Most voters disagree with Obama comment

Does anyone need anymore proof that the Boston Globe is squarly in the Clinton camp? Anyone?

Typical von hinten Clinten and insane McCain.

It looks like they some anti- Obama folks in the media are going to make a mountain out of any ant hill they can find before April 22nd.

Shame on the media and the pundits, and shame on Hillary for taking
Obama's remarks and twisting them to fit their own political gains.
This political silly stuff is becoming wearisome. I'm voting for Obama.
He is the most intelligent, authentic and inspiring candidate in this
nation.

YAWN. Time for the next news cycle...

This is going to be a divisive election, and these comments will not change any minds that weren't made up already.

When sees McCain for the GOP conservative that he is, independents and moderates will not vote for him.

Dems could run an ass for president (hah, perhaps true) and still win.

even taken out of context - his comment is dead on. more proof that obama really knows what's going on in this country.

I DO agree with what Obama's was saying. I'm from Alaska, a state where you can be as conservative or liberal as you want to be and still find plenty of folks to agree with your point of view. I spent the last 12 months in a small town in Washington state where the economy has been depressed due to logging shutdowns and lack of work. It previously had the notoriety of being the best welfare county in the state. The young people in the industry I worked in had a closed mind set toward minorities or those not local to the area. Just as they were prejudiced or biased for and against certain ethnicities, races and heritages, they were quick to blame the government for their problems. Whether it was the price of gas or groceries, houses or snow machines, the majority were stuck the red neck rut of everything being someone else's fault. One of these folks told me that instead of saving money in the bank, they invested in guns because "you can always get $200 out of a gun." Obama was right in his understanding of small town America and the small vision they hold of world events. Not all, but a great many lack the critical thinking skills to think outside their own boxes.

Pop psychology. It is bad when Dr. Phil does it. It is bad when Obama does it. The reasons for antipathy, anger, hatred, and symbolic gestures are too varied to be suitable for a generalized wrap up. All the candidates will be wary of over-generalization of motivation in the future. That is good. Stick to the issues.

Is Hillary, wife of the President, daughter of the rich, less "elite" than he?

I notice that the media takes no responsibility for twisting people's comments or demonizing them, no matter which part of the political spectrum they're on. From alleging that McCain had an affair, to hunting down and embarrassing the family briefly mentioned in some of Hillary's stump speeches (to which she did not give a name), to this sort of push pull trying to make things out as if Obama is "collapsing" based on what? One bad poll?

Don't get me wrong. Believe it or not, I understand why things turn out this way. But you SHOULD be more introspective about where you try to focus people's hate and why you're doing it in the first place. Most of the reasons I see for attempting that are very, very wrong.

Nobody cares anyway.

McCain will end up winning anyway. Maybe Baarack can run run HUD

Obama is the single worst serious Presidential candidate I have ever seen, with maybe the exception of Jimmy "I sleep with terrorists" Carter. Fundamentally unfit to be President. Lacking in experience and judgment, simply a product of the left-wing hype machine.

Anything that can be held against him should be, for the sake of this nation. God forbid he could get elected... I'm not religious at all but it makes me want to pray that he loses.

Obama is right. You country bumkins are more worried about gay marriage than the fact our country has been sold out. You are worried about owning a machine gun but in the mean time the lobbyists and corporations just sent your job overseas. Just keep putting your head in the sand say a few hail marys and charge your chinese junk at walmart.

My husband's family is from small-town Pennsylvania and Ohio. Most of the racist and anti-immigrant email we receive are from the people in those states, so I think Obama is correct.

i can't believe he said those comments....unreal...

just how many cites are in america?....respect the rural areas...you moron...!

after working his ... off for 18 months...he is going to loss because of these comments...unreal...what was he thinking?...again UNREAL...and this rural areas will VOTE FOR HILLARY...that is even MORE UNREAL...!

hillary is a gun runner now...oh boy!

Does anyone else find it weird that Obama said a lot of people are embittered and angry at politicians, and all of a sudden rural PA , one of the most pugnatious places in the country, got all defensive and said "No, we're not!"

... They're so bitter, they don't even know they're bitter.

Rome burns... the media fiddles with attacking the shades of nuance of the truth. Middle America is bitter about many things: jobs, education, medical expenses, losing our homes, those of us who have managed to save money are seeing its value destroyed by rising costs of living and stagnant interest rates. It is an unpleasant thing to talk about, but, I'd say we are bitter.

If the American public fail to elect Obama because of his observations about the political climate of small town America, it will just go to prove that Americans are uneducated, uninformed and pick leaders based on shallow-reasoning. I live in Canada (but I'm a dual citizen), and if Americans fail to reverse the damaged caused by the past seven years of the Bush presidency, I'm afraid the damage will be irreversible and the American people will only have themselves to blame.

For post #1, by memoryaid, who began by saying, "Note that this was a "push-poll", PEW doesn't do push polling to my knowledge; this was not a "push-poll".

A push-poll is, "Are you aware that Barack Obama believes people gravitate toward religion and guns when times are tough?" "Yes, No?"

And, from Obama's statements, that is precisely what Obama stated, although it is unknown if that is what he believes.

My only concern is why Obama never discusssed his issues on Small Town America with the very people he is referencing. How many town hall meetings has he done to date? Isn't it odd that he made the comments to people who just like him are rich and have millions of dollars.

How refreshing to finally see the true Obama, thank you to the person that taped that fundraiser for the Rich and Wealthy in San Francisco.

I'm undecided but was talking to an Obama supporter about Obama's "clinging to guns and religion" comment. The Obama supporter said, "IS HE TRYING TO LOOSE THE ELECTION?" I find Obama's comments troublesome because he lacked the good judgement to keep his strategy to his campaign team. He had no need to share these remarks with wealthy Californian contributorrs. He was in Ca. performing to get more cash to run more ads in Pa. to win more supporters and alienated the Pa. people he was trying to win over in the process. If Obama's leadership demonstration with this incident isn't something to be fearful of, I do not know what is. The US President will negotiate with many foreign countries and needs a much more experienced command of the situation than what Obama has shown here!

