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Obama Counterattacks

14 Apr 2008 08:52 am

After two days of watching his explanations disappear into the black hole of press punditry, Barack Obama is using the dawn of the week to reorient his message.

1. Show outrage. As in -- How Dare They?

But, when people suggest that somehow I was demeaning religion, when I know that I am a man of deep faith somebody who in my own life has held on to faith, held on to my confidence in God during times of trial and tribulation it sounds like there’s some politics being played. When people suggest that I am somehow being elitist and demeaning hunters, when I have repeatedly talked about the tradition that people pass on from generation to generation, hunters and sportsmen and how I have consistently spoken about my respect for the Second Amendment. When people try to suggest I was demeaning those traditions, then it sounds like there’s some politics that are being played. And what really burns me up is when people suggest that me saying that folks are mad, they are angry, they are bitter after 25, 30 years of seeing jobs shipped out, pensions not fulfilled, healthcare lost, the notion that people are surprised and are suggesting that I’m out of touch because I spoke honestly about people’s frustrations.

2. Mock Hillary, as in


But I’ve gotta say, I’m a little disappointed when I start hearing the exact same talking points coming out of my democratic colleague Hillary Clinton. She knows better. She knows better. Shame on her. Shame on her. She knows better. She is running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsmen. She, how she values the second amendment, she’s talking like she is Annie Oakley. Hillary Clinton is out there like she’s out in the duck blind every Sunday. She’s packing a six shooter. Come on. She knows better. That’s some politics being played by Hillary Clinton. I want to see that picture of her out there in the duck blind. You know, come on. When Hillary Clinton says I’m out of touch, I just have to remind people of the track record. Senator Clinton, this is the same person who has taken more money from lobbyists than any other candidate -- Democratic or Republican. Taken more money from drug company lobbyists and insurance company lobbyists and she is saying that I’m out touch. Who do you think is out of touch? This is the same person who took money from financial folks on wall street and then voted for a bankruptcy bill that makes It harder for folks right here in Pennsylvania to get a fair shake. Who do you think is out of touch? This is the same person who spent a decade with her husband campaigning for NAFTA and now goes around saying how she was opposed to NAFTA. Does that sound like she is in touch with Pennsylvania? Does that sound like she is in touch with you? This is the same person who says she is voting for the Colombia trade deal. Turns out that her top advisor, her top strategist was working for the Colombian government to get the bill passed. Does that sound like she is in touch with you? She must, what’d somebody say? What’d she think you were? Come on, she knows better than that. She knows better than that.

3. Serve it all up with a helping of humble pie, courtesy of high-wattage surrogates like Sen. Bob Casey:

Comments (56)

That Obama video in Steelton was pure pleasure. He's not going to take this crap anymore from Hillary McCain.

I still want to know what parallel universe we live in where a candidate acknowledging that people are hurting is somehow a negative.

Bill Clinton did the same thing in 1991/92, and he was praised for doing so.

If Hillary or McCain really want to define themselves as the candidates who do not feel our pain or recognize people's problems, and leave that to Obama, I think that puts them at a significant political disadvantage. And that is exactly where they are.

I just watched the coverage on the morning 'news' shows, and Mrs. Alan Greenspan (nee Andrea Mitchell), who reported the story for GE/NBC, showed only Obama saying "Shame on you", without any additional footage of him, then went on to give lengthy and approving clips of Clinton gingerly sipping a little whiskey from a shot glass, and lifting a beer like she wasn't sure what champagne was doing in this big ugly mug. This is what passes for 'coverage' in the Republican-owned media.

The media's got it in for Obama. He's toast.

Most the press is full of morons and they are simply making this an issue.

OBAMA

IS

RIGHT.

Hillary, McCain are clueless. Obama is speaking the language of common folks. They exactly know what Obama meant. People are not willing to take this shit anymore from people like Hillary and McCain.

The days of same old are over!

"If [Republicans] could cut funding for Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment, middle-class Americans would see fewer benefits from their tax dollars, feel more resentful paying taxes, and become even more receptive to their appeals for tax cuts and their strategy of waging campaigns on divisive social and cultural issues like abortion, gay rights, and guns."

-- Bill Clinton, in his 2004 memoirs, My Life, making the same argument as Sen. Barack Obama.

Great counterpunch by Obama. This guy's political skills never fail to impress me.

I watched the Compassion Forum last night on CNN and it was really enlightening and captured a lot of Hilllary and Barack; I came out thinking better of both of them.

Then I watched CNN basically talk about the first few minutes of bittergate and how the whole thing wasn't addressed enough by Obama, he hasn't explained himself, and how this wll go on for a few days.

You know why, cable needs something new to spice up their life.

So basically, they're going to make him the elitist if it kills them. That's why I was glad to see that video and glad to hear he's going to call out John McCain today and give them a new spin to talk about.

But beyond everything, it's disheartening to see how abysmal cable news has become, even CNN.

Marc, please add the video of his mocking Hillary so people can check it out for themselves. Come on, pretty please!

Andrea Mitchell, Joe Scarborough, Hannity, and sundries are not journalists. They are either pure right wing hacks or 'he said she said' kind of idiots. They are full of it.

for someone who starts out with the premise that dems shouldn't talk shit about other dems he sure is adept at talking shit.

He sounded absolutely pathetic the other day yelling into the wind that he was in touch over and over again like a petulant child refusing to go to sleep or change into his jammies.

