John McCain and Hillary Clinton are stunned and flabbergasted that Barack Obama would imply that Pennsylvanians are bitter over, say, thirty years of economic decline in their local communities. McCain and Clinton are deeply baffled and hurt by the following words Senator Obama spoke at a recent fundraiser:
I think it's fair to say that the places where we are going to have to do the most work are the places where people feel most cynical about government.... Because everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class don't wanna work -- don't wanna vote for the black guy.' That's...there were intimations of that in an article in the Sunday New York Times today - kind of implies that it's sort of a race thing.Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long, and they feel so betrayed by government, and when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama (laugher), then that adds another layer of skepticism (laughter)....
But the truth is ... our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of 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. So it's not surprising then that 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.
....[Y]ou can go in the toughest neighborhoods, you know working-class lunch-pail folks, you'll find Obama enthusiasts. And you can go into places where you think I'd be very strong and people will just be skeptical. The important thing is that you show up and you're doing what you're doing.
According to the Senator's critics, these statements are a sign that he is "elitist" and "out of touch." Senator Obama notes that he might have said things better. Maybe so. I leave it to others to determine the political consequences of this current dispute. However unpalatable some may find the Senator's comments, I do know one thing: What he said has considerable validity. My only quibble with his original remarks was that he made them in California. These should be presented straight-up to engage and challenge Pennsylvania voters.
I would love to see Obama get up and challenge people, to say:
Yes, many of you are getting screwed by economic changes over the past generation. We all know that. Many of you are bitter, and have good reason to be. Many of you have understandably lost faith in Washington.I can't promise that I can reverse everything about the economy that has hammered this region. It goes a lot deeper than the fine print in some trade deal or who said what to some lobbyist--though these things do matter and I'll change some of that if I am elected President. We all know that, too. I have some ideas I believe will help you: to reduce your taxes, to prevent mortgage foreclosures, to make sure that you have the health care you need, to help your kid pay for college.
I promise to campaign hard across this state, to bowl badly, hunt with lower casualties than Dick Chaney, mispronounce the name of every Polish sausage. I owe you that sweat investment, to show that I will work for your vote and learn about your problems. But you have a choice to make. You can support a realistic progressive Democratic platform, or you can listen to a bunch of people who want you to write me off as an elitist based on a bunch of BS cultural issues that don't have much to do with what I will do as President, and which won't improve your lives or your families' lives.
Robert Kennedy said rather similar things four decades ago when he challenged many rural Indiana voters. As I recall, RFK did pretty well when the votes were counted.
The faux outrage expressed by Senators McCain and Clinton calls to mind the emotional torment suffered 16 years ago by then-Senator, now McCain backer, Al D'Amato. Ordinarily known for his salty demeaner, D'Amato pretended to cry when his hapless opponent Robert Abrams made a clumsy remark that could be construed as anti-Italian.
Here is what Barack Obama's actually said in response to recent criticisms. :
I was in San Francisco talking to a group at a fundraiser and somebody asked how're you going to get votes in Pennsylvania? What's going on there? We hear that's its hard for some working class people to get behind you're campaign. I said, "Well look, they're frustrated and for good reason. Because for the last 25 years they've seen jobs shipped overseas. They've seen their economies collapse. They have lost their jobs. They have lost their pensions. They have lost their healthcare.And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said we're going to make your community better. We're going to make it right and nothing ever happens. And of course they're bitter. Of course they're frustrated. You would be too. In fact many of you are. Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur. The same thing has happened all across the country. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody is thinking about you. And so people end up- they don't vote on economic issues because they don't expect anybody's going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don't believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here's what rich. Senator Clinton says 'No, I don't think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania. You know, I think Barack's being condescending.' John McCain says, 'Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? You know, he's obviously out of touch with people.'
Out of touch? Out of touch? I mean, John McCain--it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he's saying I'm out of touch? Senator Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I'm out of touch? No, I'm in touch. I know exactly what's going on. I know what's going on in Pennsylvania. I know what's going on in Indiana. I know what's going on in Illinois. People are fed-up. They're angry and they're frustrated and they're bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington and that's why I'm running for President of the United States of America.
Unlike (Hillary) Clinton and John McCain, Barack Obama is a man who came out of nowhere, from very modest means, to challenge for our nation's highest office. He is not a centimillionaire like his two principal opponents. He's experienced many of the problems rural Pennsylvanians are up against. Hard-pressed voters may not agree with everything Obama says. I think many will respect the long road he has taken and his candor in addressing a few elephants in the room operating in the current primary.
