What Barack Obama Thinks Of Rural America: Bitter, Gun-Toting Xenophobes


When he spoke to a group of his wealthier Golden State backers at a San Francisco fund-raiser last Sunday, Barack Obama took a shot at explaining the yawning cultural gap that separates a Turkeyfoot from a Marin County. “You go into some of 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,” Obama said. “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.”

Obama made a problematic judgment call in trying to explain working class culture to a much wealthier audience. He described blue collar Pennsylvanians with a series of what in the eyes of creamy Californians might be considered pure negatives: guns, clinging to religion, antipathy, xenophobia.

Is anyone really surprised? I mean, this is a member of Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright’s flock.

Of course, IMHO there is a great deal of truth in what he says. Also, these statements have nothing in common with the inflammatory ones made by Rev. Wright.

Don't blame Washington for companies moving overseas when it's the Unions, high property prices, and high real estate taxes fault a Company can't do business here.

America isn't in the throws of poverty like he tries to make it look. Every place I go I see beautiful new homes going in and half the cars and trucks are newer SUV's and extra cab pickups.

Obama would like you to think we're in some kind of Depression. My Grandparents lived through a real depression and told me about it. This isn't a depression. Obama is full of crap. It's scare politics.

He's out of touch!

ronbo wrote:Don't blame Washington for companies moving overseas when it's the Unions, high property prices, and high real estate taxes fault a Company can't do business here.

America isn't in the throws of poverty like he tries to make it look. Every place I go I see beautiful new homes going in and half the cars and trucks are newer SUV's and extra cab pickups.

Obama would like you to think we're in some kind of Depression. My Grandparents lived through a real depression and told me about it. This isn't a depression. Obama is full of crap. It's scare politics.

He's out of touch!

Show me where Obama said we are in a depression. We are in a recession and it is getting worse. It is good to know that you are fine with American jobs going overseas. I'm not and I think most Americans agree with me and want a president who is equally concerned and will try to do something about it. I seems you may be "out of touch" on this particular issue.

ronbo wrote:Don't blame Washington for companies moving overseas when it's the Unions, high property prices, and high real estate taxes fault a Company can't do business here.

America isn't in the throws of poverty like he tries to make it look. Every place I go I see beautiful new homes going in and half the cars and trucks are newer SUV's and extra cab pickups.

Obama would like you to think we're in some kind of Depression. My Grandparents lived through a real depression and told me about it. This isn't a depression. Obama is full of crap. It's scare politics.

He's out of touch!

Ever heard of the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis?

Geeze all he talks about is how everyone has lost their jobs, lost their health care, and lost their homes. He makes it sound like America has gone down the toilet, has gone to hell in a handbasket. He is the most negative politician I've ever listened to.

ronbo wrote:Geeze all he talks about is how everyone has lost their jobs, lost their health care, and lost their homes. He makes it sound like America has gone down the toilet, has gone to hell in a handbasket. He is the most negative politician I've ever listened to.

Negative = realistic

I personally know of NO ONE that has lost their home. And you know how many? Even my 27 year old daughter that makes $30,000 a year as a single mother keeps up her payments on her home.

This is for you ronblo, since you have obviously been living in a hole for the past few years.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/04/news/ec ... obs_march/

5-51/2% unemployment is still very low.

You go into a depression and there will be 50% unemployment.

Obama is getting killed in the media today. McCain and Clinton are having a field day.

Obama says Middle America hides behind their religion and guns. In private he probably says we're a bunch of racist pigs too.

This guy can never win a general election. He will put his foot in his mouth too many times.

ronbo wrote:What Barack Obama Thinks Of Rural America: Bitter, Gun-Toting Xenophobes


When he spoke to a group of his wealthier Golden State backers at a San Francisco fund-raiser last Sunday, Barack Obama took a shot at explaining the yawning cultural gap that separates a Turkeyfoot from a Marin County. “You go into some of 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,” Obama said. “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.”

Obama made a problematic judgment call in trying to explain working class culture to a much wealthier audience. He described blue collar Pennsylvanians with a series of what in the eyes of creamy Californians might be considered pure negatives: guns, clinging to religion, antipathy, xenophobia.

Is anyone really surprised? I mean, this is a member of Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright’s flock.

http://www.egriz.com/GrizBoard/topic30827.php

ronbo wrote:I personally know of NO ONE that has lost their home. And you know how many? Even my 27 year old daughter that makes $30,000 a year as a single mother keeps up her payments on her home.

Really? Well if Ronbo doesn't personally know of any home foreclosures, than it must be a hoax.

http://www.reuters.com/article/gc03/idU ... 7920080306

I personally know of 4 people in the lending and mortgage industry who have lost their jobs in the last 6 months.

kalm wrote:

ronbo wrote:I personally know of NO ONE that has lost their home. And you know how many? Even my 27 year old daughter that makes $30,000 a year as a single mother keeps up her payments on her home.

Really? Well if Ronbo doesn't personally know of any home foreclosures, than it must be a hoax.

http://www.reuters.com/article/gc03/idU ... 7920080306

I personally know of 4 people in the lending and mortgage industry who have lost their jobs in the last 6 months.

These can't be real people if Ronbo doesn't know them!

ronbo wrote:This guy can never win a general election. He will put his foot in his mouth too many times.

Then why do you start a new thread about him every friggin' day? Just curious...

Grizlaw wrote:

ronbo wrote:This guy can never win a general election. He will put his foot in his mouth too many times.

Then why do you start a new thread about him every friggin' day? Just curious...

