A Hillary Clinton supporter defends Barack Obama, sort of

Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana is a staunch supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, but even he seems to think that Sen. Barack Obama is getting a bum rap over those controversial comments the Illinois senator made in San Francisco -- you know, the ones where he described many people in small-town America as "bitter" people who "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."

These remarks, Bayh told host Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "Late Edition," "have given the Republicans a stick to beat us with."

"I like Barack Obama," Bayh said. "I think he's a good person. But ...

... these comments are subject to misinterpretation."

Bayh recalled how in 2004 the GOP focused on a characterization of Sen. John Kerry, the Democrats' presidential candidate, as a flip-flopper. "I don't think John Kerry was a chronic flip-flopper," he said. "But you remember when he said he voted against the $87 billion before he voted for the $87 billion? And they took that one soundbite and just beat it and beat it and beat it."

That, he said, is happening now to Obama: "Look at what the Republicans did here in the last 48 hours. They're calling on everyone who's received contributions from Sen. Obama's political committee to give the money back. They're calling upon people to disavow his remarks all across red-state America. ... I'm afraid that this gives the Republicans a stick to beat us with."

One thing Bayh didn't say: His candidate's campaign has been on the attack concerning these statements almost as much as the Republicans have. Today, Clinton herself went on the offensive in Scranton, Pa., where her father was born and where she spent summers as a child.

During a day of door-to-door campaigning in a working-class area of the city, she described Obama's comments as "elitist and divisive."

"I think what's important about this is that Sen. Obama has not owned up to what he said and taken accountability for it," she said, adding: "You don’t have to psychoanalyze or patronize people to conclude that we have problems.”

Obama, who has already attempted to explain what he meant by his remarks, is expected to address the issue again in tonight's Compassion Forum at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa. The forum will be broadcast on CNN, starting at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m. PDT.

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Comments

[Jancie]

What exactly do they think the Bosnia comments do? As well as the 800,000 from Columbia, the Napta flap, the Ireland lie, the Mark Penn situation. What a double standard. Hillary is desperate and is really grabbing at straws now.

[Ivan Douglas]

The issue is not that he said people are bitter. The issue is that he said that their bitterness is what leads them to religion, guns and antipathy. This is huge. It shows the utter arrogance of a man who thinks he knows why people choose their belief systems and implies that it is rooted in negativity. Wow! And this coming from someone who sat and listened to Jeremiah Wright for twenty years. What gall. And he is unelectable in November. Wake up Democrats.

[Ken]

What's all the fuss about this "BITTER" reemark?
IT"S THE TRUTH

[Rodolfo Acuña]

"All These Economically Insecure White People...Are Scared To Death"
Bill Clinton, 1992

[alee21]

I think Obama's comments point to an Obama unknown that we have yet to fathom. Consider today's article ran by CBS
(The Bad Company Of Barack Obama)
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/11/opinion/main4009369.shtml

It really makes me wonder what Obama truly believes, in his heart of hearts. Is he also asking us to ignore his association with Bill Ayres and Khalidi, along with his association with Wright and Rezko? Yes, you are judged by the company you keep and if you are fraternizing with radical ministers, ex-Weatherman, shady real estate dealers and Palestinian fundraisers what are we, the American voters, to think?

[Fred]

Hillary's entire effort is now limited to "giving the Republicans a stick to beat us with". She has no real hope of winning the nomination. Everyone knows that, it seems, except Hillary, who is determined to destroy the party's nominee, and her own party along the way. Her attitude seems to be that if she can't have the nomination, no one can. It's time for the Democratic superdelegates to step in and put an end to Hillary's ego circus it's too late.

[Deward Bowles]

It is sad when the truth becomes a dirty word.

Senator Obama's comments were right on the money.

You know what I am bitter about?

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?cycle=2008

My vote is for Obama.

Just call me bitter, frustrated and angry in Houston, Texas.

[cpindc]

Seems like small town Pennsylvanians agree with Obama. Guess Clinton is the one out of touch... and out of time.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/13/885541.aspxhttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/13/885541.aspx

[David]

How many more lies do we have to hear coming out of Hillary 'sniper-fire" Clinton's mouth before she calls it quits? I don't know why people bother to go to her rallies to hear more of her lies.

While we are on the subject, I too would like to know how Clinton's aids reached Vince Foster's home before police arrived?

How did they managed to know where all of Clinton's files were so that they could get away with all of them before police arrived?

How can Hillary say she is against NAFTA and have her campaign manager make backdoor deals with expanding Free Trade Agreements with Columbian government?