Here in slamming hillary he sounds just as childish. But he also suggests with the ferociousness of these comments that the gloves are off. Hillary can say whatever now.
If I were her I'd bury him with his 20 years of misguided wright entanglements. How in touch was that?

We didn't know he was a big cry baby.

Recently on this blog:

A single reference to the Tuzla affair, done in the context of mocking those who thought it newsworthy.

By contrast, post after post after post about the "bitter" comments.

Ask yourself honestly...

If Barack Obama had claimed he had been under sniper fire -- and Hillary had made the "bitter" comments, would the coverage here have been the same?

Honestly. Would it have been? I highly doubt it.

I'm not one of those who accuse anyone of bias. And I'm not doing so here. But I'm certainly suggesting that coverage of these two campaign episodes has not been even-handed on this blog.

Here's something people need to keep in mind about Hillary: Bill Clinton has for 7 years been the world's biggest paid lobbyist. Now he hasn't had to officially register, but that is what he has been.

In essence, the Clintons have taken 110 million dollars worth of lobbyist money, and that doesn't include the donations to the Clinton Library or Clinton Foundation.

Bill and Hillary have been out there making promises and selling the US out, based on her being president one day. They are ready to sell us out on day one.

Now there's a scandal out there, and in fact, multiple scandals. That's how out of touch the Clintons are.

Even Fox News shows that Obama is right. Here is the proof (must see):

More soldiers died in Afghanistan over the weekend. And we're still talking about this stupid shit?

Next thing we'll see is Hillary "Mitt Romney" Clinton claim how much of a hunter she is.

And, by the way, has anyone outside of the stunningly elitist press and pundit class actually expressed genuine outrage?

I've seen little evidence in the press to suggest anyone in the real world actually cared about this at all...

The Annie Oakley video was pretty funny.

Ambinder, STILL no Obama remarks in San Francisco in their entirety. Here's a hint: Halperin over at The Page had them in their entirety. And yet, you can't seem to find the time to post them...I have to wonder why?


OUR TIME HAS COME TO FULLY SUPPORT BEHIND SENATOR CLINTON TO WIN IN NOV. VOTERS ARE SICK OF THE MEDIA EXCUSING OBAMA NO MATTER WHO HE OFFENDS!!!!
Obama doesn’t stump in black low income PA neighborhoods, guess hes after "noncollege-educated whites", "bitter people", "people clinging to guns", "people who are anti-immigrant"... it is almost disturbing how he views Americans.

http://www.theproblemwithobama.com/

VOTERS DEMAND OBAMA DROP OUT NOW, WITH ALL THE NEW POLITICAL DAMAGING STUFF COMING FROM HIM AND MICHELLE OBAMA, IN ADDITION TO WRIGHTS CONTINUED OBAMA DEFENDED ATTACKS ON WHITE AMERICA. HE WILL SURLY LOOSE THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR DEMOCRATS.

Obama Connection to Terrorists Revealed National Association of Chiefs of Police. http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/31408.html

Obama has a dual citizenship with Kenya Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden would be praying for an Obama victory because it would help the militants win in Iraq. Citizen Wells 3/08

Memories of Obama's recent racial stereotype of the 'typical White person' are still fresh. Add to this now his view of the 'typical small town person.' Obama is quoted as disparaging residents of small towns in Pennsylvania as being “like a lot of small towns in the Midwest” where “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.”

Obama is unapologetic, even dissing of voters in Florida and Michigan one has to wonder what groups of Americans he really respects?

Racist wife, Michelle, saying she was proud of America "for the first time" only because of her husband's presidential run.

Obama explained he doesn't wear an American flag lapel pin or hold his hands to his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance because it is a substitute for patriotism,

Obama confirms his own moral obliviousness and he seems to have disdain for those who are troubled by his own unwillingness to break with The Great White hater Rev Wright

Rev Wright says you don't have to wait for the afterlife for the mansion on the hilltop, he’s right! To shut him up Trinity United Church of Christ is building Rev. Wright a $1 mil house on a lot that was purchased for $345,000. According to federal income tax return Obama gave $222,500

Wright continues his Obama supported attacks on non-blacks Wright states Jesus death on the cross was a public lynching Italian style.

Obamas senate record shows he infact did support the war voted against bringing America's troops home, voted for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater, voted with Bush/Chaney latest bit of posturing S433 to suspend any troop withdrawal, if not suspended, keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come.

Washington Post- Fact Check- Senator Obama CAUGHT LYING about Kennedy Role in Helping His Father Contrary to Obama's claims in speeches Kennedy family did not.

Chicago Daily Herald- Obama refers to himself as 'a constitutional law professor on the campaign trail. TRUTH: He never held any such title!

I am bitter that the news media (where until recently I worked as a print journalist for 20 years) has devolved to the point where they think "gotcha" coverage passes for something resembling intelligent analysis. It does not. I am bitter that telling the truth about the reality of life today in the United States is "played" by the media as somehow insulting to ordinary" (as if!) middle-class Americans. What is insulting is that the Clinton and McCain campaigns and the compliant media treat the public as if we are stupid about the state of our union today. We are not. I am bitter that a person like Barack Obama who is capable of defining, understanding and articulating in public the various shades of gray surrounding every important issue in America today is chastised by the media for not portraying each of those issues in black or white.

