Punished for the Truth

Here are the controversial comments Barack Obama uttered in San Francisco. "You go into 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. And it's not surprising then 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."

Inartful. That is the only fair criticism of this analysis. Let's ask the voters in Pennsylvania these questions. If the 'distracting' issues of guns, gay marriage and abortion were all resolved to their liking, would their economic lives change? How about immigration? If all illegal aliens were to disappear, would those rust belt jobs return? For so many years, such issues have been used to corral blue collar workers into a party and political philosophy that serves the elites in this country. When someone speaks the truth and acknowledges that this sector of our society has been royally deceived, that issues they rally around have little to do with their ultimate welfare, it is time to banish such a person from the campaign trail.

Heaven forbid we should suggest that bitterness might exist in this country of such optimism or that this emotion might be an appropriate and effective reaction to current circumstances. Hillary Clinton countered with this statement. "Well, that is not my experience," she said. "As I travel around Pennsylvania I meet people who are resilient, optimistic, positive...If we start acting like Americans," she said, "and role up our sleeves, we can make sure that America's best years are ahead of us." McCain's spokesman chimed in. "It shows an elitism and condescension towards hardworking Americans that is nothing short of breathtaking...It is hard to imagine someone running for president who is more out of touch with average Americans."

Are you kidding me? Pulling the curtain back on a very effective political trick, the old bait and switch, is far from elitist. Americans are working harder than ever. Two job families are the norm. Yet the poor and middle class are falling further behind. What is breathtakingly condescending is watching two candidates stroke this group with platitudes about their being tough and resilient. What exactly has that gotten them? Nada. The real stereotype Clinton and McCain are playing on is that blue collar workers are easily manipulated and will 'stay down' if you just tell them they are hardworking, patriotic, value-driven Americans.

It is time for these people to get mad. Illusion may make us feel better, but it simply serves to keep us tilting at the wrong windmills. It is time to embrace the truth and turn that anger, yes bitterness, on those who created such conditions. The alternative is to pat ourselves on the back for our optimism and 'can-do' attitudes while politicians in Washington laugh at such naivite and continue on their destructive course.

Comments

[DoninJoisey]

More and more, the democratic race seems to be coming down to cold, hard truth, versus pandering lies.

Since I am for Obama, I am worried, because I've seen a history of the pandering liar winning.

I read that Obama's remarks offended some. First, I think they're Clintonistas and their offense is contrived, and secondly, I see truth in what Obama said and am far more offended by the never-ending lies the Clintons generate.

Don't you have to be an adult to vote? Shouldn't adults be able to deal with the truth?

If we can't speak truthfully about what's wrong, how do we expect to better anything?

[jeffhas]

How can there be truth in a statement of judgment of what is in other peoples hearts and minds?... How does Obama know what these people think and feel?

He doesn't... He's not clairvoyant. I'm sure their are people who are bitter, and people that are mad, and people that hide behind their religion, and people who hide behind their guns.... and people that fear immigration, and people who have antipathy for other races, and sexual orientation. Who is Obama to decide who those people are?.... that they all live in small towns?... Like their aren't any big-city bigots... or any small town people with good hearts and hard working ethics.

He generalized an entire segment of people... he basically practiced his own form of prejudice.­... that what's wrong.... and in blind defense of his words, you are an accomplice.

[YellerDawg]

Amen, Brother!

[Hadok]

I agree. For someone who is supposed to be a uniter, he seems to stir up a lot of controversy. Ms Crier amplifies this condescending attitude displayed toward small town folks when she points out that "this sector of our society has been royally deceived, that issues they rally around have little to do with their ultimate welfare, ..." Wow - such stupid small town people.

He has been to West Virginia a time or two. I'd hate to hear what he thinks about us.

[grendl]

So Hillary can say she's seen nothing but hope and optimism in people, and Barack can't say he's seen bitterness. Seems like a double standard to me.

Clairvoyan­t...what a joke. Politicians throughout history run on platforms predicated on the mood of the electorate. Obama has every right to point it out. And how does he know?

Well, lets see, how about by campaigning. By talking to people, and by opening his eyes.

[clevelandchick]

He knows because he went out on a bus in Pennsylvania and hit the small towns and talked to them. I am from a similar area and know PA as well. I couldn't have told him what he learned and saved him the gas.

You are grasping at straws with this 'elitist' line and accusing him of generalizing. Yes there are big-city bigots, but they don't hold power over the area because big city's have large and diverse populations. That kind of politicking doesn't work in a big city but it works like a charm in small towns.

You are in a fantasy world if you don't think using God, Guns, Gays and Race works in small town America.

While not all people are the same in small towns or big cities, of course there are exceptions but this generalization as you call, it has been proven time and again. Why else would the GOP use PACS to get anti-gay and anti-choice legislation on the ballot in these states during every national election season? Why did the GOP court the evangelical vote over these last two decades? Why did the GOP use a white girl flirting with Harold Ford in their ads against them in Tennessee? Please, save your faux outrage for folks who don't know any better.

[clevelandchick]

Oh, for sure the offense of the Clintonistas is contrived. Their candidate has managed to turn off a great deal of the Dem party that might have voted for her had her campaign not gone into Rovian slime mode and they have nobody to blame but themselves. They need to find something, anything to deflect the fact that Hillary lost a race that supposedly was in the bag for her just a few months ago.

[wingman1]

Yes Catherine! True words! Well said, that woman.

[nancytheragingliberal]

I agree. Catherine, you do such a wonderful job of writing in clear terms. The MDM is hell-bent on having Hillary as the nominee. Good reporters like you, put things in perspective.