Rendell Says College Kids "Drink The Kool-Aid" Of Obama Speeches

Appearing with a group of college students on Fox News over yesterday, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said that a lot of young people "drink the Kool-Aid" of Obama's speeches, prompting the reporter to say "you're suggesting that they're being suckered."

Watch Rendell talk about how youth are responding to Obama, and watch some of the students push back:

Comments

[UVnLA]

How disgraceful for the state of Pennsylvania that this oily, pandering huckster is allowed to carry on like this. Hopefully the citizenry will not forget and in the next election boot out this insulting and aggressively arrogant dinosaur. As such, he represents Clintons Inc's campaign perfectly- with shady innuendo, half-truths and pandering, pandering,­pandering. Yuck.

[Exit]

After a Hillary speech can a Hillary supporter tell one accomplishment? Rendell is using Sean Hannity techniques. What does that tell you about Hillary and her supporters?

[orangedude]

You know, I just finally realized how smart Mark Penn's strategy really is. It's true that the more her camp marginalizes and insults the other side, the less likely people who are already Obama supporters will vote for her. HOWEVER, at the same time this also reinforces her own supporters by suggesting that they are "too smart to be fooled". Whenever Obama defends against her attacks in even the slightest way, Clinton plays the "victim" card and this again strengthens her own supporters and stems the blood flow.

This is exactly the reason why you see so many people insisting that she's the most experienced candidate, but when asked to name one significant piece of legislation Clinton has ever accomplished during her life, they are clueless. I'm willing to bet that voters who are politically aware (who understand that their platforms are 90% identical) are far more inclined to vote for Obama (e.g. MoveOn). Clinton is just feeding on the ignorance, racism, cynicism and fears of uneducated voters. This is shown in polls with nearly a 65-35 split in favor of Clinton for high-school educated voters, but a lead for Obama in every other group.

In essence, it is the Clinton supporters who are "drinking the Kool-Aid" and her lies every step of the way. The Clinton campaign is cold, calculated and extremely dangerous. Like she said in the ABC debate, "I may be many things, but I am not stupid".

[ConnieB]

The post about the Rendell-Farrkhan video is no longer on the front pages so I'm mentioning this here since it concerns Gov. Rendell.

Fox News just reported on the Rendell-Farrakhan video. The pretty blonde reporter (don't know her name) was questioning the Clinton supporter named Kiki and mentioned the video of Rendell saying wonderful things about Farrakhan with Farrakhan in the room. (They didn't show the video.) Reporter also added that Rendall was supposed to appear on Fox News tonight but when the campaign heard Fox was going to ask about the Farrakhan video they quickly cancelled and pulled Rendall off the show.

[4wehttam]

This should have gotten more press than it did. Why is it when the Clinton camp does something or reveals something stupid it's not Breaking News on the MSM, but Obama or his supporters say something and it's a national outcry?

Rendell and Clinton NEED to be taken to task for this. Not because Rendell emphatically praised Farrakhan, but because they attacked Obama because Farrakhan gave him an UNSOLICITED praise....­..........­..........­........th­at makes NO sense whatsoever.

[aofh]

We forget that over the past eight years the Democratic party hasn't accomplished anything in Congress. Until '06' they were shut out by the Republicans and since '06' they have not had the strength (nor the guts) to do anything. So it is really unfair to both candidates to point to their Congressional records and criticize them for not passing legislation. No Democrat in Congress has been successful by that measure.

But Rendell is absolutely wrong about rethoric. If we are really to have progress in matters, someone has got to be out there talking to the people about it. Somebody (ies) has to be out there making speeches. Somebody has to convince us, the people and voters, that we need to do x. They need to convince us that we need to hold our representative feet to the fire and inspire us to do so. Clinton and Rendell are telling us to sit back and let Washington or the state capitol take care of things. All of us over 50 should know better.

I like what Obama is doing. I hear a vision of America in his speeches. Talking points and policy prescriptions are short term thinking that while applicable now may not be in six months when conditions change. I want all of the candidates to be doing what he's doing. And after the election, I want the rest of us to continue holding their feet to the fire.

