I Was Born In A Small Town

Jiminy, Obama unleashes his inner Michelle:

You go into 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 toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

They will make a lovely First Couple.

A BIT MORE THAN A SOUPCON:  The eerily prescient Bill Kristol, last Monday:

And an experienced Democratic operative e-mailed: “Finally, I think [McCain’s] going to win. Obama isn’t growing in stature. Once I thought he could be Jimmy Carter, but now he reminds me more of Michael Dukakis with the flag lapel thing and defending Wright. Plus he doesn’t have a clue how to talk to the middle class. He’s in the Stevenson reform mold out of Illinois, with a dash of Harvard disease thrown in.”  

In a close race, that “dash of Harvard disease” could be the difference.

Uhh, "dash" of Harvard disease?  Obama just emptied the dump truck.

PILING ON:

HALP US BROK O'BOMBA-- WE R STUCK HEAR N ALTOONA.

TRYING TO HELP:  Where are those laminated cards Mickey suggested during the Wright debacle?

"All of the statements that have been the subject of controversy are ones that I vehemently condemn."

Maybe Barack can just pretend he didn't hear his controversial comments.  Wait, I was kidding...

WORK THAT SHOVEL:  Barack keeps digging in this video from Hot Air.   Slightly scary but mostly funny bit - his big applause line, twice, is (roughly) "People are bitter, and they ought to be."  Yeah, let's hear it for bitter!  Sounds like a winning platform - Mourning in America.  That'll nail down the Nutroots, as if they weren't already nailed down... now if only the rest of the country could get on board the Bitterness Express.

IT'S ABOUT JUDGMENT:  Barack routinely lauds his good judgment in wanting to stay out of Iraq.  Now let's see if he stays out of Pennsylvania.

DROLLERYS:  Glenn's got 'em.

HELPFUL, BUT NOT:  Marc Ambinder psychoanalyzes Obama and tells us what he really meant.  Well, fine, but no matter how well-intentioned and sincere Obama may have been, when a big government Harvard lib explains to working class people that they are bitter because government has failed them and consequently they have taken refuge in guns, religion, and racism, it sounds condescending.  Mainly because it is.

ANOTHER EGGHEAD HEARD FROM:  Mickey Kaus:

I used to think working class voters had conservative values because they were bitter about their economic circumstances--welfare and immigrants were "scapegoats," part of the false consciousness that would disappear when everyone was guaranteed a good job at good wages. Then I left college. ...

P.S.: Because Obama's comments are clearly a Category II Kinsley Gaffe--in which the candidate accidentally says what he really thinks--it will be hard for Obama to explain away. [He could say he was tired and it was late at night?--ed But he was similarly condescending in his big, heartfelt, well-prepared "race speech." Better to embrace them. Let's have a national dialogue about egghead condescension!]

We have a choice in this country.  We can tackle egghead condescension only as spectacle - as we do with Paul Krugman's columns - or in the wake of tragedy, as we did in the aftermath of the Kerry campaign - or as fodder for the nightly news.

We can do that.

But if we do, I can tell you that in the next election, we'll be talking about some other distraction. And then another one. And then another one. And nothing will change.

ON THE GROUND IN PA:  The man in the street (that would be a mud-splattered, litter strewn working class street) reacts to Obama's insight:

"By cracky, it's like the man sees into my soul! 

"Thirty years ago, I had a good job in the mill in Pittsburgh. I was bringing in a good income, going to jazz clubs, discussing Proust over white wine and brie, with my gay friends of all colors. I was all for free trade, so that we could sell the steel overseas, and I never bothered to go to church, let alone actually believe in God.

"But then, the plant closed down, and I couldn't get another job. I went on unemployment, and found odd jobs here and there, but they barely paid the rent in the loft, and the payment on the Bimmer. I couldn't afford the wine and brie any more, and had to shift over to beer and brats.

"Of course, as a result, I started hanging out with the wrong crowd--the beer drinkers.

The downward spiral continues...

DEAD MAN RUNNING:  John of Powerline thinks this ends Obama's Presidential chances, as does the Captain, who also opines that it will not resurrect Hillary.  My view?  This ices the Wright cake - I don't think Hillary can stop him, but Obama is not electable. 

Well, listening to six months of lefties defending Barry and patiently explaining that rural whites really are bigoted gun nuts and religious fanatics should be amusing.  Too soon to credit Karl Rove?
 

MORE:  Some excerpts from the New Yorker profile of Michelle Obama:

Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we’re a divided country, we’re a country that is “just downright mean,” we are “guided by fear,” we’re a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents. “We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day,” she said, as heads bobbed in the pews. “Folks are just jammed up, and it’s gotten worse over my lifetime. And, doggone it, I’m young. Forty-four!”

