David Brody: Obama Comments No Big Deal

CBN:

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that people may be making too much of Obama''s "controversial" comments that came out Friday about small town America. See his comments below:

"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."

Read the whole story: CBN

Comments

[TG3b]

http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell041508.php3

[Pammy1151]

WTF is the problem with an eliteist president for a change. Look what the beer drinking idiot that can't even put two sentences together did for us!!!! Get a grip people.

[loki]

WHy does an AOL drop down menu float down the text while you scroll? Has Huffpo gone to annoyance advertisement ?

[jwsub28]

McCains in December to The New Yorker

Anti-immigrant passion owes much to the disproportionate influence of a few small states in the nominating process. National polls show that, as an issue, immigration is far behind the Iraq war, terrorism, the economy, and health care as a concern to most Americans; a recent Pew poll shows that, nationally, only six per cent of voters offer immigration as the most important issue facing the country. But in Iowa and South Carolina, it is a top concern for the Republicans who are most likely to vote.

"It's the influx of illegals into places where they've never seen a Hispanic influence before," McCain told me. "You probably see more emotion in Iowa than you do in Arizona. In Iowa, and twenty years ago there were no Hispanics in the town. Then a meatpacking facility was opened up. Now twenty per cent of their population is Hispanic. There were senior citizens there who were--'concerned' is not the word. They see this as an assault on their culture, what they view as an impact on what have been their traditions in Iowa, in the small towns in Iowa. So you get questions like 'Why do I have to punch 1 for English?' 'Why can't they speak English?' It's become larger than just the fact that we need to enforce our borders."
While Obama is saying economic hardship breeds anti-immigrant feelings, McCain is saying lots of rural people just hate Hispanics.

[andyg]

he said about guns and god, not hispanics

[Manx]

The most hysterical over-reaction to Obama's remarks, I saw Friday on Lou Dobbs. The gal substituting for Dobbs, opened the show with "Stunning news!" "Comments by Obama that might change the course of the primaries.­" Their opening was so over the top, I had to laugh. Lou Dobbs has been trying to trash the Obama campaign for the past few weeks. Hillary can do nothing wrong.

Even Jeffrey Toobin and Jack Cafferty said on Situation Room, Friday, that Hillary's distortion of Obama's remarks was absurd and what Obama said is historically correct. People do get bitter when they can't find jobs. And speaking of bitter, I can't think of anyone more bitter than the angry Lou Dobbs, who sounds like a broken record when he spews his vitriol at Mexican immigrants. And now the idea of a black man as president, has him apoplectic. White supremacists like Dobbs shouldn't pretend to be objective.

[loki]

I agree with you. Lou Dobbs Friday night showed the world what a hypocrite he is. The very next night on Lou Dobbs weekend they did tons of stories the war against the middle class, how people are becoming angry with the way the government and corporations are treating them, It was like Fridays show never happened. Even though Lou himself did not host Fridays show , it was still his show. It was as if the Fox network had taken over Fridays show. I use to watch and respect Lou for being a voice for the people who are being trampled by corporations and the government in the name of greed and profit. No more. He is a true hypocrite.

[CulureFX]

I agree, Lou Dobbs has had it out for Obama. My problem with him is how he feels justified as a racist because he has a show and supposedly "standing up for Americans", code for white people.
I am no fan of Condi rice but he jumped all over her for saying Americans have a birth defect when it comes to race... Please Lou tell me, What about slavery was normal growing pains??

[robeson]

Interesting that the parties that brought you GW Bush with his people the "haves, and have mores," calls the only candidate who buys bread and milk elitist. Shame on you Hillary.

[RoseFromPhila]

Whenever Obama gets caught he surely knows how to put a spin on it. Can only imagine what else he says behind closed doors and does not get caught. I think he is arrogant and it showed when he went behind those closed doors with the "elitist". Most likely laughing all the way to the nomination by telling the SanFran group "don't worry give me more money and I will assure you whatever you want, we can fool those small town folks, can't you see how good i speak and have already fooled so many. Hopefully more will carry tape recorders. He is such a fraud.

