California, PA, April 21, 2008
Hillary In Bitterland
National Review Online: Hillary Clinton Finds Her People In Pennsylvania
-
Photo
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton greets young supporters in March at a campaign rally in Millersville, Pa. (AP)
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Clinton Hangs Hopes On Big Win
Hillary Clinton's lead in Pennsylvania has shrunk to the single digits and she needs a big win in there to stay in the race. Jim Axelrod reports.
-
Photo Essay
Hillary Clinton
A look at a life and career full of firsts.
-
Photo Essay
Barack Obama
A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
“People from the Mon Valley are fighters! You’re fighters because - you know what? You didn’t go to Harvard! You weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth! You live right here in this valley!”
As warmup acts for Hillary Clinton go, Pennsylvania State Rep. Peter Daley is just the ticket. Here in this valley - the Mon Valley, short for Monongahela, in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania - Daley is speaking to a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered to see Clinton in the gym at California University of Pennsylvania. Daley, born and raised in the Mon Valley, is still a bit angry about Barack Obama’s “bitter” comments - “absolutely appalling,” he tells me after he leaves the stage. But Daley doesn't deny that there are people in the economically-challenged Mon Valley who are bitter. He just doesn’t think Obama gets what it’s all about.
“People in this region aren’t bitter in the sense that he understands,” Daley explains. “Their bitterness is the fact that they’re just tired of losing their jobs, losing opportunities, losing their young people, just because we haven’t had that federal help, that little push to keep those steel mills here, keep those coal mines here, and create manufacturing opportunities.” That, of course, is pretty consistent with what Obama said, but it was the second part of Obama's statement - the part about clinging to religion, or guns, or bigotry - that rankled. “Unconscionable,” Daley tells me.
This is Clinton country. A new poll from Suffolk University, out today, shows Clinton leading Barack Obama statewide, 52 percent to 42 percent. But in the southwestern part of the state, here in the Mon Valley, Clinton has a huge lead, 74 percent to 17 percent.
And people here aren’t just for Clinton. They’re against Obama. At this Hillary rally, no one expresses any outright hostility to Obama, but they tell me over and over again that they just don’t like him, that they don’t care for him, that they don’t trust him. They view him as inexperienced and not ready to be president, and they think he’s selling them a bill of goods.
“I could tell you I’m going build you a house, and I’m going to do everything you want,” a man named Bernie tells me. “I'm going to put everything in it just the way you want it. And then you give me your money, and you find out I'm not a carpenter.”
The new Suffolk poll found that found that 46 percent of Democrats surveyed in southwest Pennsylvania would either vote for John McCain or would be undecided if their candidate doesn’t win. They’re the people here tonight. When I ask whether they will vote for Obama if he wins the Democratic nomination, the answers are quick:
"If Hillary doesn’t win, I’m not voting.”
“No.”
“I will not.”
“I’d have to debate myself on that one.”
Others said they would reluctantly cast votes for Obama. But at least half of the people to whom I speak say they simply would not vote for him in the general election.
For all that, however, the rally isn’t about Obama. Press reports have suggested that all the candidates do is trade attacks. But tonight Obama is barely mentioned at all, either by Clinton or her introducers - including Miss Pennsylvania USA Lauren Merola, who relates her experience as a Miami Dolphins cheerleader to the opportunities for women in the workforce that Sen. Clinton will foster. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell doesn’t bring up Obama. Rep. John Murtha doesn’t bring up Obama. And Clinton herself makes the briefest of mentions, saying that Obama is “attacking me” in a new ad. “He always says in his speeches that he is running a positive campaign, but then his campaign does the opposite,” Clinton says.
