is connected to Wal-Mart.
51.) Treehouse Is A Small Company – LIAR, the CEO of Treehouse last year, made more than the CEO of Wal-Mart, according to public records.
52.) University Of Chicago Hospital Pay Is Fair – LIAR, your wife’s pay raise was nearly 150% her already bloated rate and the hospital is a Non-Profit Hospital, which made $100,000,000 in the last 3 years. They overcharge blacks VS whites for services, and overcharge everyone in general by 538%!
53.)I Barely Know Rezko – Only 5 Billed Hours – LIAR, you have known him for 17 years, and decided to do a real estate deal with him during a time when he was proven to be under investigation. Despite this, you divided your property and had them take off $300K before the mortgage problems started. Then Rezko’s wife buys the lot beside it that you can’t afford, saving you $625,000.
54.) My Donations Have Been Checked Thoroughly – LIAR, you only gave back Hsu ($72K) and Rezko ($150K) their money when publically called on their involvement in your campaigns.
55.) My Church Is Like Any Other Christian Church – LIAR, your church is so extreme, the pastor who married you, Rev. Wright, just got done blaming the US for 9/11 and named Louis Farrahkan their person of the year.
56.) I Disagree With My Church All The Time – LIAR, you still have yet to repudiate Wright, who married you and your wife, and you still donate large sums of money to assist the church in furthering its message – hatred and revenge. You donated in 2006 alone, $22,500 to the church that you so terribly disagree with. That is nearly $500 PER WEEK – that sure is disagreement, Senator Obama.
57.) I Have Clean Connections Despite Rezko – LIAR, you are not only connected to Exelon and Rezko, you are also connected to Hillary PAC supporter Mr. Hsu, AND an Iraqi Billionaire of ill repute, Nadhmi Auchi, who ripped off people in the Food For Oil, Iraqi deal. Seems Mr. Auchi may have helped Obama buy his million dollar property long before Obama had millions of dollars. Wonder what favors Mr. Auchi expects, when Obama leaves Iraq free to be taken over by special interests such as him.
58.) I never heard sermons like Rev. Wright’s, that have been in videos all day, You Tube – LIAR! 3 days later during your Mea Culpa BS speech you said “Did I hear controversial statements while sitting in the pew yes!”

Does this guy think he’s fooling anybody? Everybody can read his comments and see that he is now LYING about what he meant.
We don’t need an elitist for a president and we don’t need a liar who thinks he can pull one over on voters.
Bye Bye Barry O. Clinton or McCain will get my vote.

Are you listening to your gal, John?

YES!!! Finally Tapper gets it even though most Obama supporters don’t. The issue is not whether people are bitter. Everyone knows the entire country is frustrated and angry. Yet all the supporters on here keep arguing over and over that the bitter comment was true. DUH. The problem that you guys avoid is this notion that people cling to religion and we somehow need to save them from that by making the economy better.
It’s like calling someone’s mother a wh*re and then defending yourself by arguing that what you said was true — that woman is your friends mother. The devil is in the second part.

With each passing day it become more apparent the Hillary is getting desperate.
She is bound and determined to burn everything and everyone including herself to reach the white house.
She will not succeed

The people who are rebuking Barack Obama for saying that Americans lean to religion and personal protection when times get hard are just looking for an excuse. These individuals were never going to vote for Obama anyway. That the man had to apologize was ridiculous and for Hillary and McCain to speak as though Americans are content is even more ridiculous. PEOPLE SAY THEY DO NOT WANT POLITICIANS TELLING THEM HOW THEY FEEL WELL THEY APPEAR TO LOVE HILLARY FOR IT. SHE ALMOST ALWAYS TWIST THE WAY AMERICANS FEELS TO MAKE IT A VOTE FOR HER. There was not anything to get insulted about and I see a lot of people do not even know what elitist means. If people knew what elitist meant they would know Barack Obama does not fit the bill but Hillary Clinton and John McCain do. ELITE – 1. Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more. “Colors quaint elect.” –Spenser.
2. (Theol.) Chosen as the object of mercy or divine favor; set apart to eternal life. “The elect angels.” –1 Tim. v. 21.
3. Chosen to an office, but not yet actually inducted into it; as, bishop elect; governor or mayor elect.
OR MAYBE HE IS… WHATEVER HILLARY HAS ONCE AGAIN TAKEN THE SPOTLIGHT OFF HERSELF WHEN THE VIEW WAS CRITICAL

I think Hillary realizes she can’t win and that fact has made her incredibly bitter.

Hillary has already lost; she just doesn’t know it.
Obama08

Hillary claims that Gore and Kerry lost the election because they are ELITIST. Is she now claiming that the DEMOCRATIC PARTY is ELITIST?

You call me a misogynist….I call you a racist, is that the way the game is played, John? We both are fairly confident neither case is true. Hillary supporters could out-Republican the Republicans – I don’t play that way, as a Democrat. Though, I do know Obama tells the truth about the bitterness, as any supporter of Gore, Kerry, and now our nominee Obama, would feel. Have you forgotten, or become blinded by your candidate’s lying ways?

Instead of starting each sentence with “um” Obama should change it to “dah”.

And think about this, just for one second… this is the scary part.. these two socialist canidates, really dont differ on the major issues!!! i mean, there are some differences on how to get the results, but the ideas are exactly the same! big government,( americans arent smart enough to solve their own problems ya know) huuuge spending (aka, raising taxes by billions) while saving every poor person in the country, getting ALL americans free health care, giving the oppurtunity for ALL americans to go to college for almost free, getting all the evil people killing guns off the streets while letting women choose to murder their unborns, keeping the great welfare nation alive and well, (gotta get that poor person vote ya know), getting out of iraq as soon as possible.. i mean, all of this arguing and bitterness is about “small” comments being made.. what all of you democrats are basically fighting over right now is, sex, race, religion etc.. and listening to every word they say waiting for them to screw up… maybe try voting on the issues?? stupid thought, i know. they really dont differ on the issues. so who do you want democrats? a black guy, or a white woman? your wonderful party has put you in this beautiful situation.