The Power of Polarization.........

Finally... Obama is moving away from his 'Kumbaya-happy talk' and addressing a real phenomena that effects each and everyone of us. And if you don't acknowledge this to some extent... you only prove his point.

With todays media, political opportunists, and arm-chair analysts, it would have served him best to have used a word like 'frustrated' instead of 'bitter'.

Loss of faith in government breeds contempt & skepticism. This contempt & skepticism fosters an 'Us v. Them' attitude. Our individual value system becomes polarized and is then focused on what serves 'ME' the best! This polarization breeds ignorance. Ignorance is the foundation of antipathy, racisim, and blind faith that allows for adherence to cults & religions that we believe will take care of all of 'MY' problems.

As a registered Democrat - soon to be Independent - John McCain supporter, these statements offer me a new perspective on Obama.

As one who has lost faith in our government & politicians - I have to wonder if Obama is simply catering to the skeptic in me for my vote.

(rsmoon6 f/SoCal)

Somehow we HAVE to get Ron Paul back in the race or keep buying KY by the truckload.

Its 3:00am and Hillary is under your bed!
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/D/1/2/3_am_monster.jpg

The Next President
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/W/0/2/campain_08.jpg

Your Choice!

For Change Vote Obama!
Small Town http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eDkAG3R0h8

Radio Nowhere
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLt6kcZ72Q

Obama 08!

It's interesting how Obama's supporters emphasize his communicative skills when it helps their cause. When his statements expose his true nature, he "misspoke." Very convenient. Very revealing.

Definition of BITTER: angry, hurt, resentful because of ones' bad experience or unjust treatment.

Obama spoke the truth. And, it's not only the voters of small towns in Pennsylvania that are bitter, angry, hurt and resentful of Washington politicians' empty promises.. but voters across the United States of America.

How can anyone who's lived in a political bubble for the last 25 years and who reported a joint income of over $109,000,000 since leaving the White House has the gall of accusing Senator Obama of being an elitist?

No matter how many fake boiler makers Hillary drinks, no matter how loud she screams about Obama, very few people will forget what she hopes we will forget: Tuzla.

Who is the most "bitter" person in the U.S. right now. Really?

This working class, grass roots, senior citizen VOTER agrees with Obama. I know many who turn to useless fantasies to try to cope with the massive disillusionment with our entire current system of government. My hope is that the Republican Party will disappear and a new and vital conservative movement will come into to being. Not likely with our bitter, ignorant, and gullible population.

So funny.
Democrats are sticking with their candidate no matter what he (or she) says.
So the primary numbers aren't moving much.
So Obama supporters are convinced that everything is hunky-dory.
...
...
...
Please, no one tell them that Independent voters are sliding away from both of them.
:)

Just put me down as another in a long list of people that is ashamed of the way politics are practiced in this country. Hurricane Katrina and its fall out are proof of the disdain that our federal government and our current administration have for poor people of all colors, and yet this newspaper and half of the people that are commenting on its inconsequential little poll are more concerned about the verbiage Mr. Obama uses to describe the phenomenon of poor whites voting against their economic interests in election after election, than they are in the great catastrophe that the Bushies have created right before our eyes.

Look at FEMA, look at HUD, and everyone calling obama a racist aught to be ashamed that they let these two agencies that serve the poor get away with an absolute deriliction of duty, while they fuss and mince about a few words in a speech. That's pathetic. It would be nice if substance trumped style at some point in politics.

McCain is the one who doesn't want to recognize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday in his home state, but people here want to sit there and sling taunts of racism at the only guy in the election who is from a family of white and black?

Some of you need to get a grip.

Mark Penn and Bill Clinton have done more to enhance the trade deals that Hilary claims to be against. Hilary has funded her campaign using money her husband brought in from lobbying for those trade deals. It's amazing that people put silly issues such as this in front of the issues that have a bigger effect on their dailly lifes.

BTW - how can this be a bigger issue than the recent Bosnia blunder or Peter Paul?

It is a shame that Senator Obama speaks the truth and it upsets people! What he says is absolutely true, and maybe there was a more artful way of saying, but at least he speaks the truth, doesn't back down from his comments, and doesn't create history like his Democratic rival.

As one who has been listening to and reading Obama, I feel that I know what he meant, as a brother's keeper candidate.

But I don't like that he said it either. Worst is the setting. He was talking to a bunch of wealthy (enough) donors about a lot of poor people somewhere else.

That's the worst of it. I'd say this is a mistake he won't be making again this lifetime unless he doesn't recognize how form can mean more than content. It was bad form.

I'm still preferring him. That's not going to change. I just regret having had to witness the way this played, that it hurt people who are already hurting, and people he already cares about and wants to help by using government's powers to do it. Like spending war money to help communiites.

Too honest for a politician! Maybe they prefer Hillary's and McCain"s hypocrisy.

Rasmussen is a Republican pollster outfit. Who did they ask? Voters? Republicans only? People on the street?
The poll is skewed and does not reflect the general electorate.

You want to know how big of an issue this really is for Obama?

Count up the total number of pro-Obama and anti-Obama posts.

Now, throw out all the anti-Obama posts which are from people who didn't support Obama before this...they're easy to find, either full of pro McCain or Clinton propaganda, or calling Obama a Marxist or a racist or mentioning his former pastor.

This is NOT an issue. People who come on these boards to bash Obama would come to any board where they could bash him, regardless of what the topic dujour might be. They don't like him, they never liked him, and therefore it's not like he's losing their support, he never had it. I suspect very few will go from being pro-Obama to being anti-Obama, but I also suspect there will be as many who go from anti to pro based on this comment alone.

The only real danger is we're so close to the PA primary now, that Hillary in her "I'll say or do anything to win" campaign will pummel him relentlessly with this when speaking to small town PA voters, she'll paint it so they come away thinking he doesn't "get" them (when these people would simply need to look at the fact that Obama took his law degree to the streets of Chicago to help those in poverty, while Clinton took hers to the board room of Wal-Mart to see who is really out of touch with the "common" man), and she'll probably win PA by more than she would have. The margin would have probably ended up within 5 points had it not been for this, now it will be within 10. Which will allow her to push on to at least North Carolina and Indiana without being forced out of the race, despite the fact that she can't win without about 25 more gaffes like this from Obama.