Finally, I am bitter that my fellow journalists have forgotten that their role is to educate the American public not dumb Americans down to their ever-lower standards. I am ashamed of my tribe.

Hillary McCain?! LOVE IT! So true...

I notice that in the ad above Obama has dropped the tie. I wondered when he was going to do that.

I think people are in denial about the damaging gist of what Obama said: it's that people who are bitter and who've lost faith in government's ability to affect their lives on the economic front turn to hot button issues like gun rights and abortion and gay marriage and immigrant bashing. That may be true, but it's insulting to people passionate about those issues, and there's really no way to walk it back.

It's ridiculous for Obama to claim, as he did in the "Compassion Forum" last night, that he meant 'cling' in a good way. What he can credibly claim is that his own faith is real (he wasn't dissing religion, he was dissing religious right political shibboleths, though he can't say that) and that he's no elitist - read what South Side residents who worked w/ him in Chicago in his organizing days say about him.

But the remark itself was revealing. It's the flip side of the religious side of his "one America" message. What he believes is that people's faith can be channeled into poverty alleviation and economic justice rather than curtailing gay rights and restricting abortion. What slipped was his belief that people turn to such issues out of frustration and cynicism.

When I heard Obama's "bitter" comment, I thought he has read Carl Sagan't book 'Demon Haunted World'
Sagan ponts out the same, when times are bad, people become distrustful. They turn to religion, superstition, luck... it's our nature.

Obama will handle this. Clinton is coming across as the bitter cxandidate.

When I heard Obama's "bitter" comment, I thought he has read Carl Sagan't book 'Demon Haunted World'
Sagan ponts out the same, when times are bad, people become distrustful. They turn to religion, superstition, luck... it's our nature.

Obama will handle this. Clinton is coming across as the bitter cxandidate.

OBAMA LIES AGAIN AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA LIKE CNN HIDES IT!
VOTERS ARE SICK OF THE MEDIA EXCUSING OBAMA NO MATTER WHO HE OFFENDS!!!!

Sen. Obama referres to himself as 'a constitutional law professor on the campaign trail. TRUTH: He never held any such title! Obama changed website bio to reflect that he was a 'lecturer' rather than 'professor. Chicago Daily Herald

Obama gets 4 Pinocchio’s for 100 Years War-Wondered why the national media won’t call out Obama for his serial distortions on McCain’s Iraq comments, the Globe tried to help Obama rationalize it. Michael Dobbs scolded Obama in today’s Fact Checker


MSNBC-OBAMA: ANOTHER SUPER, EXAGGERATION
Washington Post caught Obama in a lie about the Kennedy family role.
The WashigntonPost Fact Check- Senator Obama CAUGHT LYING about Kennedy Role in Helping His Father Contrary to Obama's claims in speeches Kennedy family did not provide the funding for a September 1959 airlift of 81 Kenyan students to the United States that included Obama's father. According to historical records and interviews with participants, the Kennedys were approached for support for the program a year later, July 1960. family responded with a $100,000 donation, which went to pay for a second airlift in September 1960.

Judicial Watch:
By Klaus Marre-Obama ‘intended to leave no paper trail’ OBAMA REFUSES to cooperate in releasing 8 years of his state senate records. One main reason REZKO!

Politico reports, “During his first run for elected office, Barack Obama played a greater role than he acknowledges in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion– positions that appear at odds with the more moderate image he’s projected during his presidential campaign. The evidence comes from an amended version of an Illinois voter group’s detailed questionnaire, filed under his name during his bid for a state Senate. In response to a Politico story, Obama’s answers he never saw questioaire?

NBC- Aswini Anburajan
OBAMA LIES IN PENNSYLVANIA AD
It's unfortunate that Senator Obama is using false advertising to explain why he can be trusted to do something about energy prices. In his ad, Obama says, I'm Barack Obama, and I don't take money from oil companies or lobbyists, and I won't let them block change any more. Obama has been the recipient of more than $220,000 from the oil and gas industry just since as of Feb/08. Two of Obama's campaign bundlers are also CEOs for oil and gas companies, per his campaign Web site? Obama needs to answer to VOTERS about his dealings with one of his largest contributors Exelon, a big nuclear power company that he cut deals behind closed doors protecting them from full disclosure in the nuclear industry. Exxon, Shell, and others are among his biggest donors

Obamas record shows he infact did support the war when he got to the senate, voted twice against bringing America's troops back home. He voted for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater where Texas woman, was gang-raped by her co-workers at a Halliburton/KBR camp in Baghdad, His latest bit of posturing S 433 allows the Bush Administration to suspend any troop withdrawal, if not suspended, keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come

Obama said he goofed on votes angered fellow Democrats in the Senate when he voted to strip millions of dollars from a child welfare office on Chicago's West Side. But Obama had a ready explanation: He goofed! Also announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6. The next day, he acknowledged voting "present" on a key telecommunications vote. He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said. Obama was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said. But two of Obama's bumbles came on more-sensitive topics, he backed legislation to permit riverboat casinos to operate even when the boats were dockside. The measure, pushed by the gambling industry and fought by church groups whose support Obama was seeking, passed with two "yeas" to spare -- including Obama's. Moments after its passage he rose to say, explaining that he had mistakenly voted for it.