Of course, most Americans are bitter and angry at the disastrous reign of George Bush. We are disgusted and want change. Obama is tried to capitalize on that sentiment. However, Obama knows what he said, and he was saying that the ones who AREN’T embracing HIM, like those in small towns in PA, working folks are bitter. They’re the ones who are “clinging” to guns, eligion, etc.
Obama and his surrogates are spinning BS and they know it. Pure desperation.

what do people do when they feel threatened, disenfranchised, and vulnerable? they cling to what feels safe and in which they have a say, even if that say is merely a birthright. it is scary to face the fact that what worked for our fathers and grandmothers may no longer carry the day for us. and so we attack the messenger rather than receive the bad news calmly and plan an adequate response. obama may not have all the answers. this is a sign of his wisdom. what is more precious to us as a nation is to have a leader put the right questions to us. what are we going to do–about so many issues facing us as a nation? i should hope we desist from attacking the proverbial messenger.

Not bitter about not having health care, or seeing your job shipped overseas, or having your home foreclosed on?
Sounds to me the only folks who wouldn’t be bitter would have to be elitists themselves.
Just for comparison:
John McCain: Net worth $44 million, owns 8 houses
Hillary and Bill: $109 million since 2000, Hillary’s “blue collar” Scranton roots actually a summer vacation home.
Barack Obama: Best year $1.6 million in 2005, doesn’t even make the list of 50 richest in Congress, graduated from Harvard Law and took a job organizing unemployed steel workers for about $8,000/yr.
So who exactly is the bigger “elitist”?

hopesprings52 seems to have glimpsed at the Karl Rove playbook of accusing the opponents of exactly for which himself is guilty.

Peeople and the news are paying to much attention to this issue. yeah, he definately stereotyped people who life in rural areas but these candidates say millions of things and you can’t expect them to always say the right thing. The real issue is that Obama will say anything to get the nomination. He points out that there is problems in this country, Duh. But he does not give any real solutions to them. and his record does not support taht he can accomplish much. those who fall for his “Yes we Can” bull are being taken for a ride. wake up !

well define elitist here people. remember, this is america. we have a little thing called capitalism. theres nothing wrong with being an “elitist”. its what you do with that status that counts. not saying that all big companies are great. but they are not all evil either. remember, they ARE the ones who provide jobs. im not taking the side of all big business but, also, some people have to look up the definition of capitalism. its really one of the reasons that makes this country great. you wanna go make money? go for it.

I thought we have matured in politics and grown out of allowing a compete fake like Hillary to creep this far into the candidacy for presidency!! Apparently not! The disillusioned supporters out there, the profiteers of status quo and the establishment are still powerful and pulling the strings. Added to them the racists and fear mongers and we get a time bomb for this country. A fake like Hillary should never have been a senator let a lone a candidate for president. Stop the mockery and the corruption. let us make the change for God sake. Say NO to the profiteers in the systems who are killing our people in Iraq and sucking the middle class dry for an extra buck in their bank account.

TOM:
How come only OBama should be excused for putting his foot in his mouth every now and again?
Give ‘em Hell Hillary!

man this is great… GO DEMOCRATS GO!!!

in baracks defense, theres a difference between putting you’re foot in you’re mouth and flat out making stories up…

Questioner,
I really did not want to comment on today’s topic but I must say that I think your arguments are unfounded and baseless and that makes you a pathological liar.But go with Clinton if you must.I am sure the average American in 2008 will not fall into the trap of someone who will do just about anything to win an election including lying and shifting positions as often as it takes to be acceptable.You can take this to the bank and then vote for a bad loser.

tim said: “in baracks defense, theres a difference between putting you’re foot in you’re mouth and flat out making stories up…”
tony says: but there isn’t much difference between lying about what your campaign is about and making stories up. sounds like more of the same to me.
now obama is trying to deflect by going after hillary on guns. problem: he’s been running as a gunman in pa — just like he did in montana and idaho. he is all over the map on gun control, just like he is on trade. and please obamadroids, dont start squealing about nafta — he said he wont repeal it, that he is not a fan of protectionism, that he would not fundamentally alter nafta, and that repealing it would cost americans’ jobs — but he acts like it was one of the worst pieces of legislation in the history of congress.

Edgar: thanks for this! you rock!
“To ask is to answer: like most “local” newspapers these days, these two are corporate productions and don’t necessarily know or care about the local area.
The Scranton Times-Tribune endorsed Bush in 2000, and NO one in 2004. It’s owned by a consortium that owns all the media in northeast PA.
The Allentown Morning Call, the SMALLER paper, is owned by The Tribune Company, a large American multimedia corporation based in CHICAGO, Illinois. It is the nation’s second-largest newspaper publisher, responsible for the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Hartford Courant, and the Baltimore Sun, among others. Through other subsidiaries, the Tribune Company also owns Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Entertainment, Tribune Media Services, and the Chicago Cubs baseball team.”

Dr. King was also called unpatriotic and divisive in his time.
In reality our citizens have been taken for a ride by our leaders. Do these guys with their hands on the levers of power really care about small town folks? Hardly. They are serving powerful pay masters. They give the rest of us slogans. Please wake up.

Jake,
The media can help bury the story all they want, the truth is when Obama is not giving one of his “inspiring plagiarized” speeches, borrowed from either Rev. Wright or Devon patrick, the real Obama comes through loud and clear – shallow and fake.
There is simply no substance to this guy.
The only thing he knows is how to get the college kids like the ones on this blog to give him all their money.
Where was this guy in the 90′s when the Clinton administration lifted everybody up and creating 23 million jobs? He must have been on the street of Chicago running around with Tony Rezko.

tony: thanks. I’m glad somebody actually READ about the Pennsylvania corporate newspaper “endorsements” — comments are going pretty fast.

