Barack Obama tries to turn the page

"I'm tired of playing defense all the time," Barack Obama said this morning. "I want to play some offense."

It's a line he has used many times in speaking to labor groups. But it resonated a bit differently today.

Obama has spent the last few days back on his heels, absorbing furious punishment from the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and John McCain over his "bitter" remarks in San Francisco.

Today, Obama spoke to about 3,000 union members, gathered in Washington for the Building & Construction Trades Department's annual legislative meeting. Clinton appears before the group Wednesday.

Obama spent much of his speech focused on labor-friendly issues that elicited extended applause: opposing "right-to-work" laws, encouraging union organization and expressing skepticism about global trade deals.

But eventually he addressed the tempest of the moment, his statements regarding small-town America. In Obama's most recent equation, road-tested Monday night in Pennsylvania, "bitter" now means "angry," which when coupled with "hope" equals "Obama."

"I said people were bitter," Obama said. "People seemed to misunderstand. Yes, people are angry. If you've been filling up your gas tank, you're angry.

"You've got to feel some frustration. You've got to feel some anger," he said, "when you get the sense that the ...

American way of life for so many people is slipping away."

But, he said, that was "not a reason to give up hope."

In his most direct shot at Clinton, whom he never specifically mentioned, he said: "If anyone denies that people are frustrated and angry and, yes, sometimes bitter, then they are out of touch."

He reserved most of his criticism for McCain, whom he took to task for reversing his stand on repealing President Bush's tax cuts for wealthy Americans.

Obama was introduced by Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who made much of Obama's common touch, speaking well-worn lines about him turning down a job on Wall Street to become a community organizer in Chicago and about how he and his wife, Michelle, took years to repay student loans.

"He turned down the big money," McCaskill said. "He went to do what was right for our country."

In that vein, Obama told the crowd: "You can trust me. Politics didn't lead me to working people. Working people led me to politics."

After the speech, a group of painters and union members from Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee said that, in their view, Obama had made short work of the "bitter" controversy.

"I thought he handled that real well," said Robert Liphard.

"He's done it right," said Jarrell Miskenen. "He got right back on it."

Liphard added: "What I'd like to see is a combined ticket." He said who was first or second on that ticket didn't matter.

-- James Oliphant

James Oliphant of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau writes for the Swamp.

Comments

[Stephen Block]

I would NOT vote for Obama for the following reasons:

1-He is much, much too inexperienced to be president of the U.S., leader of the free world and the person whose finger is on the nuclear trigger.
2-He is like a "pop star" catapulted to fame by Oprah, much the way she catapults authors to fame.
3-I don't like him because he is a liar. After a 20-year close personal friendship with the bigoted Reverend Wright, he said he was not familiar with his views. Also Wright is chummy with the super-bigot Louis Farrakhan.
4-When the Senate voted for a resolution saying that the Bush administration must get Congressional improvement before any preemptive military action be taken against Iran, Obama astoundingly did not vote!!! He opted to campaign instead!!!

[J Cline]

Obama misses the point of the furore. I could care less if he labels me bitter or angry.

What infuriates me is his deduction that because I'm bitter (and white) I turn to God, guns, and hating. He suggests that lower-income rural whites need to be saved from themselves, that their values are insincerely held because they're only a projection of bitterness over economic inequality.

Now that IS insulting... and yet it is an assumption that elite liberal eggheads routinely make. Where does this Messiah-wannabe get off?

If Democrats nominate this clueless Ivy League clown, I guarantee you there will be another Republican in office by January.

[Tim]

Ann-

I coldn't agee with you more- until the end of your statement.

Let me express it this way:
If you like the war in Iraq, Vote McCain.
If you like making our country more vulnerable to extremists, Vote McCain.
If the rights of reproductive health don't matter all that much, Vote McCain- because 2 Supreme Court justices will be on his watch, no matter what he thinks of the issue.
If you don't think Human Rights- sometimes called "gay rights" by a press that mocks them- aren't important, Vote McCain.
If you want to see your country bankrupt, despised, and at the end of her very best days- Vote McCain.
If you love bankers- Vote McCain.
If you think homeowners "got what they deserved"- Vote McCain.
And yes, if you're Bitter- Vote McCain.

Ann, don't be like a bull-headed Hillary supporter. Get into the streets if she steals this, if THEY steal it from Obama- that's what I'm going to do. But for god's sakes don't vote for more war. The World can't wait? The World can't take it.

[Ryan P.]

You never know what an English means until you step into a political world or a third grade English class. Gotta love the way people make living by dissecting just words.

[randygrenier]

Having watched this campaign carefully, I think that Obama is the least evil of the candidates. Clinton is obviously a typical slime politician who lies without hesitation to get what she wants, and McCain is just another member of the Republican Crime Family. We have seen what these people do already. Why keep up the same old s#^t. Let's give Obama a try--he can't do any worse.

