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Krugman: Obama Clinging To A Stereotype

NY Times   |  Paul Krugman   |   April 18, 2008 11:04 AM

Read More: Barack Obama, Kurgman Obama, Obama Bitter, Obama Bitter Comment, Obama Bitter Pennsylvanians, Obama Bitter Quote, Paul Krugman, Paul Krugman Barack Obama, Breaking Politics News
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Will Barack Obama's now famous "bitter" quote turn out to have been a big deal politically? Frankly, I have no idea.

But here's a different question: was Mr. Obama right? Mr. Obama's comments combined assertions about economics, sociology and voting behavior. In each case, his assertion was mostly if not entirely wrong.

Read the whole story here.

 

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collapse Genna See Profile I'm a Fan of Genna

I disagree with Krugman on this article and during his appearance on This Week. The underlying presumptions are not wrong across the board. Give us some facts to support your conclusion.

The wage rate did not necessarily go up under Clinton as compared to everyday cost of the middle state wage earner.

What's the Matter with Kansas is brilliant. Defeat that book based on the premises that lie therein. Same for Obama. Defeat Obama based on his platform issues not based on a caricature of one comment. There is something going on with low income Whites: whether it be a decline in earning potential or in relationship with their condition. Telling them to accept it without addressing it is going to lead to a downward spiral whether they be (as opposed to are) Democrats or Republicans.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:12 PM on 04/20/2008
collapse GingerB See Profile I'm a Fan of GingerB

Damn! I vowed to myself to stop reading Krugman until after the nomination was a done deal, but I relented and read this article. Shame on me... it's just one more diatribe against Senator Obama. Goodbye Paul; you're not worth reading.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:20 PM on 04/20/2008
collapse StaggerLee See Profile I'm a Fan of StaggerLee

How do people that live in Ivory Towers profess to know what it's like for the common man? I believe Obama is closer to this subject than Krugman, a well paid professional journalist, is. Obama has a better grasp of middle American's social struggles by proximity. This may not be true in a few more years but I believe it is now.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:12 PM on 04/19/2008
collapse foreffectivegovernment See Profile I'm a Fan of foreffectivegovernment

Mr. Krugman, why don't you really expose what is going on in this election?

That Senator Obama is being propelled into the Democratic candidacy by an International Billionaire named George Soros who wants his version of a "New World Order" to be implemented instead of that of the Republicans.

He is funding MoveOn.org to use the Liberal Left Wing of the Democratic Party to elect his stooge just like George W. Bush is for the Republicans so he can rape and pillage the economies of small Countries in the name of World Democracy just like the Republicans have been for 8 years.

George Soros is angry. In common with 90 per cent of the world's population, the Man Who Broke the Bank of England has had enough of President Bush and his foreign policy. In a recent article in the Financial Times, Soros condemned the Bush administration's policies on Iraq as "fundamentally wrong""based as they were on a "false ideology that US might gave it the right to impose its will on the world".
http://www.mindfully.org/WTO/2003/George-Soros-Statesman2jun03.htm

The Secret Financial Network Behind "Wizard" George Soros
12 Nov 1996

http://www.balkan-archive.org.yu/kosta/licnosti/soros.1.html

This is the reason Hillary Clinton is losing this nomination and the Democratic Leadership is helping them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Her_Now

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:04 PM on 04/19/2008
collapse ajax2 See Profile I'm a Fan of ajax2

Mr. Krugman, if middle America cannot be cowed into voting for flag pins, preachers, guns, race, and religion, than why do Republicans spend so much time and money moving them there?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:24 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse DocGreen See Profile I'm a Fan of DocGreen

Who cares what Paul Krugman thinks on this issue--he is simply a Clinton surrogate. When talks about ecnomic matters within his competence and not tied to promoting Clinton, then he worth reading. No wonder the NYT is going down.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:28 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse kkj1031 See Profile I'm a Fan of kkj1031

