THE TIMES TRIBUNE: Pennsylvania Area Mayors Take Offense at Obama's Remarks (see VIDEO)

[BigBearJohn]

Small-town Pennsylvanians aren’t bitter; they’re optimists, steeped in family and tradition, and upset that Barack Obama would characterize them as gun-toting zealots. That was the message Mayor Chris Doherty had at a news conference Saturday called to rebut comments recently made by Mr. Obama, D-Ill.

“For a man who just spent six days crossing this state saying he was listening, obviously he wasn’t listening, because he missed us,” Mr. Doherty said.

Former Scranton Mayor Jim Connors said the remarks demean people here as hicks. Mr. Obama wants to transcend stereotypes, but then he stereotyped others, Mr. Connors said.

Taylor Mayor Richard Bowen said Mr. Obama’s comments hit home beyond Pennsylvania, and he predicts it will cost the senator voters who are on the fence.

Mr. Connors said what most offends him is that Mr. Obama said these things on the other side of the country behind closed doors. Mr. Connors bet Mr. Obama wouldn’t have made such remarks in Altoona.



Source (plus extensive video of the Pennsylvania mayors giving their reaction to Obama):
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19480057&BRD=2185&PAG=735&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

[datopbanana]

1. Disingenuous politicians YEAH!!!! GET THEM MORE CAMERA TIME!! YAAAWOOOOOO!!

[Maribelle]

6. Are you calling Obama disingenuous?

Have at it. :rofl:

[datopbanana]

10. you're almost as good at playing dumb as those mayors

[futureliveshere]

2. Funny how the people who are in POWER seem to be the only people who are INSULTED.

This is reflecting exactly what Obama said. The common person KNOWS that he is speaking their language.

[Maribelle]

3. I talked to a friend of mine in Pittsburgh last night, who had not yet decided.

Both her and her husband have advanced degrees and fall into that demographic profile that would seem to favor Obama.

However, Obama's mischaracterization of blue collar workers became a decision-maker for them. Both of their families are of the "Deer Hunter" genre in that area south of Pittsburgh along the winding Monongahela. Both are outraged.

“My blue-collar grandparents are of that ‘greatest generation’ that have done so much for this country through their hard work, family values, solid religious foundation, citizenship and charity, now in their 80s. Obama has insulted their core values.”

[datopbanana]

4. I can play that game too, watch

I talked to a friend of mine in Pittsburgh last night, who had not yet decided.

Both her and her husband are high-school dropouts and fall into that demographic profile that would seem to favor Clinton.

However, Clinton's support of NAFTA during her husband's presidency is a decision-maker for them. Both of their families are of the many who lost jobs after mills shut down in that area south of Pittsburgh along the winding Monongahela. Both are outraged.

“My blue-collar grandparents are of that ‘greatest generation’ that have done so much for this country through their hard work, family values, solid religious foundation, citizenship and charity, now in their 80s. Clinton has destroyed their careers.”

[Maribelle]

5. Erm... this is not a game

Sadly, Obama wants to brainwash his followers into thinking this is a game. That's truly ugly.

[datopbanana]

7. no. spinning Obama's words into a smear against small town people is the game that's truly ugly

You know, the game Clinton's campaign has brainwashed her followers into playing. Against not only another Dem, but the over 80% likely to be next Dem nominee for president.

[Maribelle]

8. Obama apologized for his words.

[datopbanana]

9. actually he said...

"now i am the first to admit that some of the words i chose i chose badly because as my wife reminds me im not perfect... the words i chose i chose badly they were subject to misinterpretation they were subject to be twisted and i regret that, i regret that deeply... but... when people suggest that somehow i was demeaning religion when i know that im a man of deep faith."

He doesn't regret what he said. He regrets how he said it. He said it in a way that people with an agenda and bad intentions would be able to spin it into something completely different than the truth.

You know, people like you.

[Maribelle]

11. You should have ended it on 'He regrets how he said it' - - exactly the words he used

apologize (v) say sorry, make an apology, ask for forgiveness, express regret, act contrite


The rest was made up pomp that is not true.

[datopbanana]

14. oh lordy. im going to take you through i process i learned in 1st grade

Obama: "i regret that"

hmm obama regrets something, something called "that."