Readers can decide who the real "out of touch" politicians are here.
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He came out of nowhere called Harvard. Honest question: what kinds of jobs has Pennsylvania lost to the offshore facilities?
Thanks for the full quote. It makes a huge difference and I hope people read it. Perhaps more people will start printing it as well.
Perhaps I have drunk the Kool-Aid, but I really didn't see anything wrong with even the quote Ms. Fowler selected for maximum damage purposes. I live in small town, midwest America now, and I come from Detroit, and people are bitter. And when economic challenges start to overwhelm them, they do cling to whatever it is they have left. There is nothing wrong with speaking the truth, especially when it's done to promote understanding. And that was the purpose of this answer.
Meanwhile, Hillary - I made 20 million last year and don't think it's a conflict of interest to have my chief strategist and my husband working for Columbia to help pass a trade deal that I'm against - Clinton is the embodiment of the say-what-they-want-to-hear politician. How many new initiatives has she introduced in the past two weeks? If people are buying what she's selling, then they deserve everythign they get.
WOW, thank you Harold Pollack for printing Obama's ENTIRE quotes, both of them. Too bad the rest of the media cherrypick (they call it "editing to make allowances for time and space") his quotes to advance their political agenda, or just keep the pot boiling. Thanks again.
thanks....
I honestly didn't know much about Barack Obama but the election is getting closer and I think he's going to be the candidate, so I am trying to get to know him. The trouble that I am having with "the comment" is that it makes him sound so different than he seems to be in his speeches.He is insulting people of faith (which is the thing that is bothering me, and I'm not even religious, but that is what is bothering me nonetheless) and what's more, he sounded so off. What I mean is, Obama doesn't seem to really understand the people he is talking about. But my Christian and Jewish friends, they understand each other just fine and much better than he seems to understand just a typical person who cares about their religion and gets a great deal of joy and direction (and certainly not bitterness) from their beliefs. (I'm thinking about my two sisters, one is a Quaker and one is a born again Christian and I really am offended on their behalf as it were). The other thing that is so offputting, is that he has presented himself as a religious man, (which I find very attractive, because I think it centers people, and I don't mean self-centered) and I just can't imagine a genuinely religious person so offhandedly dismissing another person's religious experience. It just throws the entire picture of Obama out of kilter. A person can't be both things at once.
Dear JoIn:
Very thoughtful comments. The problem is that Obama was not putting down religion. He was telling the small town - economically depressed voters ( I'm included in this group - small town Ohio ) that the republicans will sieze on any issue - religion, abortion, guns, race - to distract us small town folks from voting for what is in our economic best interest. The so-called big issue for republicans in the last presidential race was same-sex marriage. While the repubs harped on this issue the war raged out of control and the economy went in the toilet. In some states this single issue tilted the election toward Bush. While social issues are important to some - in different ways - the war and the economy affect us all.
Please read his comments in context and rethink your position. He has shown us all - over and over - that he is connected to his religion and that there is spirituality to his comments.
Rather than get bogged down with his serious mistake in choice of words, now Obama must for the first time really get on the message that will win this nomination and in November, at this juncture in the nation's miseries. Mainly:
--Point out every day at every speech that Mrs. Clinton and McCain are the candidates of Wall Street and he is the candidate of the ordinary American.
--Point out every day etc. that he is the candidate who strives for openness and honesty, and his two allied opponents (McCain-Clinton) are quite the opposite.
--Put in easy to understand terms what this war has cost us, in all ways. In every speech.
--Also in every speech he delivers, fiercely denounce the incumbents and McCain over the shabby treatment of the war wounded and their families. A national shame.
Where's the beef? Phone Edwards if he needs some help understanding this.
Otherwise, who cares who is elected? Maybe we can survive until Edwards wins the nomination and election in 2012. But why must we wait?
Get with it, Barack!!
who cares about their religion and gets a great deal of joy and direction (and certainly not bitterness) from their beliefs.
what he was trying to say is that over the last 30 years people have lost faith in the government to help them out economically because every four years they get a bunch of promises and no changes. Its the feeling that the government (dems and repub) is unwilling or unable to help their financial situation that turns them bitter.