From these bleak generalities, Obama moves into specific complaints. Used to be, she will say, that you could count on a decent education in the neighborhood. But now there are all these charter schools and magnet schools that you have to “finagle” to get into. (Obama herself attended a magnet school, but never mind.) Health care is out of reach (“Let me tell you, don’t get sick in America”), pensions are disappearing, college is too expensive, and even if you can figure out a way to go to college you won’t be able to recoup the cost of the degree in many of the professions for which you needed it in the first place. “You’re looking at a young couple that’s just a few years out of debt,” Obama said. “See, because, we went to those good schools, and we didn’t have trust funds. I’m still waiting for Barack’s trust fund. Especially after I heard that Dick Cheney was s’posed to be a relative or something. Give us something here!”

Dick Cheney's dad worked for the USDA; Cheney himself flunked out of Yale before getting a degree at the University of Wyoming.

Comments

[Tina]

So, in Obama's world, we small towners are nothing but bigots...tracks nicely to his "typical white person" comment. And to think, these comments were delivered out in San Fran in front of a group of late-sippin limosine liberals. Barak shows his true color.

CNN had a whole hour on this tonight and pretty much everybody (except some character named Roland something) pretty much agreed he just sank his bid for the presidency.

[Paul Zrimsek]

Why can't these yahoos just disown their religion? I bet their bitterness makes them cling to their grandmothers too.

[Thomas Collins]

B_O's patronizing elitist attitude is not surprising. But how could he possibly be so tone deaf to how his statement will come across? I guess he checked one too many case cites while he was on the Harvard Law Review, and his judgment became addled.

[GMax]

Its like Wright only times 10. That what some pundit on CNN said a few moments ago. The Democrats were harsher than the Republican ( it was Ed Rollins of Perot and Huckabee fame ). But both Democrats said he stepped in it.

How many times can you act like a bull in the China shop, before they pull out the sign that says, You broke it you bought it?

But Pa goes north of 10+ for Hill now.

Pass the popcorn, this is going all the way to Denver. Tear gas mask anyone?

[GMax]

He was in Marin County. Some reporter had this on tape since Sunday or Monday, and agonized on whether to report it or not. Seriously. Both about Marin County and the reporter. Is it acceptable to stereotype both Marin Co and reporters given Mr. Hoped for Changed can stereotype average Americans?

It would be a funnier stereotype for sure.

[Barney Frank]

Obama must have spent most of his youth with self inflicted 'kick me' signs on his back.

[GMax]

Tina

Wasn't it Ed Rollins?

The dufus was Perot campaign manager and recently for Huckabee as well.

[Thomas Collins]

Of course, the only sensible thing for B_O to do is to apologize. My bet is that he makes it worse by getting defensive and trying to justify it.

[Paul Zrimsek]

HALP US BROK O'BOMBA-- WE R STUCK HEAR N ALTOONA.

[GMax]

The Obama response, you wont believe it but here it is:

"Senator Obama has said many times in this campaign that Americans are understandably upset with their leaders in Washington for saying anything to win elections while failing to stand up to the special interests and fight for an economic agenda that will bring jobs and opportunity back to struggling communities. And if John McCain wants a debate about who's out of touch with the American people, we can start by talking about the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans that he once said offended his conscience but now wants to make permanent,”

Can you say typical liberal, never says sorry? I knew you could.

[DebinNC]

Obama Camp Defends Fundraiser Remarks — But Just The Uncontroversial Ones

[SteveMG]

This is a man who's matured politically entirely in a liberal/left environment where statements like this (is this guy an economic determinist or what?) are made with no repercussions.

Diversity, they call it. Black and white and yellow and red people, gay and straight, Jew and Christian and Muslim. All saying the same thing with the same political worldview.

That's the world of the Obamas.

So, he and his wife get out in the real world and find things are bit more diverse than they realize.

[ben]

If you are rabidly anti-American and extremely left wing like Obama is you can't go a year without showing your true colors. Despite all the scripted bring us together, supra-racial, above partisanship rhetoric, Obama cannot help but show flashes of this true being. You have to give him credit, actually, he is undertaking a difficult task, trying to hoodwink enough people to vote for him based on who he is not, and if you look at the polls he has been remarkably successful...so far.

[GMax]

Hoodwink, bamboozled ...

[willem]

Now don't pick on Obama. That was his white blood talking.. which is why he sounded so bigoted and effete. You crackers just ain't used to being talked to that way. When Obama takes over, he'll teach you how you need to look at things. And then we'll have Change.

[DebinNC]

There are quite a few "cling to their religion" folks out there.