What does "that" mean?

Well kiddies, it usually means the subject to which he was referring. Lets take a look!

Obama: "they were subject to misinterpretation they were subject to be twisted and i regret that"

Ah! "that" refers to "they were subject to misinterpretation they were subject to be twisted"

Nifty!

So what did we learn?

Obama regrets the words he chose because they were subject to misinterpretation they were subject to be twisted

Cooool!

[Maribelle]

15. Stop using first graders. Our innocent children are used enough already.

Extremely poor analogy, that.

[datopbanana]

16. i try to keep it simple for the "slow" learners

[Maribelle]

19. You keep personally attacking me because your points are weak and erroneous.

Personal attacks are against DU rules. However, I keep ignoring them.

AMEN

[datopbanana]

21. go to this link...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/12/axelrod-obama-regrets-but_n_96383.html

Read the headline. If that doesn't make it clear, im afraid there's nothing more i can do for you.

Good luck.

[JoFerret]

18. Oh those COMMON people

They just love Obama.

[LilBitRad]

12. I live in one of those rural areas

where we should be "bitter" but aren't. My Southern state is strongly Dem except it usually goes red for POTUS as the majority are conservative Dems, but it appeared the tide was going to change this election cycle.

Now, I'm not too sure. We do discuss politics often and have been disappointed in the Fed "gub'mint" for years, which is what I think Obama was trying to say, but the reaction locally has been negative, to say the least, as that's not the way it came across.

I wanted a Populist, but my guy dropped out before our primary so my choice now is to vote for the nominee, but what I've been hearing is not good.

It's a small town so we very seldom get into heated discussions about any political issue or candidate (hey, no sense in pissing off half the town). Those of you who have experience living in small town, rural America know what I mean.

What makes it doubly bad is Clinton's "mis-speak" about sniper fire, as more than half the menfolk have served in one branch of the military or another.

I hear the confusion, and I hate to think we're going to have another four or eight years of same old, same old, but that's the way it appears locally.

It's a messed up primary cycle; one of the worst I've seen, and I've seen many.

[Maribelle]

13. Clinton's admitted 'mis-speak' is about herself. Obama's 'mis-speak' is about hard working Americans

I would hope that most of rural America can see a significant difference - - and that Obama cut the heart of blue collar workers talking to billionaires, whom he hoped would take his words for granted and fatten his campaign coffers.

[LilBitRad]

22. I can't speak for most of rural America,

only for my local rural area, and it didn't go over well.

We hunt, as it puts food on the table, and we all own guns and bows, and the vast majority attend church; in some cases the churches are the social centers for the community with all the pot lucks, and the baseball or other sports teams and the contributions to families in trouble (food or cash for utility bills or medicines), not to mention the feeling of extended family.

It's not unusual to have your neighbors to show up to to help repair storm damage or put up a new fence or to mow your yard if you broke your leg or if you're too old to do it yourself.

I prefer to think we're more stoic than bitter.

I'm looking at it from the standpoint of someone who left to work on the left coast for many years at a high paying job to build a nest egg so I could return to my rural roots. I have almost equal time in major coastal cities and real small town America (less than 500), and what he initially said pissed me off until I realized what he was trying to say.

Many of my neighbors took it as a direct insult as this is the only life they have ever known or wanted.

IMO. Obama did some damage to himself; how much remains to be seen.

We'll see.

[Hepburn]

17. Geeeeee....

....a public official saying he isn't to blame for the poor economics in his district.

Whadda surprise....:eyes:

[ShortnFiery]

20. Thank goodness, only one more "false outrage" at Obama thread for you.

Thanks so much DU for the three (3x) thread a day rule. :-) :hi:

[MethuenProgressive]

23. Look out, Barack! The "peasants" are revolting!

Pennsylvanians continue reject BO's elitist snobbery.

[bcoylepa]

24. TIMES TRIBUNE ENDORSES O

Barack Obama

http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19480144&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=418218&rfi=6

so did the Daily Review in Bradford County!!

enough said

[jackson_dem]

25. Good. Who does Barack Obama think he is? Has he bought his own hype?

:thumbsup:

[Bigleaf]

26. Good thing Mayors don't decide elections, huh?