In relative terms, among the three candidates Obama remains the most honest, straight forward, and least corrupt candidate by light years. Haters will twist and contort anything he says to bring him down to their candidate’s level, but try as they can, they just have not got the time between now and November to bring him down to the corruption level of Hillary and that is what is driving them nuts. Also for those on this forum who are Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh puppets .. try thinking for yourselves for a change.

Re: The Scranton Times, while it is owned technically by a conglomerate, it is primarily run by the Lynett family, who have run the paper for something like 100 years. The family is totally local, this is an old-fashioned local paper, the editorial staff is all from the immediate area, and yes they have endorsed Obama.
This is NOT a corporate endorsement in any way, shape, or form. Most of the city is pro-Hillary, but the editorial staff of the paper is pro-Obama, as is hometown Senator Bob Casey.

Ted,
I admire your capacity to waste your time floundering with a less-than- stupid list of verbiage which you’ve outlined in such a way to make them look factual. You have me wondering if we live on the same planet talkless of the same country.What a joke.You should take ajob with your mentor Hilary and spin all you want.

Jake, Thank you for this article. I see the paid and unpaid Obama trolls are active today.
Let’s face it, Obama clearly does not have the experience or character to run America. He and his Obamanoids want all Americans to dance to their music. Obama and his radical left followers will lose in November because Middle America doesn’t buy into their socialist policies.

Mariann Pepitone,
You know yourself that all you’ve done so far is throw your emotions around the place. You come accross like one of those people who pretend they want change but at the same time they want the exact same people to do things the exact same way because it hurts their sense of pride and they feel like they will lose control if someone they are not used takes the helm.Woman,good try.But there’s a whole bunch of people like me out there who can read your thoughts and see all that insincerity.

beth writes:
“Most of the city is pro-Hillary, but the editorial staff of the paper is pro-Obama, as is hometown Senator Bob Casey.”

The government screws up most of what touches.
That’s why people are bitter.
Government regulations, such as the sub prime mortgage crisis.
First, why do subprime loans even exist? They exist because liberals pointed to an alleged pattern of “discrimination” in lending — and demanded an end to it. To achieve this, the Clinton administration decided to strengthen the powers granted to government by the Community Reinvestment Act — a law passed years before that requires financial institutions to “meet all the credit needs of their communities”. The Clinton administration used the powers of this law to demand that banks and mortgage lenders extend credit far beyond the traditional measures of credit worthiness — over most lenders strong objections — and thus the subprime market was created, wholly by government fiat.
At the same time, the Federal Reserve assured the lenders not to worry about the risk, because the Fed would always be there to bail them out if the loans went bad. And since the Federal government has a long history of such “bail outs“, the lenders had every reason to believe these assurances.
In the end, the liberals got what they demanded: the subprime mess is the logical result of government-induced INDISCRIMINATE LENDING.
And so Obama and Company want to expand this same failed intervention philosophy to every grievence of our society…..only to screw it up even worse…

I definitely agree with Obama regarding Pennsylvania as I live there. People in wonderful Washington DO NOT have a clue about a tax paying citizen who has lost his/her job that has been lost and subsequently shipped out. All the candidates think about is campaign contributions and the “glory of the White House.”

Worldsam — I truly hope you are not comparing Obama and King. King was very committed to the issues he stood for and he embraced them with specifics (and not just rhetoric). He did criticize black people for being “other worldly,” i.e., waiting for the “after life” in order to receive justice, but for King, a bottoms up approach was clearly a part of his life. Obama says that he favors a bottoms up approach, but I am afraid he does not even know “the bottom.” Outside of African Americans, poor people have been largely underwhelmed by his campaign, and telling San Francisco wealthy people that this is because of Bush and Clinton will not help his cause at all.
One other thing — people have neglected to mention Latinos. Latinos are also disproportionately poor, and they have voted for Clinton as well. They are also religious and would probably resent being told they are clinging to Catholicism because of the boogey men called Bush and Clinton. Perhaps the worst part of this is how he conflates the Clinton era economy with Bush. He shows absolutely no appreciation for any Democratic administration execept for Kennedy, which was actually somewhat imperialistic and sluggish on civil rights. I was amused that Ted Kennedy supposedly endorsed Obama because Clinton attributed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to LBJ — not JFK. Well, from the perspective of history, LBJ was more committed to civil rights than JFK. I was not alive when JFK was around, but he seems like he was more charisma and hype in a lot of ways, kind of like Obama. Johnson on the other hand, delivered bread and butter ideals; his “war on poverty” was a great effort at dealing with on the ground issues in a way that Kennedy and Obama do not seem to understand or care about.

Next thing you know, Hillary’s story will be that she shot her way to safety from the dangerous tarmac in Tuzla, and with a protective arm around her daughter and Sinbad she took out a few of those snipers with her trusty made-in-Pennsylvania firearm.

Irrespective of what Obama said, robo calls are the worst way to get a message out. In fact, according to Yale University, robo calls have NO EFFECT. Pew Research found that most people hang up in the first 10 seconds.
As I testified at the US Senate 2.27 These calls are an epidemic and are invading the privacy of All American Voters.
Our members are taking a stand and saying enough is enough at the National Political Do Not Contact Registry at StopPoliticalCalls.org.
Here is a quote from a member this morning:
“I find it very frustrating… I tend to get calls at the WORST time. I have a one year old daughter, and it NEVER fails that the phone will ring when I put her down for a nap or for bed. Also my vote is PRIVATE… so who do you think you are calling with a survey to find out who I am voting for!!! Stop calling me.”
Regards,
Shaun Dakin
CEO and Founder
The National Political Do Not Contact Registry
http://www.stoppoliticalcalls.org

Jake, Thank you for this article. I see the paid and unpaid Obama trolls are active today.
Let’s face it, Obama clearly does not have the experience or character to run America. He and his Obamanoids want all Americans to dance to their music. Obama and his radical left followers will lose in November because Middle America doesn’t buy into their socialist policies.

