Barack Obama's "small town" critique: Is this a game changer?

Much as Desi Arnaz often demanded of Lucille Ball on their famed sitcom, Barack Obama has some  'splainin to do.

Relative quiet on the political news front became anything but as word spread Friday of an item on the Huffington Post concerning comments Obama made at a private fundraiser Sunday in San Francisco.

Blogger Mayhill Fowler was there with her tape recorder and, after setting up the payoff to her item with her own observations about Pennsylvania, related this quote from Obama as he sought to give his Bay Area crowd some perspective about a different part of the country:

"You go into some of 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."

Here's the entire post, which includes audio of Obama's mini-spiel. And that's the part that resonated -- and how.

Hillary Clinton campaign aides sought to stir up interest in it -- and then pounced when reports it started to seep into the mass media, clearly seeing the potential contretemps as ...

the Obama stumble they've been hoping for.

The candidate, appearing at a "town hall" event in Philadelphia, had this to say: “I saw in the media it’s being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter. Well, that’s not my experience. As I travel around Pennsylvania, I meet people who are resilient, who are optimistic, who are positive, who are rolling up their sleeves."

Etc. ...

Tonight, after Obama, speaking in Indiana, took a crack at defusing the matter (more on that later), Clinton spokesman Phil Singer responded with a statement calling it "unfortunate" that he "didn’t say he was sorry for what he said."

More telling than the expected, and somewhat restrained, reaction from Camp Clinton was the outrage from other quarters -- making it a virtual certainty that this story won't fade over the weekend.

On CNN, the Lou Dobbs talk show devoted virtually its entire hour to what, with typical subtlety, it billed as Obama's "Attack on Small-Town America."

The segment included an online poll that asked, yes or no, whether participants believed Obama's "comments reveal his elitist attitude toward every hardworking American?"

(A guest host filled in for Dobbs, who no doubt was off somewhere kicking himself for the bad luck of not having the chance to huff-and-puff on the subject.)

Various arms of the Republican political apparatus also swung into action. Here's a sample:

* Steve Schmidt, a top advisor to presumptive GOP presidential candidate John McCain, declared that Obama's remarks showed "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."

* Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Robert Gleason Jr., in a statement issued by the state GOP,  was pronounced "appalled" by Obama's comments. Said Gleason: "I find Barack Obama’s comments incredibly insulting, and believe many others in the Keystone State will as well. In light of this most recent statement, I believe Americans are going to have even more questions about his values."

(Even more questions? No doubt a nod toward the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy.)

* The National Republican Congressional Committee fulminated that Obama "talks a good game about uniting the country, but when he thinks no one is looking -– such as at fundraisers on the West Coast –- his personal biases against Small Town America are revealed."

* After Obama's Indiana appearance tonight, the McCain staff held forth again. Said spokesman Tucker Bounds: "Instead of apologizing to small town Americans for dismissing their values, Barack Obama arrogantly tried to spin his way out of his outrageous San Francisco remarks." In the three other sentences that wrapped up his statement, Bounds managed to work in the "elitist" characterization twice.

All this within just a few hours after the Huffington Post item percolated. Imagine what the barrage will be like as it takes root.

Obama, as mentioned, offered his initial response to this new furor while campaigning in Terre Haute. Here are the pertinent parts:

"I was in San Francisco talking to a group at a fundraiser and somebody asked how’re you going to get votes in Pennsylvania? What’s going on there?  We hear that it's hard for some working class people to get behind you’re campaign. I said, 'Well look, they’re frustrated and for good reason.  Because for the last 25 years they’ve seen jobs shipped overseas.  They’ve seen their economies collapse.  They have lost their jobs.  They have lost their pensions.  They have lost their healthcare.

"And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said 'We’re going to make your community better.  We’re going to make it right' and nothing ever happens.  And of course they’re bitter.  Of course they’re frustrated.  You would be too. In fact many of you are.  Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur.  The same thing has happened all across the country.  Nobody is looking out for you.  Nobody is thinking about you.  And so people end up -- they don’t vote on economic issues because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don’t believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement -- so, here’s what's rich.  Sen. Clinton says ‘No, I don’t think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania.  You know, I think Barack’s being condescending.’  John McCain says, ‘Oh, how could he say that?  How could he say people are bitter? You know, he’s obviously out of touch with people.’

