Obama Defends His Comments About Pa. Voters

I DO NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING OBAMA
BELIEVE, BUT HE IS IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE,
AND SEN. CLINTON AND SEN. IS NOT. POOR
PEOPLE AND MIDDLE CLASS, ARE VERY BITTER. NO JOBS, GAS PRICES BEING PUT OUT OF THIER HOMES. HELLO!!

Politics is a horrible way to have to live. I give all these politicians lots of kudos for putting their stuff out there. Obama’s words weren’t the best choice of words, but this is not a major issue. I have greater things I am concerned about. Read the cover of Time this week about Obama’s mother. Now that is something folks.

He is right on and he knows what we are going through ,he can relate to us the other two are so far above us they have no clue…..He listens and understands what people are saying.
Great and Thank you……………..

I live in the midwest. We all talk about the same things that Obama said last week. Many people acknowledge that the bitterness and looking to religion and worrying about their guns, ect., is a substitute for the helplessness in our lives as jobs leave.
A few years ago 3 of the major factories left for Mexico and China out of 4. Mental Health facilities were packed because of the depression from the fall out.
A year later the 4th left for Mexico.
There is nothing to replace them except for minimum wage retail.
We are not stupid. We know what is happening and why. And we know full well that people look for comfort and distractions to deal.
The only thing I don’t understand is why people would turn to the Clintons, who are responsible for the jobs leaving in the first place along with the republicans.
So, yeah, Obama is right and on target to begin with.
To trash him for saying what we all say ourselves is ridiculous.

It’s one thing to simply react to a problem or to an emotion or to frustration, but it’s quite another to understand it’s roots!
Barack understands the underlying causes of anger, frustration, and resentment. And only someone who understands can bring about a lasting change!

I live in Pennsylvania and think that Obama’s intended message is accurate – Pennsylvanians are frustrated about loss of jobs, the economy,etc. HOWEVER, as a politician, he should know to use different words to make his point. Pennsylvanians are frustrated, and rightfully so, but not bitter. I think his choice of the word “bitter” is insulting to hard working blue collar Pennsylvanians. I find it to be indeed an elitist choice of words.

I want to see how he makes this all about Hillary .Lets see if it stays in the news night and day like they do to Hillary .

People who think Obama is not rich ( you all are mistaken)
He made cloe to $1M last year and will easily make $3M this year with 2 books selling great.
Also he lives in a $1M plus mansion. Thanks to Rezko
His pastor too got a $1.6M mansion for retirement. I think he is the one who preached hatred and said US does not take care of poor … He is so poort. YOU RIGHT.
Obama will end up to be one of the richest politician in history when he reaches Hillary’s age.
So do not be jealous about Hillary.

Nature abhors a vacuum! That’s the one thing Hillary just doesn’t understand. There can only be 1 Clinton (that was Bill). Bill is a brilliant man, but I’m sorry to say that Hillary is just not Bill!

From PA (born and raised) now living in IN….
Barack hit this one out of the park!
And I don’t believe the people of PA (we’re not that complicated) are offended by TRUTH!
The true elitist are the ones that jumped on the remark to put it through the negative spin cycle.
I’m extremely fortunate in my situation, and I thank God every day, however, I have family and friends NOT so fortunate, and YES, they’re bitter and frustrated. Enjoying life has become a struggle. BUT….you can’t take away their religion and you can’t take away their guns!
If the good folks in Pennsylvania won’t bring this home, we in Indiana will!!

Good for you Jacko.
I feel the same way about ms inevitable. I’m not quite sure I could vote McCain, that would be tough…but I sure know how to stay home.
Elite hill and free trade bill don’t need my vote. And McWar definitely doesn’t need my vote.

I PRAY FOR OBAMA AND HIS CAMPAIGN. Obama is riht people are frustrated. Bill did add to the problem. Jobs gone to other countries. Home is where the heart is. I remember that I was working at a sewing industry for 10 years and we got laid off, because of the jobs going to other countries. The plant sent all of it work to Csoreka or Puerto Rico and close down. They were many out of a job, but the owner caed enough to pay for our education so we could train for other jobs. They were many elderly people who was close to drawinf social security and some with no high school diplomas. It was hard for many. Obama has really gained my respect for caring enough to evaluate and tell the truth. Hillary is always negative against Obama. He is really doing a great job. How Can hilary even think of such when she can not manage her own campaign money. Is this the lady we want to be president? Think about it. Obama is a very intelligent man. Mccain cannot really say much he is still trying to convince everyone. Hillary is so out spoken and rude. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO OBAMA AND HIS CAMPAIGN STAFF. GO OBAMA

Danny
I would vote for McCain because he’s honorable and a good man. My first choice is Hillary, but if I have to choose McCain, I can live with it, so can my small town family.

