Palin Explains What Parts Of Country Not "Pro-America"

The McCain campaign is seeking to clarify a remark reported from a Sarah Palin fundraiser in North Carolina yesterday in which the Alaska Governor declared that she loved to visit the "pro-America" areas of the country -- implying, implicitly, that there were some parts of the United States she viewed as not pro-America.

The reporter who broke the story, the Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin, sends over the following, extended quote from a more detailed version of the pool report.

"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. We believe" -- here the audience interrupted Palin with applause and cheers -- "We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation. This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans. Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us. Those who are protecting us in uniform. Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom."

Not sure how much this helps Palin out. Is the VP candidate saying that small towns are more authentically American than, say, suburbia or cities?

As Eilperin writes: "The upshot? Washington D.C. is neither 'real America' or 'pro-America.' Other parts of the nation? It's unclear, but if you live in a small town, you're probably patriotic from Palin's point of view."

Comments

[kutch]

This is my last comment on this topic.

I want to recommend to some of you to try moving to small town America. I mean that, I think it would do you a lot of good, it would be good for your soul. Small towns are where you'll find the most honest and trustworthy people. You won't find America haters there, you won't find ACORN there, etc. What you will find are smart, decent, and caring people.

I think there's a real phenomena that occurs when you grow up or choose to move to a small community. I do believe, and I don't mean this as insulting (because I do now live in a large city, but I rely on my upbringing in a small town), that living in a large city and being around so many people whom you don't have close relationships with, can be corrupting.

Just a thought.

[stayinsouth1981]

That is Moose S. I've lived in Brooklyn, NY, Va Bch, VA, a town of 3K in Indiana, Gulf Coast of MS, Mobile, AL, Columbus, OH and off exit ten in Jersey. Oh, and some other places in MS to add to that. Anyhow, The most open-minded and safe town was Virginian Beach. It was a "town" of 100K in the sixties, VERY military neighborhood and a resort area. I never witnessed racism there, it was safe to take apples at Halloween, we ran the streets without adult supervision and the list goes on. I'd add MS Gulf Coast as the next best place to raise a family. Both of these areas have some things in common. There was a good influx of military and professionals with advanced degrees who supported their childrens' education at home.

Small towns are nice but I found them to be pretty set in their ways. I live in a small town now on the outskirts of Mobile, AL. I happen to have the RIGHT last name. I am sure I benefit from an ISM somehow.

[kutch]

"I live in a very small, conservative community in the upper peninsula of Michigan, & I'm usually quiet when my neighbors talk politics . But when they speak about Obama, & how "They could never vote for a n*****r", I speak out .."

I find that hard to believe. I never ever hear that kind of language. Small town people don't usually write into blogs and lie about entire groups of people to smear them. You're proving Sarah Palin's point that real Americans, good and decent, live in the many small pockets of this country that make it great!

[asblueasu]

I live in a very small, conservative community in the upper peninsula of Michigan, & I'm usually quiet when my neighbors talk politics . But when they speak about Obama, & how "They could never vote for a n*****r", I speak out ... Give it to 'em with both barrels.
I, too, thought McCain was a decent guy until his hate-filled propaganda got to be too much. He is stoking the flames of racism & hatred, & he alone should be held responsible if, God forbid, something should happen to Obama before he is able to get our country headed back in the right direction.
Last Sunday, in his sermon, my priest (Yes, I go to church, too) told us all to vote for McCain because of Obama's views on abortion. Very angry, I walked out in the middle of his rant. However, I probably would have left if he had told us to vote for Obama. (Ever heard of "separation of church & state?)
Get out & volunteer! Get out & vote! Get out & make your voice heard.

[mishi]

Hell, I'd report your priest to the IRS.

[kutch]

I think the Left is over reacting to pretty benign comments by Sarah Palin. She was complimenting the people who were hosting her, you all have chosen to fill in the blanks with negative dispersions about urban areas.

Small town America gets a bad rap by mainstream media. They're portrayed as small minded and bigoted, which is completely false. I think they are what real America is all about. You don't find the Berkley or Columbia universities in small town America, many heroes of the Left cheer for America's enemies at these institutions, that would never happen in small town America.

I think she's right and apparently many on this forum do too, she's hit a pretty raw nerve in many of you.

[mishi]

So you're saying that what makes "small town America" so marvelous is that freedom of speech and diversity of opinion don't exist there? Well, I think, or at least hope, you're wrong. But if you're right, it's not much to boast about.

[stayinsouth1981]

I don't think there is anyway to say small towns support diverse thinking different from the norm. I check the Blog for a tiny town in IN I moved from there in 1979. I thank G-d I no longer live there. I can't believe that a group of people would fight so hard to keep their minds CLOSED and LOCKED. No wonder we never had a debate society, no one there was able to even IMAGINE another side let alone a world without boxes.

