Here We Go Again

You know, I just spent seven and a half years disagreeing with the administration that has given us an unprecedented military and economic mess. I saw it coming, it came, and in some ways it was worse, and promises to get worse, than I foresaw. I the course of these seven years, I have had my patriotism questioned and demeaned fairly often. I was even put in a book, as one of a hundred people who were hurting America. When I got into this book, my relatives worried that I would get shot by some rightwing nut, even though several of them were and are rightwing nuts themselves (and they carry guns). All this time, though, I considered myself a patriot and a loyal American because I was able to see the destruction that was being wreaked upon the nation, and in particular, upon the middle and working classes, by the Republican liars and war criminals and job outsourcers and health care destroyers and army wreckers and infrastructure ignorers and media whores and agriculture blackmailers (see this month's Vanity
Fair).

So now, Barack Obama tells the truth about conditions as we know them--that the countryside and the small towns are dying in many places in our country, and that the corporatocracy doesn't care enough to do a thing about it. He points out that immigrant-baiting, gay-baiting, gun-baiting, and religious pandering have helped to destroy those towns and that countryside, that those being destroyed have been cynically enlisted by their very own destroyers to provide the votes that help accomplish the destruction. And this is what Senator Hillary Clinton says about it: "Senator Obama's remarks were elitist and out of touch. They are not reflective of the values and beliefs of Americans."

From Senator Clinton's remarks, I infer that to actually see what has gone on in the US in the last 20 years is unAmerican. It doesn't matter who you are, where you were born, what you pay in taxes, what else you might have contributed to the culture, how you vote, who you support. If you don't support fundamentalist religion, job outsourcing, and free access to guns, then you are not even American.

I cannot believe how angry this makes me. I cannot believe that after the last seven and a half years, I can even get this angry. Yes, I know she is pandering to her audience. Yes, I know she will do anything to get elected. Yes, I know that she and Bill Clinton are corrupt to the core, and that I should have never expected anything better of her. But, please, any of you angry white women who still support this craven shill, don't mention it to me. Do me the following favor -- apologize to your children for not stopping the war that HIllary voted for, the war that is going to impoverish them. Then apologize to them for the effects of global warming that are going to make their lives hell. Then apologize to them for the school shooting they may someday see, the one where the kid gets the guns out of his father's gun case, or buys at a gunshow. Apologize to them for the meaningless wars they are going to fight and pay for. Then tell them that "American values" killed their hopes and maybe killed them. And ask them if they think it's going to be worth it.

Comments

[glesslib]

Hillary Clinton and John McCain don't seem to know what to make of Barack Obama. He says things to voters that they only say among themselves and with their handlers. The point that he makes about the death of small town America is a nod to the loss of earning power in those places. The decimation that was once seen in the steel towns has now spread to the places where closet shelves and ironing boards and furniture were formerly made. Those good jobs that supported a nice middle-class lifestyle went overseas with those jobs. And no one has been talking about this serious situation for the past 15 years.

I'm sure that both Hillary and John are frightened because most Americans know that what he is saying is true, and they aren't offended that someone said it out loud.

I like Hillary and think she should be discussing these things, too. McCain is hopeless. He's got his and he's too old to care about the rest. Obama may have just stumbled onto an entirely new campaign idea. Speak to the voters about the things that really worry them and change their lives.

[cdub1991]

Problem is we're so used to politicians being lied to that far too many of us can't recognize sincerity when we see it. Orwell was right. It is possible to make people think 2+2=5.

[cdub1991]

Whoops. I meant "being lied to by politician­s."

[EinChicago]

I guess barak just thinks all those bitter folks are just "typical white people".

[lgmurphy]

No, he just thinks that all those "bitter" folks are hurting, and hurting real, real bad! We really don't need someone to tell us we don't need someone to speak "down" to us, we need someone who will stand "up" for us, when, in fact, those who claim they wish to stand up for us, really don't give a damn about us. Once we saw how much income the Clintons had in the past ten years, we could easily see why it was so difficult for her to reveal those tax returns to us. We got the chance to see who the real elitists were. ANd to think her husband and chief strategist have been making money hand over foot doing exactly what she purportedly claims to be against. Only in America!

[glesslib]

Well since he is as much a white person as he is a black person, I don't get your point.

Or, maybe I do.

[dmhkh]

Get over it Jane. It is not Hillary calling him an elitist it is half of America, myself included and the McCain campaign. I have never seen a more egotistical pretentios condescending Young man than Barack Obama, who has actually never accomplished a thing, I know he gets a lot credit, for showing up, speaking well andfor all of teh things he says he is goin got do. But of course their is uyeat to be anything specific. Also he takes a lot of credit for other peoples accomplishments. He is not endearing himself to Hillary voters by mocking her and making up tales, and neither are you doing it for him. We are pretty tired of Jounalists faked outrage and BS when it totally favors one candidate.­. Obama said exactly what he meant, and this is far from the first time. And so did his wife and so did his pastor. You are the one that needs to wake up and smell the coffee. .