I notice no one has focused on what Bill Clinton has said about Hillary’s age and her mis-speaking? about Bosnia and sniper fire. How in the hell does anyone forget they were shot at? Shot at while with your only beloved child beside you?? She had a senior moment and no one is ready to admit it.
Senator Obama speaks the truth with insight and intelligence. When we are down and sad we tend to turn to our faith and religion to lift our spirits. We are taught that The Lord will carry us when we are unable to go on alone. For those who grew up in church the powerful prayer “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.We retreat into our faith to distract us from lifes trials and hardships that we sometimes face. More now than ever we need to understand what he is telling us.He said he would not be surprised that some people are “bitter”. he did not call anyone bitter. We have in this country become anti-immigrant and anti-trade. but the anti-trade part is justified. With all the jobs being shipped out of the US people are afraid and worried about the future. Stop trying to bring this brilliant man down. Barack Obama a special gift that I believe the Lord sent to us to wake us up!!! WAKE UP!!

Mr Obama knows nothing about Pennsylvanians.
They Are very Proud Americans.
They Love and support their Country.
They Never Condemn it or God Damn it.
They Automatically stand up and put their hand on their hearts when they say the Pledge of allegiance or Hear the National Anthem.
They Support the Service men and woman, from wearing lapep pins to yellow ribbons on the porch post. They are our Sons & Daughters, Mothers and Dads, sister and Brothers, who Deserve and have earned our support. They are not a troop, They are Americans doing their duty, Serving their country Proudly.
We are not Frustrated
We are ###### that Senators like you do not do their job. Show up and vote present and take the pay check for nothing.
We are ###### because Senators Like you
Squander the money we give to the government on stupid programs and not the ones we need.
We are ####### because some one wants to take another right away. Yes we are hunters and we want our constitutional right to stay intact.
We are ###### when you Side with the minority over the majority.
We are ###### when you Senators and congressman get up on your high horses and look down upon us, When you in fact are suppose to be working for us, not against us.
We are ###### every time we have to press #1 for English. Read our lips, make the national language English for all. That is what the majority of people want. How hard can that be to do it.
We only get Frustrated when we can not get you Politicians out of office as easy as you were put into it.

I live in small town Ohio. Yes what Obama says is stating the truth however, I don’t own a gun or go to church because I’m frustrated with the way things are in my town or country. I go to church because of my faith and my own morals and values. I don’t cling to those things!!! He insulted small town America plain and simple!! This man has very poor judgement to lump small town frustration with owning a gun or going to church! Big case of open mouth insert foot!! I could never ever vote for Obama. If Hillary is not the nominee I will vote for McCain. At least he is patriotic, honorable and doesn’t insult us small town folks. Hillary in 2008!

Senator Obama, thanks for laying it out there like it really is. You speak nothing but the truth, and maybe those better off in this country like the $109 million Clintons and others like them, will get the message you so eloquently have brought to the forefront- our small town concerns and bitterness over gross neglect for decades by Washington, including our national leader’s irresponsible policies like NAFTA that have cost us jobs and decimated our communities. We are indeed very bitter, and we want change in Washington.

The narrative of Senator Obama as being out of touch with the working class is out of touch with reality. Unlike Senators Clinton and McCain, who were raised in single family homes and solidly middle class, Senator Obama was raised in an apartment and a time on welfare. Unlike Senators Clinton and McCain, he paid his OWN way through college. No one gave him anything!
Most of the MSM is becoming more and more like Fox News everyday. Rather than playing or posting his complete quote where he talks in length about the plight of the poor and working class and their understandable bitterness, yes bitterness, they play a clip out of context. He was clearly defending the deserved bitterness of small town Americans who have been shafted by the government time-and-time again. Yes, he as not at his most eloquent, but to accuse him of putting down small town Americans is a complete distortion!

DTD you are horribly mislead. Obama was raised in Hawaii by an elite family (his mother and grandparents mostly but both his fathers were wealthy as well). He also attended private schools all his life. He is a silver spoon baby.

No, he didn’t leave out guns and religion.
He was talking about people voting based only on gun rights and abortion rights, because they don’t see ANY party as able to help them economically any more.
It’s what he said in CA, and he said it again now. Open your ears. Here’s the full quote:
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 feel most cynical about government. The people are mis-appre…I think 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, and they feel so betrayed by government, and 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 (laugher), then that adds another layer of skepticism (laughter).
But — so the questions you’re most likely to get about me, ‘Well, what is this guy going to do for me? What’s the concrete thing?’ What they wanna hear is — so, we’ll give you talking points about what we’re proposing — close tax loopholes, roll back, you know, 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. So we’ll go down a series of talking points.
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. So it’s not surprising then that 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.

When referring to PA working class voters, Obama said: “So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them…”
Isn’t this Obama comment ironic? Wait, I can’t remember, was he talking about blue-collar voters or Rev. Wright?
The fact that he’s an elitist is an understatement.
I’m confident the voters in PA to whom he was referring will not be inspired or feel particularly “united” by his remarks.
Hillary is the ONLY viable candidate!

Maybe everyone wouldn’t be so bitter if they had friends like Rezko to help them get sweet real estate deals.

Pa Resident: Thanks for the bit of sanity. Here’s a pretty important part of the Obama speech that was left out. It pretty much says it all.
“…They take refuge in their faith and their communities and their families and the things they can count on.”
There are alot of places where you can find the whole speech. It’s sane and true. Why this particular journalist took these sections and deleted others – and then said that he didn’t talk about religion is a mystery (and I’m being charitable here).

don’t we have one of those guys in the white house now that can never say i was wrong! i am reminded of the old saying in politics ‘you can fool some of the people some of time but not all of the people all the time’

You must have forgot to include in your report the part about the crowd’s spontaneous standing ovation…

Yes Obama, we are all the same, just typical white people. We are your empty vessels, please fill us up with your change.