I agree. Two words to prove that you are completely off the mark in your Obama article- Nash McCabe. Here is an idiot that seems to have suffered greatly and will suffer much more in the immediate future and yet she is bitter about something as inconsequential as Obama wearing a flag pin label.
By the way, the Clinton presidency was focused mainly on trivial matters like school uniforms and v-chips installed into television sets. Poor people did get special help from Bill and Hillary. Middle class people were decimated by Nafta, WTO and numerous other initiatives Clinton pushed through. Obama may wind up eventually being a shill for Big Business (hope not) but you know better than to push for her candidacy.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:32 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse rueffinserious See Profile I'm a Fan of rueffinserious

Hello people! Hill and Obama are from the same party and they both want the best for the country, why the hell is everyone drinking so much haterade and spewing so much hate towards either of them or anyone that supports them.Do you not realize that Republicans are laughing their asses off, while John McCain will be rollin up to the white house with his walker to claim the presidency!

FYI: ALL POLITICIANS FRIGGIN LIE!!! DUH!
unless of course someone can show me an honest one!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:23 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse Beowoof See Profile I'm a Fan of Beowoof

Folks, step right up, step right this way. Right in front of your very eyes you will witness a genuine New York Times columnist dissect the rueful actions of a candidate. That's right! Krugman's a huckster selling something that no one needs.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:14 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse BinBaldwin See Profile I'm a Fan of BinBaldwin

Krugmans own chart on his blog clearly shows the HUGE slide in emplyoyment in this region beginning in 2000. Which of course was before Bush was elected.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 07:03 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse hippybaby1970 See Profile I'm a Fan of hippybaby1970

keep running your mouth. we won't be forgetting you next year.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:22 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse Manx See Profile I'm a Fan of Manx

In his June 11, 2007 column, Paul Krugman said that Hillary Clinton wasn't to be trusted as a friend of labor. Quote:

"...Here's a suggestion: Why not evaluate candidates' policy proposals, rather than their authenticity? And if there are reasons to doubt a candidate's sincerity, spell them out.

For example, Hillary Clinton's credibility as a friend of labor is called into question, not by her biography or life style, but by the fact that, as The Nation recently reported, her chief strategist - a man Al Gore fired in 2000 because he didn't trust him - heads a public relations company that helps corporations fight union organizing drives."

And in Krugman's column dated April 18, 2008: "...The important point is that working-class Americans do vote on economic issues."

Right. And when they do vote, it will be for a candidate they can trust. According to Paul Krugman, that doesn't include Hillary Clinton.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:09 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse SamEllison See Profile I'm a Fan of SamEllison

It is the first time that I couldn't finish a Krugman piece.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:01 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse agitcam See Profile I'm a Fan of agitcam

This is a sad day. I relied on Paul Krugman to speak some truth and I believe that he could be relied upon. This article speaks plainly - he is just another pen for hire. Too bad.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 02:02 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse Doug Watt See Profile I'm a Fan of Doug Watt

That's how I feel too. I reread his article today. It's easily debunked pap. I thought he was above this sort of thing.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 03:56 PM on 04/19/2008
collapse becky See Profile I'm a Fan of becky

Thank You! Finally a smart person on the Huffington Post!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:58 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse mattashell See Profile I'm a Fan of mattashell

Thanks Becky. Next time hit reply on my comment, and then everyone will know you're talking about me.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:36 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse evekendall See Profile I'm a Fan of evekendall

Paul, please. You are just embarrassing yourself.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:50 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse CaptainSunshine See Profile I'm a Fan of CaptainSunshine

Krugman is either stupid or shortsighted. With the war raging in Iraq, and the economy already showing signs of weakness, in 2004 the Republican party diverted the attention from the war and the economy, by pressing the idea with blue collar workers that Democrats wanted to attack the their Judeo-Christian faith, their right to bear arms as well as advantage illegal immigrants at their expense.

They argued that gay marriage was a threat, and that gays in the military threatened our national security. They argued that Democrats were weak on border security because they were pro-illegal immigration.

When weighing the balance of priorities wasn't it more important for them to vote for the candidate that offered the middle class a fairer break in regard to taxes. The middle class has borne the greatest burden in fighting in the war in Iraq.

