Obama on Small-Town Pennsylvania...

[agcatter]

I always wondered what made people cling to religion.  Thanks for explaining that to us Senator.

And it couldn't be that people in small towns "cling" to their guns because people in rural areas enjoy hunting?  Nope, that couldn't be it,  Obama has explained that one too.

And we yahoos resent illegal immigrants because they look different than us.  Hell, I thought it was because they were breaking the law and overrunning our educational, social services, and health care system.  Obama's got that covered also.  What a brilliant psychologist this man is.

What a surprise that the lefties who dominate this site say right on Barack.  I think you guys managed to find a guy even more elitist and condescending than John Kerry.  Congrats.  I thought that was damned impossible.

[exopolitician]

I always wondered what made people cling to religion.  Thanks for explaining that to us Senator.

And it couldn't be that people in small towns "cling" to their guns because people in rural areas enjoy hunting?  Nope, that couldn't be it,  Obama has explained that one too.

And we yahoos resent illegal immigrants because they look different than us.  Hell, I thought it was because they were breaking the law and overrunning our educational, social services, and health care system.  Obama's got that covered also.  What a brilliant psychologist this man is.

What a surprise that the lefties who dominate this site say right on Barack.  I think you guys managed to find a guy even more elitist and condescending than John Kerry.  Congrats.  I thought that was damned impossible.

My god quit being so freaking dramatic

[Filuwaúrdjan]

This isn't actually getting any coverage is it? Amusing as the media's general attitude towards the non-metropolitan working class is even worse, far worse actually, than what Obama's seems to be (ie; at least he doesn't seem to view them with contempt). Still think it's sad that someone from his background thinks along those lines though.

[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. 

[agcatter]

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.  

[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.

[Sam Spade]

This isn't actually getting any coverage is it? Amusing as the media's general attitude towards the non-metropolitan working class is even worse, far worse actually, than what Obama's seems to be (ie; at least he doesn't seem to view them with contempt). Still think it's sad that someone from his background thinks along those lines though.

Of course it's getting coverage.  Why do you think I posted it when I first saw it?  I'm not saying that I can smell every gaffe that has impact a mile away, but this one was obvious. 

Btw, I agree with you about the media's general attitude.  Personally, I don't know whether we know enough yet to where we can conclude one way or other that Obama's attitude includes "contempt".  Certainly not from this statement.

However, that doesn't mean that a good bit of "small-town America" won't impugn contempt onto these words when/if they hear them.

[agcatter]

Obama needs a history lesson.  I'm surprised a man of his brilliance doesn't know that Pennsylvania small towners were into guns and religion long before any economic decline.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Obama responds to the so called media / Clinton / McCain tag-team hit job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc9PepjyDow&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Obama needs a history lesson.  I'm surprised a man of his brilliance doesn't know that Pennsylvania small towners were into guns and religion long before any economic decline.

That's great as long as they don't become a single issue pro-gun voter who is convinced that Howard Dean wants to take your guns away despite his A rating from the NRA. Or some crazy who refuses to accept that Obama is a Christian.

[exopolitician]

Obama responds to the so called media / Clinton / McCain tag-team hit job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc9PepjyDow&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/

[angus]

"You go into 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," Obama said.

"And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not."

"And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Thoughts?

I'd say it's a fairly prescient observation.  "Peasants with pitchforks" was Buchanan's more succinct appraisal, but Obama isn't known for being succinct.

The problem with Obama and his ilk is that he thinks that the government should have a solution for that problem.  I say that it should not.  That it isn't a legitimate function of governmnent, and that government should be limited to defense, education, and some public works and welfare projects.  Some would argue for even more limitations, but you get the point.  It's fine to campaign on a moral high-ground and morally support the rebuilding the communities, but hopefully we don't sink too many federal dollars into rebuilding them.  Let the free market decide which communities are worth saving.  And then let the free market rebuild them.

Still, I like Obama.  And I think he's sufficiently docile that he can appeasing to a repbulican-controlled congress.  And I'm still rooting for him.  And I'm still rooting for a republican-controlled congress.  Democrat president and republican congress seems to be a combination that brings about the best balance between government control and government release, judging by recent history.

Note that in your bolded paragraph he points out that kneejerk anti-corporate, anti-globalization hysteria isn't necessarily the solution to the nation's economic problems.  Okay, I'm paraphrasing, but he does seem to be making the tacit assertion that although the anti-business sentiment isn't surprising, it shouldn't be allowed to set policy.  That's my kind of Democrat.

[Torie]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

That might be a long wait. You have a point though. The best formula to limit government and spending appears to be Dem president with a GOP Congress combo. Pity foreign policy matters.

[WalterMitty]

i dont mind the statement, other than the reference to religion.

what is wrong with 'clinging' to religion?   that is dangerously close to jesse ventura...religion is a crutch....territory.

[TheresNoMoney]

That was a great response from Obama, and he really got the crowd fired up from it. I hope it gets played on all the news stations over the next few days.

It is so refreshing to see a politician speak the truth with no BS like Obama did in his response.

[WalterMitty]

actually the more i read that statement the more i like it (minus the religion part)

kudos to the obama for mentioning guns and anti trade sentiment!

[Torie]

actually the more i read that statement the more i like it (minus the religion part)

kudos to the obama for mentioning guns and anti trade sentiment!

Speaking of anti-trade sentiment, wasn't Obama pandering to precisely this sentiment when he went native and based  NAFTA in Ohio?  Maybe he needs a therapist too.

[agcatter]

It's all BS.

Spin, spin, spin.  It obviously doesn't take anything to get the Obama bots cheering.  ha.  They cheered at one rally when he sneezed.

What, this bullsh**t played in front of his cultists?  What a shocker.

I hope they do play this crap.  

[Eraserhead]

i dont mind the statement, other than the reference to religion.

what is wrong with 'clinging' to religion?   that is dangerously close to jesse ventura...religion is a crutch....territory.

That could certainly open a can of worms.

[Eraserhead]

It's all BS.

Spin, spin, spin.  It obviously doesn't take anything to get the Obama bots cheering.  ha.  They cheered at one rally when he sneezed.

What, this bullsh**t played in front of his cultists?  What a shocker.

I hope they do play this crap.  

Yeah, waltermitty is certainly an "Obama bot".

[TheresNoMoney]

Watch all 3 CNN commentators cut right through the McCain/Clinton crap on Obama's comments:

Link

[exopolitician]

Watch all 3 CNN commentators cut right through the McCain/Clinton crap on Obama's comments:

Link

Atleast hes responding quickly to whatever bitching is going on in the MSM and Clinton/McCain camps unlike with Wright.

[Person Man]

People get bitter when things are bad. And?

[TheresNoMoney]

People get bitter when things are bad. And?

And they should be! If they're not bitter they're not paying attention.

[Torie]

People get bitter when things are bad. And?

It all apparently causes them to like guns. If the folks were not bitter, they would favor gun control like Obama does. The dots all connect beautifully into something akin to a grand unified theory of physics.

And there you have it.