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Obama Defends Comments On "Bitter" Voters
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 such voters. 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 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."
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."
In Terre Haute, Obama chided McCain for not responding promptly to the home mortgage crisis and criticized Clinton for voting for a bankruptcy bill supported by credit card companies.
"No, I'm IN touch," he said. "I know exactly what's going on. People are fed up, they are angry, they're frustrated and they're bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington."
Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said Friday night, "Instead of apologizing for offending small-town America, Senator Obama chose to repeat and embrace the comments he made earlier this week."
Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for McCain, said Friday: "Only an elitist would say that people vote their values only out of frustration. ... You can't be more out of touch than that."
© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Illinois senator's analysis of what motivates working-class voters came after chief rival Hillary Rodham Clinton accused him of looking down on such voters. 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 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."
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."
In Terre Haute, Obama chided McCain for not responding promptly to the home mortgage crisis and criticized Clinton for voting for a bankruptcy bill supported by credit card companies.
"No, I'm IN touch," he said. "I know exactly what's going on. People are fed up, they are angry, they're frustrated and they're bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington."
Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said Friday night, "Instead of apologizing for offending small-town America, Senator Obama chose to repeat and embrace the comments he made earlier this week."
Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for McCain, said Friday: "Only an elitist would say that people vote their values only out of frustration. ... You can't be more out of touch than that."
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Posted by obama8years at 10:17 PM : Apr 13, 2008
So, you''re angry that there''s actually an American leader who''s got the ears and the respect of everyone from every spectrum, including the kind of people you''ve been raised to Hate - and you''re implying this as a negative trait ??? This just reaffirms my belief that at this time, he might be the most important American right now and the most equipped to lead this country - especially if our so called enemies are very eager to talk to him and stop all the destruction going on in the world - Then maybe and hoprefully we''ll start to live life again without fear of any Dumbya POTUS effects we''re currently experiencing ..... Believe it or not, 5 years from now - no one going to refer to these last 7years as the time Obama, Hillary or McSame were in congress but all Dumbya (who''s still a Repug). Cheers!
Floyd Looker - attempted to bomb three federal installations. - Bitter
Donald Beauregard - serving five years for attempting to blow up power stations. - Bitter
Randall, co-founder of an Alabama militia group and the man who embarrassed federal agents by exposing a racist event that they attended. %u2013 FBI HANGING WITH KKK- BITTER
Branch Davidians in Waco - Bitter towards Americanism
White Supremacist Randy Weaver - Bitter towards Americanism
Virginia Tech Campus - Leaves at Least 33 Dead - BITTER
Columbine High School massacre - killing 12 students and a teacher, as well as wounding 23 others - BITTER
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/anti-govt-patriot-groups.htm
Its a whole nation of bitter folks that hate America and they are Mostly White nationalist supremist. They are Bitter about racial mixing, they are Bitter about blacks advanceing, they are Bitter about Jewish Americans and what they perceive as them having control over this Government.
Obama was correct.
Floyd Looker - attempted to bomb three federal installations.
Donald Beauregard - serving five years for attempting to blow up power stations.
Jeff Randall, co-founder of an Alabama militia group and the man who embarrassed federal agents by exposing a racist event they%u2019d attended.
Branch Davidians in Waco - bitter towards Americanism
white supremacist Randy Weaver - bitter towards Americanism
Virginia Tech Campus - Leaves at Least 33 Dead
Columbine High School massacre - killing 12 students and a teacher, as well as wounding 23 others
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/anti-govt-patriot-groups.htm
Its a whole nation of bitter folks that hate America and they are Mostly White nationalist supremist. They are Bitter about racial mixing, they are Bitter about blacks advanceing, they are Bitter about Jewish Americans and what they perceive as them having control over this Government.
Obama was correct.
Floyd Looker - attempted to bomb three federal installations.
Donald Beauregard - serving five years for attempting to blow up power stations.
Jeff Randall, co-founder of an Alabama militia group and the man who embarrassed federal agents by exposing a racist event they%u2019d attended.
Branch Davidians in Waco - bitter towards Americanism
white supremacist Randy Weaver - bitter towards Americanism
http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/anti
-govt-patriot-groups.htm
its a whole nation of biiier folks that hate America and they are Mostly White. They are Bitter about racial; mixing, they are Bitter about blacks advancement, they are Bitter about Jewish Americans and what they pervieve as them having control over this Government. Obama was correct.
1. 4009 Killed in Action US Men & Women
2. Thousands of US Soldiers that have legs and arms Dis-Membered or Amputated in the Iraq War !!
3. The over 100,000 innocent Iraqi Citizens killed under False Pretenses (WOMD)
4. Over 12 Billion Dollars per month to fund this Occupation !!
5. The Very Devalued Dollar Bill !!
6. The High Unemployment Rate.
7. All Time High Il-Legal Immigration !
8. All Time High Forecloures !!
9. High A!! Gas Prices !!
10. Canada, and Still Communist China & Viet Nam , Socialist India and Mexico getting Americans jobs.
Obama is Lying Huh
Then Dont Complain Then...
Dont Worry be Happy !!
PS: Get on your knees and thank George (NAFTA/NAU) Bush & Bill (NAFTA/COMM.CHINESE CONNECTION) Clinton, for all the Good Times, Both Presidents have Brought America.
Reference Bill & Hillarys Norman Hsu China Connection.
dex.html
Democratic Delegates ; Delegates won:
Mar. 11 Total 2,025 needed
Barack Obama (19) 1,631.5
Hillary Rodham Clinton (14) 1,474.5
CALL ME WHEN HILLARY CLINTON EVENS WITH OBAMAS NUMBERS ABOVE AND WHEN HILLARY CLINTON SURPASSES OBAMAS NUMBERS ABOVE...PLEASE
UNTIL THEN, YOU''''''''RE SOUNDING OFF ON A MEANINGLESS PLATFORM !!
A MAN THAT JUST PAID OFF HE AND HIS WIFES STUDENT LOANS, PAYS PRIVATE SCHOOL, FOR 2 GIRLS, PAYS A MORTGAGE, CAR NOTE, VARIOUS INSURANCES, TRAVELS AND LIVES LIKE A DAILY CITIZEN ?
OR
A (72 YR. OLD) GRANDPA WHOSE MARRIED TO A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE BEER HEIRESS, WHO WANTS TO PRESERVE LOWER TAXES FOR THE RICH AND WHO SAYS HE WANTS THE U.S. TROOPS TO STAY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN ?
OR
A WOMAN (HILLARY CLINTON) WHOSE MADE 109 MILLION DOLLARS (ELITIST)WHO HAS AN OFFSHORE CAYMAN ISLAND ACCOUNT, WHOSE HUSBAND (BILL CLINTON) HAS A DUBAI PORTS DEAL AND RECIEVES MILLIONS FROM ARAB NATIONS AND REPUBLICS, WHO HAS SAUDI ARABIANS CHAIRING HIS LIBRARY, WITH AMASSED MONIES, TOTALING (500 MILLION) DOLLARS ?
GIVE ME THE GUY WHO HAS WENT THROUGH STRUGGLES AND JUST RECENTLY PAID OFF HE AND HIS WIFES STUDENT LOANS, WHO KNOWS WHAT STRUGGLES ARE !!