It has become common practice for politicians to create wedge issues to win campaigns. The politicians know that they can instigate an angry bitter response when they argue that all that these blue collar workers have left during bad times is under attack.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:30 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse onedivasinger See Profile I'm a Fan of onedivasinger

Yet another person I really liked and really didn't understand. Paul Krugman. Bigot. Who'd a thunk it?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:15 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Imrightyourewrong See Profile I'm a Fan of Imrightyourewrong

-CONTINUED-

What was Bill Clinton's doing was fiscal responsibility (which the GOP deserves shared credit for because they controlled the Congress), and a commitment to good government because Clinton actually believed in government. Contrast this with George Bush. Poor (an extreme understatement) fiscal policy, unjustifiable tax policy. George Bush's actions, as I've said, are arguably those exact "extreme circumstances" I mentioned. The dismantling of government and the extreme redistribution of wealth upwards probably directly affected the economy. The correct perception of incompetence probably did more to screw the economy than anything though. The 1990s were, however, plagued with two exceedingly bad pieces of legislation, which Clinton championed...TCA of 1996 and Welfare Reform. Both sowed the seeds for the disaster in telecom we've seen uncertainty.

The bottom line, though, is that Obama was right. I know the people he spoke of, I lived with the people he spoke of, I grew with the people he spoke of. Krugman should stay in Ivory Tower and crunch numbers and pontificate about "purchasing power parity," and, like all economists, leave the real world to the real world.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:54 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse leftcoastliberal See Profile I'm a Fan of leftcoastliberal

Krugman strikes me as mostly right, but he makes a mistake in accusing Obama of running a campaign based on liberal social issues instead of down-to-Earth economic issues. There is no bigger economic issue than the iraq war, which has cost at least half a trillion dollars so far and might end up costing as much as three trillion. That's $3,000,000,000,000.00. Clinton voted for it, draining money away from taxpayers and ordinary citizens and shoveling it into the gaping maw of the military industrial complex.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:51 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse mattashell See Profile I'm a Fan of mattashell

Have you ever seen Krugman on a talk show? Think Paul Giamatti in Sideways and take away about 3/4 of the self assurance...

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:44 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Trilby See Profile I'm a Fan of Trilby

Paul, please stop embarrassing yourself. You are on the wrong track.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:42 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse jaycasey See Profile I'm a Fan of jaycasey

I put more value in what Robert Reich says about the economy. And Reich just endorsed Obama.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:38 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Yoruba See Profile I'm a Fan of Yoruba

Robert is far superior than Paul. His books (Supercapitalism) offer a better analysis on economics than this burnout insecure Prof. I wonder what Princeton sees in him?

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 06:20 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse Snowball See Profile I'm a Fan of Snowball

I really don't get the hubbub by our media elite (apparently, Mr. Krugman has jumped on that bandwagon) over Obama's statement. Are Mr. Krugman and the Clinton campaign denying that the Republican party exploits Religious and racial prejudice to win elections? This seems to be the case. I suggest Mr. Krugman and those who agree with him read Thomas Franks "What's the Matter with Kansas." It makes the same point that Obama did about why poor whites vote against their own economic interests. For that matter my economic interest as well. Just call me a bitter working class white, I won't be offended and I don't need elitist DLC Democrats trying to convince me I should be.

If the Democratic party can't get the fact that we keep losing Presidential elections to the Republicans for the reasons Obama stated, we will continue to loose.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:31 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse snarkopolitan See Profile I'm a Fan of snarkopolitan

This is why I want to hide under my bed until either the ice caps melt or Glory comes and sweeps this culture away: it's hopeless. Everybody shouts their instant, uninformed opinions, nobody listens, we cherry-pick the facts we want to support what we think we know.
Snowball. I support Obama, because Hill and Bill drove me there.
You make excellent points, EXCEPT that Krugman did read "What's the Matter with Kansas." Krugman's Princeton colleague, and Ivory Tower roomie, popped his head in and said, "But have you read MY book? " Krugman did, and concludes his article (I finished it! A dirty job, but somebody had to do it) saying that the Republicans win repeatedly because the South went for them after the Civil Rights era.
Krugman doesn't seem to realize this says that Republican wins are a Southern, racist backlash. I don't see where Krugman approves of it, so I think it's unfair to brand him a racist. And I don't know if the theory is accurate; I'm not a credentialed anything. But if Obama had been expounding on this theory instead of the bitterness one, he'd have been vaporized. In this climate, talking like an adult to adults is lethal.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 01:53 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse truelie See Profile I'm a Fan of truelie