Clintons seem to be opportunistic givers. She announced $100,000 to South Carolina library few weeks before North Carolina primary. Giving for fame, votes, etc makes it meaningless.

Hillary "sniper-fire" Clinton and her campaign chief Mark "snake" Penn are out to help themselves, not the common working class people of this country.

[thinkresults]

Stop the hand-wringing Senator Bayh and go with your leanings. The real issue with Gore and Kerry wasn't their gaffes but their stumbling responses to the attacks afterward. EVERY candidate says something stupid every 2-3 weeks with a real bell-ringer from time/time. It's how they respond to these miscues that matters most. What the Democrats really don't want is a candidate who repeats the same gaffe over and over for several months until a split-screen video and then, after things simmer down a bit, has the unpredictability of an out-of-control spouse come out a week or two after that to make matters even worse. Based on your concerns Senator, it sounds like you're ready to change your endorsement to Obama!

[Myrtle Beach]

A fool can see that the Clintons realizing that they can't win the democratic nomination in 2008 will do everything in their power to make sure that McCain wins the general election. They think this will give them an opportunity in 2012 but I think it will totally destroy their political legacy. It's a shame !!!
The Obama supporters will never forget that the Democratic party's most evil enemy lies within the party itself.

[Ken Southern California]

Bayh---remarks"subject to interpretation?" No, deliberately misinterpeted over and over and over and over and over and over

[Don]

The problem is not with Sen. Obama saying we, those of us ignorant, undereducated, moron (as his followers often refer to us) says we are bitter, in many cases we are. The problem is that Sen. Obama and his laughing liberal friends in SF, think we God loving, God fearing and gun owning small town buffkins cling to our beliefs and values because of because of Washington not listening to us. Our beliefs and values have been established and handed down to us over many years, if not generations, and have little to do with good times or bad times or how frustrated we are with broken promises from politicians, old or the new kind. Maybe Sen. Obama should start listening to our problems instead of telling us what we cling to! Maybe he better cling to the idea that Sen. McCain will probably be our next president. I know I support Sen. Clinton on the democratic side but will have no problem supporting Sen. McCain in the general election if she is not the democratic nominee.

[kg]

now that even this "KITCHEN SINK" did not work well for 3AM GRANNIE, SHE WILL ACT A "CRY" on APR 20th and get all GRANNY MINDIED VOTERS.

BILL on the other side looking forward for "WHITE HOUSE"

Chelsey thinks they OWN IT and its "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS".

Hillary says I DONT KNOW I CANT ANSWER for many questions at 3PM CST but CLAIMS she is best bet for 3AM CALLS (Which happens only in COMICS). Bill claims Hillary was tired and drowsy when she was forced to tell about Bosnia so she LIED. Now WHAT WILL BE SHE BE DOING AT 3AM?

CLINTONS FOREVER S3X, LIES, BETRAYAL!!!

BUSHES for OIL & TERROR !!!

What else an AMERICAN PATRIOT GOT?

[NinaK]

Senator Obama spoke the truth, and this is what really bothers Hillary and her camp, and McCain also. Senator Obama recognized the plight and pain and frustration of blue collar workers from jobs lost due to NAFTA sending their jobs overseas. Imagine your own job being snatched from you!! How would YOU feel?? Would you feel happy and receilient as Hillary said she saw these blue-collar workers who are struggling to make ends meet? It is Hillary who is out of touch; if she cannot see these people's pain and frustration from the situation in which they find themselves, then HILLARY IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!!! Have any of you worked for a boss or LISTENED to you but failed to HEAR what you were saying? This discribes Hillary to a T. She listened to the people she talked to, but she DID NOT HEAR THEM!!

[Christopher Rose]

There is no problem, just stupid people who voted for Bush; can't find the USA on a globe; think science is cult; religion is a science; and are too fat to think with their brains instead of their asses.

Anyone with HALF a brain knows that the BushCo Regime is run by corporate interests, and the Idiot Bush is just their hood ornament for the idiots who would follow him anywhere.

America is autistic.

[kg]

Hillary, 79, dreams she is JAMES BOND (Sniper Fire).

Chelsey, 32, believes SHE OWNS WHITE HOUSE and it "NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS"

BILL, 102 almost Exp, TRUSTS White House is RIGHT PLACE for SOME "JOBS"

AMERICAN VOTES ONLY BUSH/CLINTON even if it is $6 GAS, $5 MILK etc.

EVANGELICALS: CLUELESS people in CLOSETS keep their state RED by eating iraqi/navy blood soaked BREAD.