DCVoter: Absolutely! I read the entire speech on Huffington. It’s clear Obama meant what he said about working class PA voters. If he’s such a fabulous speaker, as his supporters contend, then why does he continue to blunder with his words? Why would there be any room for ambiguity? Perhaps, he believes the militant theology that African Americans are superior. Perhaps, he just believes that he’s superior. Either way, he’s not the brand of unity America desperately needs and richly deserves. Hillary is!

Yes, Jeff. Obama is only in touch with personal gain, anything and everything else is just a means to an end. You’re one of the means to Obama. That’s all.

Obama should bow out gracefuly now.

great post annie.
obama reminds me of a magician i saw as a little girl. he put a bunny in a hat and then pulled out a quarter. i was 7 y.o and i was not fooled i stood up and screamed where is the bunny, where is the bunny, what did you do with the bunny.

Within the space of 5 hours, Senator Obama turned lemons into lemonade. His speech tonight was briliant, and yes, he did get a standing ovation! Neither hill, bill, or mcsame could have accomplished what Senator Obama did this evening. Having been a leader in the organizational structure, I recognize a leader when I see one! Senator Obama is definitely the leader this country has ben waiting for for the last several decades.

DCVoter: Another excellent post! And, I hear what you’re saying about our posts mysteriously disappearing.
The only donations the Obama’s made went to Rev. Wright’s church (TUCC) in the amount of $27,000 since 2005.

That Obama, he sure is a lemon. Most Americans know a lemon when they see one (or hear his vacuous speeches). Isn’t there a lemonade flavored Kool Aid?

Let’s not forget the little-known staging Michelle made at a recent event. She had people reseated so that more whites were shown by the TV cameras.

OH and I misspoke… it was not 89 of 400 black alumni refused to participate… it was only 89 of 400 agreed to participate which made her sample tainted. It is appalling that Princeton accepted her thesis conclusion using a biased sample.

I agree Emily – it makes me question the quality/integrity of any doctorate conferred by Princeton.

Sonia: Michele didn’t receive a Ph.D from Princeton. It was her Baccalaureate. Nevertheless, her work was appalling for the undergraduate level!

A student has the right to keep any school work from being released for whatever reason. I released my doctorate dissertation but not my master’s thesis or my undergrad work. I have served on master thesis and dissertation committees. Many students request that their work not be released.

obama could have tried to clinton his way out of the situation but instead he took resposibility for his remarks and said yeah people are ###### off and bitter we are spending 3 billion a day in iraq while borrowing from china for the war and iraq is running a surplus–we are paying sunnis not to fight in iraq and people in our own country cant get disability or unemployement or welfare or healthcare and john mccain says obama is elitist–thats funny obama had a single parent who remarried took him to indonesia then back to hawaii to live with his grandparents then working his way through colleg then working in a law firm for civil rights–he could have gone to wall street but he chose public service–obama’s campagn has never brought up the bosnia lie never but her campagn keeps bringing up rev wright saying this reverand is black he is really black tell everyone that way the whites in pa wont vote for him—that is what is going on

DcVoter – alumni are scattered all over the world – they move, don’t have the time, or just do not want to do a questionnaire for whatever reason and the questionnaire gets thrown in the wastebasket. For my doctorate dissertaion, I sent out 1000 questionnaire – I had 101 returned.

Mara – I am surprised hillary’s paper was accepted – graduate work has to involve qualitative and quantitative studies. I know some students who have worked on a dissertation for five years.

emily – I have served on grad committees – I do understand the time and work involved – and I have served as chair. Good for you if you are willing to help students – no greater work then helping students accomplish their goals.

DcVoter – I not only used questionnaires but case studies, personal interviews, telephone interviews, and emails (it seems to me by the time I was done), by the thousands. :) No dissertation depends on one form of data collection – multiples result in much better stats.

I am considering pursuing yet another degree very soon and have had great response from the school’s advisor. Having worked with academia for many years it is refreshing to communicate with conscientious individuals. Unfortunately, many of the bloggers online still need help with facts and logical reasoning. That is the reason I blog! We can enrich our lives through education both inside and outside academia when we debate issues in a mature manner.

MSM articles are not a valid source of data. Try going to the sources like open secrets that maintains a personal finances database for public perusal.