[yeswecancan]

You know, does anyone remember how "drinking the kool-aid" got started in American slang? It refers to a sad group of mostly African American Rev. Jim Jones' supporters that got led into mass murder and suicide and I, for one, am as fed up as I can be with the callous, calculating, manipulative Clinton supporters continually using this metaphor to describe me. I am an Obama supporter -- I am a middle-aged white female lawyer, I graduated from a top-20 law school; have run a department for a Fortune 5 company; have been elected to more honorary offices than I'd care to mention. Ed, for a guy that is currently starring on Youtube praising Minister Farrakhan, you got a lotta nerve trying to malign me as delusional. I happened to be in DC during the '90s and had friends in the Clinton administration and on Hillary's health care debacle. Because of that background, and my reasoned investigation of Sen. Obama's proposals and Mrs. Clinton's ethics, lack of truthfulness, her insular and arrogant management­/campaigni­ng/ruling style and her political calculus in voting for the Iraq war, I decided at the beginning of this race I'd never vote for Mrs. Clinton. And if you look at the exodus of others in and around the Clinton administration from her supporters you might wonder why those folks aren't supporting the Clinton 3rd term. Or are they all just sippin 'dat kool aid, too! Despicable and shoddy to boot.

[jeffmorgan]

Young people don't have a history with Hillary, so starts off just as unknown as Obama. Then what they see of Obama they like, and what they then see of Hillary, they don't.

[chappelforpres]

When Bill Clinton first ran for president, his candidacy thrived on youthful exuberance, high hopes and political activism. Now they loath it.

Seems like the daring young foxes have become the tired old wolves.

[kissmygrits]

The problem with Rendell's comment is that by "youth" the questioner really is referring to the under-50 age group which has starkly favored Obama. As a cynical 32 year old female lawyer who supports Obama, I find it laughable that anyone would claim I "drank the kool-aid" on Obama, and I welcome such absurd cheap shots, because I think they reveal that Clinton and her big-name supporters are completely out of touch with most Americans.

[Syco]

That is an insult to black people

[HowietheScreamer]

No, it's an insult to THINKING people of ALL races.

[Chandidevi]

Everytime we have a primary, why does the end result rest on that primary? In other words, it was said that Clinton had to win Ohio and Texas BIG if she was to stay in the race. Well, she DECLARED that she won Ohio and TEXAS. She won Ohio alone; Obama won Texas. She is still running. Why this sense of urgency with each primary? What's the psychology of this?

[HowietheScreamer]

Mostly because the Repubes have it wrapped up, and this continuous infighting is only damaging the Dem Party. We have gone from a HUGE landslide over the Repubes to maybe winning. That's all because of continued Clintonian "must win at ALL cost".

It's been over for months in reality... she CAN'T win. All she is doing is damaging the party.

[Daina]

You mean Obama must win at all costs don't you? With 10 states left to vote, how can anyone call this over?

[RedKnuckles]

This brow beating that Rendell is doing to these students is exhibit A for why Clinton is behind. Rather than simply stick to his remarks about why he thinks Clinton is a better choice, he insults the crowd instead. His remarks show just what is wrong with the entrenched old style politics. If there were any students in that audience who were undecided, I will bet they have decided to vote for Obama now...

[Chandidevi]

Look at Rendell's face. Now, isn't that the face of a man you can trust? Our external appearance is indicative of our insides. This man bespeaks integrity and honesty...right? Just like the Clintons do. There is a presence that we all have that speaks more loudly than our words...like this guy. Whew!

[LABC]

That will be one thing I will look forward to when Clinton calls it a day - not seeing slicky boy Rendell putting his corrupt face on yet another talk show.

[bclintonk]

This is so insulting, condescending, and counterproductive. I spend a lot of time with college- and high school-aged kids. They're totally turned on by Obama, turned on to politics, wanting to make a positive difference in the world, and believing they can. We haven't seen a burst of youthful idealism and inspiration like this since the 1960s, since Jack and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were gunned down. To an old political warhorse like me, it's truly inspiring---the best thing about the Obama candidacy. This is a blessing for our nation and the world, and incidentally a great gift to the Democratic Party going into November and beyond, if the Party elders have the good sense to seize hold of it and ride it, and give it room to blossom and grow.. So what do Rendell, Bill Clinton, and others in the Clinton camp do? Slap down young people, insult them, tell them they're delusional, that they lack judgment. Send a not-so-subtle message that nothing can change, that politics will always be about the same crooked back-room special-interest deal-making it always has been, and there's no room in it for you until you're much older, more cynical, and ground down. Shame on you, Ed Rendell. Shame on you. These comments are a disgrace to our democracy.

[bellecloche]

When will the Clinton campaign learn that insulting group after group of citizens ends up COSTING her votes, not earning them?