Obama: Small-Town People Cling to Religion, Guns, and Xenophobia

[Bumblebee]

Obama made his biggest mistake with these comments, but it's not surprising to hear that he feels these bigoted opinions. He must be utterly stupid to express these words at a San Francisco fundraiser, but it's too late now, he did, and I don't think those comments will go away.


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...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.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayhill-fowler/obama-no-surprise-that-ha_b_96188.html

[PonsAsinorum]

Wait, I thought Jeremiah Wright was his biggest mistake. Is this his new biggest mistake, or just this week's biggest mistake? What's his biggest mistake going to be next week?

[Bumblebee]

The difference is that these words came from Obama, not Wright. What excuse will he use now?

[Madcowhunter]

The reaction to this will be interesting.

[Bumblebee]

The reaction to this will be interesting.

:icon_idea Let me guess...the left will explain what he meant, and Obama, will say "it's all a distraction"?
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/03/obama_its_all_a_distraction.asp

[conservativecanadian]

further proof that this guy will probably implode if he survives the primary fight, further proof.

[PonsAsinorum]

further proof that this guy will probably implode if he survives the primary fight, further proof.

Politicians of all walks have an uncanny ability to avoid implosion when you think it imminent, yet many of them implode when you least expect it.

If you understimate Obama (or Hillary, should she make it), you will be doing yourself a grave disservice.

[Bumblebee]

Obama tries to change the subject: I’m “out of touch?” Update: McCain campaign says No Sale
Video:
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/11/obama-tries-to-change-the-subject-im-out-of-touch/

[erichthewebguy]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice, let's see what his spin will be on THIS one?!? Will he try to give a speech, trying to being "unity" to the issue? Meh. Sorry pal, we see through it.

Awesome post, bee. btw, GREAT to see you again! :icon_mrgr

[FKLBRLS]

Osama represents everything so horribly opposite to conservatism it's scary. He screams for gun control, socialist healthcare, and "aid to the 'unfortunate' victims of the 'housing crisis'," like they're all good things.

With the way he riles crowds in his "captivating" speeches, he kinda reminds me of hitler (who by the way was for gun control and gave out extensive social aid)

[erichthewebguy]

I actually saw him speak in person a couple of months ago. He is an awesome speaker, to be sure. Most likely the best I have ever seen in person.

Don't underestimate his ability to get a crowd fired up by saying mostly nothing. These people were ALL into it, and I left thinking, "what is this guy about?" All anyone could talk about was change, and I was wondering, "well, what is he gonna change? And what will he change it to?!"

Even so, these people are almost religious when it comes to him. It's truly fascinating how someone can say almost nothing at all, yet speak so many words.

[FKLBRLS]

Osama Hussein certainly carries an antichrist air about him.

I too noticed how all his speeches are about "change." That's all he says. He could raise a crowd by going up to a mic and shouting "change!" into it. Every now and then he also throws in "people!"

That's why I make fun of him by doing my Osama Hussein speech impression:

"Change!" (moves hand from left to right with palm facing straight at the audience) Change! People! Change! Change!

[Bumblebee]

Then, I'm sure you two guys will enjoy this one. :icon_mrgr
☛ http://videos.newsobserver.com/index.php?a=player&id=1816319

[Dr. Madd]

Wait, I thought Jeremiah Wright was his biggest mistake. Is this his new biggest mistake, or just this week's biggest mistake? What's his biggest mistake going to be next week?

Well, Pons, It's that he's now reached the bottom and started to dig.

[shotdrops286]

sounds pretty accurate to me...

i used to live and still have lots of family in small towns throughout PA and that describes them perfectly...

[alwaysRight]

I actually saw him speak in person a couple of months ago. He is an awesome speaker, to be sure. Most likely the best I have ever seen in person.

Don't underestimate his ability to get a crowd fired up by saying mostly nothing. These people were ALL into it, and I left thinking, "what is this guy about?" All anyone could talk about was change, and I was wondering, "well, what is he gonna change? And what will he change it to?!"

Even so, these people are almost religious when it comes to him. It's truly fascinating how someone can say almost nothing at all, yet speak so many words.

You're right. A friend of mine went to a speech he was giving and when she got back I asked her what he said. She kept saying, "It was such a motivating speech. He talked about the changes he would make." She never really went into detail because like you said, he doesn't tlak about anything.

Obama is good and saying things like, "We need to be united as one." One what? One country? One people? One religion? "The time has come." The time has come for what? For change? For pizza? It's a lot of talk with nothing behind it and it leaves it very open.