"Out of touch?  Out of touch?  I mean, John McCain -- it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he’s saying I’m out of touch?  Sen. Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I’m out of touch?  No, I’m in touch.  I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania. I know what’s going on in Indiana. I know what’s going on in Illinois.  People are fed up. They’re angry and they’re frustrated and they’re bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington and that’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America."

All well and good. But we're betting not nearly enough.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credits: Orange County Fair (Lucy and Desi); Associated Press (Obama)

Comments

[Smartvoter08]

Senator Obama is an elitist. The debate is not whether what he said is true. Rather, the issue is that here is a presidential candidate that comes off as condescending to working class americans. While it s true that folks get frustrated about their dire economic situation, it is equally not true that they would turn to their faith, guns, anti-illegal sentiment, anti-trade sentiment because they are bitter. These are good people that do not need a president who looks down on them. These are folks that embrace their religion not out of bitterness, but out of strong faith. These are folks that go hunting because it is a part of their culture. Not bitterness. Although, these folks(like millions of other americans across the country) may be frustrated about the economy, they are proud, courageous, hardworking, and resilient survivors. They do not need to be looked down on, or pitied by an elitist presidential candidate.

As I type this, Obama is spinning fast. There is no doubt he is ggod with his rhetoric. However, many will not buy it. Senator Obama should be reminded that to win in November, he absolutely needs people like me that support Senator Clinton.

Senator Obama's new politics of change are laughable. Obama has run a negative campaign. Obama has employed the tactics of Rove while attacking Senator Clinton. Trying to debate issues with his supporters is fruitless. Obama supporters respond with hate, but they lack substance. Thanks, but no thanks. I will support Senator Clinton all the way to convention if necessary.

[Roy]

You Never, NEVER Expectaed HILLARY SPOKE or to SPEAK THE TRUTH, BUT only to MISLIE AND MISSPOKE as she wanted once she decides to MIS LIE AND MISSPOKE.

I am therefore aggreing with her by NOT seeing any truth about Obama's statement on the SMALL TOWNS.

That is the REason why she belives STRONGLY ON DIVISIVE HOUSE and in DESTROYING DEMOCRATIC PARTY for GOOD.

Mr DEAN use your DESCRETION and power that be to make Hillary's game become A THING of the past and take not only a step further , but two steps a head of Frustrated Hillary now before it is too late.

She has shown LACK of Respect for our beloved Democratic Party in America and ALL over the World.

I respected Howards's judgements so far but he must be smarter about this. No three Clintons bigger than Democratic party of the United States of America.

[BC]

I can tell you from vast experience that people in PA are Bitter and that I would expect that others in this Country are too.

In my previous job I was one of two Officials in Aviation Funding in Pa and traveled to all 147, at that time, publicly operated Airports in PA. I held open to the Public meetings and what I heard was rarely about just Aviation. It was about Government - Local, State and Federal. The massive bitterness, shown and highly expressed, was overwhelming. Obama was clearly listening. The McCain/Clinton people first hit Obama and his supporters with the Hope and Just Words high minded complaint, and now they hit him with the Bitterness what Bitterness slap. What a joke. Have they ever really talked to the public. Just what do you think that's being expressed out there, that we want Bush/Clinton/Bush Clinton or McCain and more of the same with no progress on not just the local/home issues but nothing at all on Social Security/Medical Costs/Global Warming/& the Iraq War ?

[Kincaid]

I fail to see where Obama either insulted the people he was speaking of nor do I see where he mispoke. It is Mrs. Clinton, the Republicans and the media who insult the American people by presuming they will not understand what was really said. He spoke the truth...these people have suffered serveral adiministrations failing them...I suppose his real fault was speaking the truth. Heaven forbid a politician speaking the truth.

[Jenna]

Tom J: I encourage you to take your own advice. What has Obama done to change the game during his short tenure as a US Senator? If he hasn't done much as a Senator (or even a state legislator) why should I believe he is magically going to change the game when he is president?

I have no problem with your suggestion to hold all the candidates accountable for what they have or have not done. I just expect Obama supporters like you to hold your candidate to the same standard. From where I stand, helping millions of poor children get health care through SCHIP sounds like a pretty good accomplishment on Sen Clinton's part. What has Obama done?