Elaine – I’m disgusted too. Funny thing — the wealthy white suburban crowd he talks to send their kids to heavily segregated private and public schools and live in vitually allwhite neighborhoods, far from poor people. but then he gets up and calls poor people bitter and xeonophobic. LOL. In Connecticut, the town of West Hartford is in flames over proposals to bus black and latino poor kids to cash rich suburban and virtually allwhite schools. This is the same liberal crowd that voted for Obama in CT. LOL. What a joke

He’s right. I’m bitter, angry, disappointed with Washington on our poor economy, the war that is tearing down our men and women and the Bush and McCain team on not approving the new GI bill for them. They put their life on the line and they are dissed.
Hillary lies so much she evens believes her own lies. Bill takes 800,000 dollars to help Columbia’s NAFTA get passed as Hillary is against it. Clinton’s take US citizens for granted and wants us to believe she’s against it? Right. Conflict of interest all over it . They think the American voters are stupid?
McCain is a lost cause. He just wants war. No clue on fixing our economy or trying to get our brave men and women out of a war we shouldn’t have been in.
News media rather not spend time on what issues that need to be address. If a candidate passes wind its in the news.
And the number item is this NAFTA. The Clinton’s have gained so much off of this while millions of Americans lost manufacturing jobs. What amazes me how uneducated and uniformed Americans still support the Clinton’s after all the lies. I can’t believe Americans are that stupid and blind.
Yes I’m bitter

Obama should apologize to the people of Pennsylvania for his extremely offensive comments when he accused these voters of “clinging to guns or religion” because they are “bitter.”
Many of us want change but I doubt any of us wants a disdainful president.

JerryZ;
Read up on some history about the Clinton’s; they have stood by the poor and disadvantaged in more ways than you can count. Why can’t for once, Obama be straight with the American people; instead of sidestepping to the Clinton’s every time HE faulters. His true charcter is finally rearing it’s head and the more people hear and see him; the more they distrust him.

Always remember, democrats think they know you better than you know yourself. They also know what’s better for you than you do.
Patronizing at it’s finest.

Why he is the only candidate always brings up Race, Class.
Yesterday there was an article here talked about his campaign staffers put white people in the front row.
Later on he will give a defensive speech which everybody will praises him and forget whatever he said.
Nothing wrong to him at all.
He is GOD?

I agree Ernie but he had an immediate opportunity to do so and failed. Any apology efforts now are empty and lack sincerity since they will be perceived as damage control and rightfully so.
An interesting point to note is that no matter which candidate is elected President, the country will get “change”. Each of them differ from the current administration. The larger question we the voters must examine is what kind of change we want.
Our government is the most complex organization in the world with a seemingly infinite number of integrated processes. If we want change to fix the broken processes, we need to ensure the working processes are not broken by the changes. Simply stated… we must have measured process improvements or smart change.
The fact that corporate America is embracing democratic candidates this year is a strong sign they are willing to work with the democrats on effecting positive change. Do they care about the welfare of Americans and economic recovery? Sure they do! They cant make money if we have none to spend.
The only candidate that has a record of standing as a champion of the people while keeping corporate interests at bay is Senator Clinton. As President, she can get the job done at middle ground for all parties involved without breaking the government or bankrupting America. She proposes a return to fiscal responsibility and plans to pay for all her programs without increasing taxes and will decreases in taxes of the non-wealthy. Combine this with new jobs and economic stimulus and the buying power of Americans will increase.
Obama proposes to implement similar plans without buy-in from Congress and at a cost to the taxpayers using increased taxes per his proposals. Expert analysts examined his tax proposal and confirmed it would increase personal income tax, social security tax, and and capital gains taxes significantly. Obviously this is not fiscally responsible and would decrease the buying power of most Americans.
McCain intends to make the tax cuts for the wealthy permanent and leave it up to the free market to recover itself. This is Reagan and Bush all over again. The primary result of their policies is what we have today… an almost non-existent middle class and CEO’s with billion dollar annual incomes projected to reach into the trillions in the coming years on the backs of Americans.
Elitists in the Republican party and now apparently Obama continue to push this country into the two-class society our forefathers fought and died to escape. The smart choice for prosperity is Senator Clinton, in spite of the shananigans of her spouse. If you have been following the press, she once again told him to shutup when he made things worse in trying to defend her. With the removal of his buddy Penn as her chief strategist, it appears she has taken the reigns and once again found her voice as a champion of the people. She represent the smart change I believe this country needs.

To me this is unfair to obama. these days you can send people’ sons and daughtesr to their death for no reason, lies openly to them, support Nafta and have in you team one that is presently working against the interest of the american people but you can still get away with it because of you are. But when someone tell the truth he are accused of elitist. Who wouldn’t feel bitter when he is told that his job is given to a chinese or an illegal immigrant? Those who deny that feeling are the very elitist and far away from the daily life of regular americans.

Obama is a limousine liberal elitist. He is the kind of Democrat from San Francisco that can never relate to blue collar folk.

People are bitter and angry because of the Iraq war and the job lost to China and India but this time they are angry and bitter because the voters in Florida and Michigan are ignored by DNC and Obama doesn’t want their voices be heard even a revote.

Obama is a disgrace for a presidential candidate.
Why would any American support a guy that has so many negatives:
Are you guys crazy.
Pastor Wright
Rezko from Chicago
United Trinity Church of Christ
Attending this church with his kids
Belittling Pa
No experience
A wife that isn’t proud of her country
He will NEVER be able to stand up to McCain.
Unless this blog is all Republican please support Hillary before it’s too late.

Obama, Do you know people are bitter and angry because the voices of voters in Florida and Michigan are ignored by DNC Leaders and you are one of them who against the revote or counting the votes?