This is just like any other annoying noise...ignore it and it will go away.

The only mistake Obama made was that he didn't lie like Hillary and McCain just to get their votes and disappear as usual.
To call Obama and elitist is an insult to the intelligence of the same voters they are trying desperately to dupe.

While he may have chosen his words more carefully, Obama is basically correct that many working people are upset and frustrated, feeling disenfranchised by our current political systems. It's about time that we have a presidential candidate who is visionary and articulate.
The accussations by Clinton and McCain are simply spin for their own personal gain, and nothing more.
The American people should Wake Up to a new world view that is way overdue. Obama already has!

Obama's comment is so obviously a statement of truth, the real story here is the McCain and Clinton camp's assault on it. What a sad commentary that the pundits view this as a gaffe by Obama.

How about this for a poll question: "Do you think people in small towns are bitter or happy when their economies collapse and the federal government does nothing to help them for decades?"

Or this one: "Do you think people in economically depressed areas are more or less likely than people who are well off to vent anger at those who are not directly the cause of their problems?"

Obama is a racist

Obama is right, why are people acting like its not true. At least he is being honest. Are you telling me people in small towns are a diverse liberal people loving group??? KKK ring a bell???

I don't think "most" voters are in disagreement with what Obama actually said. The middle class are bitter & have every reason to be bitter & cling to friendly beliefs which is human nature, faith, God, neighbors, friends, particularly as these are many of the same people who elected George Bush, that "Christian" president who's hero is Jesus Christ, but then turned around & lied to people on Iraq, ignored them on the economy, did zip on Immigration, job loss & frankly sold out the middle class & their kids to the war, on taxes, on jobs & job loss on nearly everything. Can you blame them if they express bitterness to a candidate such as Obama when he goes door to door, as he was doing in both PA. & IN. & listening & talking. Certainly the familiar things they hold beliefs on,Faith, Guns, Immigration should not be further ignored by the next President. I doubt very much that a President Obam,a would be guilty of ignoring the middle class like the present President or his would be successor, Mr. McCain.

I am a independent who has watched Mr. Obama put his foot in his mouth each and every month. He is unelectable and a racist. How dare his wife suddenly become proud to be an american. He recent statement has ruined any respect I had for him.

I agree with Obama. People who are uneducated, working to meet ends meet and bitter do gravitate to guns, religion, NASCAR and anti-immigrant sentiments.

But's let'e be honest about why the working people of PA might be bitter.....

It's because they despise being told they are stupid by the liberal elites. They own guns because they like hunting, other gun sports and having the ability to protect their own families without relying on the police. They move towards religion because it gives them a moral compass that liberals who support gay marriage, irresponsible behavior and the degradation of the nuclear family disagree with. They love NASCAR because it aggravates liberals, particularly when they collectively say a prayer before the race. And they dislike illegal immigrants because Democrats are giving them all free rides, drivers licenses and social welfare on their tax dollar.

Sure they are bitter...wouldn't you be???

Obama is neither racist nor elitist. Please read his books and don't base your opinion on one sentence you've read online.

He tells the truth, and get crucified for it.

POlitics is alive and well in the 21st century.

It is about time Barack Hussein Obama is called on about his "vision" and his actions. He like the others in the race for president must be held responsible for his actions. His speech to the rich elite in SF reveals his true feelings about average US citizens. The liberal press has given him a "free" pass for a year and true Americans are not willing to let him get away with his missteps, relationships and decisions.

An Obama Win = A McCain Victory.

If you don't like Obama calling it like it is, then you have to change how it is. He seems to constantly say outloud that which we all know very well to be true. He wasn't disrespecting rural voters, he was asking the rest of us to NOT be elitist and assume we could understand their plight. He said effectively, IF you come across someone who is bitter or blames this or that, give them a friggen break, they have been bearing the brunt of this mess we are trying to fix for 25 years now.
He didn't say all rural voters and he also mentioned inner city youth, no one seems to mind him making generalizations about them? He's just not afraid to call it like it is, we all know these things to be true, there are people in small towns and inner cities who are bitter because the have been taken to the cleaners.

You make support Obama, or you may not, but don't hang it on this quote. There is not a single person on the planet who could survive 24/7 scrutiny of every word they utter. Some stuff is bound to come out sounding wrong. If your vote depends on the latest random sound bite from any of the candidates, you are a fool.

I think Obama's comments are more real than most people would like to admit -- those who call him an elitist are not the ones who live in the small communities, the communities hit hardest by the closing of small town America in favor of NAFTA, China trade agreements, tax incentives for big business to ship American jobs to anywhere but the US. It's not just average blue collar workers, the working poor, but these comments can be heard from white collar Americans who have been "feared" into thinking that immigrants are coming to take their jobs too. If people really look deep into themselves, they will admit that at one time or another they too have spoken these words, thought these thoughts but no one wants to be honest about that --

Obama has worked in the inner cities, the ghettos, the small towns, he has REALLY championed the voices of his constituents, where other candidates say they care -- when is the last time they really did anything at the asphalt level BEFORE they pandered for votes. Hillary will say anything to anyone to suit her audience -- and interestingly her stories prove to be false or very large exaggerations at every turn -- I hope poor, blue collar, gay, Latino, Black, Caucasian, gun owners, whiskey sluggers, etc will all heed that message -- she will tell you what that she's just like you, she cares for your issues, but does she really? At the next campaign event she'll say something entirely different to the next group. Everything she says is false --

McCain needs to leave his glass house once in a while -- the last time he cared about any of the aformentioned individuals was when he served with them in Vietnam -- a VERY long time ago -- I'm sure Hillary feels the working class pain -- that is the last time the working class made 109 million dollars per year. If she cared about this country and the people poor and otherwise, she would end her campaign and start to work for the issues that matter under a unified party -- her bitter infighting, name calling and cat scratching are evidence that she is NOT a uniter but rather is very divisive as is McCain -- McCain is another Bush, this country cannot afford 4 more years of those policies. Isn't it time for someone who is willing to stand up for a UNITED America, an underrepresented but overburdened America? Isn't it time for a president to care for us, not just send us to war like sheep to slaughter for a mistake he can't admit.