Obama shows significant signs of losing
touch with reality.

“Bitter” is not the issue. it’s that Obama talks to his rich San Fran fundraiser friends and tells them that these small-town voters’ reaction to bitterness is to “cling to guns and religion and have antipathy to people who aren’t like them” .
Obama has the simple folk all figured out.
Snotty, cocky elitist.

Jake,
I’ve been noticing for awhile what a terrific job you’re doing covering the campaigns, and I wanted to thank you. It is so refreshing to find a reporter who’s not afraid to go where the facts take him and put the information out there. And I salute ABC for supporting your efforts. Very well done.

I think David Mamet’s article about how he’s no longer a “brain dead liberal” published in the Village Voice, has had a profound impact on Jake.
Jake, welcome to the side of common sense.

Our system may not be perfect, but it SURE AS HELL beats socialism.
So “no thanks” Obama. That’s not the kind of “change” most of us are looking for.

It’s unclear what the supporters of Senator Clinton are looking for, or waiting for her to do. The Emperor Has No Clothes. So when people go out to vote, I truly hope they’re informed since the suggestion that Senator Clinton’s service as First Lady somehow qualifies her as the person most ready to be President of the United States is a ludicrous assertion. Perhaps then she and Laura Bush should share a ticket. It would, however, be difficult to determine who of the two has the most experience to be President. After all, Laura Bush has traveled around the world and given her opinion regarding many significant issues. However, I don’t recall Laura Bush, (as first lady) blatantly lying about being shot at in Bosnia, risking a possible US invasion of that country! Or lying about her daughter being near the twin towers when they got hit, and spinning an outlandish tale of how she (Chelsea) had to run for her life, just to win a seat in the senate! The fact is Senator Clinton is a liar! She lied when she said she put pressure on Bill to intervene in Rwanda, and she lied to the voters in Ohio as she now lies to the voters in your state, when she says she fought against NAFTA. As the White House papers show, there was no attempt to pressure President Clinton to put an end to the genocide in Rwanda, nor was she pushing against the institution of NAFTA. In fact, she was a huge proponent of NAFTA. And what about her top adviser? Mark Penn is not just a heavy hitting PR person, he’s an unscrupulous PR person, giving advice to clients such as the tobacco industry, instructing them on how to target inner city minorities via smokers rights groups! Blackwater on how to effectively respond to questions from the 911 commission, to cover up their indiscriminate killing and torturing of men, women and children in Iraq! Advising subprime lending groups on how to move forward with their illegal agendas and deflect fallout while ruthlessly leaving people homeless and bewildered! Not to mention the Colombian Free Trade Deal. While Senator Clinton appears to have “demoted” Penn from chief strategist, she fell quite short of removing him from her campaign altogether–he will serve as one of her top advisers. Senator Clinton’s retention of Mark Penn, exposes her contempt for the millions of Americans that have lost their jobs to NAFTA, and stand to lose their jobs to CAFTA! She will say and do anything to win this nomination and she has completely fabricated her foreign relations experience!
During Bill Clinton’s presidency Senator Clinton was not qualified to speak in any official capacity, nor was she in a position to sign peace treatise or broker deals. It’s absolutely absurd and offensive to the intelligence of thinking individuals to suggest otherwise. She was however given the official position to head and be the chairwoman of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. As usual she attempted to secretly draft the bill, botched the job, turned Democrats against her and effectively galvanized the Republican Party to work in unity against the Democrats! Needless to say, for the first time in twelve years, the Democratic Party lost their majority in Congress
Now fast forward to the Clinton’s tax returns revealing 118m gross income, much of it earned through former President Clinton’s speeches, and the not so subtle lobbying of the insurance company responsible for halting the 1993 health care reform plan of the Clinton Administration. Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA), now America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), paid President Clinton $150,000.00 dollars in June of 2005, to deliver a speech to their board. I believe it should raise a red flag to those supporting/endorsing Senator Clinton to recognize the problematic relationship created by this. The language that now crafts Senator Clinton’s health care plan, mirrors AHIP’s proposal in remarkably unsettling ways that warrant examination, particularly if these speeches point to the possible currying of future favors granted by Senator Clinton, “should” she become President. Robert Reich, Bill Clinton’s secretary of labor and the head of Clinton’s economic transition team has the following to say about the Health Care Proposal Debate:
“Both of them are big advances over what we have now.
But in my view Obama’s would insure more people, not fewer, than HRC’s. That’s because Obama’s puts more money up front and contains sufficient subsidies to insure everyone who’s likely to need help — including all children and young adults up to 25 years old.
Hers requires that everyone insure themselves. Yet we know from experience with mandated auto insurance — and we’re learning from what’s happening in Massachusetts where health insurance is now being mandated — that mandates still leave out a lot of people at the lower end who can’t afford to insure themselves even when they’re required to do so. ”
Senator Obama has far more legislative experience than Senator Clinton. He served as an Illinois senator for 8 years and has only 2 less years of congressional experience than Senator Clinton. His honesty and integrity, coupled with his experience as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, Illinois State Senator and US Senator will enrich the position of President and bring about a positive change much needed in Washington.
Sincerely,
J. Taylor

Todd, had Sen. Obama said that some people were bitter because they were fed up with the federal government, then that would have been perfectly fine. But instead Sen Obama LINKED that bitterness as to WHY people support issues like: The 2nd Amendment; prayer in school; keeping the national motto, “In God We Trust,” on our money; keeping “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance; defining marriage as being between a man and a woman; and the enforcement of our immigration laws. Any bitterness that individuals may or may not have with the federal government have nothing to do with supporting those issues. People strongly support those issues because they strongly believe in those issues.
Jo is correct! But not only are Sen. Obama AND Sen. Clinton socialists, but their advocacy is much closer to that of communism with his calling for wealth redistribution, doing away with our ownership society and giving goverment more control over our lives. If that is the “change” that you want, then you should vote for Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton.
I, personally, am a strong believer in the Bill of Rights, self-determination, less government, personal responsibility, capitalism and the free market, as well as the federal government placing the fight for the survival of Western Civilization ahead of domestic issues. So I support Sen. McCain.