Anyone who has been out of work and waiting for some honest input, a leg up for once to get going has every right to be angry, fed up and bitter as they watch this government spending American tax dollars fighting to a useless and immoral war in Iraq. I have a job. But if I lived in an area of the country suffering now from a lack of jobs, I’d sure as heck be bitter. And I’d be looking for real change. Why is my country spending billions of dollars to buy off both sides in a pending and unavoidable civil war while my family both pays for and suffers from such action? Why wouldn’t people be bitter?
dusty

I’m a PA voter and Obama is right on the mark. He is the only candidate that gets it. I’m not sure that he will win PA but I’m sure he is going to win the primary and he’s going to destroy McMore-War in the fall. People are beginning to realize that Obama is the REAL-DEAL. Obama 2008!

Wrong Roger. Nothing to spin here. Obama speaks the truth, whether it’s what people want to hear or not, unlike your typical politicians. PA voter 100% for Obama 2008!

Isn’t it great that Obama’s fundraising is coming from normal citizens unlike the others. Maybe all these people are seeing something that Russ can’t see yet. I suggest that Russ and a few other people here do a little more research. Obama 2008!

a small town in NY. and let me tell you. He hit the nail right on its head. Hillary just doesnt get it. When she drives threw she doesnt listen..really listen.
Just like Ed. He will be replaced next time around.
Nafta has hurt small town America. Hillary talks about retraining, well for some of us who didnt do well in school, but had a good job in machine shops made good money. We all know they have all but came to a screeching halt.
Bill passed NAFTA, Hillary says she was against it, but excuse me i do not ever remember her saying it then.
what worries most is if Columbia fee trade deal gets passed. Like small town America they can not afford to have more Jobs leave their area. Bill is for it. Hill says no. Who will win that argument after Bill took and therefore Hillary $800,000.00. are they willing to return that money so Americans will see who won that one?
It’s not like they need the Money with their 108 million.
And that the statement right there THEY DONT NEED IT. THTS WHY SHE AND JOHN McCAIN DOESNT GET IT.THE HAVE LIVED TO LONG HIGH ON THE HOG!!!!

carpeternyc
ARE THE ONES OUT OF TOUCH….. the government is not the answer to your woes….the government will have place for our nation’s security…but not for our day to day welfare……that is up to us— our life—our decision—-
—————————————-
It was the Government that sold out our jobs WITH NAFTA. We don’t want welfare
Maybe you do ..But for some like my whole family going on welfare is a sin.
BUT Bill sold America on NAFTA..and in the process sold away our lively hood. WELFARE MY A**. I want my GOOD PAYING JOB BACK.
get a real thought of your own. NOT what the sell out has said
OBAMA will bring Change for THE PEOPLE.
NOT FOR THEIR FAMILY RICHES.
THE MILLIONAIRES DO NOT AND WILL NOT GET IT

vwcat: I can tell you for a fact that people in small town america do not discuss the fact that their lack of jobs is why they like to hunt and go to church. You don’t have to lie in order to make a point!

What is Obama proposing that he would actually do to relieve Pennsylvania misery?

So, the truth hurts!!! Well, maybe you should do something about it! PA vote Obama on April 22 and bring some changes into your lives!

Lauren: Just listen to what you wrote and listen to the way Obama spoke those words and you can plainly hear the bitterness and contempt that he holds about working class americans. What he was doing in San Francisco, was trying to relay to his fat cat donors why the does not relate to working class americans, instead of looking at it as a problem that he has he simply turned the table and said well its not me it is them. It is because they are bitter,and frustrated that is why they don’t like me. Well if they are so bitter and frustrated then why are the supporting any politician,why don’t they say we are not going to vote period because it will do no good! No they have supported Hillary not because they are frustrated but because they remember the economic condition of this country was better under Clinton and they connect to her economic plan for them and the country! Unlike you and Obama most working class americans think that Bill Clinton was excellent steward of the economy and they would like to see that again.

Just the facts people…
In the 109th congress, only ONE bill sponsored by Obama was signed into law.
(relief to the Congo)
In the 110th congress, exactly zero bills sponsored by Obama was signed into law.
Yep — he’s really on top of things.

Thinking: So this furustration is this why they love to hunt and go to church?

I thought Obama was a big Kennedy fan! I think it was John Kennedy who said ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country! Obama and other elitist always blame America and scapegoat some group in order to explain why they distrust america so much! He should listen to John Kennedy more and Ted Kennedy less!

So many comments on this board are so extreme.eg How does Obama become a “Hater” for showing some unvarnished understanding of others?
I’ve met some real haters in my life and I don’t recognise that trait in Obama.
‘Haters’ from my experience are people who have experiencing some deep personal hurt and pain, and only know how to express their pain with vitriol, blame and anger.

Lance D. Obama is a product of private shooling too! Bill and Hillary were not always rich! Bill was one of the poorest presidents ever to leave office, the republican and all the special prosecutors saw to that! They never owned a home until they left the White House and now you complain that they are working hard and being sucessful! That is not something to be bitter about that is what america is all about!

