America's turn: How bitter are you? Vote now

For days now we've all been reading about how bitter or not bitter small-town Pennsylvanians are.

All three major remaining presidential candidates -- Sens. John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who started this whole thing by blabbing on in some ill-expressed psychobabble at what he thought was a closed fundraiser in the smallest of small towns, San Francisco -- have been trying to use bitter to their own political advantage.

Big shock there!

Clinton and McCain have bitterly attacked Obama over his bitter remarks and he admits he could have said it bitter.

Besides the fact that, yo, even Pennsylvania's large cities are small towns, the Keystone State has had its say.

Now, it's time for the rest of us to weigh in. Vote away.

And if your ballot requires further explanation, use the Comments section below.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Rodney Lamprey]

This is a fine example of the devisive petty American politics and shallow American media that have given us George Bush, a tanking economy, a broken health care system, and an endless war in Iraq, while we take humorous poles about Britney Spears. Why don't you look at the merit of Obama's statement? Has America been duped by politician's divisive politics on small time non-issues like gay marriage or school prayer to ignore their economic self interests? Sure.

[aleXander]

Obama speaks the truth - the media is so useed to creating fantasy that they don't even recognize it, much less hail and support it. Why must we always pander to Walmart nation?
I expect my leaders to be articulate, educated, intelligent, and willing to speak the truth. Clinton and McCain are just a new batch of money launderers.

[Caleb]

The whole flap over Obama and his "bitter" statements have gone on for long enough. I didn't think it was that big of a deal when I first heard it, once I heard he didn't make the comment to the people he was referring to, but rather to rich Californians it bothered me a bit... Now he seems to have gone on the offensive mocking Clinton and not taking the high road I would expect from him. He already had my vote in the primaries, but in the general election I'll now vote for McCain (or Clinton, but I don't think she'll make it). My candidate for hope turned out to be just another say anything to get elected politician. At least with McCain you know he won't mix words, he'll say what he thinks without going back on his words.

[Stefan]

Of course most of the people voting here are bitter. It's the liberal point of view: "Everything is always wrong"

[Promethius]

Darn tootin right I'm bitter! I think to h!@# with all the people that have invested in dirty energy and war (defense as they like to call it)! They are the reason there is rioting in third world countries! Food as fuel my arse! These people should be imprisoned or better yet sent to live in third world countries where they're likely to be K!@#$% by guerillas, no not gorillas! Mr. B!@# is responsible for these crimes against humanity. May he burn in h!@#! for his crimes against humanity. We as a country need to invest in clean energy such as wind and solar. Bring on the green revolution and may a democrat (preferably a monetarist), those in favor of hard money (no inflation) win. F!@# this bulls!@#.

[remus]

Hell Yes I'm Bitter!
Sen. Clinton has promised blue skies, baby bonds,
more cops, less hard time for crack and now she wants to diss Canada and Mexico!
I want a new truck and a new boat and a stocked bass poond and maybe one of Bill's bimbos! It's time she promise the working Bitter Class some good stuff!
All that Obama dude wants to do is try to turn our countruy around! Hell he even expects us to try and work together instead of blaming that conspiracy like Hillary does!
Obama might even expect Republicans to work with Democrats! Can't have that crap! We need Hil to make sure no one but her people get the pie!

[John]

Bitter? Why should I be bitter? The communists (Demo-rat envionmemtals) have block all our own oil deposits driving up the cost of my gas to the price of vodka. Not content with that, they required puting ethonal in our gas ... which used up our farm land and ran up the price of food all over the world. Now they want control of our milatary so they can quit killing the killers in Iraq and invite the damn killers home to murder my wife in the supermarket next door. Smooth Move. And to top it off ... The stupid trailer house bunch think that retched witch or the black guy is going to fix it? HA! What a load of crap. The only thing they can "FIX" is the election.

[havaiisteve]

Grrr! I'm sick of politicians who lie to send us to war, rob the poor for the benefit of the rich (the middle class is almost gone), schools without discipline, out of control special interest groups who buy votes and congressional seats, CEOs who drive a company into the ground and walk away with millions, banks an mortgage lenders and their toxic products. We need to get some disciple and respect back in our society. I like Singapore’s approach, a good whipping with a bamboo rod for most things and the death penalty for drug dealers.

