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Poll: Majority of Americans Bitter, Clingy
With less than a week to go before the Pennsylvania primary, a new poll released today hints that Sen. Barack Obama's controversial remarks in which he called Pennsylvania voters "bitter" may actually be helping him with a key constituency: bitter voters.
According to a new poll released today by Newsweek, 54 percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania describe themselves either as "bitter," "sometimes bitter" or "bitter most of the time."
Drilling down beneath those numbers, the results of the poll get even better for Obama, especially when the respondents answered the question, "When you are bitter, what do you cling to?"
According to the poll, 35 percent said they clung to "religion," 34 percent said they clung to "guns," while 28 percent said they clung to "antipathy towards people who are different from me."
In a sign that voters who describe themselves as bitter are ready to mobilize in support of Sen. Obama's presidential bid, over a million bitter voters took to the streets of Philadelphia today in support of the Illinois senator.
The demonstration, which organizers were calling The Bitter Man March, suggests that bitter voters had found something new to cling to.
According to Tracy Klujian, 35, a bitter florist from suburban Philadelphia, "When I'm not too busy clinging to guns or religion, I'm going to cling to Barack Obama."
Elsewhere, in a new effort to relate to voters, Sen. Hillary Clinton did five Jell-o shots at a bar in Pittsburgh.
Andy Borowitz is a comedian and writer whose work appears in The New Yorker and The New York Times, and at his award-winning humor site, BorowitzReport.com. He is the host of "Countdown to '08" at the 92nd Street Y on Tuesday, May 13 at 8 PM with his special guests Calvin Trillin (The New Yorker), Susie Essman (HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Jonathan Alter (Newsweek, MSNBC). For tickets, go to 92y.org.
Follow Andy Borowitz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BorowitzReport
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Damn,
Now I'm not bitter. You've ruined my day, Borowitz. Oh, there we go, bitter again.
A lot of bitterness out there.
Most of us are bitter at what the Republicans did to America, and Obama looks like the best one to undo the damage.
Clinton’s supporters won’t admit it, but they are bitter because their candidate is getting her ass kicked, and the more bitter Hillary gets, the lower she sinks in the polls, which makes her supporters more bitter, and once they wake up to the fact they are amazingly bitter, they’ll realize Obama was correct! We are bitter!
Then HRC's supporters won’t be quite so bitter, because they’ll come over to the winning side, and whatever residual bitterness they harbor can be directed at the McCain and Republicans, the real source of all this bitterness.
In related news, bitter voters jumped 21 points after watching tonight's ABC debate with moderators George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson. "I spit," they spat in unison.
Sen. Barack Obama was trying to make a distinction between the haves and have nots when he made the "bitter" speech to those rich donors of his. It is as if he was saying that the have nots are "bitter" because of their economic difficulties while the haves are not "bitter" because of their riches.
And if you go by this argument, those have nots must remain "bitter" all their lives unless the economic outlook improves. They are not capable of thinking individually to improve their lives until the economy improves. That is why he was just pandering to those rich donors of his by trying to denigrate the have nots.
As I could not find the poll, I'd have to assume it was part of the satire. See, 90 seconds of research can prevent one from looking like a fool *cough ntmessage* *cough*. It amazes me that people focus on the question of whether Obama is an "elitist." ANYONE running for president in the two major parties is the very definition of elite. However, the issue isn't labels, it's the underlying point. And I think his point is well-taken. I suspect that many people do feel the government has turned its back on them, and they do vote on guns, gays, and god. In any case, it saddens me that Obama gets lambasted for advocating a government closer to by the people for the people. I'm not suggesting he'll be able to make it happen (he won't), but for god's sake, at least the man is out there saying things that matter. It's sad how angry and reactionary people here have gotten against those who they ought to defend and support. With friends like this, the Democratic nominee needs no enemies. Good luck America, you'll need it with 4 more years of Bush policies via John McCain.