Obama, I know we can!! I have never believed so strongly in any one or anything like I believe in Barak Obama!

i don't understand people who say Barack Obama is racist. His mother was white and he has said that the best that is in him came from her. As far as being elitist, his father left him when he was 2, he was raised by a single mom and sent off to his grandparents. He just finished paying off his student loans. When he got out of college he went to work on the streets of Chicago. On the other hand, the Clinton accumulated 110 million dollars in a very short time, and probably more if the truth be told. Who's elitist?

And what he said is entirely true; he might have said it better but he's just not slick enough of a politician to be forever atuned to how his words can be twisted used against him. We would be very fortunate to have Barack Obama as the next President of the United States. Not only would the US benefit, but the entire world. I believe that with all my heart. If it matters, I'm a 73 year old white woman, and I've been around long enough to know a very special human being when I see one.

I am not religious nor do I own a gun.

Suggesting that "bitterness" leads to religious practice or gun ownership is just nonsense and Mr. Obama's statements could be interpreted this way.

I understand what Mr. Obama meant, but not everyone will perceive his statements this way. That is one risk of running for elected office.

This is such a big political joke. What Obama said, despite a word or two that gave his opponents an opportunity to distort it, was obvious and generally understood -- the part about so many people being bitter. The less understood thing, and what he did not say clearly enough perhaps, is that when we are anxious, fearful, or lacking in a solid foundation (especially a financial one), we tend to hold on ever more tightly to the things that have given us stability in the past, e.g., our faith, our right to bear arms, etc. This is a natural human tendency. In that response, we become vulnerable to fear-mongers (in this case Bush Republicans and others) who prey on those fears and insecurities, and claim that even those fundamentals are at risk if we don't vote for them. As with his speech about race, Obama took the courageous step of telling it like it is, but risked the fallout that has, in fact, occurred. More power to him. Most people, once they see him -- in person or on video -- are struck by his authenticity and care. That is what will be important in this election.

Most Americans get what Obama was conveying - albeit he could have said it better. But he even acknowledged that. He is not backing down,or shying away from his remarks. Most Americans agree with him. Most Americans ALSO know what Hillary is attempting: To blow this out of proportion, create more divisiveness and serve herself ONLY. She is a manipulator and always has been.

It won't work, Hillary. It's NOT working.

Obama will be a transformational president.

Obama made those comments to explain WHY he was down in the polls in PA. If Hillary and Nafta are tied together and he is so "religous" wouldn't those things have helped him??? It's not like Hillary was known as an NRA member and frequent churchgoer before all this broke. He once again did not explain the answer to the question that was asked--- why was he losing in PA??? Obama does this frequently. He is the master at misdirection when he talks. He did the same thing when confronted about his pastor. In his 37 minute speech he never really gave a susinct answer. Alot of BS everywhere but the answer to why of all the ministers in Chicago would he choose this man and allow this man with some pretty anti-American views to influence his children.Give Clinton credit- she knew an insult when she heard one and went for the throat.. I don't really like Hillary, not someone I would have over for dinner but she is a smart woman who can play ball with the big boys and get things done. I don't have to like who I vote for any more than I have to like my surgeon. Who do you want to do your surgery - the best surgeon or the nicest guy with fumble fingers?? Give me the SOB who is great with his hands.

If Obama gets the nod mark it down McCain wins. The Republicans will have a field day with Obama - his minister, his wife's comments and now what many see as an elists out of touch attitiude. They are absolutely salivating over this. We have all seen them get Bush elected twice. Imagine the field day they will have with this. It may be a landslide - Oprah or not..

Who in America isn't bitter and turning to SOMETHING out of frustration with the state of affairs in government and the world? It's not like he said that people in small towns are all meth addicts. This is ruffling feathers because it hits close to the truth - even if it wasn't Obama's most eloquent or well-chosen turn of words.

Hillary jumped all over this because she's desperate. She's not out of the race, but she wants every edge, no matter the cost. It's out of the Karl Rove playbook. Politics and negative spectacle instead of issues. I'm amazed that she say she's advocating change in DC with a straight face.

Why isn't the Globe or CNN writing or showing what Bill Clinton said in 1991: "You know, he [Bush] wants to divide us over race. I'm from the South. I understand this. This quota deal they're gonna pull in the next election is the same old scam they've been pulling on us for decade after decade after decade. When their economic policies fail, when the country's coming apart rather than coming together, what do they do? They find the most economically insecure white men and scare the living daylights out of them. They know if they can keep us looking at each other across a racial divide, if I can look at Bobby Rush and think, Bobby wants my job, my promotion, then neither of us can look at George Bush and say, 'What happened to everybody's job? What happened to everybody's income? What ... have ... you ... done ... to ... our ... country?'"

I certainly hope he does not get the primary, although I'll vote for McCain I voted for HC in the Primary.

I hated the Hilary comments about being shot at as well but Obama being in the church with that fruit says it all, especially when he said he has never heard the guy say anything like that because he would have said something what a bunch of BS but hey that's politics it is all about lying and cheating so you vote for the lesser of 2 evils not the best person.

It is human nature to dismiss and demean the people that disagree with what you would like to do. Hillary Clinton and John McCain have said things that are just as bad in their lesser moments. All politicians, despite their lofty rhetoric, will undermine their opponents and seek to factionalize and divide people based on arbitrary and often false characteristics. It is the oldest of military and political strategies: to divide and conquer. I think Obama has up until this point done a very good job of trying to bring people together, but when push comes to shove and people have irreconcilable differences on what kind of society they want to live in, we see him resorting to the same tactics as every other politician. Still I think it comes down to whether you think he has the temperament to be president, I think he does, and whether you can stomach those things which you disagree on given the other choices. I think on the issues I might have to go with John McCain, but I have no illusions that he or Hillary Clinton will become divisive and cast dispersions when they feel they need to.

the hullabaloo around the quote taken out of context is full of sound and fury and signifies nothing..

