Obama on small-town PA: Clinging religion, guns, xenophobia

Politico.com ^ | 04/11/08 | Ben Smith

[JRochelle]

Mayhill Fowler has more from Obama's remarks at a San Francisco fundraiser Sunday, and they include an attempt to explain the resentment in small-town Pennsylvania that won't be appreciated by some of the people whose votes Obama's seeking:

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.

That's pretty broad list of things to explain with job loss.

[dixiechick2000]

Three years on the national scene, and he thinks he’s ready for prime time.
Ha...most ‘Rats think he poops rainbows.
Turns out he needs some schooling, and she needs to be kept in the attic.

It’s telling that they haven’t figured out Algore’s internet, yet.

What a gift for us, and I’m loving every minute of it!

Your vacation sounds wonderful!
Oh...I’d love to see NO again.
We were supposed to be there in October, after Katrina.
They weren’t open for business at that time, though.
It’s the last opportunity I’ve had to go there.

I know your little men were a hit!
Sounds like you got in some good eatin’, too.
To be able to take them to Bourbon Street, and see nice cops, it sounds like the atmosphere has changed tremendously.
Before Katrina, I wouldn’t have taken a kid to Bourbon Street!
(BTW, what did Bourbon Street smell like?)

I’m so glad y’all had such a good time.
I know it was a nice respite for you, and your lovely wife.

[AliVeritas]

You’ll like this one too.

Here’s a link to a fuller transcript w/ audio.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayhill-fowler/obama-no-surprise-that-ha_b_96188.html

To me, there’s one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Here’s how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long, and they feel so betrayed by government, and when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn’t buy it. And when it’s delivered by — it’s true that when it’s delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama (laugher), then that adds another layer of skepticism (laughter).

I just have one question, when Obama feels all of these Ohio and Pennsylvania voters are ‘more skeptical’ toward a “46-year-old black man” what exactly is he saying is the cause? And what are the millionaire’s laughing about?

(In other words, had McCain said it with his age and being white... it would be race card Sunday on all the shows, Matthews would change his pants and Olby would bite the camera)

[AliVeritas]

I’m telling you... This guy could pull out a prayer rug, start the call to prayer and 20,000 lemmings would be instant converts.

[Mr. Silverback]

This may have been mentioned already, but...

Obama really said this. Hannity and Colmes just had audio. It was of poor quality, but not so poor there’s any doubt what he was saying.

What an arrogant little punk.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I too live in a small, western PA town. My family, my neighbors (black, white, and SE Asian) work in high techie jobs at Westinghouse (ok, Toshiba); UPMC; and PPG. My Catholic Church has overflow masses in the old school cafeteria (I guess for us Clingons who don't arrive an hour early); our highly accredited public school district plans an in-service day on the first day a-hunting season, but that is the only concession I can think of to our 'rural' roots. Who knew I should be humming the theme to Deliverence because I live in the Commonwealth. Maybe its because I drive a Chevy 4-wheel drive (for the PA winters)...hmmm.

All I can say is I hope to hell that Ed Rendell (and/or his minions) take this little quote and run with it...the condesention just oozes...like the gin from one of Terri H. Kerry's raisins.

Finally, OO, you are right about Philly and Harrisburg...but come on...we got keep Pittsburgh...can't give our Pens to WV...no way (but they want a pro baseball team?)

[pbear8]

Gloucester found it, I don’t know where though, I just posted it. It’s great, I agree.

[MEG33]

This is just delicious..I just saw this on H and C rerun.
He messed up big time.

[CottonBall]

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.

And how does this explain those of us with healthy incomes that also 'cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment' because we have a vision of right and wrong. And that liberalism is wrong.

[CottonBall]

Who'd've ever thunk there could be an election where the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy would view HRC as the lesser of two evils?

LOL! That is an excellent point.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Fred, I changed my reg. to vote for Hillary. I felt awkard about it and have been second guessing myself (and no, I am not a Limbaugh lemming...I don't even listen to him). But...after listening to the sounds links here, I am so happy that I CAN VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON!!!

Wow, now I know what they mean by politics makes 'strangebedfellows.'

[Syncro]

Linked Here on this thread earlier.

Ambinder must have found it there. Or maybe he saw the link here at FR.

[popdonnelly]

Obama thinks the small town suckers don’t know what’s good for them, while he drinks Reverend Wright’s Kool Aid.

[oprahstheantichrist]

"I just don't know that the Oprah-Obama cult doesn't have the power and the insane zeal to get him elected. And I don't want to take the chance."

I am from Illinois, and TRUST ME, you DO NOT want to take that chance. Hyper-emotional whack-job registered voters CANNOT be reasoned with, and there are millions of them.

[NRA2BFree]

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.

Nothing like having an angry, racist, black man with a chip on his shoulder, as our President.

[oprahstheantichrist]

"...we are about to get one heck of a shocking dose of marxism right up the keyster."

Yep.

[Private_Sector_Does_It_Better]

I agree! I love Obama, he's a train wreck.

The Mondale comparison is legit, one difference is this time Minnesota is in play! :)

[Gideon7]

My wife’s family is from southwest rural PA, about 10 miles from where Flight 93 crashed. I travel there about twice a year.

Along the rural highways you can see a church about every 2 miles. BHO says they are “clinging” to their religion and their guns? Hoo boy, is that is going to annoy those folks.

BHO’s followup explanation (Well, they *are* bitter, see, because economy there is bad, Bush taxcuts for the rich, yadda yadda) implies they ‘cling’ to God only because of the poor economy. That just rubs in the insult to their faith.

Ouch this is bad.

[Syncro]

No thanks for the link, I don't go to the Huff post.

Don't like the popups, and it's a sick site

I saw the transcript, heard the clip this morning on TV thanks.

As for your questions, he's saying racism is the cause.

And the millionaires are laughing at Obama as they set him up.

Like someone said earlier this week, last year Obama couldn't even get into their Pacific Heights neighborhood unless he was picking up trash or working as a lawn jockey or some other menial job.

As it was anyway, he was ushered in the back door.

Irony is ironic, ain't it?

And then he was taken into the building -- through the servants' entrance.

Above from Zombietime