[Sharan Shuty]

Senator Obama is RIGHT -- speaking as a Pennsylvanian, I AM bitter -- I am bitter about the loss of jobs due to the Clintons' NAFTA Plan, and the fact that Mrs. Clinton's strategist was STILL making deals with the Columbians despite his candidate's comments to the contrary and he is STILL on her staff -- I am bitter about her inability to tell the truth (or her unique ability to twist it) -- I am bitter about superdelegates pledging their votes without waiting to see what their constituants want -- and most of all, I am bitter about Mrs. Clinton's husband making a brothel out of the White House and that so many people are willing to let him do it again! YES!! I am bitter! I am also a voter, and I will take my bitterness to the voting booth with me, where I will vote for Senator Obama -- whose statement may have been awkward, but at least it was truthful and honest.

[k]

If Hill thinks small town America is apple pie happy, I suggest she come visit our town, population 6,000. Even the small factories that we depended on have gone to China. Houses stand empty from foreclosures. People are angry and frightened and when people feel threatened about their ability to provide for their families, they can be aggressive i.e. bumper stickers that say, "You can have my gun when you pry my cold dead fingers" . . .If you want some apple pie, come to Michigan, Hillary, and we'll make you some. But bring your own apples. We can't afford to buy them anymore.

[Brad Edwards]

Sen. Obama again wants to spin out of his new situation.... The man who is so holy has now again proven he is out of touch with the real world. His words and actions can not be explained away no matter how much he " again " attempts to explain his way out of his remarks. The words speak for themselves.
( He is above the working class. He is more " high minded " then the simple folk of this country. Yet he understands their pain and their simpleness. ) The working class he will never understand. Their real problem is politicians trying to color who we are by some simple analogy. And words that continue to color us black and white. Those who understand and those who do not. Sen. Obama believes he is just better and smarter. His inability to use good judgement about his church and now these remarks clearly paint a more full portrait of the man then all his speeches. He is better and smarter just listen...

[JimF]

There's been a subtle drumbeat throughout the Obama campaign that anyone who votes against him must be racist because ... well, that's the only explanation. Obama is just repeating that accusation here.

NYT's Magazine even did a feature article with concentric circle graphs of racism in America, based solely on the presumption that regions that didn't vote for Obama were, by definition, racist.

As for the media coverage: Dobbs aside, most of the cable news reports are subtilely sanitizing Obama's message. While he was explaining why working class whites would vote against him, cable news is ignoring that and instead saying the uproar is caused by Obama saying working class whites were "bitter", which isn't the issue at all. It's a form of verbal bait-and-switch. They follow that with viewer quotes along the lines of, "of course we're bitter" defusing the issue for Obama.

The most telling line IMHO is:
Q: Why tough time with votes in Penn? Obama: "they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment "

[julie]

This is a "controversy" manufactured by the Clinton camp to distract the media from Bill's bosnia comments. And the media gobbles it up.

Obama's right, Americans are mad. Why is this such a newsflash to Hillary and McCain? Oh that's right, because when you're sitting on piles of money like they are, what is there to be bitter about?

McCain and Hillary just don't get it.

[Roy]

The only Reason Hillary and her Media Biggotys are Flashing on Obama's Staement is to Ensure he Faults and come Back to eat his words. This is unlike Obama, He would NOT Misspoke like his Counter part. He is a Thorough Bread Speaker and a Careful one.

What he said is only born out of Small Town feelings, what can Hillary do about Such Feelings. I am sure, she has No Ideas what so ever, that is the only reason she Discounted Small States for Votes.

Had it mean it is possible for Califonia and New York and Few others Big States could determine the Democratic Primaries with TOTAL Disregard for others, I am sure by now, she would have been MORE than please. The moments she would not be campaigning or seeing small towns and states and now campaigning and Begging for their Votes Not to show any Respect to the way they are feeling ECONOMICALLY.

This can be concluded to mean that, Obama cares and see and listening to people from different Localities in either BIg or Small states are like.

As such, I respect OBAMA's VIEW as a view of an UNBIASED leader and such a lesder we want in America 2008

Hillary, you have got NO Conventioanal wisdom to out shown Obama this time around. You will equally fail in your Notorious Attack on BeLOVING OBAMA.

GO OBAMA 08. AMERICANS LOVES YOU AS THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR A FAIR, TRUTHFUL AND NOT A LIAR LADER TO HIS PEOPLE AND TO THE WORLD.