But that’s it. The rest of Clinton’s pitch is bread and butter. We’ve got to have universal health care. We’ve got to make college loans more affordable. We’ve got to end No Child Left Behind. We’ve got to get the two oilmen out of the White House. We’ve got to get out of Iraq. It is a solid, polished, professional speech - without the slightest touch of magic. Indeed, when you ask people what they like most about Clinton, they give workmanlike answers, too. She has the experience, they say. She knows how Washington works. They remember the days of Bill Clinton’s presidency fondly and would like to see them come back. But no one says Clinton inspires them - that’s not what they're looking for in the Mon Valley.
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania - The next day, Sunday afternoon, Clinton is on the other side of the state in Bethlehem. The name conjures up images of shuttered steel mills and rust-belt decay, but Bethlehem is a beautiful little city - just a couple of years ago, it was included in Money magazine's list of the 100 best places to live in America. (It was number 88.) The city has a lovely, historic main street that is quite alive - check out the Moravian Book Shop and a zillion coffee shops - without empty store fronts.
Clinton’s rally is in the gymnasium at Liberty High School. Her team is not exactly expecting a full house. On the left side of the gym, as one faces the stage, there are 25 rows of seats, from floor to ceiling. The Clinton team has put up a big blue curtain and an American flag blocking access beyond the first seven rows; all the seats above that remain empty.
But people pack into the room, after waiting hours to get through Secret Service security points. The gym floor is jammed.
“As I look out on the crowd, I’m not sensing any bitterness,” Bethlehem mayor John Callahan tells the audience. “I’m not sensing any pessimism.”
He’s right. And while Clinton crowds don’t exactly go wild, this crowd is as loud and enthusiastic as they get. “Isn’t this exciting?” Clinton says when she takes the stage to huge applause. “We’re getting to the decision day.”
Clinton is better than she was the night before in the Mon Valley. But there’s no denying that she is offering a prosaic menu of policy proposals. She doesn’t call these gatherings “Solutions for Pennsylvania” for nothing. “While my opponent says one thing and his campaign does another, you can count on me to tell you where I stand, and you can count on me to tell you very specifically the solutions that I’m offering for America,” Clinton tells the crowd. “I want you to know very specifically what I will do.” And then she tells them very specifically what she will do. As she speaks, the contrast between Clinton and Obama, between her plodding specificity and his soaring inspiration, could not be greater.
As far as voting for Obama is concerned, the views of people here are just about the same as those in the Mon Valley. More than half of those I ask say they won’t vote for him under any circumstances. A few others say they’ll have to think hard about it. And a few say they’ll be (grudgingly) loyal Democrats.
A couple of hours later, people in Bethlehem get a surprise when Obama shows up, unannounced, on Main Street. Word has gotten out a few minutes early, and excited people on the street are calling their friends and telling them to hurry down, that Obama will be there soon. And sure enough, his bus pulls up, and Obama makes his way down the street, shaking hands and stopping briefly at Mama Nina’s Foccacheria, before heading to the Bethlehem Brew Works, a brew pub with a Steel City theme - the booths are made of bare piping and sheet steel - on the corner. He sips a beer - a regular guy - talks to a few people, and takes off.
Tonight Obama is heading to the Mon Valley. He’ll appear in McKeesport, a town not far from where Rep. Daley introduced Hillary Clinton. Obama’s rally is sure to attract those 17 percent of voters in southwestern Pennsylvania who support him, but is there anything he can do to appeal to the rest? Not likely.
By Byron York
Reprinted with permission from National Review Online.




- 1
- 2
- next
See all 66 CommentsSuffolk''s the most consistently unreliable in their trade, just like NRO.
I think the elitist pundits like these at the NRO grossly underestimate the thought process of the average voter, as if we can only weight candidate versus candidate on the simplistic issue of the economy. Shows like ''Survivor'' are popular for a reason - people strategize by factoring in polls, and long-term game. Zogby already let the cat out of the bag that the majority of ''undecideds'' have already decided to vote for McCain and now with the race so close, their shifting from ''undecided'' to Hillary. So how does one arrive at the conclusion that somebody planning on voting for McCain in the general like''s Hillary''s economic plans because they play to their blue collar roots? Get real.