[kwisconsin]

Since today is Sunday, it seems particularly appropriate to read Brody’s comments about the Christian nature of the current Obama bash. Isn’t it time to talk about issues? What is the point of bashing each other -- and there are many issues on which Mr. Brody and profoundly disagree. But where is the examination of burning issues in Clinton’s comments? Is personality all we care about in this election? Many of us out here in the real, voting world find that Obama is a wonderful candidate because he seems to remain calm in the face of all this name-calling by more “experienced” candidates. An elitist? Because he has some Harvard education on his resume? And is he alone in having attended elite schools, among these finalists? He seems to have the Christian attitude to which many of us pay lip service pretty well in hand – look at his patient, forgiving stance toward his former minister and the way he handles himself in the face of all these slams. A fraud? Because he has self restraint and a way with words? He has a gift, if you ask me.

But probably nobody will -- I’m just a voter.

[Oregonobama]

Bill Clinton said the same thing about working class white people in 1991 when he ran for his first term. But I understand why you'd want to vote for a working class hero like Hillary. She not only answer the phone at 3 am, she knows how to drink (Canadian) whiskey, beer, eat pizza, and hunt ducks. Hell, she even ducked sniper fire in Tuzla. Vote for that good ole girl.

[Braves71]

That's just the point.
When he thought the
press was not around, NOTHING he said was demeaning,
no one was called a loser or stupid lunch-pail guys.
There was nothing 'macaca' at all. I heard analysis
and empathy and an explanation of why he is running.
His policies all are in line to help small town, hardworking
people. People who have every right to be skeptical of
the latest politician making promises. Again,all of this said when he believed there were no
press members around to hear.

Remember, he gave up the big time law firm ELITIST
job. As a top Harvard Law student, the money he'd be
making now in corporate would be huge.
He's no fraud.

[jwsub28]

Obama does not have MILLIONS in the bank. Obama and Michelle had to work and PAY their own way through college. They just paid their college loans off with the sales of his books. Unlike , Clinton and McCain/Bush they were not born with a silver spoon in their mouths.

How disgusting of you to even suggest that he is corrupt. Look at the Clintons with their Bosnia , Columbian ties, corruption that includes Penn with lobby money. Please.... you have no idea what the hell you are talking about.

Hell, I am bitter about the way America has treated me also. I understand his comments , but unlike you, you want to spin everything to sound like he dosen't get the average american. Yeah, the Clintons understand. We had to grap their tax returns out of their greedy hands. They sure the hell did not want 109 MILLION dollars to show up just before a primary. Now she is chucking back Crown Royal with the boys in the bar to show how American she is. What a joke!

We need the Clintons back in the White House like we need another term of BUSH!!!!

[westview]

Both Clintons are from poor families. Bill's dad died when he was an infant and his stepdad did not survive his childhood. He worked his way through college and was raised by his widowed mom who was a nurse. Hillary's dad was a coal miner and factory worker. They did not get silver spoon childhoods. They did not buy their first home until leaving the White House.
The Obama's, who are Ivy league attorneys, as well as politicians, have tax returns that showed a million a year in income and salaries. That is not poor by any standards except Oprah Winfrey's and Donald Trump's. If they earned that much, just paid off their student loans, and still can't buy arugula and piano lessons in the midwest then what has America come to? I know a lot of people who earn just above the poverty line who slowly pay off their student and house loans, get their kids through schools, eat plain iceberg lettuce, and find a way to get piano lessons for the kids. Who is the Obama piano teacher, Rachmaninoff?

[loki]

all politicians lie. Obama actually told the truth for some reason, and the rest of the liars hate him for it. Dont worry, he will back on track and promising things that he has no intention of following up with . Just like Hillary , who by the way. Even though she publicly opposes the Columbia free trade deal, her family has profited 800 grand to promote it in congress. And no matter how much you try, you can not convince me that she has no connection to her husbands deals.

[ClevelandTom]

Wow ... a Christian Broadcasting Network commentator coming to Obama's defense? I didn't see that one coming.

[Edmond08]

I am bitter and angry. Here is why:
Hillary sends my jobs to Mexico thru NAFTA.
She lied in Ohio about her involvement in NAFTA, and members of media said nothing
She gives money to people who hate everybody to speak in her support (See the following videos).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khuu-RhOBDU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtIqeV-6mk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-to8M4hCI

[jsinclair]

I'm bitter and angry, even though (unlike Hillary) I don't love guns or shooting ducks.