Obama would later develop a reputation as a critic of the gambling industry, and he voted against a similar measure two years later. But he was clearly confused about how to handle the issue at the time of his first vote, telling a church group that he was "undecided" about whether he backed an expansion of riverboat gambling. And, months earlier, he had voted in favor of a version of the bill.

Who does Obama think he is with his poor attempt at comedy-Sheriff Bart from Blazing Saddles?
His arrogance has come through loud and clear lately
He is as conceited as his wife MO
Clinton seemed far more comfortable in her faith than the stuttering BO did

I agree that the media shows a huge Hillary bias on this story; she must be pressing the media very hard, and/or paying them off.

I also agree that we should write NBC and request that a conflict of interest be revealed regarding Andrea Mitchell's reporting.

Andrea is married to Alan Greenspan, and both Hillary and McCain say they would appoint Greenspan to some committee to solve economic problems, even though economists agree that Greenspan is the one single person most responsible for our current economic problems.

Thus, Andrea Mitchell has a huge conflict of interest. Either she should not be allowed to cover the election, or at the very least this should be revealed to the public every time Mitchell reports.

I notice that in the ad above Obama has dropped the tie. I wondered when he was going to do that. Posted by Aasp | April 14, 2008 9:45 AM
You know, it is funny that you mention that, because Obama was known actually for his low-key approach and business casual dress on the campaign trail. Changing to suits was a conscious move to look more "Presidential". The Politico did a story about it:


Obama joins buttoned-up D.C., slowly

I agree that obama's comment is almost impossible to walk back.

he grew up with a disdain for religion and Michelle and political neccessity brought him to religion in Chicago and he frequently can talk the talk but he got caught out.

I am totally not religious but I have learned people's beliefs are not crutches are not the opiate of the masses or something they cling to. The bizarre part of Obama trying to put all this back in the box as if he didn't say what he said is that his followers here keep saying he was right.

What makes him an elitist is not his income but his myopic condescension as evidenced by these comments about clinging.

If he were the dalia lama or a bhuddist teacher he could easily talk about how we cling to that which is fleeting or illusion but he's a pol trying to get people to believe he cares and these comments then are crass and cruel.

His favorite arrogant rhetorical construction lately to defend himself against any criticism is "no one has been more out front on..." "no one has been better than me at.."
It is an incredibly inaccurate and shoddy defense that makes him seem both narcisistic and in denial.

In these ways I am uneasy with his candidacy.

I am so tired of all the "you can't SAY that" hoopla in this campaign. Why exactly can't the press ask Clinton why she chose to stay with a lying philanderer? (And I voted for him, too, but I wouldn't have stayed with him.) Why can't Obama address the frustration/bitterness/what have you/etc. of the rust belt? Why can't someone say that Americans' obsession with religion is a problem? Why can't I say that McCain is old and that I'm worried he may have Alzheimer's, like our last old president?

I guess if Michael C. thinks this is damaging it must be damaging.

Remember Wright (if you can, given that not too many seem to care anymore)!

Fakest. Controversy. Ever.

CM is over-reaching. Andrea has had a huge hillary chip on her shoulder and hardly ever says anything positive about her- that is why she's on hard ball and countdown so often. She has been reliably in obama's corner. Her husband has endorsed McCain.
AND half of washington is in bed with the other half of washington. Mitchell is not alone in having a marriage that makes it easy to accuse of bias. it is normal there. but accusing her of it is childish. saying that Hillary's people have paid her or the press puts you in paranoia land: say hi to mel gibson if you see him there.

What pisses you off cm is that nearly no one in the media wants to stand next to or with Obama on this one because its big and it smells.

its ridiculas to say that Hillary is pushing this. He said it and her mistake in the wright response was in trusting the media to do their job or be decent or fair and they just happily swept the whole thing under the rug. These are things that fundamentally should be loudly exposed and debated and that should hurt him. He got away with wright and you just can't beleieve anyone would hold him accountable this time. but look, he's a repeat offender.

Obama supporters, I think you're missing why this is a big deal and why his response, thus far, is inadequate. It's not that they are "bitter", but it simply questions to genuine nature of their values. To say the religion is a product of bitterness and class is devalue the belief system of many Americans. Moreover, it is quite perceivably arrogant because Obama doesn't hold his values to the same socially-constituted standards.

This is not an issue that can just be brushed away or to blame the press on. This is real and devastating to Obama's chances in swing states. Mockery and rhetoric won't cut it. He needs to explain himself clearly, particularly the sort "amateur sociology" he engaged in, without spin. This isn't Hillary's fault, it isn't John McCain
s fault and it's definitely not the media's fault. It needs to be dealt with before the general, in a way that does not appear dismissive.

You have to admire how quickly and how forcefully the Obama camp just knocks these things out of the park.

It's almost as if the press pushed harder on 'Wright' and 'bitter' just to see how Obama would respond. Now they like that they see.

I think the real issue is that Clinton supporters refer to working class voters as 'them' -- a focus group approach that tries to pander. People are smarter than that.

Obama isn't afraid to say what is actually happening, and back it up. It's all about having confidence and being comfortable in who you are.

Working class voters can sniff out a fake when they see one. Watching a multi-millionaire 60-year old lady in a designer suit talk about hunting and doing a shot is transparent. She overplayed.

