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

[poet1b]

Gee, nobody wants to contrast this with the statements of Obama's racist spiritual adviser. Urban blacks are the victims of rich whites, but rural whites are just bitter. If that isn't a double standard, then what is?

[Cammie]

Oh my, so many of you just don't get it... It's not the "bitter" that is sooooo offensive to middle class America, it was the clinging to "your faith and your guns" and the implication that you're a whole bunch of low class dummies that need his genius to tell you what's good for you. I can take care of myself, thankyouverymuch.

I'm bitter alright, that I'll have my wages garnished so that people in situations my family worked and struggled to rise above can have it all for nothing. Why should we have bothered? Why should anyone?

Let Obama and Clinton keep right on fighting, we see more and more just how little they actually care about the American public every single day this goes on.

[jb-tx]

The majority of humans are too shallow and frankly, not intelligent enough to recognize truth. If Senator Obama wants to be elected president he needs to lay off the truth a bit.

[matt]

we live in the Age of Complaint. The Age of Irresponsibility. The Age of Self Indulgence. Few know real hardship, including Senator Obama. Even our illegal immigrants live much better than 90% of the planet, and everyone wants to blame the Other. Them...Those (insert name here) no good so and so's.

Are we bitter because from 1940-2007 the country never had it so good? Or because we bought too much house for our money based on unreal expectations? Or because more and more, the education system is failing us?

We have many problems, but bitterness solves nothing. See through the smoke. Read many sources. Don't necessarily get caught up in the hype. And you will find there is much to be thankful for. Hold power accountable, whether democrat or republican or any other flavor. This is still the best in a sorry world. And we can do a lot better. But bitter, never.

[Mark]

I'm kinda bitter that the media is making this into a news story.

[Michael Wright]

Bitter describes my feelings quite well, thank you. It would be interesting to see if there is a correlation between the fall of the Soviet Union and the extremist capitalism we see now, that shamefully exploits the working class. We used to talk about third world countries, and now we have become one.

Here's a worthy goal: A society where virtually every family could live a comfortable middle class life with a single bread winner and a parent who could be available to teach their children the fear of God, values, respect, courtesy, and other important virtues.

[Rasputyn]

Of course most thinking people are bitter...if not they are brainwashed. How can one not be bitter, seeing our dollar drop to half its value since the Dubya took office..how can one not be bitter seeing one's govt do nothing but channel big bucks into the pockets of big business while middle class Amurika is rapdily becoming the bottom class...how can one not be bitter if one stops to think that 3 republican presidents are responsible for 9 of the 10 trillion dollars we the PEOPLE owe? (And then they talk about tax-and-spend-liberals...that really makes me ashamed!!) how can I not be bitter when I see the environment being raped! need I go on? this list would

[John]

Yes I am bitter, for what the Republicans have done to our country in the last eight years, and I am a Republican. Bitter that the Democrats were spineless to do anything to stop them., pandered to to the Republican deceits in all regards...

[Helen Altman]

I'm bitter that George Bush was elected TWICE. I'm bitter that most of the citizens of this country have little or no regard for the environment. I'm bitter that atrocities have been committed by Americans using my tax dollars and saying they are protecting me. I'm bitter Al Gore wasn't elected. I'm bitter that Hillary Clinton is going to ruin any chance the Democratic Party has of putting someone who IS actually different and better than the rest of them into office. She will be to blame. I'll be even more bitter then.

[Mark]

I'm bitter and pessimistic about America's future.It doesn't matter who the next President is.( Senate& Congress as well).Both parties are controlled by Big Pharma,Big Oil and all the other special interests that have bought them.Until the vast majority of Americans are willing to vote these people out,it will be the same old thing.

[jose zapata]

Obama is like that of a favorite son. No matter what he did or is doing, it does'nt matter to the eyes of the beholder. In this country, blatant stupidity started in 1999. And this election promises to be the stupidiest of them all. Obama is a fraud and yet whites like to be identified with him.

I was shocked when I first tried the Internet chat room. The American teens were so rude and arrogant. I suspected at that time that most of the chatters were suffering from Tourette sysndrome. And that generation and the young voters of today are mindless automaton and with propensity for obcenioties. Just observe. Most of Obama's supporters are rude. Obama is rude. He told Hillary that she is likable enough. A week ago he announced that Hillary can run as long as she wants, what a condescending pig. If he is your kind of President, then I will be bitter.

[Ken]

I'm not bitter. America gets the government they deserve. If you support the politicians in power, you deserve them. Most politicians are re-elected for the pork they can bring home. Everybody does it and see what we get to represent us. VOTE WHAT IS RIGHT and not what brings the pork home.

[Scarlet]

Frankly, too many here haven't a clue about big business and/or how the US government operates. So get educated on both subjects before you bring on your "big guns."