[michelob01]

You need counseling! If you don't get help at charter, please get help somewhere. Im sorry for saying that but Jane is actually right and the other half of America - the ones who are sick of the corrupt idiots creating a very unstable and uncertain future for our children - want these people to shut up, sit down and pay attention. That's right, we want all of you to be schooled again only this time we need you to listen and take notes. If you think Hillary doesn't mock other candidates and make shit up as she's going then you're the diluted one and John McCain is a great man but clueless as the BushCo nonetheless. Please do America a favor and quit unraveling the fabric of which this nation was built on by supporting these idiots. If allowed to continue it will end up exactly like Jane mentions in her last paragraph and then what do you suppose we do? Wake up and get real. We need leadership that is in our best interest, not China's and every other damn nation on this planet. Let's worry about us right now and then we can do some real good around the world. Maybe we should try promoting peace and prosperity again?

[2351]

Half of America? Come on now. Don't you wish it was half of America? What about what Hillary is doing to Obama? Get real!!!

[gates]

ALL I want to say is Ms Jane Smiley, THANK YOU for the TRUTH. There are voices in the wilderness crying out for you. Keep the light of your heart on those that need the TRUTH TOLD.

[websmith]

Sounds pretty angry and bitter.

So, what are we to do? No one running can see beyond their nose. No one running cares about our children. The Republicans will impoverish the nation with war and government contracts. The Democrats will impoverish the nation with social programs and illegal immigration. One of them, it's not clear which one, will impoverish the nation with banking legislation. They both have attempted to destroy the communications and transportation industries with quasi-deregulation that created investment opportunities for the rich. They all are owned by competing factions within the owners of the various MSM special interest groups.

The truth is that they both will do and have done all of the above and there is no difference between the two. The other truth is that the Federal government is not supposed to have this much power for, what should be by now, obvious reasons.

[flyingbee]

What a shame! I have never understood why anyone would want to "use" drugs if they have "self motivation and "respect for themselves". Anyone that is already "down" and want to stay "down" will not do anything to "pull themselves up by their own boot strap". So what will drug do for them?
Carry them down further? Only a person that do not "love and respect" themselves turn to drugs and become a drug addict. How ignornant and stupid! I never have felt sorry for myself because I
always believed that I was somebody and could make it no matter how "tough the row" was to hoe!
God help those that help themselves and the Devil drag those down that want to be down. If a person do not "value themselves" then who they think will value them? Doing drugs is ignornant and the people that use drugs. This include educated people as well as uneducated people.

[mheister]

Obama's absolutely correct, and not just about small towns. His observations are equally true of a lot of medium-sized and even large cities. San Bernardino, California, for example. He did, however, forget one thing. Drugs. Many disaffected people turn to the bottle, the spliff, or the glass pipe to take the edge off their bitterness.

And Jane, I totally agree with you about Hillary Clinton. IMHO, if she were truly in touch with the deeply-entrenched problems facing the lower half - small towns and large - instead of "I'm not bitter" bumper stickers (the irony!), she would have made the very point I made in the previous paragraph, that Obama did not take his analysis far enough. Instead, she treats us to her panicked frenzied desperation via a kitchen sink of Rovian ad hominem non-issue political attacks.

[bailey2006]

Boy, oh boy. Did this piece ever bring out the gun toting, Bible thumping, burning cross bearing, uninformed ilk!!!

This piece was dead on right!!!

But, those with a very narrow view of reality will simply throw their arms in the air and cry "foul", "dirty politics", and blame it all on everyone but the one person responsible - Hillary Clinton.

There is absolutely nothing about me that hates women (hey, I am a woman!!), nothing about me that doesn't want a woman in the White House (hurray for the day it happens - just not this woman), nothing about me that does not get what Obama is saying.

Please find your respective rocks and crawl back from whence you came.

[MiraMcB]

Excuse me... Was that my rock you just crawled out from under?

Oh, sorry, no... That was YOUR rock.

[flyingbee]

Obama, might be "bitter" and appears to have some radical ideas (guns?).
A better word for Obama would be "frustrated". But people in small towns may not know the "help" that is available to them. The US has help for "small towns" and thier Aldermans or Council should help them. This would not be a "presidential" issue. Small towns has "small" populations' especially in rural and county areas. I do not think that Obama understand "much" about America as a whole because he did not grow up in this part of the US. (say Pennsylvania). He grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia. He came to NY when he was a college student. Therefore, he knows "nothing about living in small rural towns" as (say PA or Tennessee: Apachalians?) He needs more information about the people in small towns and how they live. Sorry, he has it all wrong.
I was born and raised in the "hills of Mississippi" (rural small town) and I know for a fact that he has it all wrong.