[amos]

I think that what you believe in your heart comes out of your mouth - what he says is what he means the first time he says it - any backpeddling is trying to cover for you real beliefs. And if he thinks that the backbone of America - the small town folks - will only cling to guns and religion when they are upset than shame on him. I hate to break it him but America was founded on guns and religion. But maybe we should be focusing on his terrorist ties - how come that isn't all over the news - where are the journalists- did Obama pay them off with all his money? do we want a terrorist in office?

[proud american]

The incompetence of the media is stunning. John McCain, who claims to be an expert on the middle east, doesn't know the difference between sunni ahd shi'ite, iran an al qaeda, yet the media court him with donuts. Obama makes an offhand comment, and they go into a feeding frenzy. Have any of the lazy-assed reporters actually gone into the world to find out how people actually feel? I have a suspicion that for many, bitter would be a pretty good word.

[crspratt]

How can anyone but an out-of-touch elitist think that folks in the heartland might be a tad bitter about the economy? Here's another example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_vN0--mHug

[Billy]

Quote: "Can someone post the links to the contributors". Just google for Obama or Clinton contributors.

Robert mentioned Goldman/Sachs and Obama. He failed to mention their much larger contribution to Clinton:
Goldman Sachs $426,100

[J. Clark]

I would like to see a Clinton third term.

Things were better under Bill Clinton. Regardless of what Republicans and black hustlers say.

[John]

We can do it ....Obama all the way ...

[You have to be kidding me]

If Obama wanted to make money, he chose a very poor way to do it. Essentially, the prime intellects posting here are suspicious because he turned down extremely well paying, low risk jobs to take a series of low paying community service jobs. Of course, he did this because secretly he knew that by rolling the million sided dice of politics he would eventually hit the exact number that would put him in his current position, where he is poised to work long hours under constant threat of death for essentially peanuts yet again as president. But eight and a half years from now, provided he actually wins the election, he is poised to make a killing in book deals and appearances.... what a greedy bastard.

[manuel]

Why did Hillary have to return $800,000.00 to the chinese?

[Roger]

Hilary is a scumbag. Period.

Look at the scandals Clinotns are involved, watergate, travelgate, monicagate, Kathyleen Willy, Jennifer Flower, yada yada. The list is too long!

For 36 years she is deceiving American people to make her own fortune. $109 million in just 7 years and she is keep saying she is working for people?

She is taking pac money, lobbyist boosted her campaign by paying $192 millions.

Last 20 years Bush and Clintons ruled White House. America is not a dynasty.

Princess Chelsea Clinton for President in 2021? Are you ready?

Vote wisely, vote o8ama, 08.

[dennisk]

Obama has about as much in common with average working people as the man in the moon. He and his wife have enjoyed the fruits of Harvard and other prestigious institutions who look condescendingly down on working class people. I don't think he has yet to know what callouses and dirty fingernails are, let alone having experienced them. I have to wonder if there is any lasting substance on the inside of his packaged, calculating shell.

[Matt Collings]

Obama has already lost, period.

[shar]

I won't be responsible for any votes for any of the candidates because there isn't a candidate running that I believe in - Democrat or Republican. I never believed in Hillary (sneaky) or Obama and I have grown to not believe in McCain either. I am a Democrat and had hopes that the Democrats would get back in, but I would be ashamed to see either one of the candidates become our President. What is happening with campaigns - they are becoming so dirty. It's dig up some smut and pour it on! I can't go along with this and won't.

[CALIFORNIAMARTY SAYS]

"Barack Obama may be exactly what his supporters suppose him to be. Not, however, for reasons most Americans will celebrate.

Obama may be the fulfillment of modern liberalism. Explaining why many working-class voters are "bitter," he said they "cling" to guns, religion and "antipathy to people who aren't like them" because of "frustrations." His implication was that their primitivism, superstition and bigotry are balm for resentments they feel because of America's grinding injustice.

By so speaking, Obama does fulfill liberalism's transformation since Franklin Roosevelt. What had been under FDR a celebration of America and the values of its working people has become a doctrine of condescension toward those people and the supposedly coarse and vulgar country that pleases them"

This fraud is no man of the people. He has by the anti-American anti-white, company he keeps and in some cases, like Rev. Wright idolizes.

Electing this man who had all the previleges of a millionaire attending after his Muslim school days in Indonesia, the toney private and expensive schools in Hawaii, Oxy in Los Angeles, Columbia, and then Harvard he joins the elistist mold. He couldn't wait to get into his Faux Georgian Mansion with the help of the slumlord fixer A. Rezko now on trial for corrupton and extortion, his political base thanks to Rev. Wright and Farrakhan who saiys Obama has been "groomed" to appear docile. He counts as his friends William Ayers and his wife Dorns the unrepentant bombers and terrorists.