[tacitus27]

Yes, I am bitter. I've watched the United States that I love turned into a vicious, anti-intellectual, unethical, money-grubbing cesspool by a cabal of right-wing ideologues led by a smirking, half-witted, daddy's rich brat, frat boy.

I mean, really, WTF has gone wrong here. This used to be a land of opportunity no matter what your trade. Work hard, have skill and get ahead. No longer. There are only three things that will get you to the head of the class: 1) be an heir to a fortune, 2) be an unethical, morally challenged MBA, 3) be a toadying sycophant.

The middle class is being squeezed and all you have to do is read history to see the result - massive social upheaval.

General Strike

[Tom Cronkel]

To the Clintons:

GET OUT! Get out of town. Get out of the USA. Find a place where they like you! Try getting elected in Mumbai, for instance.

[alma Ludivina]

I will be more bitter if Senator clinton remain in the race

[Christopher Nimmo]

Yeah, I'm pretty damned bitter. I'm bitter that we have to put up with this political fiasco in this country. I'm bitter that idiots make stupid, irresponsible and demeaning comments about how bitter people are, not thinking about how even more bitter it's going to make them when they hear about it on the news. I'm bitter that journalists in nationally syndicated newspapers get paid ten times more in one year than I make in ten years writing sentences like, "Besides the fact that, yo, even Pennsylvania's large cities are small towns, the Keystone State has had its say."

I'm bitter about McCain, Obama and Clinton. I'm bitter about Bush and Cheney. I'm bitter about America's descent into fascistic corporatism. I'm bitter about the war, I'm bitter about the economy. I'm bitter about our civil liberties slowly eroding. I'm especially bitter when I hear people say these politicians are really going to change anything in this country. As if the goon who sits on top of this mess we call a government is going to singlehandedly fix anything.

If you want change in this country, don't vote for any of these three gangsters. Vote for the candidates who are actually making strong logical and ethical platforms who aren't getting covered by the media and aren't getting to have their say. And abandon your pride for your political party, because they're not doing us any good either. Turn off your TV's for crying out loud. Let's get involved, and let's fix this country ourselves. We don't need talking heads to make our lives freer and happier. We do not serve the government's interests, the government is supposed to serve OUR interests.

[Becky]

I'm not bitter. I'm really pretty happy.

I'm sorry for the economic mess around, but I don't think Washington can fix it (nor do I particularly think it's their responsibility). If Americans would be less materialistic, quit buying lots of junk they don't need and only buy the few things they do need, made in America, the nation would be much better off. But as long as we remain materialistic and are constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses, but without the Joneses income, we're going to ship jobs right out of the country.

I plan to go work on an organic farm/ranch this summer and hopefully stay there for the rest of my life.

[Scotty]

Go out every day and do your job...live within your actual means...and life remains not so out of the ordinary. We canceled the vacation and will wait a year or two now to buy that boat. Everyone needs to talk to a survivor of "THE DEPRESSION" and we have a way to go before life gets anything like they experienced. It's always easy to gripe about your lot in life.

[anthony]

my ford mo. co. job went to mexico. got another job 1/4 of the pay.bills are going up ,gas is up.and in a war thats cost to much for the return. yes i am bitter.yes i am bitter

[BV]

I'm bitter, but it has nothing to do with Obama. He's only talked about things we've all thought about but few would discuss in polite company.

I wish conditions were different so more would seek faith rather than "Religion" and guns for sport rather than out of fear something bad is going to happen.

[bruce becker]

I am bitter that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, has approved waterboarding. He is so desirous of power and winning he has sold his soul. What goes around, comes around.
I am bitter that the Constitution has been ground up on the pretense of anti-terrorism.

[carson grey]

I'm from a huge city and i'm bitter and if you're NOT bitter than you're an idiot! We middle classers are the ones whose taxes are supporting this war and a bail-out of Bear Stearns which directly helped the UPPER class. THEY are also well invested in BLACKWATER and HALLIBURTON who are getting paid BILLIONS to keep this war going. OUR children are going to war while THEIR children have sexual intercourse on the internet, drive $125,000 cars and talk on diamond-encrusted cell phones. We are being RAPED again and again by our own government. BITTER doesn't even cut it!