Obama remarks = Rev.Wright Remarks

Obama says real change but he has lied, told half truths or mislead people.
He had to fish through his campaign funds and did out money from a crook. the amount kept growing and growing and growing.
He Bundles campaign funds.
He take lobbyist money.
He sold the American people out in San Fransisco How much did he make on that?
He votes Present, that is saying I am here and I do not care. When he does show up.
The Canadian NAFTA trick
He lied to the people in Selma church, on how he came to be. Was all bogus and a lie.
He lied about Rezko
He lied about Wright
He lied about Ayers
He asked if we would help him build a kingdom.
Americans were upset because someone God Damn America, Obama called those upset for someone damning their country racist. Made no sense at all, unless Obama feels it is ok to Damn America.
Or No one can get upset over one of his friends says God damn america.
The problems in this country are the faults of all the Senators and congressmen – Obama is one of them.
If he felt strongly about fixing things, you think he would of did more than vote present and try to to do something.
The Senate and congress write the bills, vote on them and enact them. Does he think we are that stupid to think he could only do anything as president?
I am sorry, Obama is not the one to believe in, see change from, or be President.

Yes Obama, you were once feel the bitterness of bitter people as a community organizer. Now you are becoming one of the American elite, you forgot those bitter people. You insulted them when you were among your elite friends. Shame on you Obama, you are arrogant!

Let’s see. Obama psychoanalyzes small town Pennsylvania people in his fundraising speech before millionaires. He raises millions which he pours back into Pennsylvania to buy 4-5 times the advertising of Clinton(because now he can) in order to convince all Pennsylvanians that he is the answer to ALL their problems. Then he psychoanalyzes his original psychoanalysis. In simple terms: he’s just doing what he has to do to buy them. I think they’re smart enough to figure this out.

Well, it is indeed true that the gay marriage wedge issue is the reason Bush was reelected in 04. People sure as hell didn’t vote their economic interests. Obama is pretty damn spot on. However, it was political suicide.

Here we go again …
Obama’s words were “clumsy,” to be sure, but I find it curious that two of the most affluent members of the Senate would describe a former community organizer as out of touch. Sounds politically motivated to me–nothing more than tired old identity politics, yet another desperate attempt to distract us from the real issues of this campaign.
Let’s not be duped, folks. We need to move beyond the politics of division. We need a leader who has the vision, character, and ability to bring positive change to the White House and to our nation–change that neither Clinton nor McCain can deliver.

Some people who are blowing off Larry Sinclair need to think again. Obama is a man who is extremely bitter and hates himself. I think there are primarily two reasons.
One he is black (at least a certain portion of him) and the RACIST WRIGHT has filled his head with all lies for the past two decades about the white people and how they are out to get him. Shrinks will tell you that with this kind of brain washing he will never be normal (even with all the counseling in the world).
Second BARACK IS GAY (his involvement with Sinclair, Young etc.) and feels he is unable to come out.
This has led him to become very resentful of Americans and he wants to take it out on them by entering the White House!
To put it lightly HE WILL ENTER THE WHITE HOUSE WHEN PIGS FLY!

Again the media misses one of the main points … these comments were meant to answer a question from one of the attendees at that exclusive fundraiser, which asked why Obama thought he wasn’t winning the votes of the working class.
If you look at his answer in context of the question, he is essentially saying that the working class doesn’t vote for him because they’re ignorant, gun-toting, Bible-thumping hicks.
Enough said.

Jim,
Please don’t insult our intelligence by referring to Obama as a humble “community organizer” while Clinton and McCain are somehow plutocrats. Obama lives in a $1.5 million home. When McCain was his age, he was making peanuts serving our country (with distinction). And Hillary never made any money until a few years ago. Obama was a “community organizer” because he was trying to build a base and resume to run for political office — because he’s uncontainably ambitious, he couldn’t even serve out one senate term before running for the highest office in the world. Sound a bit arrogant to you? So much for his humble altruism.
Incidentally, exactly what does a “community organizer” do? I have a feeling they convince poor people they deserve something from the government (i.e., you and I), then twist arms and blackmail the government into providing it. A community organizer contributes exactly zero to the economy. They accomplish zero as well. Unless it’s getting state and federal money to subsidize your friend Rezko’s slummy “low income” housing developments. That accomplished getting Obama a quarter of a million in campaign contributions from Rezko. So I take it back. He did accomplish something after all.
And as for Obama’s vaunted “vision,” his vision is exactly what I’m afraid of. His vision appears to be of an America full of race-baiting, gun-toting, bible-thumping, foreigner-lynching rubes who just aren’t smart or enlightened enough to vote for him.
You can gas on about his “vision” , character and ability all you want. When you come up with some proof that he has any ability other than giving a pretty speech, let us know.
And by the way, it’s your candidate who’s made this election about “identity.” The last time he screwed up, after his spiritual mentor of 25 years revealed that he hates our country and members of the white race, Obama changed the subject to his identity. Somehow his being half black African and half white is supposed to qualify him to be the leader of the free world. Well, I ain’t buying it.
Good try, though.

jay,
if you were for edwards, why are you now undecided?
Have you read sen. clintons plans?

Hey, John,
What’s a “neocon?”

No sir, no elitist or academics for me, give someone who’s proud of being the 5th to last in their graduating class. I hate when people use words I don’t know.