Because as soon as I found out he attended a racist church for 20 years I needed to vent. I can't stand any kind of racism white or black.

ronbo wrote:What Barack Obama Thinks Of Rural America: Bitter, Gun-Toting Xenophobes


When he spoke to a group of his wealthier Golden State backers at a San Francisco fund-raiser last Sunday, Barack Obama took a shot at explaining the yawning cultural gap that separates a Turkeyfoot from a Marin County. “You go into some of 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,” Obama said. “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.”

Obama made a problematic judgment call in trying to explain working class culture to a much wealthier audience. He described blue collar Pennsylvanians with a series of what in the eyes of creamy Californians might be considered pure negatives: guns, clinging to religion, antipathy, xenophobia.

Is anyone really surprised? I mean, this is a member of Rev. Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright’s flock.

Oh, so you don't like Obama? J/K

I don't think the occasional sterotyping of the hayseed set should get your panties is such an uproar, Ronbo.

I used to be a huge Clinton supporter until I realized that I fit in better with the "AmeriKKKa sucks" and "fck the police" crowd. I guess I just feel like the Obama camp is catering to my brand of liberal yuppie rage.

But that's just me.

Who was he referring to when he said "Middle America"? He was talking about "Middle Class White America".

Racist remarks.

He never said anything about hayseeds.

Oh he's doing a real tap dance today. Trying to reword his remarks. You know what Freud said. An error in speech, memory, or physical action that is "believed" by the unconcious mind.

His remarks give Repubs … and the Hill camp … an opening to paint B.O. as an elitist who is out of touch with Americans who fall in the middle and lower class.

Clinton, who has been slipping in most Pennsylvania polls, has been pounding the last few days on B.O.’s characterization of bitter people who "cling" to guns and religion.

kalm wrote:

ronbo wrote:Don't blame Washington for companies moving overseas when it's the Unions, high property prices, and high real estate taxes fault a Company can't do business here.

America isn't in the throws of poverty like he tries to make it look. Every place I go I see beautiful new homes going in and half the cars and trucks are newer SUV's and extra cab pickups.

Obama would like you to think we're in some kind of Depression. My Grandparents lived through a real depression and told me about it. This isn't a depression. Obama is full of crap. It's scare politics.

He's out of touch!

Ever heard of the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis?

I have. And I think the best solution is to dissolve the private financial sector completely. I think the government should own the banks and lending institutions. It would be much better that way because government is much more efficient and just more gooder at everything. I should know, I had to renew my driver's license today. I waited for over two hours for a 15-minute transaction. If that's not the definition of efficient I'm not sure what is.

tampa_griz wrote:

kalm wrote:

ronbo wrote:Don't blame Washington for companies moving overseas when it's the Unions, high property prices, and high real estate taxes fault a Company can't do business here.

America isn't in the throws of poverty like he tries to make it look. Every place I go I see beautiful new homes going in and half the cars and trucks are newer SUV's and extra cab pickups.

Obama would like you to think we're in some kind of Depression. My Grandparents lived through a real depression and told me about it. This isn't a depression. Obama is full of crap. It's scare politics.

He's out of touch!

Ever heard of the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis?

I have. And I think the best solution is to dissolve the private financial sector completely. I think the government should own the banks and lending institutions. It would be much better that way because government is much more efficient and just more gooder at everything. I should know, I had to renew my driver's license today. I waited for over two hours for a 15-minute transaction. If that's not the definition of efficient I'm not sure what is.

I have a buddy in the food service industry who recently renewed his food handlers permit by taking an on-line course and reporting to the county health district for a convenient 10 - minute test, with no standing in line, no lengthy 1 1/2 hour seminar and written test. He was in and out, bam just like that.

According to the World Health Organization, there were 1.8 million deaths worldwide attributed to foodbourne illness. None of them occurred in Spokane County.

What a great country.

But nice deflection anyway.

I do think this hurts Obama. His biggest challenge is getting votes from rural and mid class America, especially in the general election. Whether he intended or not, he did in a way talk down to those from those demographics. Some of these recent events are alienating him, and is putting out a bad vibe, to these groups. Luckily for him the democratic primary is going to last for another couple months and he'll have some time to backtrack from those sentiments a bit.

Stick a fork in him...he's done.

Billary vs Mac

HighLineGRIZ wrote:the democratic primary is going to last for another couple months and he'll have some time to backtrack from those sentiments a bit.

Not to mention Obama will smoke McCain like a pack of his beloved Kools in the debates. Barack wins the nomination handily and the general by double digits.



Sticky it.

UMclassof2002 wrote:

HighLineGRIZ wrote:the democratic primary is going to last for another couple months and he'll have some time to backtrack from those sentiments a bit.

Not to mention Obama will smoke McCain like a pack of his beloved Kools in the debates. Barack wins the nomination handily and the general by double digits.



Sticky it.

My gal Hil will wipe the floor with Barack tonight then smoke his smokes afterwards.

Did you know Montana is an open primary.

jagur1 wrote:

UMclassof2002 wrote:

HighLineGRIZ wrote:the democratic primary is going to last for another couple months and he'll have some time to backtrack from those sentiments a bit.

Not to mention Obama will smoke McCain like a pack of his beloved Kools in the debates. Barack wins the nomination handily and the general by double digits.



Sticky it.

My gal Hil will wipe the floor with Barack tonight then smoke his smokes afterwards.

Did you know Montana is an open primary.

[no it won't]Your vote could be the difference![/no it won't]