Those who back this man are either on the same page with him or completely duped. Maybe both.

[Ian]

I don't think I can bear the thought of having to listen to her for the next 4-8 years. I can't stand her for five minutes. I can't stand how Hillary will say anything to get elected. She SUCKS. If Obama doesn't win, I think I will be forced to vote for McCain, and that's just sad.

As far as Obama, I don't know if there has been another candidate in the last 40 years with such a magnitude of heart and presence of mind. This guy is special.

[ted cory]

Dennis Francis check yor facts. They can. As legal entities, e.g. incorporated, they can. Thats why coorporations can be sued, but not the owners directly. They are legal entities of thier own. Why don't you quote your sources too for your facts?

[Jeff Webb]

Obama dodged talking about the main problems with what he said. It's important to look at what he said by breaking it into its separate parts and simplifying it by putting it in common english (How many of us use words like "antipathy" every day?). Who cares if he mistakenly said people were bitter, compared to the rest of his statement?

He said that small town Americans:

- turn to guns to deal with their frustrations.
Gun nuts? What about home protection and hunting, which many people still do for survival in the U.S.?

- use religion to deal with their frustrations.
Bilble thumpers? Religion as a substitute for liquor? Religion is a valid lifestyle for the faithful, through good times and bad.

- use "antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment" as a way to explain their frustrations.
Automatically racist? Come on, Sen. Obama. My home town was one of the hardest hit by NAFTA, and it has become even less bigoted over time, not more so. The KKK tried to have a parade and got heckled off the street by both whites and blacks, with absolutely no supportive audience.

Stereotyping small town America just like this is what arrogant politicians and media people who are disconnected from their countrymen have been doing in this country for ages. We're beyond tired of it.

And when Hillary Clinton is being real, she's no better.

[danny]

Let's see - He opposes "right-to-work" laws, opposes private ownership of guns and is anti-religion. So basically, he disagrees with the first and second amendments as well as a free market economy.
Perhpas he ought to run for office in a communist nation..

[awlswll]

Obama should apologize for those bitter remarks...instead his ego is telling him to GO ON OFFENSE...how disappointing....change we can believe in...I think not Sen. Obama....

Obama's Flaws Are Numerous:
There are many. His statements that he wants to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, combined with his lack of foreign policy experience, could hurt him. And his aides are hard pressed to come up with any deviations in a voting record the nonpartisan National Journal calls the most liberal of any U.S. Senator.

As a state legislator he was even more off-center. In 1996, he opposed the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Senate approved 85-14 and President Clinton signed into law. He twice voted "present" on a bill to ban partial-birth abortions. In 1999, he was the only state senator to oppose a law that prohibited early prison release for sex offenders.

Mr. Obama also backed a total ban on handguns, a move his campaign now says was the result of a rogue aide filling out a questionnaire. But Mr. Obama's own handwritten notes were found on the questionnaire, calling into question the campaign's version of what happened.

[Vincent]

As i recall Bill clinton had america in the black for the 1st time in decades, bush has america bankrupt a trillion times over, who do you want obama the rookie or the clintons, & to hear posters comments here bill slept with monica so i wont vote for hilary, eh? In the uk my home she would get sympathy not hatred, America needs!!!! a president who knows about how to get america out of there financial crisis, every politician sleeps around, as do all humans, they are not running for pope. America needs to forget about punishing the clintons for there sexual romps, and start realising religon plays no part in politics in the UK we dont care what religon you are atheist or whatever it plays no part in politics, Bush is a excellent example of voting in a simple minded religous country bumpkin into office, he has been a disaster for America.
mcain is just another bush but with brains, & he is living the vietnam war every day of his life, he will bomb the entire middle east if he is made president.

Americans need to start thinking with there brains when voting for the next president, thinking with your bible will see obama get in, thinking with a gung ho attitude will see rambo mcain get in, if the uk was going bankrupt i would vote for the prime minister with a tract record on the economy, & bill clinton was your best president for decades for the economy, the 2 bush's & reagan bankrupt america, and obama will do the same, as he fills the swiss bank accounts of african leaders, with all the aid he is promising there, africa does not need aid they need leadership that is not corrupt, all aid does is make the mugabe's of this world rich.

[very bitter]

I am very disturbed by the news media in the way they keep beating up on Obama. Billary made some inaccurate statements about the Boznia lie that Hillary told and it never took legs. How long do we have to hear about the
comment Obama made? We all know what Obama meant
but no one wants to admit it. What is the difference between bitter and angry? Can we please get back to the issues that we need to hear.