I am so sick of Obama. He is so full of crap. He cannot be trusted. I cannot believe how gullible the American people are today. Or how desperate.
People need to really listen/scrutinize his hollow words. If not, we will be getting just what we deserve.

I only caught the Obama half of the Compassion Forum last night, but I thought he did spectacularly well. He came off as humble, and effectively deflected the attacks without the arrogant tone he has sometimes. In particular, the crowd seemed to be reacting so positively that at first, I thought they were a trucked-in crowd of supporters. They even applauded when he said he thought Trinity had gotten a bad rap.

Michael C and Jonathan,
To say or imply that Obama said religion is a product of bitterness is being disingenous to the nth degree.

He never said it, he never implied it, and he has inf fact said the exact oppositie many times.

If you want to be against Obama fine. Just try to base it on something genuine instead of making up fairy tales.

Fair enough Michael C., you are uncomfortable with Obama. But my question is, I wonder how much your discomfort level is guided by who you support. I would guess that you voted for Hillary in the primaries. So naturally you were uncomfortable with him from the beginning, or perhaps it is better to say that you are more comfortable with Hillary.

In any event, I think there are a myraid of reasons I could point to as well as why I am uncomfortable with Hillary. And I think unfortunately for her, as things have played out in this political cycle, she would have been better off letting McCain, the Republicans and the media run with it. Just like the Obama cammpaign did with Tuzla. Her unecessary piling on and her attempt to convince people that she is blue collar and did not earn over $100m in seven years looks clearly disingenuous and feeds into the wider Clinton problem on that issue. And Obama was able to catch her on that.

Unfortunately for her, when she attacks her negatives go up more than Obama's. But that looks like the point of the Clinton campaign, to make Obama unelectable. Which is why I am uneasy about her continued candidacy. Particularly since I cannot remember the last time she she made a positive argument for her candidacy. All we hear now is that "Obama can't win". It's tiring, vacuous and particularly a bit churlish (sadly another Clinton family ingrained trait) considering that she is promoting a voter enfranchisement argument for continuing the primaries. Why not let the voters decide the nominee and decide who will be President. To me it seems a bit condescending and presumptious for her to stand here right now and predict what will happen in November particularly considering that this time last year she was making predictions that process would be over on Super Tuesday. But she continues on what I could only describe as a terrorism strategy, e.g. give me the nomination or else I blow this whole thing up.

Here are some choice examples,
Number 1:

{Geoff Garin} Said that while Hillary's reputation "isn't going to get any worse," Obama's "isn't going to get any better"

And in case that is not clear, here they are way before this "controversy"

Number 2:
Clinton brands Obama 'unelectable', April 4, 2008

I could go on, but I won't. While Obama is not a perfect candidate, I think he is the better of the choice between the two Democratic candidates.

The funny thing is, it's the RESPONSE to the comments that's elitist, not the comments. Never, in the response, does anyone say Obama is wrong. Never does anyone say he actually looks down on people. The Clinton and McCain supporters pushing this just say that the comment will offend small town voters who are too unsophisticated to get it. That, my friends, is elitist.

Even now, the mere fact HC is running for president is a farce! After ALL the scandals during her tenure as First Lady...and before! Come on HC supporters! You know you don't REALLY want the Clintons and their dirty business returned to the White House.

Or do you? Only goes to show what type of "moral high ground" Clinton supporters share with their candidate.

Obama in 08. It's time for change.

MY FELLOW BITTER, STUPID, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE.

YOU MIGHT BE AN IDIOT, TOO :-(

If you think like Barack Obama, that WORKING CLASS PEOPLE are just a bunch of BITTER!, STUPID, PEASANTS, Cash COWS!, and CANNON FODDER. :-(

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary’s than they had ever been before or since.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)

Best regards

jacksmith...

p.s.

If you don't know that the huge amounts of money funding the Obama campaign to try and defeat Hillary Clinton is coming in from the insurance, and medical industry, that has been ripping you off, and killing you and your children. And denying you, and your loved ones the life saving medical care you needed. All just so they can make more huge immoral profits for them-selves off of your suffering...

You Might Be An Idiot, Too!

You see, back in 1993 Hillary Clinton had the audacity, and nerve to try and get quality, affordable universal health care for everyone to prevent the suffering and needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of you each year. :-)

Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on...

Yes, alex, I'm somewhat surprised that this hasn't come up more in commentary on this flap. I think it's transparently obvious that Hillary is trying to inspire people to focus their bitterness and anger against Obama. Like handing out stickers that say "I'm Not Bitter" -- that, in itself, is bitterness! How is this not being pointed out?

DON'T BE DUPED !!!

Large numbers of Republicans have been voting for Barack Obama in the DEMOCRATIC primaries, and caucuses from early on. Because they feel he would be a weaker opponent against John McCain. With Hillary Clinton you are almost 100% certain to get quality, affordable universal health care very soon.

But first, all of you have to make certain that Hillary Clinton takes the democratic nomination and then the Whitehouse. NOW! is the time. THIS! is the moment you have all been working, and waiting for. You can do this America. “Carpe diem” (harvest the day).

I think Hillary Clinton see’s a beautiful world of plenty for all. She’s a woman, and a mother. And it’s time America. Do this for your-selves, and your children’s future. You will have to work together on this and be aggressive, relentless, and creative. Americans face an even worse catastrophe ahead than the one you are living through now.