[Jay McDonough]

from swimming freestyle:

"Barack Obama is a remarkably eloquent man and turning into a remarkably capable politician. But if the Senator believes it's smart to insult voters from a state critical to your success, he's hit one of the worst false notes yet in his campaign.

Yeah, I know what his campaign said, and that may have been what he meant. But a sophisticated candidate doesn't refer to voters in language that can be construed as derogatory or insulting. Obama asserted Pennsylvania voters are bitter and so simple and lacking in maturity and intelligence that they address their frustration by clinging to primitive and reactionary crutches rather than addressing their problems in constructive ways.

It's divisive. And not the way to attract the voters you need most."

http://swimmingfreestyle.typepad.com

[willem]

Bamboozled indeed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuB_W8o_UsU

[PeterUK]

"When Obama takes over, he'll teach you how you need to look at things. And then we'll have Change."

He's only going to be president dear boy,not Mao or Stalin.

[Laka]

Stargate is on:

An alien got shot and his symbiote was dying so they saved him. They do that to survive, but I don't believe Marvel Comics. I think they do that to assume the target and take over. Like lucifer assumed that guy in that movie. There is a better theory were the symbiote stares through the eyes of the person they are going to assume from hell and then assumes them before getting their own human body later. The smartest way to do that would be a fetus because it's a new life and easily assumed and a longer life, but there isn't much to see.

I guess someone wanted a vote today, but they already have that Hitler charisma thing, so why would the sell off what they assumed?

Like that guy said, it's tinfoil hats.

[centralcal]

I think Barry and Michelle, with their higher incomes, would be better served to go into therapy and try to resolve all their issues, rather than seek political office.

[DebinNC]

This certainly vindicates Hillary's decision to hang around until PA, IN, WV, and KY, full of gun-owning, church going folks, get to vote. And I bet their MI brethren now in limbo will be affected by BO's PA remarks.

Ironically, in trying to explain to the rich CA libs why he hasn't done better among white, working class voters, he may have destroyed any inroads he's spent millions in ads + bowling to gain.

[Ralph L]

agonized on whether to report it or not
So it comes out late Friday afternoon. I question the timing.

[pagar]

Didn't some leftist American politician say if I've lost CNN I've lost America?

"CNN had a whole hour on this tonight and pretty much everybody (except some character named Roland something) pretty much agreed he just sank his bid for the presidency."

Or was I having a dream?

[centralcal]

LOL, pagar!

[Jane]

So I wonder how Hillary wrestles it away. Do the superdelegates go easily? What about the blacks. Is it a bloodbath or a smooth transistion?

[GMax]

Well I went to another site I frequent. Some fairly sensible lefties there so I ask them, what do you think? It was all denial. I point out Kirsten Powers, she is a big Hill supporter. I point out Juan Williams, he is a big Hill supporter. Never seem to dawn on them that they can not win the general without all of those Hill supporters plus a bunch of Indys. I did not ask about what Repubs were saying, I knew what the response would be.

This guy is touting his judgement? I do give him credit for having audacity. I would not go much further in credit however.

[Danube of Thought]

His bid for the presidency was as dead as Julius Caesar the day the first Wright video hit the tube. But it's fun to watch the process continue.

And I guess Deb is onto something--especially if Hill really has the "bombshell" she's gonna drop after next week's debate.

Hey John--may I be the first to call you "Mr. President?"

[Rick Ballard]

Geez, lighten up. He was right in the middle of a prog plantation, chatting up his folks. Look at this paraphrase:

"TWP won't vote for a whiny comsymp latte lapper."

I'd say he nailed it - they won't.

He was just dancin' with them what brought him.

[Dr. Weevil]

Michelle Obama thinks you need to "finagle" to get into a charter or magnet school? Maybe in Chicago, but here in North Carolina I teach at a magnet school in the morning and a charter school in the afternoon: both use lotteries to decide who gets in. At least one of them has separate lotteries for racial minorities to make sure they aren't underrepresented.

[centralcal]

Where is ...

HI and Run
Threadherder
Other Jeff
VIMH?

Barry O is no longer TOAST!

He is well on his way to becoming croutons!

[Sara]

HALP US BROK O'BOMBA-- WE R STUCK HEAR N ALTOONA.

You owe me a keyboard. LOL.

[Donna V.]

What is interesting was the inclusion of "free trade" among the things hated by those bitter Bubbas in the sticks. Looks like a wink, wink, nudge, nudge to his rich donors, a sign that whatever Obama has to say to the rubes, he's not going to ditch NAFTA.

[willem]

"He's only going to be president dear boy,not Mao or Stalin."

Heh. Peter. If only I was certain Obama was that self limiting...