It appears that many of you are Obama's supporters, so you won't pursue anything but blame and hate, and trying to get him elected. However, you shall not be happy if he is elected -- anything you oppose that he says or does or that you believe is against you, you shall bash him just as you do President Bush for any and all problems you believe he is causing you.

Some of you wallow in bittererness without justification, so grow up!

[Tishka]

Before Reagan & Bush and Bush & Cheney
I had hope
That this country was moving
Toward an
Enlightened relationship with the
Rest of the world.

No more. Our once inspired nation is now run by criminals and criminal corporate enterprises of the worst sort.

Anyone who voted or promoted these criminals into office should now and forever refrain from ever offering their opinion or judgment on any critical decision facing this country and its people.

Bitter is just another word for disgusted and furious!

[Naomi]

Yes I am bitter. Working class people of America have been robbed. President Clinton's signed NAFTA. It took only 11 months in office for them to destroy the American dream for poor people. Ross Perot told America we were going to be sold out. Her was made fun.
NAFTA was signed into law Dec. 8 1992. Few people realized this was the straw that would break America's back. Martinsville Henry County us to be a place with jobs. If you wanted to work there was work to be had. Bassett Industry, Hooker Furniture, Bassett Knitting Mills, Tultex, DuPont, Fieldcrest Mills and others all closed down. All victims of NAFTA
Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar. So riddle me this how does a person with more than a reasonable amount of intellect send jobs out of America and not create new ones. Now we have Clinton Phase ll, the Co-President of the Clinton years saying to us Elect me I will work for you.Trust me Believe Me. If it were not for the irony of it. It would be laughable something akin Shakespearean satire.

[john]

this corporate owned media being the lapdog of its pay masters is gone a long way in DESTROYING this country. the people better wake up soon or else there is not going to be much to save.

[mary]

Yes , I am bitter. Obama and Michelle are racist bigots. Their friends and associates are bigots and terrorists. I feel sorry for the first vote college students who have fallen in love with this moron and THEY will carry that bitterness forever when they realize their saviour is a scam artist. This is truly unbelievable, we shouldnt even let him stay in the country....

[American GI Joe]

Obama is showing himself to be a hater. His associations for 20 years with a racist hating preacher, his bigotry toward small towns, his arrogance, elitism, and other suspect ideals are coming home to roost.

[Rasputyn]

Of course most thinking people are bitter...if not they are brainwashed. How can one not be bitter, seeing our dollar drop to half its value since the Dubya took office..how can one not be bitter seeing one's govt do nothing but channel big bucks into the pockets of big business while middle class Amurika is rapdily becoming the bottom class...how can one not be bitter if one stops to think that 3 republican presidents are responsible for 9 of the 10 trillion dollars we the PEOPLE owe? (And then they talk about tax-and-spend-liberals...that really makes me ashamed!!) how can I not be bitter when I see the environment being raped! need I go on? this list would go on and on!!!!!

[Thomas]

I'm bitter with the media for making a stupid word like bitter the most important event since the big bang.

[Ron]

Bitter? No
Fed up with the federal governments pre-occupation with political back stabbing and think that is why they don't have time to address the real issues facing Americans. Yes
Democrats said vote for us and we'll end Iraq - So I did, and it Didn't happen. They are not doing anything about the price of gas and that is making everyting else cost more. Ethanol from corn? Wrong answer. That too causes everything else to cost more.

[Vernon]

Bitter yes, stupid no. Does Hillary think we are so dump we need to be told what to think and McCain lost touch so long ago that he can't find his way without following Bush. Do they really believe "We can't handle the truth".

[mr. reality]

60% of Americans are sheep who do nothing but follow trends, brands, and other materialistic, meaningless crap. Those are the people who will vote Hillary and Mccain. They feed off lies, they would rather hear lies if they make them feel safe and warm, than cold hard truth that makes them uncomfortable. People dare not speak the truth as they no longer have the nuts or free thought to know the difference. Obama is a rarity. Obama supporters are people who acknowledge and are refreshed by reality and truth. Painful or not.

[Craig]

I'm one of the few who are doing okay in this economy. As I've been poor (especially the last time a Bush was in office), I can totally understand what Senator Obama was saying. I grew up in the largely screwed Steel Towns south of Chicago. I remember suicides, anger at "the Japanese", and an increase in faith. I also remember a strange lack of anger where it belonged; at the foot of the U.S. Government who fiddled while our communities burned.

Voters: Please don't fall for this latest attempt at "politics by division".

[Nancy Neuman]

I live in a small town in rural PA where our biggest factory closed because the new owners said they could manufacture things more cheaply in China. I did not work in the factory but our whole commmunity was impacted by the loss of 400 jobs . We were all "bitter" at the closing of a company that once was renowned for its quality product and dedicated employees. I am irritated by the condescending attitude and urban bias of Hillary Clinton and pundits who lap up her talkling points. Their attacks on Obama made me understand that he is the only candidate who understands what is going on in rural America.