Comments on: Snob-Obama is Not Just Out of Touch. He’s From Another Planet

By: Pamela Leavey

Pamela Leavey — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:42:48 +0000

Buzz

We can all justify what Obama said to ourselves and other fellow progressives who get it - but to the moderates leaning towards McCain for WHATEVER reason, this is reason to lean closer. That is the issue - that is the problem with what Obama said. That is the truth. He fed them some candy and they will make stick if they can.

By: William A. Stoddart

William A. Stoddart — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:30:41 +0000

In both the Rev. Wright and the latest “small town” candidacy crisis, Barack, instead of responding in a way which might have been politically expedient, responded honestly. We haven’t heard a politican speak honestly in so long, that we can’t recognize it. He could have done what was politically expedient and simply, “thrown the baby (Wright) out with the bath water.” Instead he gave, what some consider, as the best speech ever made on race relations. Instead, he took the political risk and responded with calmness, eloquence, and intelligence.
In this most recent media driven crisis he again has not run from what he said. Instead he admitted that he “had mangled” what he was attempting to convey and then made a second pronouncement . Again his clarification did not totally refute his original statement, representing yet another political risk. Obama said that bad times in small town America sometimes promotes feelings of bitterness. Some transfer their frustration on the nearest scapegoates, which are frequently either gays and/or Mexican immigrants. (legal of illegal) Then their “bible thumping” type of evangelism can SOMETIMES be used as the facilitator for violence. It is a pychcological proven tendency for persons or families when experiencing financial stress to SOMETIMES act out in socially unexceptable ways. Who hasn’t read of at least one account of an unemployed father killing his family and them himself.
I, like Obama, am keenly aware that every presidential year the far right branch of the GOP trot out their favorite dividing issues of gay rights, abortion, gun legislation, flag burning etc. In both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, most voters in the “red states” identified these issues as trumping the Iraq war, the economy, the environment, crime, etc. in determening their selecton. Ir continues to amaze me, as a gay American, that whom I might choose to sleep with trumps nuclearer proliferation as a red state issue factor. In essence Obama was pointing out the continued pattern of “the dumbing down “of America” Some have liked it to a type of Jerry Springer Show mentality.
Notice in both of these Obama camp crisis, he chose to take the honesty route over what may have been politically expediate for his campaign. After eight years of lies, hopefully we are ready for a candidate who will take a political risk by telling the truth. Oh,, but then I forgot the immortal words of Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men” when someone in court requested the truth. His response was, “The truth, you wouldn’t be able to handle the truth!” I am clinging to the naive hope that this time around the electorate chooses truth, over politicaly motivated lies!!! Buzz

By: Pamela Leavey

Pamela Leavey — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:04:41 +0000

Gilbert

I think Andy gets that and was in effect saying that.

By: Gilbert Martinez

Gilbert Martinez — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:36:44 +0000

Sorry, Andy, there have been “gun-toting, fag-bashing, Bible-thumping conservatives” for years and years.

By: Andy Witmyer

Andy Witmyer — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:32:43 +0000

While I do think that Sen. Obama’s comments were a bit too sweeping, I’d like to say that as a person living in central Pennsylvania – in the middle of a truly vast rust belt – it is of my own personal judgment that his statements were perhaps more spot-on than most people might be comfortable with accepting. There ARE a lot – and I mean, A LOT – of bitter people in these parts. The city I was born and raised in was once the railroad industrial center of the world, but is a farcry from that now – since those glory days, it has become a culture-less sea of restaurants and retail strip-malls. The industry is gone and the people are not happy.

While industrial decline may not be the cause of this phenomenon, I think that it’s worth noting that this area of Pennsylvania is home to an impressively large base of gun-toting, fag-bashing, Bible-thumping conservatives. Sen. Obama’s reflection upon this was not politically savvy in the least and it may cost him a number of votes (that is to be seen) – but, at least from my own experience of living around here, whether stupidly put or not, I can unfortunately – at least to a small degree – see where he was coming from when he made his observation.

By: William A. Stoddart

William A. Stoddart — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:04:07 +0000

OK, debunker, let’s attempt to review your less than flattering rant over “elitetist” Barack Obama.
1. You say he depicts the “rust belt” in a demeaning manner. What does Obama know about it? “He doesn’t relate, can’t relate.” Well for your information his early years were influenced by his mother and maternal grandparents, who were from rural Kansas. Both his mother and her parents grew up in the very center of the country. In his book, “Dreams From My Father” he describes it as, “a place were decency and faith endured and the pioneer spirit” abounded. It was a place of, “Fourth of July parades, vine-ripe tomatoes, duststorms, and classrooms filled with farm boys.”Having been raised largely by his grandparents, he was keenly aware of the poverty they had endured. They had seen farm foreclosures and bank failures close up. Their life experiences had a strong influence on Barack’s up-bringing.
2. Barack was born in the 1960’s, a decade of racial unrest. To make matters worse, he had been born to a mixed race couple. Although born in Hawaii, he relates stories of the hate he had to endure. This sure does not sound like the life that an elitist would have lived.
Contray to what you say, Barack does “feel our pain.” He has seen the ruined lives that poverty creates in our young people, while doing community work on the south side of Chiago. Perhaps he should have choosen his words better. However, if you choose to scan his biography, it will become clear that he not only “talks the talk” but has “walked the walk.” His life itself has been a testimony to his avdvocacy for the poor. If “actions speak louder that words”, a botched couple of sentences areof little consequence. Both Hillary and Senator McCain have have led far more oppulent lives than Barack. Can we Democrats, so eagar for change, stop the constant blood letting. If we don’t, we face the distinct posibility of stealing defeat from the jaws of victory!! Buzz

By: Peace Out For Unity

Peace Out For Unity — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:15:48 +0000

Out of touch ? That’s scary and taking the best high road on the discussion I can find ! “Senator Clinton,do you think God wants you to be president?” Her answer on the CNN Forum concerning compassion,faith and values was humble. I was yelling yes and prayed about it too! Amen!! Now the nation can sleep at night your in charge ! God speed to the White House!