[ben]

Ace at Ace of Spades has done a good job paraphrasing Obama's comments"

"Obama To Rural Pennsylvanians: Vote For Me, You Corncob-Smokin', Banjo-Strokin' Chicken-Chokin' Cousin-Pokin' Inbred Hillbilly Racist Morons"

[SteveMG]

Americans as victims. Stupid, illogical ones, too.

Not sure that'll fit on a bumper sticker.

"Mourning in America"

Okay, that'll work. It's all your Senator.

[Donna V.]

I wouldn't get too cocky yet about the election. It's early yet, and a lot of Soros money is going to be spent smearing McCain.

Jeez, look at what complete and total clowns Kerry and Theresa were (I remember their visit to Wendy's and Theresa's discovery of chili quite fondly) and yet the jackass still managed to get almost half the country to vote for him.

[GnuCarSmell]

Those bitter Pennsylvanians are just typical white people.

[Ranger]

You know, in the tradition of good deconstructionism, lets look at this statement:

And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

I'm going to go out of order here:

they cling to guns

I seem to recall some foundational document of American goverment declaring that "the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." I guess Obama has a differnet view. Imagine people wanting to the privlidge to defend themselves rather than relying on the state to do it. Don't they realize that only the eilte are entitled to armed prtection. Everone else should just rely on calling 911 like good little plebes.

or religion

Such fools. Don't they understand that German philosophy proved the falicy of belief in "God." Marx explained the material dialectic basis of history. That anyone would dispute that is just ignorance.

or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment

Such a typical white person reaction to "the other." They just need to learn to stop othering and accept they are an exploitive minority in a world of color.

or anti-trade sentiment

Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. You enlitened and weathy West Coasters know I was only trashing trade to get Midwestern votes. Trade is good for those who appriciate its multi-cultural deconsruction of the white power structure.

And it's not surprising then they get bitter

Because they are an exploitive rasicst minority who's power is being challenged, of course they are going to be bitter about being forced to give up their positions of wealth and privlidge, even if they don't think they have wealth and privlidge.

[ben]

Appalled Moderate where art thou? I thought you would be here front and center, explaining that Obama does not really hate people that believe in God and own guns.

(let's see: people who believe in God, people that own guns, and people that believe in God AND have guns, probably covers 90% of Americans. But heck Obama should have the remaining 10% cornered)

[DebinNC]

Was Obama's use of "cling" to their guns and religion telling? Is he saying racism, gun owning, and religion go hand in hand?

[Thomas Collins]

B_O's spokesperson's response was even worse than I thought it was going to be. If B_O's team thinks attacking McCain on taxes is the way to handle this, they clearly listen to too much NPR and not enough regular talk radio.

[Sara]

Well Kerry might have insulted an entire class of people, the Veterans, but they live all over the country. I can't remember when a candidate so blatantly insulted the entire population of a key state. And speaking of Teresa, I can't imagine the Pennsylvania founded and located Heinz Company being too thrilled with these types of remarks seeing as how their products are produced from those rural rubes' farm labors.

[Tom Maguire]

And I guess Deb is onto something--especially if Hill really has the "bombshell" she's gonna drop after next week's debate.

Hmm, mightn't this be the bombshell? Perhaps the reporter tipped the Hillary people by asking for their reaction, or perhaps some other source from the event ratted Barry out.

Heaven help Barack if Hillary can top this.

[SteveMG]

Was Obama's use of "cling" to their guns and religion telling?

Interesting use of words.

Cling?

As in a baby bottle or mother? A safe, soothing device.

Americans as irrational victims (children?) of economic forces beyond their control. A very collectivist view of the world.

Bob Shrum gives it three stars, I'm sure.

[GnuCarSmell]

Newsflash for the Audacious Hopeful One:

That stuff you just stepped in is NOT Shinola®.

[clarice]

Let them --BO and MO---talk as much as they want. Do not muzzle them. I want to hear their every word. Really I do.

[Range]

Was Obama's use of "cling" to their guns and religion telling? Is he saying racism, gun owning, and religion go hand in hand?

Posted by: DebinNC | April 11, 2008 at 10:00 PM

Actually, I think it was a backhanded slap at the "from my cold, dead hands" phrase... particuarly timely (and insulting) given the death of Charlston Heston.

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice,

Not yet - can't you hear the squeal of the rusty hinges as the coffin lid slowly rises and a claw like hand creeps over the edge...

[Porchlight]

Was Obama's use of "cling" to their guns and religion telling? Is he saying racism, gun owning, and religion go hand in hand?

I think he means "cling" in the manner of "religion is the opiate of the masses" - these are peasants oppressed by the capitalist economy who have nothing to hold onto but their retrograde superstitions, their fear of the Other, and their primitive weaponry. Pretty much sounds like everything I was taught in college.