Obama Says Some Voters Are Angry, Bitter

In the midst of an assault from his rivals, a defensive Barack Obama said Friday that many working-class Americans are angry and bitter over economic inequalities and have lost faith in Washington—and, as a result, vote on the basis of other issues such as gun protections or gay marriage.

[Buzz Flederjon]

The Bushpig has a 26% approval rating.

Thanks, Obama, for stating the obvious. Americans have been lied to over and over again by Bush and Cheney - and including Bill Clinton's lie about his BJ back to 1998 (not that I care about the BJ lie).

Of course, the Bush rednecks will attack you for telling the truth.........

But what else is new?

[Raven7]

I sure as heck don't support Bush but BO is trying to back pedal out of the latest mess he has created for himself. Once again here he is talking out of both sides of his mouth. Funny for a so called "uniter" he is splitting apart this country more and more every day. Nothing like generalizing about a group of people. Hmmm, there is a word for that isn't there?

[Raven7]

The best part of this whole story is that it was one of his own supporters that leaked this story out. She was not going to do it at first because she felt it could hurt his campaign. But this person's conscience got the best of her. Good for her.

[Ridge]

Sometimes the truth is not a good idea during a campaign. i know lots of working people that are angry with the fact that Washington ignores them and is in bed with special interests.

[2 Cents]

Verbally abuse one state's small towns and you abuse all 49 other states...bad move for Mr. Obama!!!!

[living life]

I have been working all day, I just learned of what Obama said, I guess I'm one of them that he looks down on, WHAT A JERK!!!! he'll destroy this country.

[Raven7]

Ridge wrote:

Sometimes the truth is not a good idea during a campaign. i know lots of working people that are angry with the fact that Washington ignores them and is in bed with special interests.

What you are saying is true. But I think the key of what you said is workers. Not just the blue collar workers in small towns. BO did not say what you have stated he was talking about a specific group of people. He doesn't speak truth he was hiding this is a closed meeting. To a group of millionaires. He did not mean for this to come out. Now he and his supporters are trying to weasle out of it. He sure does not sound like a uniter to me. His own supporter saw this as being wrong. I think it is obvious.

[BEAN]

I remember Carter accusing Americans of having a "Malaise",now this expert,says the same.Both are a disaster.Its divisive,racists,elitist,milli onare, talk,and he will not win on...Blame America!!! Its our Fault,Americans!!..God dam America,God dam America!!

If you listened to that for 20yrs...you still would not say that...Obama does!!

[Dapper Dandy Dan]

The de facto choice is McCain. That gives us at least four more years of a winless war.

No candidate has a plan about getting oil prices down or ending the war.

This is a BAD ELECTION coming up.

What is needed is a DARK HORSE: a third pary saviour from out of nowhere: Jesse Ventura! He did it in Minnesota. How about the Presidency? Except he is thin-skinned.

Arnold S would do a good job. But he can't run for Prez. He was foreign-born. Alas!

That leaves the last choice: Ralph Nader. But he sleeps a lot.

[insignificant]

why are you trying to protect small town folks? they are nothing but your typical white person. they deserve nothing and should be ridiculed freely in the media. save your anger for when he offends people who are important.

[Crazy Uncle]

If he feels that way, maybe his party should stop eyeballing my guns.

[Lynn]

Seems most prefer to have politicians tell you lies as long as it is what you WANT to hear. That's amazing considering our recent history with political lies that were the premise for our getting into the seemingly unending Iraq war. Seems refreshing to have someone bold enough like Senator Obama to tell it like it is for a change, even if the truth hurts!

[Frank]

I saw on the news what Obama said... so whats the big deal? Its true! He's not looking down on anybody, just stating the way it is with alot of people. Sure they are bitter, so am I, bitter about being ripped off by the Govt while bushco bankrupted the Country and shipped all our jobs overseas.

[prometheuspan]

TERRE HAUTE, Ind.(AP)- In the midst of an assault from his rivals, a defensive Barack Obama said Friday that many working-class Americans are angry and bitter over economic inequalities and have lost faith in Washington—and, as a result, vote on the basis of other issues such as gun protections or gay marriage.
The Illinois senator's analysis of what motivates working-class voters came after chief rival Hillary Rodham Clinton accused him of looking down on them. Clinton rebuked Obama on Friday for similar remarks he made privately last Sunday to a group of donors in San Francisco.

"People don't vote on economic issues because they don't expect anybody is going to help them," Obama told a crowd at a Terre Haute, Ind., high school Friday evening. "So people end up voting on issues like guns and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. They take refuge in their faith and their community, and their family, and the things they can count on. But they don't believe they can count on Washington."

The Huffington Post Web site reported Friday that Obama, speaking of some Pennsylvanians' economic anxieties, told supporters at the San Francisco fundraiser: "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 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."