It is human nature to dismiss and demean the people that disagree with what you would like to do. Hillary Clinton and John McCain have said things that are just as bad in their lesser moments. All politicians, despite their lofty rhetoric, will undermine their opponents and seek to factionalize and divide people based on arbitrary and often false characteristics. It is the oldest of military and political strategies: to divide and conquer. I think Obama has up until this point done a very good job of trying to bring people together, but when push comes to shove and people have irreconcilable differences on what kind of society they want to live in, we see him resorting to the same tactics as every other politician. Still I think it comes down to whether you think he has the temperament to be president, I think he does, and whether you can stomach those things which you disagree on given the other choices. I think on the issues I might have to go with John McCain, but I have no illusions that he or Hillary Clinton will become divisive and cast dispersions when they feel they need to.

Such folly, Our Country, our schools, our economy, our dollar, our housing market, our gas & oil prices and our banks are all going down the tubes and this is the issue being put forth for debate. So sad.

I'm bitter that the media is making news out of this bitterness. I'm even more bitter Hillary won't accept a lost and help unite the Democratic party.

Everyone I know is bitter, frustrated, angry, outraged, and disgusted.

How silly all of this is. Amazing that in our country, with illegal use of turture and Bush acting proud of it, turning our country into the shame of the world without remorse, exposing our own military to similar treatment when due to the Bush statements, we would have no recourse, now that is the real problem and the real horror. Making this mountain out of a molehill is so stupid and begs the question of the moral mess, the legal mess, the political mess this rogue government of ours has participated in. Frankly, I live in Arizona and I know people who have been unemployed and who are losing their home and they retreat into religion also. Makes perfect sense to me.

Maybe people do not realize, and I am sure that Hillary Clinton does not realize that the middle class is bitter. We have been bitter for some time. We have been waiting for change for years, and any candidate who does not think we are bitter and starving for relief is going to provide us with the same lack of response that we have been getting for years. Way to go Obamma, thank you for noticing, hopefully now you can help.

Maybe people do not realize, and I am sure that Hillary Clinton does not realize that the middle class is bitter. We have been bitter for some time. We have been waiting for change for years, and any candidate who does not think we are bitter and starving for relief is going to provide us with the same lack of response that we have been getting for years. Way to go Obama, thank you for noticing, hopefully now you can help.

I didn't mind what he said. I think I had more of a problem with his comments once he was called on it. He, himself, said that it was a poor choice of words.

But, when he started railing against Clinton and Obama for saying the same things, he himself said, (that his words were wrong), I found it funny.

Then, when his comments started going on about Hilary Clinton being 'Annie Oakley' in a 'duck blind' because she was talking about hunting....

What the heck was that? It made no sense in context of what he was discussing.

Bitter? I'M BITTER! I live in Boston, have a hefty household income, and I'm bitter as hell at what's happened to the middle class in this country. The weaker the middle class, the weaker the country.

Hey I'm a supporter and as usual it was blown up and taken out of context. But he shouldn't have used those words considering Clinton and the right wing are jumpimg on anything even remotely close to controversy. What he meant was that dis-illusioned voters who are in rural America have been exploited by the Republican base for their gain using guns and gay marriage to sway to their side in voting. This is why the voters didn't see much difference in the 2000 or 2004 elections, thus it is why someone like Bush could be elected. He was talking about strategy as to why the Democrats haven't been able to win in the general elction. To call him an elitist as opposed to an observer when you have over a quarter of a billion dollars in income amongst the McCains and Clintons (check his tax return), who is the elite? While Hillary lies and can't even control her husband(sound familiar?) and McCain is going to continue the Bush atrocity literally you want to use this to not vote for him? Like I have said before, you don't deserve to have a great leader, you deserve mediocrity!

The majority of the American electorate are either misinformed or perhaps too feeble minded to figure out that they are misinformed........ I am a McCain supporter but even I cannot disagree with Obama's point....and McCain in catering to the extreme right will loose my support.. Maybe Obama is an intellectual, amen for that! Electing a president who is brighter than the rest of the populace is important for the country.....or would you rather elect another president who is less bright than a 25W bulb?

Obama's comments were probably closer to the truth than we care to think. All the bickering between the candidates is bogging down the process by which the voting public needs to make such an important decision. Obama says something that could be deemed as offensive and Clinton is all over Obama. Clinton says something that stretches the truth and Obama is all over Clinton and McCain just needs to sit back and let them cancel each other out of the final race. Since it apears the candidates aren't always capable of thinking before they speak, maybe instead of all the finger pointing and accusations back and forth from camp to camp, they should ALL get back to addressing the important issues that matter right now; the economy, the war, health insurance, the mortgage crisis and countless other problems that need attention in this country instead of name calling and behaving like children. None of the behavior coming from either camp is very flattering to the candidates.

Obama is correct and most of small-town America is a.) too stupid to understand what he's saying or b.) too scared to confront their own demons. Shame on all of you.

OBAMA WHO?

Why does his wife and preacher hate the white man again?

What did I ever do to either of them?

I know my US History and there are some ugly truths behind in our Nations past but seriously, do these liberals think TWO WRONGS MAKE things RIGHT?

This remark in a closed room deserves 406 comments? I am a life long R and a Romney supporter but I say Good Hob Obama you are right on. Therre is so much I want to know about Hilary but never get an answer like what were THOSE papers doing in thw White House. You have yet topublish anything I write I must be abusive.

Just look at the remarks and where ther coming from. A man who still stands by his minister who clearly is a racist. His wife also said it is the first time i feel like an American. For anyone who dies not like it in America ,no one is holding you here and don,t let the door hit you in the rear when you leave. There is no on running that is anygood for the country. Throw them all out

To say the Globe "is with Clinton" is a laugh. The official endorsement went to Obama. I recall that in the Globe's Mass. Primary Day online photo gallery not a single picture of any Hillary supporters was posted. Happenstance? I doubt it. Boston.com routinely pipes any favorable Obama news it can get its hands on.