Why does Paul Krugman hate Barack Obama? It's becoming a pattern. There is something about Obama he can't stand. What the hell is it Paul? I am not surprised if Paul Krugman votes for John McCain over Obama in November. I don't read your column anyway. Every time I see your face, it's you criticizing Barack. I'm sick and tired of your "manufactured political distractions". Get a grip!

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:29 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse evekendall See Profile I'm a Fan of evekendall

What is it? It's the color of his skin. Krugman is so insecure he really believes that Obama can't win because is not white, and Krugman is so very afraid to be on the wrong side. Pitiful.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:53 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Dulce See Profile I'm a Fan of Dulce

Maybe Mr. Krugman's column caught me at a bad time, but reading his article I can't help but wonder at how irritatingly vacuous and uninspiring the rambling of some of the so-called pundits out there are---some of them (and some economists, I think, are possibly the worst) actually haven't evolved at all since the eighties, and while perhaps there are some who are waking up (the economists of the future), others---others who should be at the forefront, constructively working at solutions---are complacently sleeping on their laurels or living nostalgically in the past, left behind on that other side of the river, over which the bridge to the 21st century of which Bill Clinton spoke was to be build, but which never was built. Other will come, with vision (it takes more than a technocrat to build bridges into this new millennium) and, importantly, the ability to inspire others. But maybe I am too hard on the the professor. And, perhaps, his time has come and gone. May I get you another pillow, professor Krugman? It's "made in China", of 100% "organic Moroccan cotton" grown in Louisiana.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:23 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Dulce See Profile I'm a Fan of Dulce

Is it unfair to assume of Economists, like Mr Krugman (whose normal fee for a one-hour business speech in Boston or New York was $20,000 back in 1998-1999 - more if the speech involved long-distance travel), might have become insensitive to the plight of those less privileged than they are? Perhaps so. Or might it be, perhaps, some articles that Mr. Krugman wrote in the past which contributed to that feeling (Like his dreadful article "In Praise of Cheap Labor," for instance.)

Perhaps I am being unfair to Mr. Krugman and his like. Or maybe I am just prejudiced against Economists in general.

It"s possible.

I have always liked Mathematicians better. I find them to be generally more intelligent and more human (or of a different intelligence and sensibility.)

Take Norbert Wiener, for example, (the Wiener crater on the far side of the Moon was named for him), and, as much as I hate to take us back to the 50"s (once again, and for the second time on this thread---maybe a proof that some of the big rocks haven"t budged much in fifty years) what he said on The Human Use of Human Beings (Cybernetics and Society - 1954) remains of relevance today:

"Any labor that accepts the condition of competition with slave labor accepts the conditions of slave labor, and is essentially slave labor¦ The answer, of course, is to have a society based on human values other than buying or selling."

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:56 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Lisette See Profile I'm a Fan of Lisette

I hope you realize that Barack Obama knows what he is talking about.
You don't. You are just a babbler.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:41 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse Dulce See Profile I'm a Fan of Dulce

I hope you realize that I was talking of professor Paul Krugman---NOT of Barack Obama.

But, your point is probably a good one, LOL, I do tend to be somewhat of a babbler ;-)

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 11:05 PM on 04/18/2008
collapse qwr See Profile I'm a Fan of qwr

Oh, don't worry. I think perhaps Lisette's response got tied to the wrong post. Good-humored response on your part, though.

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:11 AM on 04/19/2008
collapse Corvis777 See Profile I'm a Fan of Corvis777

If you want me to take this article seriously, you'll need to remove that man's picture . . . I can't even think straight with that little Hobbit staring at me . . .

favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 10:18 PM on 04/18/2008
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