I think my screen name says it all.
mine too;-)
Mr Borowitz, you kill me.
A poll by ObamaWeek? Nice. We should really trust that one! Newsweek has been a shameless shill for Obama for months.
How about Rasmussen poll that says 56% Disagree with Obama’s Comments on Small Town America? Maybe people are bitter, but a lightweight like Obama, Mr. *was I condescending?* is not the person to bring it up.
Wow.
Barack Obama has convinced the American people that they should embrace the word bitter.
Of course, we do not have to settle for the word bitter.
Some synonyms for the word bitter are: Acrid, Biting, Distasteful, Distressing, Painful, Cruel, Ruthless, Relentless, Caustic and Scornful. And so I ask all Obama supporters, did you even know the definition of the insult that you are now embracing?
Maybe I am wrong. Perhaps you knew the meaning but chose to be degraded for the sake of your candidate. Or maybe the poor, simple-minded folk in middle America were too busy being gun wielding, God fearing and family oriented that we failed to realize that "being punished with children" was making us so bitter.
I hope the Newsweek part is true, Andy?
In order to gauge the number of bitter voters, they will all have to be tasted.
Well! There you go! Larry Craig will be looking for a job!
lol
CRABBY IS SUFFERING FROM WHIPLASH DUE TO THE daily contradictory stories on the race between Democratic presidential candidates Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. To wit, a sample of headlines:
"Obama Surges on Electability, Challenges Clinton on Leadership"
"Poll Shows Obama Ahead as Candidate Dems See as Most Likely to Win in November" -- From ABC News online, April 16, 2008.
"Quinnipiac Poll: Clinton Has Stopped Obama Momentum In Pennsylvania"
From The Moderate Voice, which describes itself as a "moderate" online political website.
"Obama moves to largest lead yet in Gallup tracking poll"
"Three days' worth of polling after the news broke that Sen. Barack Obama said some small-town voters are "bitter," he has edged out to his largest lead yet in Gallup's daily national tracking survey." -- from USA Today, April 15 at 1:40 p.m.
"New poll shows Barack Obama tanking in Pennsylvania"
"...The findings could hardly be worse for the Democratic presidential contender." -- From the Los Angeles Times, April 14, 2008.
"Poll: Obama 'bitter' comments haven't hurt" -- from United Press International, April 15 at 7:51 p.m.
"New Poll: 'Bitter' Controversy Actually Helped Obama"
From The Huffington Post, April 16.
"Editorial: Obama's lapses make him vulnerable."
From the Dallas Morning News, April 15 at 12 a.m.
"The Hillary Deathwatch -- "The "bitter" flap fails to ignite."
From Slate, April 15 at 3:15 p.m.
"Bitter people, yuppies, root for your candidate and take your pick! .
Check out CrabbyGolightly.com for more contradictory headlines!
LOL. Polls seem to be pretty much pointless these days. Polling used to be a (relatively) honorable profession, back in the days when people tried to make it into a social science. Now, it has succumbed to the temptation to align itslf with PR flackery, and it is full of self-interest and biased questions.
Next thing you know the Boston herald will be asking the "are you bitter?" question as a lead-in to all their other poll questions and wondering whether Hillary is "man" enought to be Prez if she's doing "jello shooters".
Wow, that's it!
The reason Hillary's been clinging to guns in Pennsylvania and Indiana is because she's bitter and in touch with bitter voters. I also noticed she's a lot closer to God lately, too. Obama just talks about bitterness, but Hillary goes out there and gets it. That's what makes her different from you and I.
I can't believe I didn't see this before. Thanks, Andy.
Hillary and Bill Clinton are the most elitist candidates we have in the field, and John McCain and his moneyed wife are a close second. If this isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I do not know what is. They are afraid of Obama because he can bring change to Washington and neither the Clintons, the McCains or the Washington establishment want change, because they all have a pretty good deal going now.
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