[NinaK]

To those people who seem to take pleasure out of mischaracterizing Senator Obama and keeping bringing up Rev Wright and Rezco and adding their own distortions and outright lies about Senator Obama, I say to you, GET YOURSELF EDUCATED AND INFORMED!! Spewing the same garbage in blog after blog says more about you than anything else. You seem to thrive on throwing dirt, just like you 60-year old forgetful candidate who lies, lies, lies, distorts, and uses fraudulant "scenes" to make her look better. People are seeing Hillary for the liar, fraudulant, and dispicable person that she is and more and more people are moving away from her. You Clinton diehards, continue you kitchen sink tactics, just like that woman, you are so deep in hatefulness, bigotry, and racism, that you have sold your souls to the devil himself. Hope you are happy in your own quaqmires!!

[wanda]

i am very disappointed in sen. evan bayh. he is well aware that mr. obama is correct. folks who have "earned" over 109 million dollars in past 7 years are the ones who could not possibly understand the lives of folks who struggle just to survive. attemps to distract from their own wealth and try to act like a blue collar worker is just not going to work. folks are not that dumb, even if she thinks we are.

[alison]

It was excruciatingly painful to watch Mrs. Clinton talk about her "faith" last night. She used the Compassion Forum in a roomful of clergy on a religious campus to attack Obama as if they were in a debate. I don't think it was the place for her to be calling him "elitist, condescending and patronizing."

Though come to think of it, those are exactly the words I would use to describe Clinton herself.

[nawaooo]

Democratic Delegates ; Delegates won:

Barack Obama (19) 1,631.5

Hillary Rodham Clinton (14) 1,474.5

CALL ME WHEN HILLARY CLINTON EVENS WITH OBAMAS NUMBERS ABOVE AND WHEN HILLARY CLINTON SURPASSES OBAMAS NUMBERS ABOVE...PLEASE

UNTIL THEN, YOU''''''''''''''''RE SOUNDING OFF ON A MEANINGLESS PLATFORM !!

A MAN THAT JUST PAID OFF HE AND HIS WIFES STUDENT LOANS, PAYS PRIVATE SCHOOL, FOR 2 GIRLS, PAYS A MORTGAGE, CAR NOTE, VARIOUS INSURANCES, TRAVELS AND LIVES LIKE A DAILY CITIZEN ?

OR

A (72 YR. OLD) GRANDPA WHOSE MARRIED TO A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE BEER HEIRESS, WHO WANTS TO PRESERVE LOWER TAXES FOR THE RICH AND WHO SAYS HE WANTS THE U.S. TROOPS TO STAY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ?

OR

A WOMAN (HILLARY CLINTON) WHOSE MADE 109 MILLION DOLLARS (ELITIST)WHO HAS AN OFFSHORE CAYMAN ISLAND ACCOUNT, WHOSE HUSBAND (BILL CLINTON) HAS A DUBAI PORTS DEAL AND RECIEVES MILLIONS FROM ARAB NATIONS AND REPUBLICS, WHO HAS SAUDI ARABIANS CHAIRING HIS LIBRARY, WITH AMASSED MONIE

[Obamamania]

Obama is our Savior. Barak and Reverend Wright are Right, God D*** america. Now is the time to rally around Barak and Michelle and make them proud! These poor rural white folk with their guns and phony religion who are bitter and afraid of people not like themsleves should not be allowed to vote. Yes, no more so called elections where typical white people vote! And news flash america, Barak is right, your typical white american is a racist! Obama will apologize to our Muslim brothers for arrogant american policies of hate and slavery. Only Obama can forgive an evil nation founded on slavery. We gave cash payments to those Japanese who survived our uprovoked and vicious attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Reparations now for all Africans!

[Debra]

Hillalry will take the whole Democratic party down with her if she can't win. She is so ruthless and one thing for sure, GOD is on the throne and she will have to answer for all of the low down things she has said and done to Obama. Obama, don't get in the gutter with her, stay as eloquent as you are. We all know you are sincere and genuine and have our best interest at heart. Everything thing you say and do will be manipulated and twisted, they can't stand the fact that you're winning!

[Jane G. Thomas]

I long for the old backroom days when men or women in black suits could call on someone like HRC and tell her to quit this race that she has no hopes of winning. But now, she is determined to rough Obama up as much as possible in hopes that he will lose the general. What kind of Democrat is that? And why would anyone ever consider voting for that kind of Democrat. Her tactics will not succeed. She and Mr. Clinton will only succeed in tarnishing his legacy. She'll have to return to the Senate, Obama will be President, and no one will want her for any leadership role. Additionally, Blacks will be so offended that she will lose her relection bid. So yes there is justice.