[2351]

Say it Loud!!! Obama's truths have a tendency to bring out the real people. People really can't hide who they are. It has amazed me how much he is asked to apologize. Hillary got caught in lie after lie, and she has not gotten as much attention as Obama. Yep, people's real attitudes are coming out and it is so transparent.

[WarrenChristmas]

What gets me is the more Hillary acts like a right wing Republican extremist (and there is no doubt she channels Karl Rove now), the more her followers are convinced she should be elected as a DEMOCRATIC president.

[2351]

I would never vote for Hillary. I have lost all respect for her. When you have to win a contest by every trick in the book, it is a stolen election. She will never get my vote and I am a middle class female.

[antirepublocrat]

It's called "triangulation," and it's been the Clinton strategy since January, 1993. Adopt Republican positions; you'll get enough Republican votes to win because Democrats think they have nowhere else to go. One consequence has been shifting the "range of acceptable debate" several degrees to the right. Now, Hillary has adopted not only Republican positions but Republican campaign strategy as well.

[wrabbitt]

Guess who is out of touch? i live in upstate! don't come here for a job! Nafta got rid of all of them except hers!

[ChrisO]

Please, give it a rest, will you? What hateful demagoguery. Obama said a stupid thing, and pretending it was about bitterness, and not about denigrating people's faith, doesn't make it all better. So because Hillary said it's OK for people to have guns, now she's responsible for kids getting shot? You shoild be ashamed.

I hope you realize how much you have in common with right wing radio audiences, who can be whipped into a spittle flying lather over every "outrage."

[swanky]

Yes - thank you - this is mind-numbingly retarded. If HRC had said these things Pat Leahy and Ted Kennedy would be pulling their hair out on t.v. to get her to step down. It's not what he said, but how and where he said it. I'm frankly tired of him having to explain his behavior all the time. After Axelrod washes his stupidity through the spin-cycle we get a clean pressed and more condescending version of the comments than what he originally iterated. Off script this guy is as bad as W.

[beb]

Redneck hunters and jesus freaks can't handle the truth. They need to get over themselves.

[Shozen]

Gee I wonder when Hillary will explain her support of Penn, and other sleaze ball lobbyist who flutter about her campaign like moths around a yard light? Let alone her multiple attempts to lie about experience under actual gunfire, her lies about being against NAFTA, and about her inability to control spending resulting in her campaign being labeled "deadbeats!"

[HH55]

I agree with ChrisO. Enough with the rant. Obama made a poor decision. End of story. Let's move on.

[J24]

We would if Hillary didn't keep bringing it up! I agree Obama didn't express himself properly but they have twisted what he said to keep it in the media. I understand that Hillary really wants to be president and I used to admire and respect her passion and commitment. I hink you have to have that passion because it is the toughest job made tougher because the next president will have to clean up George W's mess but to be honest I am really disappointed with the way she has ran her campaign. She is an intelligent woman with a wealth of experience so why does she keep having to drag this contest into the gutter - can she really not win the nomination on her own merit!?!
I was a supporter but frankly she's making me ashamed that I ever did.

[bailey2006]

Nice of you to say "Obama said a stupid thing" instead of saying he lied. Can't say the same about a lot of the things Hillary has said. Many are out and out lies. Oh, yes - she HAS said an awful lot of stupid things, too!!

[TinaGirlla]

Why do you say Obama is pretending about putting people of faith down? Yes, that is one way to take what he said. But you really think that is worse than HRC response? To create a totally staged scenario where she is swigging alcohol and talking about hunting? His observation that people are angry and bitter (which is true of many people paying $4 for gas and seeing the value of their houses fall every month - if they haven't lose their home, that is) is worse than her pretense of being a hunter and "of the people" ?

I am bitter about my tax money going to fund this war, $10 bilion oil profits, and listening to the woman I wanted to be my president lie and play these dirty tricks. I am bitter because I felt good about the Clintons, and to watch them throw out even the semblance of integrity to get in the White House again is such a disappointment.

I wanted a woman president because I believe in the wisdom, compassion, balance and strength found in fully realized feminine power. I thought she had it, but it has slowly and achingly become clear that she does not.

[MiraMcB]

Ditto that! What an incredible rant! If we were to take as fact every bitter vituperation blogged and posted on this board about HRC, one could easily believe she is solely responsible for everything up to and including Katrina. Get off...