That I guess is why people call him the "Platitude Man." He says things that are just boring and meaningless but he makes them sound so exciting and intelligent.

If that's our next President, we're in trouble.

[shotdrops286]

If that's our next President, we're in trouble.


"As president, I will tell you not what I think you want to hear, but what you need to hear." - Barack Obama

[alwaysRight]

"As president, I will tell you not what I think you want to hear, but what you need to hear." - Barack Obama

So he's the decider of what we need to hear? ;) I'm glad he'll make that decision for me.

Honestly, I think with the 3 main choices, we're screwed either way.

I wish both parties would have got some better candidates in there.

[shotdrops286]

not the decider but i happen to like being told the truth about our country not a sugar coated version...I also like being spoken to as an adult. Also the truth is something most people need to hear but may not want to hear. Im not incredibly happy with the 3 candidates and to be honest this country deserves clinton or mccain

[alwaysRight]

not the decider but i happen to like being told the truth about our country not a sugar coated version...I also like being spoken to as an adult. Also the truth is something most people need to hear but may not want to hear. Im not incredibly happy with the 3 candidates and to be honest this country deserves clinton or mccain

But I don't think even Obama is telling the truth about what's going on in this country because he doesn't understand it.

He and Clinton have all these great ideas like giving people money for college, and healthcare and everything else but they don't tell people where they are getting the money to fund these things. Also, they act like they are going to get our troops out of Iraq but they just want to take them out of Iraq and put them elsewhere.

You know, I used to think the people who didn't vote were to blame and had no right to complain but I'm slowly thinking that it's the people who vote these dumbasses into office that are to blame.

[shotdrops286]

But I don't think even Obama is telling the truth about what's going on in this country because he doesn't understand it. meh i guess that depends...I personally think he hit the nail on the head with alot of what he says others do not...Ive said it before and ill keep saying it the people who have a problem with what obama is saying were never going to vote for him anyway...the people who choose to get offended by his latest words just want to be offended by something he says and were never going to vote for him anyway


He and Clinton have all these great ideas like giving people money for college, and healthcare and everything else
great ideas different ways of doing them...


but they don't tell people where they are getting the money to fund these things.
were did we get the 1 trillion for iraq? i think we could have found better ways to spend that money


Also, they act like they are going to get our troops out of Iraq but they just want to take them out of Iraq and put them elsewhere.

Clinton and Mccain and you have a point...Obama not so much


You know, I used to think the people who didn't vote were to blame and had no right to complain but I'm slowly thinking that it's the people who vote these dumbasses into office that are to blame.

You are right. I can think of a one or two that didnt get the nomination that would have been great...but it seems the country is not going to jump or leap inot fixing itself so we have to slowly vote for candidates until we can get to the point were someone like Ran Paul is not seen as a kook

[submarinepainter]

not the decider but i happen to like being told the truth about our country not a sugar coated version...I also like being spoken to as an adult. Also the truth is something most people need to hear but may not want to hear. Im not incredibly happy with the 3 candidates and to be honest this country deserves clinton or mccain

Obamy can't tell you a truth he does not even know , I like AR am totally upset with the choices we have , H e has never shown that he would reach out to the right , so the right half of the country is going to be forgotten . Which will create more disagreement , Portland Maine is a perfect example of what happens when conservatives are just ignored , we all move and now the city can't even fund it's schools or the 13 year old's birth-control , The Republicans are closer to what I believe but have totally screwed up too ,high cost of war . ear marks etc , we need a viable 3rd party

[scarymary]

Yeah, it's really a sad state of affairs when this country can't produce one single presidential candidate who would or could actually do something good for this country. Makes me sick to no end. And I totally agree with sub on the fact that a Democrat in office will only serve to create more disagreement and chaos, not to mention what effects the policies they put in place would have on the country, and the same goes for McCain. I heard a fellow talking on the radio the other night who said perhaps we should just support our local representatives, and forget about voting for a president since it appears that the choices we have are less than favorable. I am inclined to agree with him.

[thumbelina]

It's all good, folks...

Obama's remarks were only ill chosen (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080412/ap_on_el_pr/obama_clinton;_ylt=AlQmZ8TGF95r3dT53lzpt6UDW7oF) :rolleyes:
Democrat Barack Obama on Saturday conceded that comments he made about bitter working class voters who "cling to guns or religion" were ill chosen, as he tried to stem a burst of complaints that he is condescending.

"I didn't say it as well as I should have," he said.

[erichthewebguy]

Well, good. Ill chosen words are the bane of every intelligent person. So, I can understand it and get behind Obama now....

NOT! lol