[obama4president-now]

Interesting that she will try to exploit the 9/11 terrorist attacks to her advantage by tying them, through Ayers, to Obama but then will toss aside those who were actually attacked as not being part of the real America. Washington D.C. and New York are only useful to her when she can exploit them.

[kevcav]

Is it possible that Palin likes small rural towns that "grow" our food and run our factories and teach our kids and fight our wars for us because percentage wise these towns are more "white"??

If that is the case, I have news for Sarah Palin. In a lot of these small towns the crops might be grown by white folk but they are picked mostly by people of color. And as far as those fighting our wars and protecting us in uniform, a good percentage are from large cities and many are Hispanic or African-American. In fact, over 25 per cent of the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan are non-white, the majority of which do not come from small pockets of the "Best of America".

The best of America can be the north end of Boston, South Philly, Harlem, and small towns like Boerne, Texas and yes, even Wasilla, Alaska.

Sarah, the best of America is located in the town, city, borough, village, metropolis named EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE, USA.

Here comments sure came across as "coded" to me.

For the record, I am white and I grew up in a medium sized New England city and I served in the U. S. Military for over 20 years. I did not grow up in one of Sarah's "pockets" of rural America but I still consider myself a proud American.

[lc296]

it's stupid for any candidate to imply that some areas are more patriotic than others. But how can anyone deny that some are overwhelmingly Democratic (like Mass, NYC, or LA) or overwhelmingly Republican (like say, Texas or Kansas.) It's a fact. So if you're somewhere in the middle with your views, it's hard to live, and talk politics openly in those places. There's BIG peer pressure to just vote like your friends and coworkers and families.

I live in a very Democratic suburban town and I keep my opinions to myself...I don't want everyone to hate us. I'm very religious also (Baptist) and I know that Democrats might look down on me and my two teenage daughters for that too. We say nothing.

it's so wrong for people to feel like they have to keep their conservative views a secret. Am I the devil just because I go to church? Obama goes to church you know.

Nobody seems to be talking about this peer pressure. The other day, my daughter showed me a funny column from "AMY VS. JOHN" at Wetv.com called, "Can a Democrat Love a Consevative." It points out how hard it can be to live in a liberal city when you're not "on board" with the favorite candidate.

I like both Obama and McCain. Let's all try to be civil.

[asblueasu]

Yes, I think we should all be civil, but you're posting on the wrong blog ... Tell that to the right-wingers who have nothing better to do than spew fear-filled, hateful retoric. At the end of the day (November 5th), who do you honestly think will be more likely to reach out & try to mend the split in our country caused by the GOPs awful tactics? John McCain? I don't think so. The person who has remained steadfastly above the fray throughout this long process has been Barrack Obama.
To EVERYONE who thinks our country can still be saved: Please get out & volunteer for Barrack in these last crucial weeks, especially now that our candidate has had to leave the campaign trail to be with his grandma. He needs us all to unite & fight against the hatred & bigotry.

Obama/Biden 08

[windwashed]

The Republican party seems to worship small things... towns, people, ideas.

[garymc8]

GOP=ANTI CHRIST

[maxlouwert]

i seem to remember about 7 years ago there were some very hard working patriots in uniform who gave there lives to save others. But they were from New York City, so I guess Sarah doesn't count them as real Americans.

[LadyBirdJ]

I know this is obvious, but have you ever noticed, that ALWAYS the people who push wearing the flag pin, and call themselves American's, and have the "ability" to sniff out who is an American, and who is not, are the one's that have the least American values. As Queen Gertrude says in Hamlet:: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Speaking of the "Queen", if you haven't seen this yet, I think you'll enjoy it. www.runamukcompany.com/sound.html

[alexaii]

It's obvious that she was searching fo the right word to use but messed up.

[alexaii]

It was obvious that she was searching for the right word to use but screwed up.

[dnno1]

Double post. She seems to do that allot. dosen't she?

[Give Peace A Chance]

How small does the town need to be? The size of Wasilla?

I've got a feelin, they vast majority of us are considered un-American, by Palin.

[JWoode]

Well I know for a fact she wouldn't like me :)

[FrankenPC]

If you mean: the vast majority of us despise the war/fear/greed mongering Palin represents? Then yes, I agree, I'm UN-American.

It's time for all of us "un-Americans" to invite the "pro-Americans" to take a one way trip off our rock.

[milman1]

Hey wait for me.

I served in three conflicts over a twenty five year career in the military, I guess being from Pittsburgh leaves me out. I can be at least part American?

Bullets unlike people don't discriminate.