Obama on Small-Town Pennsylvania...

[J. J.]

I think this shows a fundamental disconnect with this segment of the community.

[J. J.]

As someone who grew up in one of those small towns, during a blue collar prosperity era, I can say that the people there, "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment" because of economic displacement. 

I've gotten the impression of an elitist attitude in Obama, and this typifies it.

[J. J.]

These gross generalizations with a dash of armchair psychobabble, are pretty annoying. Maybe these folks like guns because western PA is abundant with hunting areas, and it is still a major form of recreation. And maybe it is less resentment than less exposure to PC politics. And maybe the folks there are as diverse in their motivations, as well - yep - you guessed it -  the folks in San Francisco!  And maybe Obama is well, yep you guessed it again, a social snob - yes snob. That is my psychobabble thought for the day. Hey, two can play this game you know. Cheer.

Another reason is that many of these towns do not have full time police protection.

[J. J.]

I'd like to know what owning a gun or having a strong religious faith has to do with a lack of industrial jobs from a quarter century before?

Yes, I find this remark to be offensive. 

[J. J.]

LMAO.  To liberals who buy into this leftist drivel I'm "being dramatic". 

I'm sure the California limo liberals who attended that upper crust fundraiser would agree with you.  But they don't vote in Pennsylvania do they?  Too bad.  Just those small town hicks with their religion and guns.  Ignorant peons.

More and more of the Obama iceberg is showing every day.  I thought he just needed to shut his poor victim wife up.  Seems he needs to gag himself. 

I'm in agreement.  My opinion of Obama (which was relatively high) has dropped with this one one.  Romney is now looking better.

[J. J.]

This was the lead political story on the local news here.  Obama's comments an Hillary's (and McCain's) response. 

[J. J.]

This was the lead political story on the local news here.  Obama's comments an Hillary's (and McCain's) response. 

Well, this is straight talk, whether or not people are listening will be heard.

Bull, there is no relation with manufacturing jobs and guns and/or faith.  This is a massive non sequitur on the part Obama, at best.  At worst, it is stereotyping based on class and possibly race. 

The economy was largely based on steel production.  In the late 1970's, we stopped making so much out of steel.  The economy, in some of these smaller towns, never shifted, though that was changing even in the late 1980's.

[J. J.]

And so people end up- they don’t vote on economic issues because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don’t believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here’s what rich.  Senator Clinton says ‘No, I don’t think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania.  You know, I think Barack’s being condescending.’  John McCain says, ‘Oh, how could he say that?  How could he say people are bitter? You know, he’s obviously out of touch with people.’ 

If he doesn't those those things are unimportant, Obama is out of touch.

[J. J.]

And so people end up- they don’t vote on economic issues because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don’t believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here’s what rich.  Senator Clinton says ‘No, I don’t think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania.  You know, I think Barack’s being condescending.’  John McCain says, ‘Oh, how could he say that?  How could he say people are bitter? You know, he’s obviously out of touch with people.’ 

If he doesn't those those things are unimportant, Obama is out of touch.

Words. You put them in Obama's mouth, but they're not there.

I just quoted what he said, they are Obama's words.  People vote on those issues because the are important to those people. 

I frankly wish I had changed my registration so I could vote against him after this.

[J. J.]

And just how do you suppose the economy "shifts" in these towns?  By lowering taxes and deregulating the economy?  Obviously not.. we tried that and these places, which had been stagnating, went into freefall.

They went into free fall when there was never a need for steel.  The deregulation worked, but kids moved away.  Some got retraining and went into technolgical jobs.  Johnstown biggest employer is an expanding healthcare system, and various other, more technical industries.  It changed; it wasn't a steel town anymore.

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The economy changed and it didn't change the attitudes or the value system of the people; that is what Obama doesn't understand.  He seems clueless.

[J. J.]

This is EXACTLY what I am talking about. The small cities of Pennsylvania's comparitive advantage changed from a higher-paying industry to lower-paying industries. My in-laws told me that they once knew of steel workers that made 85,000 a grand. Some of these service jobs you talk about make less than half of that....and those who did so left the area to get technical jobs in the boom towns of the sun belt (where values are slowly changing) The economy has changed, but not for the better. People still have older values because they still have not reaped the benefits of a global economy in the way that people in the Sun Belt or cities have. I mean, there's more jobs and more money, but people aren't seeing more money for themselves, therefore they try to control token issues that they can control. It's pretty simple. You know you are a hack, or at least mildly autistic, when a small statement like this makes you want to make a YouTube about what Obama said or makes you angry/not vote for him.