I am a staunch Democrat and will support whoever our nominee is. That said, I think Obama people are the ones disconnected. Blue collar voters are not blogging and dissecting like we are on here. They are working and feeding their kids and they strike when they don't get their way. They are patriotic and they are fair. They do not get Rev. Wright's or Obama's comments that only highlight his failure to resonate. (I also have Jewish and gay friends too that don't warm well to the Farrakhan/Wright connection, by the way). They don't get his work across the aisle rhetoric. They fight for what they've got and they know experience is important when you've got a complicated system they sure don't understand. And, therefore, they embrace Hillary.

He hasn't proven that he can resonate with Regan Democrats in OH, PA, FL and even MI and NJ that he'll need to win in a general. He'll also need Latinos along I-5 in Central Florida, and Jews and Gays in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. He's striking out on all counts. I'm liberal but I'm pragmatic and respect Hillary a great deal. If he can't win PA he should step aside.

Of course Obama is elitist, and so is Hillary and McCain. The difference is that Hillary and McCain are seasoned politicians. They don't make such mistakes. Obama is a rookie. He makes mistakes. The longer he stays in the spotlight, the more mistakes he's going to make. Another way to put it is that we'll get to know him more. And when we get to know him, we'll find that he has the same flaws as the other politicians, but he doesn't have their knowledge and experience to get the job done! Why vote for him??? Why even bother to consider him?

I admired Obama for his ability to articulate and thought this quality, combined with his being African American with a Muslim connection would make him an effective uniter within our polarized nation....

But I am begining to see him as arrogant. If others feel the same way, no one will follow his lead and he could not be a uniter.

He would be like his colleague Deval Patrick. Well spoken, but arrogant and ineffective.

Political parties seem irrelevant now. It is the individual who can be effective without further dividing people who should be in office.

I will not be voting for any of the "mainstream" candidates - none of them have earned my vote. So what Obama says is really of little interest, except I have to give him credit for the guns/religion statement: he's correct. And he should not backtrack one inch.

Same for his "Reverend" friend, who - out of character - also spoke some truth. Fascinating that there was considerable debate about the Reverend's statements when he said something valid. No one seems to mind when the rest of the year, every Sunday, the Reverend delivers fantasy. Such is life in bizarro America.

I go to college in PA, and I have to say, Barack is not far off from the truth from what I've observed.

Despite an unbelievably high homicide rate in Philadelphia (over 350 per year for several years now) the only thing stopping Philadelphia police from keeping illegal hand guns is...can you believe it...people in rural Pennsylvania.

Where do most of the religiously based conservative votes come from in Pennsylvania? People in rural Pennsylvania.

As far as I can see, Obama is right on the money.

And as for Hillary claiming that Obama is an elitist, does she realize who she is herself? Because last time I checked she made over a million dollars last year, had attended Yale, and is a Senator from New York. In my eyes, that background has all the makings of an elitist.

Let's face it.: if pseudo-scandals like this one are all that it takes for the Republicans to hold the White House, after 8 years of Bush, then the Democrats never had a chance to begin with. But I suspect this is much like John Kerry's comments before the election in 2006 ("Get stuck in Iraq"). The right wing smear machine went into overdrive then as well, but it didn't change the outcome one jot.

Here's the real story: The Boston Globe, NY Times, and others report this "scandal" as if Obama had given a speech in support of Hitler. Yet a poll reveals that 44 percent of Americans AGREE with him.

Obama gave a nuanced analysis of rural American angst. Agree, disagree, whatever you want. But there is no scandal. There is no controversy. There are just newspapers who clearly want a close race... and will do anything to get it.

Articles like this make me wonder when it will be revealed that Foon Rhee is on Hillary Clinton's payroll.

43 percent of Democrats disagree with Obama? An honest journalist would have written 57 percent agree with him. Or they wouldn't have followed this non-story at all...

Its too bad that some people who post here are too ignorant to actually read Obama's comments in the context of his answer to the question he was asked by someone person who was actually there. If you (all) did you would realize how silly your comments sound. Be careful who you vote for in November, you may get at least another four years of George W. Bush.....another war, a depleted military, continuing federal budget deficits, decaying U.S. infrastructure, a seriously flawed economic policy, a U.S. dollar in the toilet, and an energy policy that gave us all $3.25/gal. gasoline that may be $5/gallon by November. Did I mention a deep recession, a financial crisis, a stock market that is tanking, and sixty million Americans without health insurance? Nice job Mr. President!

I'm from a small town in Alaska that hasn't experienced the long term neglect that the mid west and people still cling to these wedge issues of guns, religion, xenophobia, etc...

Clinging to religion is the worst because clinging is the opposite of faith. If you have faith you have confidence and you don't need to put others down or be threatened by them.

So yeah - Obama is right on the mark. We have really big issues of energy security, climate change, the economy, and America's place in the world that we need to pull together on and not these ideas that split us apart.

I think that the media really scrapes to find real things to quibble about with Obama. It's so silly. Want real things to quibble about, why aren't we dissecting some of the idiocy that comes out of McCain's mouth these days? He doesn't even understand that Al Qaeda is a Sunni run operation that wouldn't dream of aligning with Iran (Shi'ites) as he continues to suggest. ??? And folks want this man's finger on the button? By the way, I grew up in a small rural town surrounded by small towns- and it is true what Obama was getting at. He's 100% correct.