I'm angry that her closest advisor (and focus group pollster) sleazy anti-union lobbyist Mark Penn got $300,000 from the Colombian government for supporting the trade deal and the media (CNN etc) is saying nothing much about it.

Likewise, I'm angry that BILL Clinton ALSO got a payout from Colombia. I'm angry that he was paid $800,000 (about what I make in 20 YEARS) for saying he'll support CAFTA--and for his proximity to Hillary as a pro-Colombian trade lobbyist.

I'm also angry that the media is going to destroy our chances to have a GREAT president and instead leave us with John "100 Years of War" McCain or four more years with the known congenital liars and shameless panderers, Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Hillary is spinning this innocuous statement with media help. It's pretty infuriating.

[harriscrl3]

This must be what Obama means when he said dont let them distract you from the real issues like Rural Poverty. And if you dont think rural poverty exist and its gotten worse then you probably think whats going in in Iraq is just a tiny mistake. Poverty brings anger and bitterness. I dont know any poor people who are optimistic and positive. I mean really this stuff is common sense. Poor people also tend to channel their anger at people who dont look like them. How the heck do you think the Reagan democrats came about because he entice them with things like ending affirmative action and reducing welfare. What do you suppose those are code words for. Is it that farfetched to think that these people vote on issues such as guns and religious things like abortion and gay rights. Wake up learn to deal with the REALITY. of rural poverty let that be the focus rather than whether people are bitter which is frankly SILLY.

Obama has excellent instincts about how politics work. Not since he points it out have I ever analyze this stuff so closely and guess what he is RIGHT. Its a distraction and unfortunately the media gives these distractions legs.

Carol

[HatingTheGame]

When the going gets tough, the tough get to drinkin'!

Go Hillary!!

[Vern58]

I am sorry, but that was appaling.

[cyndeewi]

Yes it was.. A stupid old woman trying to drink with the boys. darn, she should have atleast had some woman there.

[Oregonobama]

Yeah, that good ole girl can sure knock back a shot and a beer, then scarf a pizza to top it off. Guess she learned that while she worked part-time in a steel mill to pay her way through Wellesley. My only concern is that with her arteries all clogged up she won't be able to get to the phone at 3 am or have the energy any longer to duck sniper fire. Yes ma'am, Hillary knows how to send a message about the important of diet and exercise to America.

[Herrington]

It is really astonishing that during two days of push and shove, nearly all comments on this topic stay neatly in the orbit of Republican electorate conditioning. The term ‘Liberal Elitist’ has been pushed so deeply into the minds of Americans that they do not even notice that liberal and elitist are mutually exclusive terms.

Congratulation RNC, this one worked, and now every Democrat running for office anywhere must dodge accusations of elitism applied at the discretion of the Republicans. There no objective rules. There can’t be for a concept that could not exist except in the mind of a propagandist.

Smart is the new dumb. We have been conditioned to mistrust thinking outside of the conventional wisdom. We no longer judge a thought on merit, but on compliance to a norm for which the gate keepers are Republicans.

So argue away. The RNC is cashing in on their work of the last decade.

[TommyHollis]

Have some sympathy for Obama.
His bitterness is that the embittered seek solace through their churches instead of through Him.

[Aleka]

How asinine.

[emccready]

I don't know how Hillary can say it is elitest to speak the truth. I am from Pennsylvan­ia...but I now live in CA.
I AM bitter and I AM angry! about a lot of things including how people's incomes have been forced down, how corporations now use long term temps and pay them a pittance for doing things they should be paying big bucks to permanent employees and giving health insurance/ benefits to instead of rewarding CEO's in the millions of dollars for destroying companies.
I AM bitter and I AM angry that the democrats have rolled over and played dead to all the things the Bushies have done to this country without even a whimper, let alone a fight!
I AM bitter and angry that politicians think it is okay to accept $50,000 and in Bill Clinton's case $250,000 for one speech and enrich themselves to the point that they no longer can be in touch with how any ordinary people feel. Politicians are paid their salaries to express their opinions..­.we need to outlaw these huge fees for speaking both during and after they leave office - GET A JOB!!! LIKE ORDINARY PEOPLE!
I am not insulted by Obama's statement! Hillary is the one out of touch! Hillary and Bill should just retire and enjoy their millions for the rest of their life.... Bush Senior isn't doing anything for the world; don't expect much from Bush Baby either. The problem is on both sides of the political divide!