And when they feel this way they put even MORE value on issues of Faith or culture (guns, ethnic/national solidarity) .
Its his explanation of why people vote against their economic issues in favor of faith & culture issues.
he gave this answer in response to a question on why he was having a trouble convincing small town PA votes to buy into his message of hope and change.
He is not speaking of religion itself--after all he is a religious Christian. He is speaking of the way religion and other things are exploited as tools of cultural politics to divide people who have given up hope that a more positive vision of government can improve their lives.
The one thing we must realize is if we keep the faith, TRUTH will prevail through all the LIES AND LIARS.
I have faith in Americans and believe they will make the RIGHT CHOICE at the RIGHT TIME no matter what has been said by whom.
Remember, God is at the wheel!
God's justice is unerring and perfect; the problem is that it is excruciatingly slow and human life is very brief.
How does the poorest of the three get labeled as elitist?
True. And why are we talking about something as trivial as this when Bill Clinton is doing business with China after Hillary is trying to make Bush and everybody from America not endorse the Olympic games? That seems to be more important to me, the LIES that are still going on in front of our face. You have one against China, the other FOR china. What are we supposed to believe here?
I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!
I BELIEVE IN YOU SENATOR OBAMA!!
I'M "BITTER" AS HELL AND NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!!
hehehe!
I love it. This dirty political spin by Hillary and grandpa McCain is coming back to haunt them a thousand times over
"My only quibble with his original remarks was that he made them in California. These should be presented straight-up to engage and challenge Pennsylvania voters."
***Yes, I'm sure that all it will take is a speech from Barack and they'll drop their weapons and their Bibles and embrace all immigrants and read Proust and vote for the cool liberal guy. Whoever said that Obama-supporters engage in magical thinking?
"I would love to see Obama get up and challenge people...."
***Don't hold your breath. He's aleady backpeddling.
We'll see.
Let's cut to the chase and call this latest pseudo "bitter controversy" what is really IS: GUTTER POLITICS AT ITS VERY WORST, borrowing words right out of the Karl Rove playbook to divide and conquer the blue collar vote ! I used to admire Hillary, but NO MORE! By her statements that "Obama hasn't passed the 'Commander-in-Chief test'", then daring to label Obama as "elitist", she has shown that her quest for the nomination is not about the best interests of the Democratic Party, but ONLY about her raw ambition for power!
IMO, anyone with more than two working brain cells knew what Obama was talking about in his comments,--none of which were meant as derogatory, or "elitist"! He was referring to all those famous "wedge" issues which have been ruthlessly used, mostly by Republicans and now by Hillary, for many years to divide the working class/religious communities to vote against their own best interests,----yes, often out of frustration, fear of the unknown or unfamiliar, anger at their own economic helplessness/alienation! Here in my own area, people who don't "have a pot to piss in" still vote for Republican economic policies and continuation of an unjust war claiming the lives and limbs of their sons, simply because they hate gays, Muslims & Mexicans, and any kind of gun control. And yes, many of them "cling" to their religion which actively promotes those fears!
SHAME ON YOU, HILLARY, for playing right into the hands of Republicans!
No truer words have been spoken. Thank you.
Obama has been saying the same thing, in much more convincing language when he's given the time, in public since at least 2004. See these comments on the Charlie Rose show in 2004, after Kerry lost. Pass this along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oGF3cyHE7M&eurl=http://talkingpointsmemo.com/
Yes people, esp. reporters, do not twist and interpret what the Senator said, in support of working class people, in support of those who lost jobs, and suffer from eight years of republican government. He is the most experienced one as for suffering growing up, and he is no elitist, he still lives in the South Side of Chicago, and not married to a millionaire. So please, Media people ypou do aa dis service to the average voters when you mis represent what OBAMA said. He is the best one who will cater to the needs of all AMERICANS...Read Mr Frankens column above thanks ktb
You are so right Harold. Anyone not feeling bitter, angry and disgusted is certainly out of touch.
del8300
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This election is all about change and change more than anything scares people. Barack Obamas campaign is based on change, a turning of the page. Obviously many Americans don't want this. It is possible to read, see and listen to daily attacks of Obama for this or for that but what it all really boils down to is that it is change and people resist change. Hillary can promise all sorts of new things as has John McCain but deep within our brains we know that at the end of the day either of these two candidates will still be familiar and because of their deep ties to everything in Washington nothing actually will change. However if Obama becomes the president a huge change has already taken place and the future really is unknown.