Obama said he could no more disown Jeremiah Wright that he could his typical white grandmother. Blacks accused him of dissing pastor, whites said he dissed grandma. He did no such thing to either of them. Rev. Wright and Barack's grandmother come of generations different from this one, both still racially sensitive. He loves them, but he disagrees. Barack's holding up pretty well, it this middle of black and white people. Some, flat out wanting him to choose a side. And the media seems to want to explain everything he says as if that's what he is doing. The best thing that has happened is internet. As I read the most, I must say, I am proud to be an American. People are at least talking about how they feel. If Obama is not the next, president, I hope the Americanaaa people, especially blacks and whites, have learned something. We can talk about race and racism and the more it is talked about the less accusatory it is becoming. No matter who becomes our next president. Keep this going and people will learn to work together to do what needs to be done. 406. "the white man"? When someone says white man or black man most people ,not all, know that they mean a specific type of person. If Wright had said the government, which happens to be white, "the white man". Both blacks and whites need to stop internalizing on every issue. We are all in the same positions, needing our government to do what's is right for ALL the American people.

hillary is going to loose and she should loose. she has nothing to offer except to continue to hammer obama just using word "bitter" and "cling. she come accross as shallow, bitter, devisive and vindictive. she simply trying to bring down the democratic party due to her unattainable interest at this time. no more for hillary. i was going to vote for her, but now forget it . she can lie, make up stories and say or do anything to win.

Mc Cain and Hillary agree on their attack on Obama; GET BACK TO THE ISSUES. Any of these DC politicos and morons have some nerve labeling anyone as "elitist" I hope they did this in front of a mirror as they called the kettle black. All this endless discussion of whether Obama is elitist and his word are demeaning as Hillary and McCain fall over themselves to at least agree on something, something being criticism of a single phrase uttered at a fund raise, has made me feel much better; that the economy is better and gas prices are reasonable, we are not killing American soldiers in an illegal war, we responded to save the people of New Orleans and rebuild after Katrina like they changed that city's name to Iraq, Rove and Cheney did not betray a USA secret agent, 9/11 never happened. Every thing is better now because McCain and Hillary snagged Obama on one little phrase. Americans demand more from your leaders than petty bickering and proving the other wrong by labels. As far as the elitist charge these politicians from DC better set a mirror down and call the kettle black.

"I No longer have to consider this man for anything. He can take his campaign and go home." - Posted by RRtrading company llc.

That's choosing a McCain presidency, the bombing of Iran, and the end of America's power in the world.
Is that what you want? Just because you felt offended by a quote taken out of context.
How low does McCain have to go before you think Obama is a better choice?
Torture? No. Bombing Iran? No. So what's your threshold?

who really cares about what osama obama, billary hillary and insane mccaine are saying ...it's just a song and dance to try to woo you to "vote for me!"... the politicians are so out of touch with the people.. big business, big pharma, big money, using our young as cannon fodder. Got a war on terrorism going on with the boarders wide open... I wonder when is the last time any of them had to go to gas station and fill up (if you can afford to do that now), go to the grocery store to get a loaf of bread, gallon of milk. No matter who you "vote" for we're still pretty much screwed.... the new boss.. same as the old boss. what ever happened to the constitution... bush " it's just a g d piece of paper.

Poster #381, Peter Hogan, wrote "If your vote depends on the latest random sound bite from any of the candidates, you are a fool."

Out of all these posts, this is the best statement. We and the media are getting caught up in the candidates' quote-slinging side show. I include myself. If we know our own minds on the issues then we'll be able to live with our choice on voting day. No need to step on each other getting there.

I think it is a whole lot of silliness but...
Who is to blame for the silliness surrounding campaigns 2008?
Is it the press who chooses to cover the silliness rather than the substance?
Is it it the candidates, who focus on silly simple miststatements rather than the substance?
Or is it us, the voters, who sit back and soak it all in, rather than insist the discusion address substance such as Iraq, the economy, healthcare, crime, global warming, mortgage failures, and skyrocketing oil prices?

Maybe there are just no answers to the difficult questions and issues, so we have to be satisified with the silliness.

My question is, "How much did Hillary pay Rasmussen for the wording in that push poll question?"

"The race for equality has no finish line, however, Judas and the nay sayers will always be among us." OJD

Unfortunately, no one asked for my feedback, but here it is! At least Obama had the courage to step outside of the box and speak the scientifically researched and empirical truth about an issue that drives the engines of social, economic, religious and political agendas. Perhaps to those that express such loud volumes of disbelief and consternation about Obama's statement, "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 to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations," are not being genuinely truthful with themselves, and prefer to ignore the 800 lb. malignant and highly contagious gorilla (racism) in the room.

It does not require a sophisticated psychological analysis to derive and understand Obama's assessment of racism in America, because any honest individual, whether politically correct or not, will agree, that unfortunately race does matter and has always mattered. If American is serious about a "change", then let's get real, and acknowledge reality. The previous national brou-ha-has, about Dr. Wright's statements, further, revealed the lack of social, religious, and racial awareness and the lack of interracial interactions within America. African American Clergies, other than those that have sold out to "The Faith Based Initiatives" have always and continue to preach this form of "Liberation Theology" because, If they don't, African American History and Awareness would become extinct, because there are no alternative and adequate sources for Young African Americans to learn their true history. Of, course, many sitting in the catbird seat will vehemently disagree, but that is their problem. Presently, diluted, inadequate, and revised versions of American History are being taught in America's educational institutions, but the material does not address significant African American concerns, that are necessary for providing Americans of the reality of our social political, and economic issues. Further, if those whom are so alarmed about Obama's statement, would pause for a moment, and genuinely listen objectively to the "grass roots" African Americans, they would not be so startled, surprised, frightened, or appalled by the most recent revelations.

African Americans have been conditioned to speak, dress, appear and act non threatening, in order to survive in a sophisticatedly racist environment and gain upward mobility. Conformity, while suppressing all natural proclivities, an attempt to defy nature and is an attribute to PTSD. Then ask yourself, what is there a disproportionate number of minorities incarcerated. Do you truly believe that minorities are innately incorrigible, corrupt, and antisocial? Perhaps, to think so will provide much solace to those that are in denial, because to accept the truth will cause too much cognizant dissonance. However, in order to feel good about something that is inherently bad, we must deny, deny deny, in order to maintain our mental and social equilibrium. Considering, innate traits and qualities are as strong as a forging stream that has been dammed. Man can alter their stream of consciousness, by changing the stream of consciousness, but the subconscious will eventually rule, because nature and determination are equally resilient, and will eventually regain their natural courses.