The ideal divide to continue the Dem primary will be around 8% - clearly it''s not an exact science, but if the polls started to tilt for Hillary to like 12%, I think you''d start to see some of her supporters who are die-hard Democrats shift back because a higher divide would then put Democratic electability back into the mix of concerns.
PS Like I don''t think this election shows that either candidate can''t win over certain groups - I think it shows that we don''t think the race needs to end before all the States have had their say . . .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by vicky76217 at 01:26 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Actually, it was Poppa Bush and Dubya that sold the US down the tubes.
I lived the Clinton economy years. Some of the best years of propserity ever.
These attempts to blame the Clintons for the Bushes apocolypse of this country is ludicrous.
Posted by Glenncinca at 01:51 PM
Oh, and McCain is different.
Riiiiight. Go away you silly republican goon.
This person is just a troll. No one could say those things and *actually* believe it themselves. Unless, of course, they''re on some really really strong anti-psychotics.
People like you are what give liberals such a bad rap, such as the "wild-eyed liberal" moniker. What''s this with the "goon" thing anyway? Do you really think name calling helps your credibility? The point is, at least McCain isn''t promising to pull our troops out of Iraq beginning day one. Everyone knows how irresponsible and impractical that would be, no matter how much we all would like to see our troops get out of harm''s way there and everywhere else. On health care, we have the highest quality care in the world. What is helping to make insurance expensive and more hard to get is the scarcity of health care workers and facilities, largely due to all of the illegal aliens who are jamming our emergency rooms and then get free care on your nickel and mine. Deport ''em, and most of the problem goes away.
Truth is he is well past being able to cut the "mustard". The operative words in your post is "passed",and the time has long since past McCoy (as in Grandpa!).
Then you must also think that the current Pope should also not only quit, but should have never even been selected. After all, he''s a few years older than McCain! McCain is probably stronger and more fit, both physically and mentally, to be president that most people who are 10-20 years younger. The guy has already proven himself to be one tough hombre. Obama, by contrast, is just a sensitive, fragile shadow of a leader compared to McCain. All that Obama has is a golden throat and an oversized imagination. And Hillary is just one big fat, self-admitted liar, and has the audacity to laugh about it, kind of like her husband, huh?
He puts me to sleep just to have to bear a few minutes of his boring, tiring old we have to fight them there so as not to have to fight them here. Well, if we weren''t there our soldiers would not be dying there. Bring them home and do it post haste!
Posted by razzl at 03:08 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Thanks for writing the real truth here about this particular group of folks because the media won''t, even when its obvious. Funny thing though, most Obama supporters would vote for Hillary should he lose the nomination, but as evidenced by this story and my own personal observations (given the tone of Hillary''s and Bill''s campaigning), no Hillary supporters will vote for Obama should she lose the nomination. Most Obama supporters do not want McSame to become president, no matter what and are willing to unite the party for the sake of the country. Now, what does that tell you???
Posted by razzl at 03:08 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Thanks for writing the real truth here about this particular group of folks because the media won''''t, even when its obvious. Funny thing though, most Obama supporters would vote for Hillary should he lose the nomination, but as evidenced by this story and my own personal observations (given the tone of Hillary''''s and Bill''''s campaigning), no Hillary supporters will vote for Obama should she lose the nomination. Most Obama supporters do not want McSame to become president, no matter what and are willing to unite the party for the sake of the country. Now, what does that tell you???
Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:55 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Posted by razzl at 03:08 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Thanks for writing the real truth here about this particular group of folks because the media won''''t, even when its obvious. Funny thing though, most Obama supporters would vote for Hillary should he lose the nomination, but as evidenced by this story and my own personal observations (given the tone of Hillary''''s and Bill''''s campaigning), no Hillary supporters will vote for Obama should she lose the nomination. Most Obama supporters do not want McSame to become president, no matter what and are willing to unite the party for the sake of the country. Now, what does that tell you???
Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:55 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Posted by razzl at 03:08 PM : Apr 21, 2008
Thanks for writing the real truth here about this particular group of folks because the media won''''t, even when its obvious. Funny thing though, most Obama supporters would vote for Hillary should he lose the nomination, but as evidenced by this story and my own personal observations (given the tone of Hillary''''s and Bill''''s campaigning), no Hillary supporters will vote for Obama should she lose the nomination. Most Obama supporters do not want McSame to become president, no matter what and are willing to unite the party for the sake of the country. Now, what does that tell you???
Posted by truthspeake2 at 03:55 PM : Apr 21, 2008
you heard it folks another Obama dinky dem but not real dems who wants we taxpayers to change their helpessness to hopefulness by buying them a Pony...
Hillary Clinton - the biggest enemy rural PA ever had.
The record of betrayal is there; the Clintons masterminded the offshoring of PA jobs, they and their close contacts the Chinese lobbyists and Walmart. We have met the enemy and it is Hillary.
Posted by pepperp1 at 04:47 PM : Apr 21, 2008
LOL....better a pony than an over priced amour-plated Humvee that wouldn''t protect a mosquito!
And the Clintons did influence China - to become and evne more ruthless dictatorship, but with ALL OF OUR JOBS AND MONEY. And the rest is history, the US economy collapsed and the chinese are now dictating to us.
Any PA voter who votes for Hillary, after all this, is a piece of garbage.
One has only to follow her and Bills careers from Arkansas to the White House and the many scandals they created.
That these two conniving liars may have another shot at the White House is scary.
A woman will, one day, become the President of the U.S. but, hopefully, it will be someone more deserving, more honest, and more qualified than Hillary.
If you don''t fit their Mold and step out of line as Senator Obama they will & have come up with the lamest promos to see that according to their beliefs that Our Great White Hope gets the nomination.
Never has it become more clearer than the Old Guard Polictics at work here in Pa. If you look closely you could see it in the debate. Uncle Tom Nutty was there among others that knew exactly where there place was. Unfortunately many others like the Roman Catholics & Senile Citizens that know better just don''t have to courage to come out & do the right thing. SO SAD!
We can help Senator Obama & together work to get back our Country. The Grassroots Folks call it the AMERICAN DREAM. While those who play the OLD GUARD CARD call it their AMERICAN Scheme.
Hillary''s laughing to herself as she can''t believe that it is so easy here. 35 years of cathering to the big oil lobbyist, fighting for China''s free nation status, supporting NAFTA. and these people think that she is the great white hope. They just don''t or ever will get it. They know their place!
It reminds me of the Jews who supported Hitler before they finally realized what a monster he was!
Why don''t you ask some of the tens of thousands of women who worked at Walmart how HRC helped them get rises, advancements, and other job benefits?!
Don''t bother---she DIDN''T! For six years she did nothing to help them!! And you think she''s going to support labor NOW?! That she''s going to support women NOW?! Boy, are you people niave!
Pennsylvanians appear to be blind, deaf, and dumb---at least the majority are!
Posted by wilmer425 at 01:58 AM : Apr 22, 2008
--------------
Yeah,she SAYS she''s against it NOW, because it resulted in millions of jobs going overseas, which is no good, and she''s trying to get elected! But, Bill and her championed it in the 1990s! In fact, she says a lot of things NOW---that she doesn''t mean! But, the voter has to be smart enough to realize that!
jobs to India! I think the voters should be outraged that any politician is for outsourcing premium American jobs.
Remember NAFTA anybody.
View the article and pass the word in PA.
http://www.indianembassy.org/India_Review/2005/April2005.pdf
On February 26, addressing the India Today Conclave
2005, the Senator urged Indian Industry to invest more in
her country. Though U.S. understood that economic
vibrancy of India was in its own interest, there are people
who feel left behind and might stir up %u201Cnegative feelings%u201D
against India because they do not understand the economic
benefits of outsourcing, Clinton remarked.
