Apr 11 2008
Obama out of touch?
Two very bitter people
During the 2003/04 Democratic presidential primaries, Howard Dean made the statement that it is easy to tell when you are the front-runner because the other candidates are always biting you on the butt.
Hillary Clinton and John McCain are biting Barack Obama on the butt. They’re getting desperate. When they start grasping at every little straw they catch wind of, it is easy to see their desperation. Last weekend, Senator Obama spoke truth to a gathering of fundraisers in San Francisco. Clinton and McCain are now claiming he is “out of touch” with average Americans because of the truth he spoke.
Senator Obama responded to their desperate attacks today in Indiana:
At a town hall meeting in Indiana, U.S. Senator Barack Obama made the following comments in response to the Clinton and McCain campaign’s attacks:
“When I go around and I talk to people there is frustration and there is anger and there is bitterness. And what’s worse is when people are expressing their anger then politicians try to say what are you angry about? This just happened – I want to make a point here today.
“I was in San Francisco talking to a group at a fundraiser and somebody asked how’re you going to get votes in Pennsylvania? What’s going on there? We hear that’s its hard for some working class people to get behind you’re campaign. I said, “Well look, they’re frustrated and for good reason. Because for the last 25 years they’ve seen jobs shipped overseas. They’ve seen their economies collapse. They have lost their jobs. They have lost their pensions. They have lost their healthcare.
“And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said we’re going to make your community better. We’re going to make it right and nothing ever happens. And of course they’re bitter. Of course they’re frustrated. You would be too. In fact many of you are. Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur. The same thing has happened all across the country. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody is thinking about you. And so people end up- they don’t vote on economic issues because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don’t believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement– so, here’s what rich. Senator Clinton says ‘No, I don’t think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania. You know, I think Barack’s being condescending.’ John McCain says, ‘Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? You know, he’s obviously out of touch with people.’
“Out of touch? Out of touch? I mean, John McCain—it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he’s saying I’m out of touch? Senator Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I’m out of touch? No, I’m in touch. I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania. I know what’s going on in Indiana. I know what’s going on in Illinois. People are fed-up. They’re angry and they’re frustrated and they’re bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington and that’s why I’m running for President of the United States of America.” (link)
Here’s video of his remarks:
Somehow I get the feeling that Senators Clinton and McCain have a very long (or short, depending upon your point of view) road ahead of them. Senator Obama is not going to lie down belly up and take the attacks like John Kerry did in 2004.
If you’re not bitter and angry, you are either 1) not paying attention or 2) a member of George W. Bush’s and John McCain’s ultra-rich base. Who’s really out of touch? It’s not Barack Obama.
Update: Chew on this, wingnuts…
Update #2: Cliff Schecter points out the hypocrisy of John Sidney McCain III calling anybody an “elitist:” John “Married into Beer Wealth” McCain calls Obama “elitist”
Then there’s the fact that Bill and Hillary Clinton raked in $109 million over the past eight years. Yep, she’s really feeling the pain. She’s as much a hypocrite as McCain, if not more.
[Recommended reading: Barbara O'Brien - "Elitism for Elites."]
7 Responses to “Obama out of touch?”
Yep. The ones who DON’T recognize that small-town America is fed up and doesn’t trust the federal government are the ones who are the elitists. Obama actually gets it.
I, for one, would have to concur.
Never underestimate the stupidity of middle america. They will cling to their misconceptions long after being shown that they are wrong. How else did Bush get elected twice? If McCain is elected, its a safe bet we’ll be in Iraq for the length of this term and then some, not to mention taking a poke at Iran. Where do you think we’ll get the troops for that? You can hear the draft talks now….
With all due respect to your hero worship here, I have to take issue with several points you make.
First and foremost, Obama was not indeed correct about what he said (if he was, then why is he backing away and saying he didn’t mean what he said). If you believe he was correct, then you are just as misguided as he his.
Secondly, Obama lumped religion in with guns and problems with people who are different (a backhanded attempt to say racism). The reality is that you cannot politically demean religion by lumping into less important issues (like guns) or negative qualities (such as racism).
Lastly, Obama will have much bigger problems with this in the general election where a large portion of the electorate are very religious and base their election choices largely on that religion. Certainly there is much more “agreement” that there is something wrong with people who vote religion, vote guns, or vote social issues within the liberal communty that will determine the nomination. But once you get past that process… those who look down on people who see social issues as the more important issues of elections become a minority.
At the end of the day the candidate who most closely resembles the values of the majority of the electorate will become President. It won’t be the one who makes the most promises or gives the best speeches. Obama took a huge step backwards with this statement. Couple it with the anti-American stances of his own spiritual advisor and his own wife, and it looks like you have a problem, Houston.
@CH Truth:
Still waiting for the respect.
yup, the elitist bastard shows his true face. ivy league educated couple spend their time hating on america when they have received benefits most Americans have not received. like other privileged elitist prats they spend their time hating on america, making shows of not wearing pins or keeping company with spiritual advisers like reverend wright. the man is a self righteous ingrate and is about as out of touch as it gets. worst is he is dishonest. when he thought no one was watching he kept company with reverend wright, a man who gives unrestrained praise and awards to lewis farrakhan, a known antisemitic bigot. and he did so for 20 years. just imagine if a white candidate had a spiritual adviser who kept such company, say with the grand dragon of the kkk for instance. you wouldn’t believe a word out of their mouth if they claimed ignorance after 20 years. obama just doesn’t add up, and his latest gaffs show just how truly unelectable he is. he’s great with the chattering classes and the activist youth, but when its not some undemocratic caucus and everyone else gets to vote, he is unviable.
@fred tam : Goodness, Fred, had I wanted to read a crazy rant on a right wing blog I’d have gone to a right wing blog.
Thanks for dropping by, though. It’s always good to see what little we are up against. (sorry)