You see, the medical and insurance industry mostly support the republicans with the money they ripped off from you. And they don’t want you to have quality, affordable universal health care. They want to be able to continue to rip you off, and kill you and your children by continuing to deny you life saving medical care that you have already paid for. So they can continue to make more immoral profits for them-selves.

Hillary Clinton has actually won by much larger margins than the vote totals showed. And lost by much smaller vote margins than the vote totals showed. Her delegate count is actually much higher than it shows. And higher than Obama’s. She also leads in the electoral college numbers that you must win to become President in the November national election. HILLARY CLINTON IS ALREADY THE TRUE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE!

As much as 30% of Obama's primary, and caucus votes are Republicans trying to choose the weakest democratic candidate for McCain to run against. These Republicans have been gaming the caucuses where it is easier to vote cheat. This is why Obama has not been able to win the BIG! states primaries. Even with Republican vote cheating help.

Hillary Clinton has been OUT MANNED! OUT GUNNED! and OUT SPENT! 4 and 5 to 1. Yet Obama has only been able to manage a very tenuous, and questionable tie with Hillary Clinton.

If Obama is the democratic nominee for the national election in November he will be slaughtered. Because the Republican vote cheating help will suddenly evaporate. All of this vote fraud and republican manipulation has made Obama falsely look like a much stronger candidate than he really is. YOUNG PEOPLE. DON’T BE DUPED! Think about it. You have the most to lose.

The democratic party needs to fix this outrage. Everyone needs to throw all your support to Hillary Clinton NOW! So you can end this outrage against YOU the voter, and against democracy.
The democratic party, and the super-delegates have a decision to make. Are the democrats, and the democratic party going to choose the DEMOCRATIC party nominee to fight for the American people. Or are the republicans going to choose the DEMOCRATIC party nominee through vote fraud, and gaming the DEMOCRATIC party primaries, and caucuses.

Fortunately the Clinton’s have been able to hold on against this fraudulent outrage with those repeated dramatic comebacks of Hillary Clinton’s. Only the Clinton’s are that resourceful, and strong. Hillary Clinton is your NOMINEE. They are the best I have ever seen.

“This is not a game” (Hillary Clinton)

Sincerely

jacksmith...

Way to go, jacksmith. You've really shown that in politics, it's never a good idea to call the voters stupid.

By the way, Hillary Clinton has taken more money from the medical industry than any other candidate (including more money from doctors and more money from HMOs). She has also taken more money from the insurance industry than any ohe candidate.

But I don't think you're an idiot for not looking that up, just incurious.

That first link was messed up, but here it is again: Hillary Clinton has taken more money from the medical industry than any other candidate.

I am shocked at the level of support Obama still has. I guess he is correct, you all are ignorant and need him to "fix" you.

The man attended a race-hating, anti-American church for 20 years.

He explains to you what the "typical White Person" thinks and feels.

Now he calls the unemployed, religious fanatics, gun nuts, who fear others (racists), and are anti-immigrant.

Geez, what do you people need to be able to see him for what he is? Does he have to Scream, I am a racially obsessed, anti-American, who looks down on all you ignorant people. I am your Savior!!

Actually, if he did that you would all probably still defend him..."hey he is correct" or "hey at least he's a democrat"....WOW.

Blame it all on the press if that makes it easier for you, but the fact is that Barrack Hussein will not be President of the United States.