[Cyn]

Does anyone remember NRA? How about The Christian Coalition? Now, what about illegal aliens? Do those two groups stir feelings in you? It does in many voters. When people hear candidates speak to what resonates with them, they listen and follow the points of that candidate. I believe that when Obama spoke about "clinging to" he was pointing out the buzz words "guns", "religion", "illegals" and one point politics that people have been conditioned to listen for. We can't vote that way any more because our collective futures are at stake. Yes, we have preferences. Yes, we have traditions but we also have to look at the big picture. Things are no longer the same. The things that worked or didn't work before need to change. We need to look at the big picture not just focus on a small section where we see ourselves. See how we all can win against this big thing called divide and conquer.

[AlphaOverdawg]

So what? It won't stick. Never does with Obama. Big media is too far gone on his candidacy to put this in play that much. If the Wright dust-up didn't damage him irreparably, and insinuations of crooked Rezco deals didn't do him in, and Sinclair's allegations didn't even slow his Big Mo, how can the fact he "misspoke" cause any significant problem among his adoring fanbase?

Come on now, be realistic, those who've bought into the Obama movement big time aren't going to be affected by ANYTHING he does or ANYTHING he fails to do. He's inoculated against detrimental attack. He's immune and impervious (not imperious). Nothing you can imagine can penetrate the shining armor his partisans have clad him in. As we slouch towards Denver and almost certain Democrat disaster, he floats above the fray, unfazed by mere mortals' accusations and analysis.

[rearintogo]

Obama obviously doesn't even know his history about the great people who populated this great state of PA, or he would not have made those racist remarks to his elitist fund raising crowd. Many of my relatives from Pa, Indiana, New York and Michigan took up their guns, they owned to hunt with, not because they were frustrated or angry, and fought the c. w. so that Obama and Rev Wright could be free. They were very religious people when they came here looking for religious freedom. Vote for Hillary Clinton, she knows
the history of the region and the small towns of America all across this great country. She has the maturity and experience and the best plans to lead this great nation.

[Joe Ryan]

One time I had a horse coming to the wire at Delmar leading by 6 lengths and then it jumped over the infield fence just before the finish line. What an idiot. He's funded by Goldman Sachs, so he gives a big speech the other day blaming the ceo's of the big banks (what we refer to as gentile fall guys) for the subprime crisis. Just another corn fed Globalist traitor. What a shock.

[Marks]

Hillary says,

>"I was taken aback by the demeaning remarks Senator Obama made about people in small town America," Clinton told several hundred voters in a speech in a factory in Indianapolis. "Senator Obama's remarks are elitist and out of touch. They are not reflective of the values and beliefs of Americans, certainly not the Americans that I know. ... Americans who believe in the Second Amendment believe it's a matter of a constitutional right. Americans who believe in God believe it's a matter of personal faith."

She's a Multi-Millionaire now, when was it she was middle class? Never a time when a Governor's wife or First Lady. So 30 years ago?

Her comment, she's benefited from Bush tax breaks but didn't want them. She's made much bank on the tax payers most of her life.

She hasn't tried too hard trying to get Bush tax breaks rescinded.

NAFTA she championed only the middle class in states of Ohio and Pennsylvania lost jobs. She became a Senator from New York, promised better times and jobs, didn't happen in her area of representation.

Believers in the Second Admendment can go overboard in their gun desires. No one needs a machine gun! No one needs automatic rifles sold retail. Many guns made for wars don't belong in the public hands.

Bitter people are stock piling weapons and thousands of ammunition rounds!

Some 2nd Amendment wonks think they don't need to follow local or state laws but its their Constitutional Right!

Hillary continues,

>"My dad grew up in a working-class family," she continued, "I grew up in a church-going family and a family that believed in the importance of living out and expressing our faith. People of faith don't cling to religion because they're bitter, people embrace faith not because they are materially poor but because they are spiritually rich."

Who cares about her dad? Obama came from a poorer family! Her Church going is a crutch argument.

People with faith can become bitter it's reflective how they hold on to bias, suspicion and hatreds

Birth Control, what's a Church patron's belief about it? Holding to unrealities when children are creating more babies than ever before.

How often did Hillary go to Church instead of dealing with realities in her marriage to Bill as he cheated on her repeatedly. How he ruined the Oval Office with Monica and she was in the White House!