These are not "service jobs," but retrained professional or semiprofessional positions.  I just met a guy last week who had been a steel worker until 1982 and is now a school teacher, because of this training.  There was a shift in the economic base.  I know another that is respiratory therapist.  This started in the late 1970's 25-30 years ago.

And again, what does this have to do with gun ownership or religion, both of which were prevailant before and after the economic change.

Is Obama as ignorant as you are on this issue?

[J. J.]

In chaos, people search for something to control.

A friend of mine had a rough home life, and she developed anorexia as a relief because it was something she could control.

The thing here is that the areas were just as religious during the manufacturing period as after.

[J. J.]

Lead story MSNBC. 

The words "stereotyping" and "elitist" are being used.

[J. J.]

Al, would you elaborate on the inaccuracies of the comment for us pathetic suburbanites?

The first thing when I woke up today was an email from a friend in northwestern PA (who works in a factory) reading "Obama nails Erie."  I'm very much confused who to believe .  Viewed in the context of voting patterns (the only instance in which the "anti-trade" part makes sense) it all seems accurate to me.  But I do want to hear your thoughts on this.

I'm not certain who you are addressing.

One major one in the link between religion, guns and the economic shift 25-30 years ago.   Well prior to that, there was the same religion and gun trends (I'd actually say the area is less religious than my current area, in terms of church attendance). 

A very good example is me.  I graduated from HS in one of those small towns 28 years ago.  While in High School I was in "Shotgunners Club," where students shot skeet.  Yes, we shot skeet out behind the school.

[J. J.]

In chaos, people search for something to control.

A friend of mine had a rough home life, and she developed anorexia as a relief because it was something she could control.

The thing here is that the areas were just as religious during the manufacturing period as after.

Yeah, but there were issues that they could of done well with before the loss in manufacturing jobs. Now, religion is the only thing they have to control. 

"They" don't "control" religion.  It is a common ideology with people in the region.  It was during the manufacturing period and it is now.  It's not something people "turned" to afterward.


I'm now waiting for Obama to start referring to the people in these small towns as "them people."

Mitty, it's not a question of Obama's discipline; he really believes this stuff.

[J. J.]

Never said that. Again, there's nothing inherently wrong or inferior about voting on those issues; Obama's statement was just one of fact, that when people feel no hope on issues like the economy, they turn to others. It's our fault as Democrats as much as anything for allowing those bread and butter issues to fall off people's radar screens.

Nym, please explain how guns and religion are related to to the decline of manufacturing in PA?

[J. J.]

Never said that. Again, there's nothing inherently wrong or inferior about voting on those issues; Obama's statement was just one of fact, that when people feel no hope on issues like the economy, they turn to others. It's our fault as Democrats as much as anything for allowing those bread and butter issues to fall off people's radar screens.

Nym, please explain how guns and religion are related to to the decline of manufacturing in PA?

They're not. They're just issues people can actually win on.

Then why inject it here.  Frankly, Obama is wrong on the history and he is stereotyping here.  Not the person I want for President.  If I could vote in the Primary it would be against Obama.

[J. J.]

I Googled "Obama" and "bitter" and got more than 500,000 hits.

[J. J.]

I Googled "Obama" and "bitter" and got more than 500,000 hits.

I googled Obama and Burrito and got 255,000, what's your point?

It's a big issue, since we're talking 24 hours.

[J. J.]

As somebody who worked my ass off to get into a good school as a first time college-goer from a poor family with a disabled mother, I agree wholeheartedly that when things get bad and you feel powerless to change it, you instead become bitter and cynical and focus on other things.

Please stop the "pity me" mentality.  I was from a single parent family, disabled, and not particularly well off family from one of those towns Obama is calling bitter (my father probably made less than those union workers), and managed to get elected to public office in the process. 

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This isn't the truth, which is why a number of us were upset.  It isn't the current situation either; Obama's describing the small towns of 25-30 years ago.

[J. J.]

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This one is a little more than "regret."  It tells us something of his ideology.

[J. J.]

It isn't the current situation either; Obama's describing the small towns of 25-30 years ago.

Back when there were still a few people living in them.

Most retrained, and got better jobs.

[J. J.]

I Googled "Obama" and "bitter" and got more than 500,000 hits.

I googled Obama and Burrito and got 255,000, what's your point?

It's a big issue, since we're talking 24 hours.

What are you talking about?! Burittogate has been in the media for less than 1 hr, and its already half as controversial as bittergate. I'm pretty sure Obama's campaign is done for

I'm pretty sure that if this the best his supporter's can do, Obama is finished.

[J. J.]

Lead story on the local news again.

[J. J.]

Lead story on the local news again.

I wonder how the black preachers are going to handle this one tomorrow...

Ignore it, but it's good to know Obama considers faith to be a byproduct of being "bitter."