..and as if it’s not bad enough that he was dissing the beliefs and way of life lived by blue color workers on the other side of the country…
he was talking them down … behind their backs! to these billionaire on Zilionaire Row…. just to explain why he was having a hard time getting their votes!
How crass, how boneheaded!
How Obama!
GIVE ‘EM HELL, HILLARY

If someone created a website which allowed us to vote on one simple question, ‘are we bitter about how things have been going here in the United States’, do you think the happy campers would ‘win’ or do you think the Americans who are fed up, been pushed down, passed over and trickled on would outnumber those who prefer to wear blinders?
For Hillary to try to twist this comment is beyond her normal campaign games, it’s an act of desperation. When more google for information on her pastor and spritual advisor, Doug Coe, they may come to realize it is all a game to her. When they google through all the campaign lies alone, whether it’s bullets flying, joining the Marines or simply her stands on issues, they will realize we’ll be the losers in these games.
If you want to discuss someone out of touch or elitist, think about the string of unpaid bills Clinton has left in every state she’s been in, bills owed to small vendors. Consider why one would fork out $26,000 for an orchestra for a fundraiser yet not pay her workers’ health insurance premiums for two months. Is that not elitist?
Bill is now trying to help Hillary again but he needs to clean up his own front porch first. His charities not only support Alibaba, Inc., accused of collaborating with the government in its crackdown on Tibetan activists, his scholarships finance schools in Dubai who won’t even accept Israeli students.
Perhaps Bill needs to do twenty years of community service in the south side of Chicago to get a grip on what constitutes an elitist.
Was Bill taking advantage of a young girl in his employ not elitist? Was his putting himself above her interests, the interests of his family, the Democratic Party and our country somehow not elitist?
And btw, we were fooled by a beer drinking party guy trying to act like the common man before, look where it got us. And if using that campaign game is not elitist, I’ll eat my hat.
PS: No wonder Hillary thinks her religion should be private. If it were to become public it could cost her the election.
Meet Hillary Clinton’s spiritual advisor, Doug Coe:

Jason, You’re sooooo glad you’re not a democrat. Noted. Does that delight mean that you’re PROUD to have put George W in power? Can you HONESTLY say our country is better off for his having wielded power for the past eight years? This is a question about honesty and about truth, an issue that seems to be getting short shrift in this online debate.
Granted: Obama could have chosen his words better. In particular, he should have shown more respect for the faith that sustains people. I think guns should be banned entirely; no other rich, western or eastern country allows them, and our country has more gun-related deaths than any other BY FAR. It’s insane to maintain a grip on this murderous tradition. The only people who really NEEDED guns for self-protection in this country’s history–blacks where were systematically lynched [see the excellent documentary "The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow" for starters]–did not have them, and guns were turned on them.
Still, does his poor choice of words mean that the CONTENT of his message is any less true? Does his poor choice of words mean that people are NOT mad that their livelihoods are being eroded? Does his poor choice of words mean that that we are NOT engaged in a senseless war that is cutting short precious lives of men and women who could go on to become lawyers, doctors, mothers, fathers, uncles, teachers, community leaders, carpenters, preachers, senators, and friends? Does his poor choice of words mean that this war is NOT costing precious dollars that could be better spent on health care, education, and reinvigorating the economy? Finally, if he had chosen his words differently would we NOT be resentful when, under the just described circumstances, we see people who look or sound different from us and who have jobs?

even the quote of obama’s words has been misquoted all over the place (to his benefit, as the original was even worse). so the spinners are spinning the new and improved version rather than the original.
no matter what version. no matter what spin. no matter what excuses. simple fact is that obama was mocking pennsylvanians to his rich friends in san francisco. and he got caught.
now his spinners and his media friends and his paid bloggers are having to work overtime to fix it. it may work – all his other fixing has. doesn’t change the reality. the man is sure he’s better than other people and he’s sure he can con us into voting for him.
funny thing is, i bet that, in private, he and michelle not only mock the regular people but also mock the rich ones who loved his mocking of the regular people.

Slice and dice it anyway you like, Obama is our next president, and I couldn’t be happier. From Chicago and I have friends who have worked for him who say that not only is he as good as you see, but you haven’t seen nothin’ yet!

dmh -
How can you pin “middle class” and “working class” together? Last I heard, “middle class” IS “working class”.
And while we are on the subject. Why even use the term “working class” ?? You’re just as bad as Obama. You think that just because people are soooo rich they don’t need to work ….. or that people are sooooo poor that they just don’t work for whatever reason; be it laziness, or just happy fending off the system, or whatever.
Yep… you are just as prejudice as Obama, himself…. middle class don’t work. SHAME ON YOU.

What Barack meant in Essence, which is, the cold-clear Truth, unlike Hillary’s Bosnia Fabrication and Continuing Performances, Small America, due to loss of jobs producing frustration and bitterness and time on their hands, similarly to the Negros in Slavery time, who turned to Relgion & Music for an outlet, small-town Americans turn to Religion, Hunting & yes, some blame current conditions on the Immigrants when they should be turning the blame on Politicians who allow employers to higher immigrants for a much lower wage than Americans would go for. He never said religion or hunting were bad, just that they were an outlet for the bitterness of those who have lost hope in their government and with extra time on their hands.

Bush eliminated taxes on those making 30,000? I want some of what you’re smoking!

Derek I for one an proud to have help put George W Bush in the White House for two terms. Unprecidented economic growth, arguably the best economy in the history of the United States. Islamist facist beaten back after attacking our shores. Iraq liberated by UN and US Congressional sanctioned action by a multi national force, 30 countries boots still on the ground, and progress towards a democratic country being made despite Iran, Syria and opposition politicians in the US. What is not to like if you don’t suffer from BDS or are just plain prejudiced by your leftist leanings.

“frustrated with polices that enable businesses to leave our community”
These guys really don’t “get it.” Government isn’t here to prevent businesses from leaving – that’s not its function. Businesses leave or “outsource” when the US becomes too expensive or too difficult to conduct business in. Most of the expense and difficulty comes from government – taxes (income, sales, inventory, excises) are high, “feel-good” environmental regulations are crippling, tort law is ridiculous, and obsolete social programs like affirmative action are millstones which just won’t go away. Obama’s absurd conviction seems to be that even more governmental control is the answer.