By: Darrell Prows

Darrell Prows — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:43:44 +0000

cats: I’m not sure what planet you come from, but why don’t you go back there and leave us alone while we figure out who’s going to be President in 2009. And it sure as hell ain’t going to be McCain, because he thinks like you do that us poor white males can’t compete since the playing field got leveled.

You don’t have a God given right to a position at the top of the pyramid, and it’s pretty clear to me that you couldn’t get there on your own.

By: debunker

debunker — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:23:05 +0000

Obama used a very broad brush to paint all of the midwest as rednecks. What do guns and church have to do with the souring economy? How about some ideas on turning things around for rural America. This region with strong family values, a hard-work ethic, devout patriotism, and the desire for life in rural America, for SOME also includes church membership and for SOME perhaps owning a gun, be it for protection or hunting…long before the economy went south and jobs went overseas. We don’t now “cling” to them in desperation because our government has failed us. What a dramatic and exagerated picture he paints. We don’t cling to church or guns when it’s convenient unlike Mr. Obama who admittedly chose a Chicago church that would be convenient for his political base.

He has chosen to depict the rust-belt in a demeaning manner. What does Obama know about it? Is he a sociologist now? He doesn’t have his history or facts correct about this region, it’s people or culture. More devisiveness from “the uniter”. If he wants to let us know he “feels our pain” say it to us. Don’t talk about us to those who don’t relate…can’t relate…don’t want to relate at your elite San Francisco dog & pony show. Surprised he didn’t have one of us freaks on display for purposes of impact.

For those who think his comments were correct, and want to give him another “pass” on yet another stupid and uninformed comment, read the complete text of his commentary. I find it insulting that he thinks he knows me and my neighbor and has it all figured out here in Indiana. He is the one spewing the rhetoric trying to distance himself from his own error.

The longer this primary goes on Obama must be finding it difficult to keep-up the act, or the mask. His true arrogance and hypocrisy are showing.

By: The Truffle

The Truffle — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:35:12 +0000

Puh-lease. La Hill and McCain are simply projecting in their attacks on Obama. She's a former First Lady and he's a scion of a military family who married a beer heiress.

The Republicans are going to seize these issues and whoever is the Democratic nominee is going to have to play along.

That's a very DLC way of thinking.

By: William A. Stoddart

William A. Stoddart — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:27:48 +0000

As much as this marathon race should be about ideas and policy, it invariably alalways slips back to a “He said”, “She said “scenario. We are more concerned about semantics than substance. There was a memorable line in one of Jack Nicholson’s award winning movies. In a response to a request for the truth he yelled, “The truth, the truth–you wouldn’t be able to handle the truth.”

As Blake aptly stated, “Voter’s ravaged by economic upheaval, don’t want to hear the truth.” What are suppose to be private, personal, or family issues (God, guns, gays, abortion and the American flag) unfortunately take center stage over such issues as Iraq, the economy, crime, health care, the environment etc. Just think of the sheer dumbness of this: Bush is president because many American’s thought it was more important to vote their displeasure of whom I may choose to go to bed with over grave national and international issues. There is a concensus that “The Decider” will go down in histrory as one of the worst, OR THE WORST, president ever. So none of you out there in those angry red states, who voted for Bush, should be complaing because you got what you deserve. My only lament is that I didn’t leave my “Kerry Edwards” bumper sticker on my car to distinguish me from the 2004 Bushites. President Carter in his book, “Our Endangered Values” states, “I have been asked whether my Christian beliefs ever conflicted with my secular duties as president. I always honored my oath to preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. I was careful to seperate my official duties as president from the private worship habits of my family. The government and the church are two different realms of service”

Obama’s observations seemed largely credible to me. Some small back-water communities both use AND misuse their faith when they fall on hard times. If a plant in a small town closes, the now un-employed locals could use guns as a means to feed their families. (crime) As their frustration mounts, we sometimes read of a father who has killed his entire family and himself out of his shame of not being able to support them. As they lose their jobs they might scapegoat iillegal and/or legal aliens as being responsible. (even if none reside there) Some, like Jerry Falwell might be blinded by their faith and say that “the sins of homosexuals and pro-choice advocates, provoked God’s wrath. Still others may say that not having a Constitutional admendment banning the burning of our flag provoked the Lord to punish them. Although Obama’s comments make sense to most thinking American’s, he is required to publicly apologize.

Remember, “THE TRUTH, YOU WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE TRUTH!” Buzz

By: CognitiveDissonance

CognitiveDissonance — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:07:00 +0000

I disagree that Obama was telling the truth. The most offensive part of his statement was how he basically called small town Pennsylvanians bigots who cling to guns and Bibles, not the bitter part that he wants to spin. He has a habit of calling people racists who don’t vote for him. Let’s don’t forget that he called Ohioans Archie Bunkers, and the “typical white people” remarks. It’s always easier to blame others than to blame yourself. He really just doesn’t seem to get that those people aren’t voting for him simply because he has nothing to offer them. Hope and change might be cool if you’re well off. For the poor and the ravaged middle class, a nice shiny unity pony is just more bullshit from politicians.

I’m really sick of the media selectively pulling out a couple of lines of what he said and oh-so-conveniently omitting the offensive part. But that’s the Obama Media and their CDS. I really didn’t expect to find it here as well.