[Okham]

Well, I don't see a any voting selections on this page... So I'll cast my vote here.

Absolutely bitter. Living in Michigan, I see it day in and day out. People are pissed off, but far too divided to know what to do about it. Bringing people together on any issue is nearly impossible thanks to an extremely divisive media and politicians like HRC and McCain telling us how they think we should be feeling, instead of listening to the dull roar of American discontent.

We the People no longer have representation in D.C. They have thrown us over in favor of corporations and special interests with deep pockets. Sadly, this has been a sound bite for a long time and so carries no weight anymore. But think about it... you, the American People... ARE YOU BEING REPRESENTED? The sovereign citizens of this great nation, the ones that built this country into the powerhouse of industry and innovation that it is (was?) have been deemed second class to the corporate citizen.

Is there anyone left in this country that remembers the lesson of our founding fathers when they were faced with over taxation, worthless currency and no representation? Is there anyone in America that feels that their grievances would be heard, much less properly addressed in the face of corporate or special interests?

This country is ripe for either tyranny to rule the day (subtle though it may be at the moment), or for revolution (not likely since most folks under 40 can't name half the founders, or more than a few of their constitutionally protected rights). Worse, so few realize that though the constitution protects our "God given rights", it is We the People that protect the constitution.

It's no longer about democrat or republican, right or left, Obama, Clinton, or McCain, it's about the People vs. the corporate influenced, led by the pocket government.

It's time for our elected officials to stop calling themselves and acting as leaders. They are not. They are PUBLIC SERVANTS. Men and women just like you and I. No different.

There needs to be a fundamental change in how the average citizen views their government. For example, it is not the government that should be protecting us from terrorism, it is We the People that should be protecting the government. Think about it, that's how it was in the beginning, that's responsibility the founders bestowed upon us, and that is our duty.

Wake up America, learn your history, educate yourselves, stop listening to divisive media, find common ground with your neighbors, coworkers. Understand that the only ideology that matters is UNITED WE the PEOPLE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.

Whew, rant over....

[fuckwad]

Obama? isn't he the guy Hillary recruited while running for NY Senate to get the black and minority vote. Now look. hmm. who'd ever thought. VOTE MCCAIN!!!!!!!

[Trubee]

Obama has it right. I am so sick of Clinton making much ado about nothing. It's so divisive. Go Obama. Of course I'm bitter - government waste, impossible gas prices, huge cost of living increases, depressed real estate, high taxes, capped wages -- work hard and you get WHAT? A war we don't want, never did, and a crashing economy. Bitter - absolutely.

[Gcanno]

I'am bitter they bailed out Bears stearns with my Tax money.
I'am bitter America is run by lobbiyts for corporations and the military which seemed to be at one.
I'am bitter I can't find a decent paying job which can keep up with inflation.
I'am bitter that my father a Legal immigrant with a grade school education and alot of wisdom, who wanted better for his son won't be able to see it.

I can't wait till the day, we as the lower 90% say enough, park our cars on every major freeway in the nation, and shut this unjust greedy speculative machine down.

[mike]

Bitter as in; who voted these moron's into the White House? Twice!

[Ed]

Bitter? Hell yes I'm bitter. The politicians have passed every Industry-friendly bill that's come there way so now we pay through the nose for inferior health care, we deal with laws that favor the big corporations, and we all just have to take it. Hell yes, I'm bitter but I believe that Obama has his finger on the pulse.... I'm ready for CHANGE!!

[Hillary Cannot win. Hillary must not win.]

Obama nailed it - Too nad his campaign will make him do a retration. I am more than bitter. Everytime I read a Hillary supporter's post O am just remined how screwed-up those peopel really are - HILLARY had One hundred million reasons why she nor Bill feel your "our" pain. The irony is that Bill allegedly made his "egg'snest" with "just words." Think about it Clintonistas. ("... We need more than words we need somebody who offers solutions. Yadda, yadda, yadda." )