Further, there has to be an open and honest dialogue about the socially prevailing symptoms that ails our Country, in order to stop the hemorrhaging. It is, what it is, so we might as well become receptive and objectively treat the cause, instead of catering to the symptoms. Case in point, the racial integration of our society, initially resulted in the removal of discipline, God, and history from the class rooms in order to ally social fears, but the consequences have become monumentally destructive, producing a generation of selfish, antisocial, and often apathetic youths, while our legislatures continues to put band-aids on cancer, in order to remain politically correct. Considering, we have produced an extremely history deprived, dangerous, and apathetic generation and we can not incarcerate our way out of this mess.

So, as politically incorrect as it may seem, the truth must be addressed. If we really want change, let the dialogue begin. If not, we can continue our downward spiral of self destruction. Which of the three candidates do you suppose can objectively address the racial, social, and economic problems of America? Which candidate has the genuine EMPATHY to fully understand the dynamics of racism? Frequently, but painfully, radical surgery can save an organism. Let's stop kidding ourselves, there is an 800 lb. malignant and highly contagious gorilla in the room, that needs to be healed. "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it," George Santayna. It appears that America has entered into a stagnant and repetitive state of doom and gloom, and it is slowly sinking into an abysmal pool of quicksand, however, we can be healed, but we must be honest. Perhaps, we are not as naive as we present ourselves. We know the truth. Time out for "games".

Rather than rely on our subjective criticism of Obama's statement, I recommend the following material to our readers. The following literature is an abbreviation our history.

The Highest Stage Of White Supremacy, John W Cell, Dept of History, Duke University, ISBN 0 521 24096

The Workers in American History, James Oneal, The Rand School Of Social Science, 1921

Jaded Taks, Wayne Madsen, ISBN 0-9752906-9-X

Icons Of Democracy, Bruce Mirdoff, ISBN 0-465-08747-7

The Black Image In The White Mind, George M Frederickson, ISBN 0-8195-6188

White Supremacy, George M. Frederickson, ISBN 0-19502759-0

The Slave Ship, Marcus Rediker, ISBN 978-0-670-01823-9

Nobodies, John Bowe, ISBN 978-1-4000-6209-6

The Redneck Manifesto, Jim Goad, ISBN 0-684-83113-9

White Trash; Race & Class in America, Matt Wray & Annalee Newitz, ISBN 0-415-91691-7

Wealth & Democracy, Kevin Phillips, ISBN 0-7679-0534-2

Please don't sound-byte me. If you can't publish this in it's entirety. Please disregard my comments and toss them into file 13. ojd

ojd

It doesn't matter what Obama says or does.......the press is blinded by the rock star quality......remember it was the press that was blinded by George W Bush's "good old boy" quality that they sold the American's on. You see what that got us. Although I agree, Obama is a better choice than McCain, let's start being a little objective here and demanding the press by fair and unbiased. Anything Hillary does or says is dissected, distorted and dissed for days..........I'm very afraid that because of the blind eye of the press, there is a LOT that we don't know about this guy and if he gets the nomination, wait till the Republicans get ahold of him!

All of you people are nuts. Not one of the three are worth the powder to blow them to hell, If you people have any brains in your head you will vote for Dr. Ron Paul All the rest are CFR,NWO or Bilderbergs, Wake Up.

What the hell is a small town anyway? Most people in small towns rural suburbs or permiter areas live there and work in bigger cities dont they? What about the bitter Rev Wrights and their flock? Dont they live in the big urban cities? So what the hell is this idiot talking about other than obviously slamming whites who chose to escape the big city confines starting 50 yrs ago aka White Flight and it mainly began in Chicago to get away from the crime and urban decay caused mainly by blacks and other minorities.
Stats today show 90% of whites live in non-urban areas while the reverse is true for bitter blacks under Rev Wrights brainwash. So who are the real bitter ones? Guns are used by whites for protection of their families. Religion aka christianity has been around for 2000 yrs. Where the hell was this Obama guy educated?

The trouble is Obama is not a rock star and Bush was not a good ole boy. Funny how Mr. antiwar Obama has given Bush every single dime he has demanded since he has been a US Senator and even retracted his words says as a USS he wasnt sure how he would have voted on this idiots war even though he has now retracted all that too so apparently he agreeded with the war before he disagreed with it. Actually he disagreed with the war before he agreed with it before he disagreed with it.
All this crap by Obama and any other neohebbed Democrats about giving Bush all the trillions he demands because of "supporting the troops" is a freakin joke.
The Democrats and Republics are all the same and not a dime of difference between them just as Alabama Democrat Gov George Wallace said in 1968 while running for prez. He also said if you opened their fancy briefcases all you would find would be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Obama is just an elitist Harvard educated out of touch person with the poor and and small town America. The very people he has to win votes from. Obama is a fraud.

Haven't you noticed how all the Repugs and conservative news outlets support Obama...there is a reason for that. The reason is that the Repugs have a better chance of war-monger McCain beating him then Hilary.

Obama hasn't won one big state - not one - except his home state of Illinois. He did not win New York, California, Ohio, Florida, or Texas. HELLO!!!! These are all the states that the Democrats have to win in order to win the election for the Presidency.

Don't underestimate the Repugs in their attempt to steal the election again....Their fall back will be that America wasn't ready for a black man to be president.

I think Obama has been bought anyway so he will do like John Kerry and concede even amongst a massive theft of the election if McCain should (per the big media outlets) so-call win.

People had better really think this out and understand the media manipulation that is going on to get Obama as the nominee.

Remember this is the same media that got BUSH elected despite everything that happened that was exactly opposite to this outcome.

Remember this is the same media that kept pounding the war with IRAQ over and over again. Weapons of mass destruction, etc., etc. Remember that all the news media outlets are owned by just a few men...very rich men who don't care about you - the little guy so the elitist Obama is their guy. Obama who couldn't even apologize for his comments who instead called Hillary a Annie Oakley.

His answer is to name call someone if he doesn't like their comments. I ask how will that play out when he is dealing with leaders of other nations. Is he going to call them names rather then have discussions to solve problems?

He is a terrible choice for President. Just like with Bush, people will regret voting for him.