The funniest thing about McCain and Clinton speaking up for the downtrodden Obama apparently ridiculed is this: The reason Obama said those things about rural America and PA in particular is because of the failed policies of the last twenty years, the failed policies both McCain and Clinton have supported unyieldingly. The people are bitter and downtrodden because of these two, they both know it and they both attack Obama for pointing it out. Fact is Clinton and McCain do not give one shit about you or you or you.
Good piece!
Prophetic paragraph: "I would love to see Obama get up and challenge people, to say:..."
Hope it comes true.
Who's out of touch indeed. "Barack Obama is a man who came out of nowhere, from very modest means, to challenge for our nation's highest office".
Most of the people that I know of "very modest means" didnt' get sent to the best prep school in Hawaii,Then to a private college in California then to Colombia then to Harvard. I'm really getting tired of this false impression that barack actually lived This single parent, struggled to survive life. He didn't. It was noble, that he didn't go to wall street or straight to washigton with his newly minted harvard law degree. He certainly could have. Of course, if you intend to go into politics, you do exaclty what he did.
I'm really tired of all this bitching and moaning about how much money the clintons made. believe me, by the time Barack is Bill Clintons age, he will have passed the 100 million mark. What is wrong with writing books and getting paid to speak?
BTW, Can someone point me to a resouce that shows Barack's calendar while he was in the Illinois legislature? everone was so concerned with Hillary's calander, but no one seems to be concerned with the missing Barack calendar.
Pay attention more and you would have know that he didn't keep a calendar in Illinois because he didn't think it as necessary.
Yes, if you pass the knowledge and intelligence tests, and show your hard work and aptitude, schools want you to come, and loans and grants are available. Actually, these days, it's much harder to get the grants, but Barack's policy changes will improve the education fiasco (more Pell grants, government subsidies for college, etc.)
Obama did live the 'single parent, struggled to survive' life as a child, and it's your impression that is false.
The issue with the Clinton's money is mostly about how they made it. Bill's CAFTA deals, his Khazhakstan role, his relationship with Burkle, and now his anti-Tibet relationship result in money for him, even though Hillary opposes what Bill makes money from. Can you say conflict of interest? Bill is going to be first lady, remember?
Hillary's calendar was of special import due to her '35 years of experience' argument. Sorry if that upsets you -- most of us think believe in transparency.
Clintons daughter is making a six figure salary working on wall street shipping our jobs to China. McCain is trumpeting the reward of the new Air Force Tanker contract to AirBus. Hershey is shipping 250 jobs to Mexico. I am bitter and disgusted with the way things are.
Ever hear of student loans, scholarships? Obama and his wife Michelle recently finished paying off their student loans.
Your right of course this election is about prep schools, madrassa schools, ivy league schools and calenders it actually has nothing to do with two out of the three candidates continue to support the war and one of them doesn't.
See above.
You believe what you want to believe...you see what you want to see. But I'm sure your view definitely do not represent a majority....for that I'm relieved.
What frustrates me is that all politicians need the dumb vote whether it's rednecks for the repubs or blue collar workers for the dems. These are electorates that listen to sound bites and take offense that there are people who finished college. America, invest in your educational system. The rest of the world will be so grateful.
I understand the frustration, but I think the root cause is more the corporate media. We really do need fair and balanced news, and it's difficult to get these days on television.
We definitely need changes to our election systems as well, and I am hopeful that steps will be taken in the future to improve them.
Well, maybe people without college educations shouldn't be allowed to vote. I'D get to vote, because I have a degree. My daughter has three. Maybe she could vote three times. In fact, we should just take away the rights of blue collar workers and rednecks altogether. Of course, they might stage a rebellion. Then who would stock your groceries and check them out for you? Who would cut your hair or wash your dog? Who would drive long hours to deliver the consumer goods all us college educated people are entitled to? Who'd fix that Happy Meal for your little darlings? These people are the heart and soul of this country and without them we'd lose everything. ANYONE who does an honest day's work is worthy of respect, regardless of education, regardless of political opinion, regardless of positions on abortion, gun control, religion.
Sparky if you actually went to college then you would know that those jobs would be held by english majors and psychology majors.
jeesh.
Posted April 12, 2008 | 06:31 PM (EST)