I was never bitter or frustrated when I was out of work. Why, because I knew that the promises of politicians were empty and I was raised to do what I had to do to find work such as hopping into the old pickup, sleeping in it and once working sending money home to the family for a short period of time until things became settled. This is how I saved my house from foreclosure some 30 years ago.
If government promises and people actually believe that and there is no follow through, then the believers would be bitter. Yes, government can provide jobs; the USSR did for every one as did Saddam; mostly do nothing jobs to quite the masses. And what happened when those governments fell. The people were ill prepared mentally to do for themselves. Are we slipping into that mode too?
Mr. Obama can not have government directly creating new jobs and keep our capitalist system and we our freedoms as we now know them. And yes FDR have government creat massive job programs, but during a time of 25% unemployment with few jobs to travel to and yes we did lose some freedom; not at all as they did in Germany and Italy, but some never-the-less. We have lost more if FDR’s attempt to pack the Supreme Court had worked.
When government grows it naturally intrudes into your life more and more, your freedom is eroded regardless of the intent of the leadership; the bureaucracy seemly has no limits or checks on what they can do to you; a tyranny of the minority; the bureaucrats in this case (think IRS to the extreme armed with administrative warrants). Fortunately, our constitutional workings held government mostly in check in our country during the depression; others were not so fortunate. I’d rather not try that aga

Obama, allies try to explain away bitter remarks

This really doesnt cut it. Both he and his allies are completely ignoring the worst parts of his remarks, which were:
But the truth is, is that, our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there’s not evidence of tha…

Obama’s choice of words was dead-on, his summation was the truth, that’s how it is — why should he apologize for it? Not everyone in PA actually is like that description yet it is a fair description. Clinton would have done better to apologize on her husband’s behalf then gone after McCain and the Bush economic policies which McCain seems to want to continue. Instead, Clinton muddies the waters with non-issue pronouncements. We do not need another president who feels the need to take any opponent down by such tactics, eight years of it is enough.

Obama makes it worse

It is Obama that is not listening to the people, and who just assumes he knows what is best for them.

Yes, his team at CNN Sunday night was focusing on the “bitter” part and letting the following words go by.
Here’s what the people need to understand. Obama is talking to a bunch of elitist, big money donors in San Francisco. There is no media present. He assumes he’s among friends.
He says that Americans cling to guns, religion, anti-ILLEGAL-immigration, and “Made in USA” because of their economic status. The supposed thinking being that if he gives them jobs, they’ll give up their guns, Christianity, welcome illegals, and not worry about the USA losing its manufacturing base.
We all know (or should know) that Obama wants to ban handguns, increase access to abortion for minors, issue driver’s licenses to illegals, and do nothing to curtail NAFTA. Now that may appeal to you personally. But those attitudes don’t win the White House in a general election.

No one yet has mentioned the “timing” of this blowback againsr Obama. This happened over a week ago, the right-wing slime machine didn’t notice anything wrong with Obama’s analogy until after Friday’s release of the chickenhawk’s WH gathering to discuss torture methods. Anyone; whose brain can be described without using the word “amoeba”,would find no fault in Obama’s words,unless, of course, they were programmed to do so. What a sick America we live in today, as a dumb-down society squabbles over such issues, as our country continues to slide into the abyss.

I heard on radio this morning that Obama stammered his way to saying he used a poor choice of words. But what the report didn’t say is that Precious was speaking at a fundraiser ($2300 per person) at which the press was not allowed. It is simply astonishing that this got out (as far as I’m concerned). We Were Not Ever Supposed To Hear This Speech or Ever To Know Of This Speech’s Existence. EVER.
Why not? Because he wasn’t speaking to you and me; he was speaking to the ELITE in San Francisco. To the Billionaires’ Row folks who don’t really mind if you and I struggle to pay for food and hope to goodness we don’t get sick before we are allowed to take time off. The same people who put other president’s in office.
And yes…I agree that the timing of this coverage is questionable. It’s sort of like the *red alerts* that were flown every time a negative story about the GWB machinations appeared.
There are no coincidences.

Amazing, isn’t it, that million-dollar-a-year talking heads are shocked–shocked they tell you!–that Barack Obama said that white people, in smalltown America are bitter and frustrated by twenty-five plus years of downsizing, outsourcing, layoffs, sub-minimum wage jobs chasing down shopping carts at Wal Mart and a neverending war where their kids go off to die.
No, they’re not bitter.

I am bitter that Barack Obama has gotten such preferential treatment from the press.
I am frustrated that Barack Obama’s campaign is run by journalists who have manipulated the print media, CNN, and MSNBC.
I am digusted that Obama used anti-trade anger as a wedge issue to get votes, but goes to a wine tasting in San Francisco and accuse Bush and Clinton of using anti-trade as a wedge issue.
I am outraged that Obama said people have antipathy to those not like them when he attends a church that spews racial hatred to whites, Jews, Italians, and patriotic US citizens.
I am angry that any dissent of Barack Obama is written off as racism by the manipulated media
I am sick that the media has used the David Axelrod talking points as their story line: Hillary is rich, People are bitter, didn’t mean cling, he is not an elitist because he was raised by a single mom and was a community organizer.
Finally, who was richer at age 46 the Clintons or the Obamas? Why is Obama allowed to disparage the Clintons and McCains, but remains untouched by the left-wing media.

Barack Obama continues to try and posture himself out of the truth of the “audacity” contained in the reality of his potential regime.
The truth about Obama will continue to emerge as the August convention date draws nearer, and the Obama scheme for the subjugation of the Constitution and America’s majority will become clear.
All the explanations and interpretations of Obama misspeak by campaign surrogates and mantra followers will fail when placed side by side with the logic of truth.
And, Barack Obama will be filed in the same category as McGovern, Dukakis, and Kerry–unelectable.