Subject: What a black columnist has to say about Obama
>
> Be sure to read this in it's entirety. The very last part is MOST
'interesting'!
>
> Ken Blackwell - Columnist for the New York Sun
>
> It's an amazing time to be alive in America . We're in a year of firsts in
this presidential election: the first viable woman candidate; the first
viable African-American candidate; and, a candidate who is the first
frontrunning freedom fighter over 70. The next president of America will be
a first.
>
> We won't truly be in an election of firsts, however, until we judge every
candidate by where they stand. We won't arrive where we should be until we
no longer talk about skin color or gender. Now that Barack Obama steps to
the front of the Democratic field, we need to stop talking about his race,
and start talking about his policies and his politics.
>
> The reality is this: Though the Democrats will not have a nominee until
August, unless Hillary Clinton drops out, Mr. Obama is now the frontrunner,
and its time America takes a closer and deeper look at him.
> Some pundits are calling him the next John F. Kennedy. He's not. He's the
next George McGovern. And it's time people learned the facts.
>
> Because the truth is that Mr. Obama is the single most liberal senator in
the entire U.S. Senate. He is more liberal than Ted Kennedy, Bernie Sanders,
or Mrs. Clinton. Never in my life have I seen a presidential frontrunner
whose rhetoric is so far removed from his record. Walter Mondale promised to
raise our taxes, and he lost. George McGovern promised military weakness,
and he lost. Michael Dukakis promised a liberal domestic agenda, and he lost.
>
> Yet Mr. Obama is promising all those things, and he's not behind in the
polls. Why? Because the press has dealt with him as if he were in a beauty
pageant. Mr. Obama talks about getting past party, getting past red and
blue, to lead the United States of America . But let's look at the more
defined strokes of who he is underneath this superficial 'beauty.'
>
> Start with national security, since the president's most important duties
are as commander-in-chief. Over the summer, Mr. Obama talked about invading
Pakistan, a nation armed with nuclear weapons; meeting without preconditions
with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who vows to destroy Israel and create another
Holocaust; and Kim Jong II, who is murdering and starving his people, but
emphasized that the nuclear option was off the table against terrorists -
something no president has ever taken off the table since we created nuclear
weapons in the 1940s. Even Democrats who have worked in national security
condemned all of those remarks. Mr. Obama is a foreign-policy novice who
would put our national security at risk.
>
> Next, consider economic policy. For all its faults, our health care system
is the strongest in the world. And free trade agreements, created by Bill
Clinton as well as President Bush, have made more goods more affordable so
that even people of modest means can live a life that no one imagined a
generation ago. Yet Mr. Obama promises to raise taxes on 'the rich.' How to
fix Social Security? Raise taxes. How to fix Medicare? Raise taxes.
Prescription drugs? Raise taxes. Free college? Raise taxes. Socialize
medicine? Raise taxes. His solution to everything is to have government take
it over. Big Brother on steroids, funded by your paycheck.
>
> Finally, look at the social issues. Mr. Obama had the audacity to open a
stadium rally by saying, 'All praise and glory to God!' but says that
Christian leaders speaking for life and marriage have 'hijacked' - hijacked
- Christianity. He is pro-partial birth abortion, and promises to appoint
Supreme Court justices who will rule any restriction on it unconstitutional.
He espouses the abortion views of Margaret Sanger, one of the early
advocates of racial cleansing. His spiritual leaders endorse homosexual
marriage, and he is moving in that direction. In Illinois , he refused to
vote against a statewide ban - ban - on all handguns in the state. These are
radical left, Hollywood , and San Francis co values, not Middle America
values.
>
> The real Mr. Obama is an easy target for the general election. Mrs.
Clinton is a far tougher opponent. But Mr. Obama could win if people don't
start looking behind his veneer and flowery speeches. His vision of
'bringing America together' means saying that those who disagree with his
agenda for America are hijackers or warmongers. Uniting the country means
adopting his liberal agenda and abandoning any conflicting beliefs.
>
> But right now everyone is talking about how eloquent of a speaker he is
and - yes - they're talking about his race. Those should never be the
factors on which we base our choice for president. Mr. Obama's radical
agenda sets him far outside the American mainstream, to the left of Mrs.
Clinton.
>
> It's time to talk about the real Barack Obama. In an election of firsts,
let's first make sure we elect the person who is qualified to be our
president in a nuclear age during a global civilizational war.
>
>
> Subject: Kind of scary, wouldn't you think
> According to The Book of Revelations the anti-christ is:
> The anti-christ will be a man, in his 40s, of MUSLIM descent, who will
deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like
appeal....the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will
promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy
everything. Is it OBAMA??

Hillary Clinton's hypocrisy is breathtaking in its scope. She and Bill have made 110 million dollars in eight years, a 6008 percent increase, much of it from "contributors" to whom they owe favors. The Clintons passed NAFTA, and according to her White House schedule, Hillary was a cheerleader for NAFTA making appearances on its behalf. While NAFTA sent American jobs overseas, costing Pennsylvanians and millions of other Americans their jobs, Hill and Bill grew their personal wealth. She has a lot of nerve calling Obama an elitist--she and Bill are the elite of the Democratic Party and have run the Party like powerful dictators. Hypocrite is too mild a word for her. Hillary expects Americans to believe that she would not pass CAFTA (the Colombian trade agreement) even though both her chief campaign strategist and her husband have lobbied on behalf of CAFTA--Bill Clinton having received 800,000 dollars for three-days work on behalf of CAFTA. As a person who grew-up in small town Pennsylvania, I find Hillary's remarks condescending and contemptuous of small towners--she thinks she can play Sarah Bernhardt with her theatrical "outrage" at Obama--and that we (or as she refers to us "them") won't see through her. Hillary's trying to label Obama as an elitist is embarrassing--Obama grew up in modest circumstances--without a father at home--with a mother who had to go on food stamps in order to help support her children when she went back to school. Obama supported himself through college and law school--and only recently repaid his student loans. Obama is the epitome of the average American--with above average talents--who has made the most of himself. He is now attempting to put his talents and experience to good use--by serving as our president. Behind in pledged delegates, behind in the popular vote, behind in the number of states won, and behind in fundraising, Hillary is desperate and she is grasping at straws. Her twisting of Obama's words is so pathetic. Hillary has proven herself to be an insecure, petty, disorganized politician throughout this primary season. She began with all the advantages and now finds herself behind. She is not a role model for women--she is an embarrassment. I spoke with a woman in PA last night who said she and her friends are trying to be loyal to Hillary because she is a woman, but that the more they see of Hillary, the harder it is to still support her. Rather than bring a woman's perspective to politics, Hillary has exhibited the worst of traditional politics--she comes across as the worst panderer, straight out of All the King's Men. She is a throwback. The people who support Hillary will choose to believe her twisted logic. The millions of Americans, including those of us in Pennsylvania, who want to see the US move forward, who want to see new jobs created, who want a leader who tells it like it is, who want a president who inspires us, who want a president who restores our Constitutional rights and upholds the Bill of Rights, who will restore our leadership position in the world, who works with the best and brightest in each field to solve the challenges we face, who is against torture, who has the best judgment, who has the global perspective that is necessary to lead in this era of global communications and a global economy--we will vote for and continue to support Barack Obama. Hillary underestimates small town, rural, suburban and big city Americans at her peril.