In Terre Haute, Obama said he did describe some voters as bitter when a donor asked why working-class voters in Pennsylvania were not getting behind his campaign.

"Well, that's not my experience," Clinton told a Drexel University crowd, describing the state's residents as resilient, optimistic and hardworking.

"Pennsylvanians don't need a president who looks down on them," she said. "They need a president who stands up for them."

Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for Republican candidate John McCain, described Obama's comments as "condescending" and "out of touch."

----------
Obama is right, and hes not looking down on them,
hes empathizing and being a good diplomat, which is what he is good at. How anybody can spin that to a negative is beyond the pale and only prooves that people are desperate to spin negatively about OBAMA.

[TN Vol]

Christians certainly DO Not make statements like the one Obama made regarding small towns. He placed turning to guns and/or religion in the same category as an outcome for people who are bitter. For a candidate who calls himself the "great uniter" he sure speaks divisive and stereotypical words, for example labelling his own grandmother and people of her generation as a "typical white person". Now he's stereotyping individuals who live in small towns as bitter, angry,gun carrying, bible thumping, impoverished people.

In light of his choice of friends like Jeremiah Wright and The Ayers I concluded that his actions do not match his words. But now with comments like these Obama's words don't even match Obama's words!

[Kats]

DOES AL QAEDA WANT OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE???

Ted Kennedy wants Obama in the White House

Al Sharpton wants Obama in the White House

Jesse Jackson wants Obama in the White House

Louis Farrakhan wants Obama in the White House

M. Zulu Shabazz wants Obama In the White House

Jerimiah Wright wants Obama in the White House

James Cone wants Obama in the White House

Dwight Hopkins wants Obama in the White House

Michelle Obama, his racist wife, wants Obama
in the White House

The New Black Panther Party wants Obama in the
White House

The Nation of Islam wants Obama In the White
House

The NAACP wants Obama in the White House

United Trinity Church wants Obama in the White
house

AND EVERYONE WITH SAME IDEALS AND BELIEFS, WANT
OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE.....

YOU DECIDE....
WHO DO YOU WANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE?????

CAVEAT EMPTOR......

[prometheuspan]

Kats wrote:

DOES AL QAEDA WANT OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE???
Ted Kennedy wants Obama in the White House......

Sensible people who want diplomatic solutions to real world problems rather than evil jerks with guns and tanks and attack helicopters and lots and lots of bombs who are out to conquer the world to exploit its resources....

Sensible people will want a real Diplomat in the white house.
Those we have beefs with will, incidentally, also want a real diplomat in the white house.

So your point is stupid brainwashed backwards.
Just because these people want him for president,
and they are maybe not so good people...
doesn't mean anything; your guilt by association
smear is a joke, a childs troll shell game.

Most people have the intelligence and wits to keep their eyes on the real, not the sleight of hand. Which are you? The victim of this propaganda, or a propaganda artist?

[Frank]

great rebuttal Prometheus. So very true.

[Kats]

prometheuspan wrote:

<quoted text>
Sensible people who want diplomatic solutions to real world problems rather than evil jerks with guns and tanks and attack helicopters and lots and lots of bombs who are out to conquer the world to exploit its resources....
Sensible people will want a real Diplomat in the white house.
Those we have beefs with will, incidentally, also want a real diplomat in the white house.
So your point is stupid brainwashed backwards.
Just because these people want him for president,
and they are maybe not so good people...
doesn't mean anything; your guilt by association
smear is a joke, a childs troll shell game.
Most people have the intelligence and wits to keep their eyes on the real, not the sleight of hand. Which are you? The victim of this propaganda, or a propaganda artist?

Your argumentive form of intimidation is a
confession of intelectual impotance,and
your accusations are frivilous and without
merit.

CAVEAT EMPTOR......

[Sad]

Kats wrote:

DOES AL QAEDA WANT OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE???
Ted Kennedy wants Obama in the White House
Al Sharpton wants Obama in the White House
Jesse Jackson wants Obama in the White House
Louis Farrakhan wants Obama in the White House
M. Zulu Shabazz wants Obama In the White House
Jerimiah Wright wants Obama in the White House
James Cone wants Obama in the White House
Dwight Hopkins wants Obama in the White House
Michelle Obama, his racist wife, wants Obama
in the White House
The New Black Panther Party wants Obama in the
White House
The Nation of Islam wants Obama In the White
House
The NAACP wants Obama in the White House
United Trinity Church wants Obama in the White
house
AND EVERYONE WITH SAME IDEALS AND BELIEFS, WANT
OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE.....
YOU DECIDE....
WHO DO YOU WANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE?????
CAVEAT EMPTOR......

And don't forget the majority of American voters want him in the white house.

Aren't you in Mexico? Did they have the primary there yet?