People have to take responsibility for themselves and not keep saying going to Church makes them good administrators of life!

[Robert Campbell]

What a person says when under stress, or when he thinks the conversation is private, is the best measure of the real self.

What Obama said in the "private" meeting is what he really means. What he says now to "explain" that he didn't really mean it that way is nothing but an attempt to control the damage.

[Denise-Mary]

I wish people would look a bit farther into Obama's comments, beyond the "bitter' remark. Why isn't anyone commenting upon his "slavery" remark, given at the same millionaire fundraiser? To me, that was far more offensive. With his privileged upbringing and Harvard education, who is HE to remark upon slavery as if he himself had endured it? An article on SavagePolitics.com discusses this at length. Very sobering reading, and highly recommended for independent voters.

[SG]

The sweet smell of truth is like a poisonous gas to politicians like Hilary Clinton and John McBomb. When haave they ever addressed the issues of small town America except to curry favor over small minded issues.

[Jim Reed]

Having lived the last eight years in a small town in WV as well as previously in small towns in FL, AK, NC, and MI I am not sure why people are saying his comments are insulting. In the full context of the speech and the follow on speech, they seem to be on the mark. There are a lot of people on blogs that are clearly feeling just the way he portrayed them. It appears he is focusing on the fact that our government does not connect to the people it represents. PA voters that don't connect with Obama are doing so because they have their own agendas articulated differently than he does. I would hardly say that the things I have read or heard from Obama are elitist. If anything I think he is focusing more of his platform on those left behind than the middle or above that are not. I am hoping he, Hillary, or McCain will recognize that they will be leading the entire country and have to be doing what is best overall for all segments of our nation's population.

[vaporland]

Obama was spot-on. They don't call it the "rust belt" because it's appealing. Previous administrations from both parties have ignored vast areas of the USA except on election day.

In between elections, those politicians aid and abet corporate exploitation by helping to send factories and jobs overseas, bust unions and employ illegal aliens.

Rather than focusing on this important aspect of his observation, opponents are harping on psuedo-political correctness violations.

If some of his wording was blunt or injudicious, so be it. The truth hurts. Obama has one thing going for him which is lacking in his opponents: he assumes intelligence on the part of the electorate. He speaks with common sense, rather than using hot button talking points to talk down to people.

Everytime opponents try to take a psuedo-issue and turn it on Obama, he defuses it. The truth is like a kitchen light coming on at 3am - the cockroaches tend to scatter and hide.

So, if a majority of the American people are sheep, we'll get Clinton or McCain in November. If they are intelligent, we'll get Obama. Either way, we'll get what we deserve as a nation.

Sounds like win-win to me. Viva democracy!

[Hoagy from Muskogy]

Unlike the condescending Obama, buddy of Rezko & the
not so reverend J"Wright,we in small town America feel
no need to bastardize our marriage laws and give way to
all the other liberal vices and turpitudes. We respect our parents and grand parents and the rights we inherited
from them . We hold in utter contempt all those slippery
politicians that associate with the Hanoi Jane and other
Judas and hate mongers too wich Obama seems to be
attracted to. An ultra-liberal ,tax raising hate exploiter is
the last person we need as president.

[Pastor Cheryl]

This is beyond ludicrous, to ignorant to dwell on, Shame on you Hilary Cilnton, Shame on you!!! You are really desperate to run and spin this out of control. but after all that's part of your campaign technique. The kitchen sink mentality. I would never vote for you.

[Bill Bradley]

Don appears to believe that there is some sort of unknowable process involved in how swiftly the Republicans jumped on this.

That's okay.

i'll explain it to him.

[Larry]

You know, it's amazing what different people read into the same statements. Here's what I read: Obama says that the Democrats and Republicans have been promising bread and circuses to the downtrodden for years, and haven't delivered. He, however, will promise even better to deliver, and the voters will believe him. Then, grateful, the downtrodden will abandon their "convictions," which aren't true convictions but mere symptoms of their bitterness, and vote for him. If he does indeed deliver the bread and circuses, they will even give him and his liberal cohorts loose rein to implement their agendas. I believe what is offensive is telling those voters that their convictions on religion, gun rights, and so can so easily be shed if the right candidate comes along and promises the right economic payoff. After all, aren't good paying union jobs worth far more than some vague concepts of morals or rights?

Larry