Hillary fans:
It looks like your candidate won’t make it any more than the traditional values of the democratic party will make it. Here are your choices now:
* Vote for McCain
* Vote for Nader
* Express your true beliefs by writing in your candidates name
* Don’t vote at all

I spoke to my Aunt Alice this morning.
She is from Bently Creek Pa. and i asked her what the scuttle butt is around there is ,on this issue.
” Barack hit it dead center ,”"
They are tired and do feel some bitterness for always being ignored by the POLITICIANS. You Know they say what you want to hear but mean next to nothing when Push comes to Shove.
by the way for those who do not know Bentley Creek is small town America

This is just another attempt by an elitist politician to blame others for the fact that he is not getting their support, just like they blame america first and themselves last for any problem that america faces!
–Russell
I think Americans have grown accustomed to politicians who tell them what they want to hear instead of the real picture.
1-Do you know why they call that place in PA the RUST BELT?
2-Do you really believe that those people are happy because they love their job?
3-Can you really think of any person with a sense of pride, who has lived on the promise of a better job for a quarter of a century, only to be deceived every time, not growing resentful and bitter?
If you can’t answer honestly to these questions, then you must be very naive, or doesn’t understand anything about politics.

Yep, The Obama damage control blogger squad and their drivel arrive first.
Hey Obama supporters where is the message of Hope and Yes We can? Now people are bitter and frustrated. Sounds like Obama is the bitter frustrated one.
Patriotic Americans do not care for negative people like Obama and Carter Mr. Malaise. We do not live in Obama and Wright’s angry G-D-America world.

Lance D: What you and Obama are trying to do is blame others for why they are not supporting him! In order to explain his own inabilaty to attrack working class voters he looks not at himself, but rather at the culture of those who oppose him in order to do what all elitist do in trying to rationalize why people do not get them!
So tell me do you really think that working class americans love to hunt and go to church just because of their economic situation? Do you think that they are racist who are afraid of people who are not like them? Why such disdain for working men and women, that you and Obama resort to sterotyping and name calling! It is the it’s not me it’s them attitude that elitist hold! Why not admit that what he said was elitist?

Lance D: Bill and Hillary do not blame the culture of working class america! Thats why she is getting their support!

No she doesn’t blame them. She just promises them whatever they want to hear, but she will not deliver. That is Obama’s point.

Thinking! What has he promised? They know Bill Clinton delivered thats why they support Hillary!

Russell–All the candidates to the presidency are in the elite. To pretend otherwise is hypocrisy: I don’t want to say that I am rich for you will say that I don’t belong. That’s BS.
This paragraph below is oversimplifying:
So tell me do you really think that working class americans love to hunt and go to church just because of their economic situation? Do you think that they are racist who are afraid of people who are not like them? Why such disdain for working men and women, that you and Obama resort to sterotyping and name calling! It is the it’s not me it’s them attitude that elitist hold! Why not admit that what he said was elitist?
Obama didn’t mean that people like fishing or hunting because of their economic distress. As a matter of fact he gave a detail explanation of this yesterday. Maybe you didn’t listened.
As to the second thing you said about Xenophobia I tend to agree with Obama on that. Americans, or no other people for that matter, like to be called such.
I traveled around the world quite a bit. In the latest election, Swiss Nationalists were blaming the foreigners for all their social problems. To pretend that Americans don’t harbor such sentiments is also being hypocritical.
I think someone need to tell Americans these things. They are not demi-gods. But even the Straight-Talker doesn’t haven that courage.

Lance D: With all due respect I think that you and Obama should spend less time in Switzerland, worring about how they view us and start going to small town america and find out why they dont support you! Maybe if you spend more time with working class americans then you would be less inclined to sterotype them!

I wonder what Obama and other elitist think of a man that was born in a manger, had no formal education, homeless, and said give to Ceasar, what is Ceasar’s and to God what is Gods? Would they consider him just a poor ignorant man who did not understand that all of the problems that he faced was do to Roman occupation, therefore he has given up on government and become so bitter that he is looking to the next life and not this one!

I fell sorry for any one who was not rasied in small town america were you still go to the local high school foot ball games and the guys go hunting on opening day thanksgiving and christmas are shared around the table not on ajet to nowhere or in a Hotel those that follow the money just don’t get small town america and flannel shirts.

Russell
They did own homes before.
Clinton’s first home in Little Rock; 5419 L St. The Clintons lived here while Clinton served as attorney general from 1977-1979. It is a private residence.
Clinton’s former home; 816 Midland. This was the Clintons’ home after Clinton was defeated in his re-election bid for governor. During this time, Clinton worked for a local law firm. It is a private residence.

Thinking: What hope does he bring to small town america, if he says well these jobs are gone and they are never coming back! Hillary and others say well maybe those jobs are not coming back but through the right kind of leadership and investment new ones wil take their place! Small town america is not so pessimistic that they think that their lives will never get any better. They want someone to say the truth then they want them to roll up their sleeves and say you know this is the country that freed the world,ended segregation,put a man on the moon and we did not do that by sitting around felling sorry for ouselves, we did it because americans are tough and resilient and we beleive that the sun is rising on america not setting, that our greatest days are ahead of us and not behind us! This is what they beleive and thats what they want in a leader, not pessimism, but optimism!