The Obama campaign is smart to avoid explaining the gaffe.
For example, here’s the most recent Obama explanation on the ‘clinging to guns and religion” remark.
“People feel like Washington’s not listening to them, and as a consequence, they find that they can only rely on the traditions and the things that have been important to them for generation after generation. Faith. Family. Traditions like hunting. And they get frustrated.”
Huh?

What is so offensive about what he said? The man is speaking the truth as far as I can tell. I used to live in one of those Midwestern, former industrial giant towns and the desire to cling to religion and guns is paramount! One should never have to apologize for telling the truth!

What is harmful to Obama is that his statement exposes him as being anti-gun despite his protestations. Further, it calls into question the authenticity of his anti-trade rhetoric. And finally, it really brings into relief the Black Liberation Church he attended for 20 years by calling into question the authenticity of their religious commitment – this from the guy who is so Christian he doesn’t even notice all the crazy at his church.

I don’t see what people are trying to steer away from. You bet everyday people are bitter, and they are clinging to the things that they can still get a grip on, which means the time-honored staples of American life: guns, religion, and dislike of the groups they feel are eating away at whatever foothold they have in a world in which they matter. Why do people try to deny that this is how regular Americans feel? They are ignored by those who claim to represent them; they are shoved aside by those who claim to have their financial interests at heart; their properties are seized for yet another big money building project; their grocery budgets rise while their paychecks shrink or vanish as thousands are “laid off” (the lie being that the work will return). Obama simply spoke the truth. Why can’t the politicos and the media face up to it for once instead of nit-picking it to death? Get out of your limos, peel out of your designer suits, and try living like the rest of us do, paying for your own gas at the pump and your own meals instead of dining out on the voters’, the lobbyists’, the medias’m or the candidates’ dime. Maybe then you’ll start looking closer at your church, your constitution, and an American face from earlier times for consolation. Maybe you’ll start holding close values that are shaky now, but remind you of a time when you didn’t feel as if you were nothing and the earth wasn’t being eaten out from under your feet.
Obama gets it. Why don’t you?
Tamora Pierce
writer

I am from a small bitter little bigoted fundie town in S. Oregon… though I wish Obama hadn’t said it, I had to agree that he hit a nerve and described where I grew up perfectly… bitter hell… I thought he was being kind… lets see back home, everyone supports Bush, the war, hates gays, Californians, minorities, and immigrants… this hasn’t changed in years… in fact since the lumber mills closed, they hate environmentalists and spotted owls as well. They are totally dependant on tourism, but hate the Californians who spend money there… another Bush or Clinton or clone of them, no way… give Obama a break and lets move on and focus on the issues that the republicans don’t want us to: there’s a war on that is going to bankrupt us, high gas prices, healthcare problems, inflation, global warming, schools that need help… this is nothing than a media led sidetrack, next!

If Obama told the truth then why has he used the following tactics…claiming he said something else…explaining part of it….attacking McCain for pointing it out…repeadedly attacking Hillary.
Gee I think he said what he meant…that there are a bunch of people that he wants to vote for him that are bitter bible-thumping gun-toting racists…now lets see if they believe what he said or the spin.

You don’t get it do you! It’s not the bitter about losing jobs, yada, yada. They always leave out the most offensive remarks. Then ones where he said bitter people cling to guns, religion, AND ANTIPATHY for people not like them. This here ladies and gentlemen is calling them bigots. You don’t like people who aren’t like you. This is the offensive statement that is totally glossed over by his campaign and the media. I resent and am highly offended by those remarks. If you’re not, then continue to let him demean and insult you.

I’m still waiting for someone to explain to what Obama said that was “impolitic,” elitist, condescending or wrong.
Every single word was truer and more compassionate than anything Mrs. Bill Clinton has ever said, not to mention any Republican.
Everything in human history has been done by people who were bitter, angry and frustrated. Happy, complacent people have never done a thing.
The people who are objecting are either Cinton apologists at any cost, or Republicans. Either way, they’re irrelevant.

michael davidson writes that the people objecting to obama’s mocking of regular people are either clinton apologists or republicans. he then says that either way, “they’re irrelevant.”
someone might want to explain to the obamaites that they need votes from clinton apologists and republicans if they think they can win a general election. obama’s getting about half the vote in the democratic primary race – that’s about a quarter of the votes once republicans are included. actually, it’s a lot less, since primary votes are much less than general election votes. so obama needs to pick up some votes somewhere. insulting people isn’t the way to do it.
btw, no way he can do it.

Has anyone noticed that elections in this country are a joke? Does anyone stop and think about how ridiculous this is? Why, when the press ignores the ISSUES that affect you (healthcare, education, the economy, obviously the war) and pay attention to nonsense like this that you fall for it each and every time? Ask yourself about what stupid PR crap, drawn up by elites who think lowly of regular people across the board, you are basing your vote on. Are you going to think about this and every other inside the beltway created narrative or are you going to use for FREAKING BRAIN and think about the issues that are going to really touch you? Please people, think about where this nonsense has gotten us as a country. We’re stuck in an immoral, murderous and costly war, have a crumbling economic system, an overpriced and underperforming healthcare system, an out of control military budget and for profit war industry, a horrific educational system amongst other things. Could it be this way because every election cycle instead of educating yourself and getting active, voting for the candidate that had plans in your best interest you voted based on corporate press driven nonsense? WAKE UP! The press in this country thinks the public is stupid, it isn’t. Don’t prove them right by falling for this $hit…again.

Coming from that neck of the Pennsylavania woods of Southwestern PA which literally was named Penn’s Woods after William Penn….relatives and others used to have an ongoing joke with a plaque at the Local Yocal Bar that said “WHERE THE ELITE MEET”. For God’s sakes even the local yocals know who they are and make fun of their ownselves. What’s the problem?