%u201CIn June 2002, Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) partnered
with University of Buffalo to bring patented
research in the market place. I would like to see more of
such partnerships,%u201D Clinton said.
Senator Clinton allayed apprehensions in India that
there would be a bar on outsourcing. %u201CThere is no way to
legislate against reality. Outsourcing will continue,%u201D she
said.
She pointed out that there were three billion people,
who feel left behind and are trying to attack the modern
world in the hope of turning the clock back on globalization.
%u201CIt is not far-fetched to imagine%u2026 if the Indian miracle
would be one of the choices of those who feel left
behind.%u201D
Recall how she retained a private detective to dig up dirt on the women seduced by Bill (so much for her feminism); how she fired long-standing employees in the White House travel office to give the jobs to her supporters; how she put Marines in their place by making them serve as waiters and busboys; how she browbeat and cussed out her staff; how she rebuked any underling who dared to make eye contact with her; how she and Bill ordered IRS audits on their critics; how they backstabbed and betrayed fellow Democrats (small wonder so many are supporting Obama).
Then there are the deaths of Vince Foster and some 50 others by suicide, murder, accidents and sudden illnesses%u2014a body count unmatched by any administration in American history.
Then, last but not least, is the way she has cowed the news media into imposing a gag order on itself. Had a Butler University student not brought up the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and had not the CBS tape of her bullet-dodging story in Bosnia come to light, the news media would have given the Clintons a smooth, free ride to the nomination and, probably, to the White House.
Yes, Hillary Clinton is one hell of a fighter%u2014tough, smart, unyielding, as the Governor says. Precisely the kind of leader our nation needs in these troubled times.
Recall how she retained a private detective to dig up dirt on the women seduced by Bill (so much for her feminism); how she fired long-standing employees in the White House travel office to give the jobs to her supporters; how she put Marines in their place by making them serve as waiters and busboys; how she browbeat and cussed out her staff; how she rebuked any underling who dared to make eye contact with her; how she and Bill ordered IRS audits on their critics; how they backstabbed and betrayed fellow Democrats (small wonder so many are supporting Obama).
Then there are the deaths of Vince Foster and some 50 others by suicide, murder, accidents and sudden illnesses%u2014a body count unmatched by any administration in American history.
Then, last but not least, is the way she has cowed the news media into imposing a gag order on itself. Had a Butler University student not brought up the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and had not the CBS tape of her bullet-dodging story in Bosnia come to light, the news media would have given the Clintons a smooth, free ride to the nomination and, probably, to the White House.
Yes, Hillary Clinton is one hell of a fighter%u2014tough, smart, unyielding, as the Governor says. Precisely the kind of leader our nation needs in these troubled times.
Recall how she retained a private detective to dig up dirt on the women seduced by Bill (so much for her feminism); how she fired long-standing employees in the White House travel office to give the jobs to her supporters; how she put Marines in their place by making them serve as waiters and busboys; how she browbeat and cussed out her staff; how she rebuked any underling who dared to make eye contact with her; how she and Bill ordered IRS audits on their critics; how they backstabbed and betrayed fellow Democrats (small wonder so many are supporting Obama).
Then there are the deaths of Vince Foster and some 50 others by suicide, murder, accidents and sudden illnesses%u2014a body count unmatched by any administration in American history.
Then, last but not least, is the way she has cowed the news media into imposing a gag order on itself. Had a Butler University student not brought up the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and had not the CBS tape of her bullet-dodging story in Bosnia come to light, the news media would have given the Clintons a smooth, free ride to the nomination and, probably, to the White House.
Yes, Hillary Clinton is one hell of a fighter%u2014tough, smart, unyielding, as the Governor says. Precisely the kind of leader our nation needs in these troubled times.
The rev wright thing didn''t hurt him, the Bitter remark didn''t hurt him. He is going to sail into the nomination.
What exactly do you have against Obama?
But the ones who say they will vote for McCain if Hillary is not the nominee are racists.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 66 Comments