[Gretchoid]

If the MSM commented on and investigated thoroughly the illegal and treasonous deeds of Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld as hard as they critique Hillary Clinton, maybe we wouldn't be expecting miracles from HRC and Obama. Geez, Obama can really string together a sentence and we are so starved for that! Of course we are hopeful! It is really sad and angering that we have had to wait this long for relief. Where art thou oh Representative?

[democracy1st]

all this anger and we can't get MSM to report Bush adminstration failures in detail

[LarBear]

Jane Smiley (Quote) "But, please, any of you angry white women who still support this craven shill, don't mention it to me."
So this is all about Race and Color? Do only "white women" get angry? Does skin color dictate beliefs and the Color of one's Personhood? Do all people with white, or black skin tones, think alike? Observation: People with differing skin colors/skin tones often Love and respect each other... Yet there is "Black" and "White" activists.­.. But, according to you, the color and tone of our skin somehow dictates our Beliefs? What? This is what you teach children?
Since Hillary speaks as Hillary and you're promoting Barack.... Hmm, who's the "craven shill"?
Jane Smiley (Quote) "I cannot believe how angry this makes me. I cannot believe that after the last seven and a half years, I can even get this angry." Perhaps you could also advise children to own response-ability, for their anger?To never assign re-active anger to other people... No, I guess you would probably not be able to do that.. Obviously you allow your reactive Mind to dictate your beliefs and behaviors.­..
Is that a qualification to be a Barack supporter?

[Dead-eye]

Please don't try to compare Hillary to Baby Bush as if you can read she got her info from the bushies and crowd. So when you write in this post get your damn facts right or shut your damn mouth.

[Shozen]

No Hillary ain't a Baby Bush. She's a Carl Rove. Cynically manipulating the public so she can get the power she feels she deserves.

[sqweels]

First Barak Obama was a Muslim.
Then he was a devotee of a resentful black preacher.
Now he's an elitist snob.

Next week he'll be accused of being a communist.

[qwr]

Actually, Bill Kristol already accused him of that yesterday. Tied him to Marx. Thanks, NYT for hiring Bill Kristol. Shows the true colors of the NYT.

[OkieMon]

actually i accused obama of being a socialist-marxist when his minister of 20 years was revealed to the outside world to be just that about a year ago.

[bfc1968]

hilary is acting like the hubert humprhey of 2008

she knows she can't win without getting dirty.. and she doesn't care if she alienates every single one of those darn... youngin's.­...meaning those obama supporters under the age of 65... ....

and i don't even feel sorry for her anymore... and if hilary is putting obama into the same category as Al GORE

I think obama should say thank you.... thank you... thank you...

i'm proud to be considered to be in the same league as someone as revered as Al Gore...

why don't any of the media remind us all of hilary the president of the young republican­s... and go go goldwater girl...

who supported goldwater instead of LBJ in 1964.... and nixon instead of kennedy and didn't discover the error of her ways until she left home and the influence of her family... and fell in love with the left... and of course... bill clinton..

can you imagine... bill clinton supporting nixon instead of kennedy?
Can you imagine bill supporting goldwater?
If you watched the martin Luther King... documentary on the history channel last week... it was discussed that goldwater was no fan of martin luther king..nor the civil rights act

that;s why his reactionary views .... that were made frightingly evident with the famous daisy ad.... made the goldwater / johnson presidential election the worst landslide loss ever

goldwater won only his home state ... arizona... and the dixi crat states that shared his anti civil rights movement

[swanky]

What do you mean "accused". Your list is accurate.

[maribelle1963]

Next week is here now, sqweels: look to the top of the screen:

"Lieberman: Good Question To Ask If Obama Is A Marxist"

[lcmartin]

Powerful! I totally agree! Thanks for standing up for white women who have had enough.

[gun]

Gee, I Jane, agree.

And to think all this merde is coming from a d.d..damn D!

who's a SHE!

makes you want to flee A M E R I C A,

where once the truth made us free.

Everyone who tries to tell it recently is accused of indecency

... Jane...Joa­n...Theres­a...Noam..­.Percy

Bob says: Everyone must get stoned.

meaning not getting high, but getting low..

that guy is always right, now just I M A G I N E, HILLBILL,

after peddling Influence for a hundred million pieces of silver,

HILL hollers:

"ELITIST!"

"Paging Dr. Orwell..."

[DEFuning]

If not elitist then certainly STUPID to make that remark. When did he get into politics YESTERDAY?? Folks, this is Politics 101 and he just failed in a craptastic manner. This is the Rodney Dangerfield school of politics "Gee, did I tell you the one about how STUPID and LAME this audience is?" They may indeed be lame, and stupid, and full of folly but YOU DON'T TELL THEM THAT! Not when you want their votes. Oh, but my mistake--he EMBRACES that religion, and and he had a cap gun when he was a poor kid raised by a single mother. Yada yada yadamop.