Go for a drive today and find a small town, and ask them if there ways of living has been changed because of the free trade. Or all of you Hill supporters afraid to find the truth?
Go to those towns who have lost there way of living and sit and talk to them . Find a little greasy spoon and chat awhile. Its time to find out for ourselves and not listen to the POLITICAL MACHINE.

Russell,
That is fine. I respect your opinion. I just don’t think that Obama meant nor said what these reports make it out to be.
The rejoinders to his talk were and are politically motivated, disingenuous to say the least. I think this kind of thing is the worst sort of thing.

Thank you PA Resident for your calm and level headed comments. And for all the Clintonites going besirk, when James Carville refers to Pennsylvania as being “Alabama” between two cities is he being complimentary?

I think Obama got caught saying just what he thinks Us steel closed in the late seventy’s and early eighty’s . We had good jobs when Clinton was in and we all remember that Regan did us in we all remember that. The last two years have been rough for most but I think that has been across the board.And we know an arrogant man when we see one its the talk today around small town america and we take great offence. We are not against free trade but when the laws are not enforced by our goverment we get p####D. Were called swing states because we are independent and what could be a blue state this year will bo red if its Obama.

If small town folk are bitter, are the slum dwellers in Rezkos apartments not bitter?

Russell,
I think Obama is aware of the problem he was trying to express it. He is correct, they are skeptic, and even more so of him. Those are the facts.

Marilyn
Yes — Obama talks about the hard stuff. Unfortunately, he doesn’t specify what he would do to solve the problems he raises. Anybody can blather about what’s wrong. It takes brains to solve the problems.

obama is coment is down right wrong is , im a middle class person from ct and when you a middle class person you are poor in today economy, and im not bitter , and yes he is right that people in washington will say anyhing to get elected but does he forget that he is part of washinton for the past 4 years

This Media on Obama Side is nonsense and the Clinton supporters are playing it up to keep the media playing nice to Hillary. Every story about Obama has a negative twist to it since Feruary when the Clintons realized they would not walk away with the nomination and started a strategy of bashing the media to get help with there dirty work. This story in particular is ridiculeous. How could someone with Obama’s background be elitist? Elitist people dont choose to take a Harvard Law degree and use it to be a community organizer in the Ghetto. Obama is right. What is amazing though is that many of the American people can elieve the disingenuous Clintons want anything ecept to fill there insatiable need for power and to share the nations wealth amoungst their friends.

Hey Obama, it’s your wife that’s bitter. Is that why she clings to Rev. Wright’s church?

It is so sad to see people here claiming to love God, but jumping on the truth and filling their hearts with defenisiveness against the most respectable person in the race. Obama is the only candidate running who truly has the intelligence and the sincere Christian values to lead this country. Hillary is a liar and a panderer, and worse, her policies (do you REALLY believe her stance on trade???) will hurt Americans. McCain is also talking out of both sides of his mouth, and he really has no idea how to help the working class of America. Decide with your hearts AND minds, people. Obama is the best choice for the country (signed, a RURAL, MIDDLE-AGED, CHRISTIAN WHITE WOMAN).

i’m so ashamed and proud @ the same time What a paradox our country is becoming and is going through. As I have been studying the blogs from many sources and trying to detect gender from the context, I found that more men support Hillary than women do. I think this tells us a lot about our society. If you can just take a step back and think about what you are writing.
80% of the men write logically 20% emotionally. 56% of the women write emotionally while about 30%write logically an 14% are torn yet either overly excited or confused.
You may say how i could tell this is boggus. well maybe. But first of all women’s blogs are easily detectable. ofcourse there are less than 1% who purposly try to confuse their gender ID. For better or for for worse at least I took the time to study this because I care about what is happening to our country.
I tried to tacle the race difference it was harder but nonetheless visible. I found AA men like white men are not as harsh on Hillary and the hillary AA supporter are older looking from the experience they write about they go from 40 + to 60+ Younger AA are plain rude and could not tell if they were male or female because younger crowd have a new unisex language now like one size fits all. and they can be explosive at times.As I said earlier the race study is not conclusive and I’m still at it.Anyway this is notthe firsttime that I’m proud of the men of this country Hillary need to have more of them to come down from Mars to win this thing.

That’s it. I’m done. Clinton just lost my vote any which way, shape, or form. Come this fall. Go Obama!

The truth will set you free. None of likes to hear the truth but it is necessary. We do tend to vote subjectivly and it is good to hope that maybe someday, this day, someone,Obama, will create hope in all of Americians. Maybe it’s ok to dream again of a better place where the people we vote to serve us,really will.

I can no longer listen to Obama speeches, knowing that it is just words, words mean nothing

All those fly over states with those little towns elect our presidents. The electoral college is still alive and well. This candidate is terminal.