Watch people posting here make stuff up.

Alex says above that no where is anyone saying that what Obama said is wrong.

Alex made that up. Hillary said she thought it was wrong. She said repeatedly that she does not believe people 'cling" to religion because of their economic situations.

Dozens of people on line here at these Atlantic
comment threads have said the same thing.
Many people do think it was a dumb thing to say
AND many people disagree with him.

Great you love Obama but a lot of us think he is wrong and stupid in these comments and in his comments trying to correct these dumb comments.

And he looks amazed that people who backed him up are not standing by him this time.

That it hurts him is still to be seen.
Tuesday will begin to tell us that.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old politics.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old punditry.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old Bush styled politics.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old Clinton styled politics.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old men like McCain.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old crap.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old twisting of words.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old lies like sniper fire.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old continuation of war.

Americans are sick and tired of the same old bringing of wedge issues like gays, guns and god.

~~~~~~

What we need is a BREATH of FRESH AIR and blunt talking and Obama is the one!

Here is former Clinton labor secretary Robert Reich on the current fake storm:

"I was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, 61 years ago. My father sold $1.98 cotton blouses to blue-collar women and women whose husbands worked in factories. Years later, I was secretary of labor of the United States, and I tried the best I could – which wasn’t nearly good enough – to help reverse one of the most troublesome trends America has faced: The stagnation of middle-class wages and the expansion of povety. Male hourly wages began to drop in the early 1970s, adjusted for inflation. The average man in his 30s is earning less than his father did thirty years ago. Yet America is far richer. Where did the money go? To the top.

Are Americans who have been left behind frustrated? Of course. And their frustrations, their anger and, yes, sometimes their bitterness, have been used since then -- by demagogues, by nationalists and xenophobes, by radical conservatives, by political nuts and fanatical fruitcakes – to blame immigrants and foreign traders, to blame blacks and the poor, to blame "liberal elites," to blame anyone and anything.

Rather than counter all this, the American media have wallowed in it. Some, like Fox News and talk radio, have given the haters and blamers their very own megaphones. The rest have merely "reported on" it. Instead of focusing on how to get Americans good jobs again; instead of admitting too many of our schools are failing and our kids are falling behind their contemporaries in Europe, Japan, and even China; instead of showing why we need a more progressive tax system to finance better schools and access to health care, and green technologies that might create new manufacturing jobs, our national discussion has been mired in the old politics."

Clintons need to hear their own old words and also their labor secretary's words.

Clintons have become desparate for sure.

Maybe it's time to end the tacit agreement that mainstream journalist's own lives are somehow off limits. If these jerks are going to sell themselves as personalities and go on to try to form public opinion with less than subtle personal politics, then they should be fair game too. It's high time the public saw that guys like Hannity, Coulter and O'Reilly are themselves anything but regular Joes. They are multimillionaires who are above all being conservative about their own privileges and low tax rates.


Why can't someone say that Americans' obsession with religion is a problem?

Anyone can say that.

Just don't expect to say that and get elected President.

Sorry if you don't like it. It's a tough world.

Jonathan,

You've got it exactly wrong. Obama did not say that religion is a "product" of bitterness. His point was that, because less affluent voters don't trust either party to act in their economic best interests, they VOTE based on cultural and social issues instead of economic concerns. In other words, they "cling to" the social and cultural when they vote because they see both parties as indebted to moneyed special interests. If you have no hope that your vote will bring about a better economic situation, you vote for the party that promises to protect your "values."

In a Pennsylvania political ad, 3 year-old Hillary Rodham, arms extended, toddles toward the home-movie camera. Hillary's present-day voice-over explains, the Rodham family cottage, down by the lake, lacked indoor plumbing. It was hardship borne from the start. Yet, more telling events seem to fall by the wayside. Take twenty-seven year old Hillary's first real job. The upshot: Jerry Zeifman fired Hillary for unethical practices during the Watergate Investigation. Why was Hillary fired? “Because she was a liar,” Zeifman said in a recent interview. “She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer. She conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality.”

“I have gone hunting. I am not a hunter. But I have gone hunting," says Hillary. Perhaps equally amusing, is how a corrupt politician worth over $100 million-dollars, espouses small town family values. Not only does Mr. Zeifman’s account go to character, it goes to a lifelong pattern of lying and obfuscation. It took Zeifman twelve years to get his story aired. After Watergate, Zeifman could not recommend Hillary for any subsequent position of public or private trust, nor furnish her with a letter of recommendation. After that, Hillary Clinton's employment record is one of strict nepotism, cronyism, and amnesia. Although few suspected the lengths to which Hillary would go, a leopard never changes her spots. Again, Hillary Clinton is a bold-faced liar, who will stop at nothing.

"The Clintons corrupted the soul of the Democratic Party." -Henry Ruth, lead Watergate courtroom prosecutor. According to Mr. Zeifman, it’s not just Hillary’s dishonesty; that’s a fact not in dispute. More to the point is the overall time-span, in which she has behaved in a fraudulent manner. Should anyone doubt either Mr. Zeifman, or Mr. Ruth’s veracity regarding the Clintons: http://theseedsof9-11.com


Excuse those of us whose urban communities are plagued by weapons fire and dead children to be too busy grieving over their loss than to grieve over the gun rights of a minority of persons which might be lost through more efficient gun control.

That is a truth which is, yes, bitter.