I GREW UP IN PA IN A SMALL TOWN AND TO DATE NOTHING HAS CHANGED. YES I AM BITTER BECAUSE THERE IS NO LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THIS SMALL TOWN. THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE VALUE OF OUR VOTE..NO POLITICIANS DEEM IT NECESSARY TO VISIT OUR AREA..THERE IS NO CONTACT WITH AA.. I ONCE VISITED SEN. ARLEN SPECTERS OFFICE WITH A VERY SERIOUS COMPLAINT WHICH I HAD WRITTEN HIM ABOUT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NEVER GOT A RESPONSE. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD 2 CHILDREN TO SUPPORT AND THAT THE JOB I WORKED FOR HAD FIRED ME FOR BEING SICK. SEN. SPECTER CAME OUT OF HIS OFFICE AND LOOKED AT ME AS THOUGH…WELL, I GOT NO HELP OR RESPONSE FROM HIS OFFICE..I WENT TO SEN. TED KENNEDY’S OFFICE AND GOT SOME HELP AND REFERRALS THAT WOULD HELP ME. JUST AS EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS ARE RUN IN PA…I PRAY TO GOD THAT SEN. OBAMA STAND UP FOR OUR CLERGY TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO RUN THEIR SERVICES AND SAY WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID TO THEIR PEOPLE AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN DONE. DR. KING AND EVERY ORGANIZED MARCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN THROUGH OUR CLERGY. WE DO NOT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE AS A PEOPLE TO SEN. CLINTON OR ANYONE ON OUR ETHNICITY. THEY BOTH OWE REV. WRIGHT AND SEN. OBAMA AN APOLOGY FOR CROSSING THE LINE.
SINCE WHEN DID SEN. CLINTON OR MCCAIN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT, ACQUIRING A DECENT JOB, PAYING FOR COLLEGE TUITION, HAVING DENTAL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE, OR FILLING YOUR CAR UP WITH GAS TO GO TO WORK….
I CAN SAY WITH TOTAL CONFIDENCE THAT NEITHER SEN. CLINTON OR MCCAIN HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE…I KNOW SEN. OBAMA AND HIS WIFE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IT MEANS TO STRUGGLE..IF AMERICANS WOULD BE HONEST THEY WOULD OWN UP TO THE TRUTH..THERE WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION,DISCRIMINATION IS MORE ALIVE TODAY THAN 30 YEARS AGO, THERE IS NO EQUALITY AND IF THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE, THEN THE VOTE WILL GO TO BARACK OBAMA..AGAIN, KNOW THAT THE CALL FOR STOPPING THE BICKERING WITH SEN. CLINTON AND OBAMA IS NOT SEN. OBAMA’S FAULT. SEN. CLINTON REFUSED TO ABIDE BY THE REQUEST OF THE VOTERS, DELEGATES AND THE DNC. TO LET IT GO…OBAMA HAS WON…JUST WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HER..QUIT BLAMING OBAMA BECAUSE IF SEN. CLINTON HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE RACE, THERE WOULD NO BICKERING..
IN CLOSING, SEN. OBAMA PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DEFEND WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR RELIGION, OR ETHNICITY. WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR AMERICA…YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RESPOND TO ALLEGATIONS OR ANYTHING FROM THE CLINTON CAMP BECAUSE IT ONLY GIVE THEM PUBLICITY .
FROM A SMALL TOWN PERSON IN PA WHO IS BITTER AND FOR GOOD REASON…

Obama is basically a Marxist. Karl Marx said the very same thing about people turning to religion because they are economically oppressed. This is the context of his famous “religion is the opiate of the people” comment. Then Vladimir Lenin made Marx’s political theory a revolutionary reality in Russia and it became the pit of hell for the next seventy years. Maybe this is why Obama had a Cuban flag superimposed with the image of Che Guevara hanging in one of his campaign offices…he equates the free market capitalism of our consitutional republic with autocratic rule and serfdom of pre-revolutionary Russia. Yes…change is coming but it isn’t the change you are expecting. I give the country five years before it implodes if Obama wins…not much hope with Clinton or McCane either. I guess its the end of the great experiment…a mere 230 years in the rise and fall of great nations and civilizations.

Hillary is hopelessly flawed – no wonder
ceratain words peeve her.
Hillary did nothing for upstate NY just
over the PA border. Wakey wakey.
“This is the message of hope we are called to proclaim and embody in a world where self-centeredness, greed, violence, and cynicism so often seem to choke the fragile growth of grace in people’s hearts,” the Holy Father encouraged.
Hillary disdains the use of words such as hope, words, rhetoric and takes obama’s remarks about change and flips them as if they be refelective her true nature – and she and mcsame being the real angels for change – lol.
Fugget ’bout it. Lovers of being conned and conned again, are many – sorry to say.
Not an honorable human – lets pray pa-ers are do what is in the best interest for all of us. Making history for an America whose founding fathers words are soon to be realized. A person whose people suffered through slavery and son of a mother who bore the shame who then has
risen to lead us to that shining city on the hill. As like a St Patrick who was taken as a slave at sixteen then managed to escape to later return to lead a people with great nobility.
The urgency of the NOW is upon us. What an American story to excite our youth for true greatness.
Our enemies would then as a consequence – like ants be unable to cope with the wonders of it all

Hi guys, as we know drug is a silent killer. Before it kills us, we must kill it. I meant we must destruct it. So, strictly say no for the drugs.
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Mark Fletcher