Ironically, "Bittergate" is a prime example of what Obama said

[TheDoorbellRang]

Obama's quote:

"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."

This is a surprise? What are the issues that RW politicians have used to GOTV?

gay marriage amendment
illegal immigrants
gun bans -- real or alleged
abortion

All celebrated wedge issues guaranteed to get knee-jerk reactions from their base.

What doesn't get addressed when wedge issues are the only parameter are the more prosaic but also more vital concerns, like the economy.

So this week we see "Bittergate" spun as the "elitist" comments from that "uppity" black fella. Now he hasn't said anything different than a brazillion talking heads on TV or other candidates in analyzing the electorate (including Bill Clinton), but somehow the fact that he deigned to comment on what moves voters is described as "elitist."

Meanwhile, once again economic concerns are being sidelined. Hillary Clinton's campaign strategist and husband have been shown to have strong ties to the Colombian free trade agreement with its negative consequences for American workers, but "antipathy to those who are not like them" -- read "elitist" Obama -- is being shoved down PA voters' throats.

The question remains, will the PA voters buy this crap, or will they join millions of their fellow Americans and say, "Not this time."

[Lord Helmet]

1. who would have guessed Clinton would stoop so low working those wedge issues?

She sucks.

[TheDoorbellRang]

6. I am so sick of watching voters shoot themselves in the foot

by getting sucked in to this sort of nonsense.

I'm just grateful that Obama seems to have a knack for cutting thru the crapola and bringing the focus back on to what's important.

I'm sure looking forward to the debate this week.

[anonymous171]

7. That's the irony.

[damntexdem]

11. Stooped, or reached so high?

Most of us should be bitter. Anyone who sees calling others' being bitter to be "arrogance" is either disconnected from reality or is real slime. But maybe it's not stooping.

[livetohike]

2. Recommended

Well said TheDoorbellRang.

[TheDoorbellRang]

8. FrenchieCat opened my eyes on the hypocrisy of attacking Obama on this

Here is her oped from yesterday. Very illuminating, I thought.

[DearAbby]

3. DING DING DING

:thumbsup:

[TheDoorbellRang]

9. Heh. That's the doorbell ringing

:D

[DearAbby]

10. It sure do

It sure do...:thumbsup:

[Bensthename]

4. Will Hillary have been successful helping him lose in Nov. ? We shall see.

[Auntie Bush]

16. So if Obama loses in November... it's Clinton's fault...not Obama's?

Did I hear you correctly? Isn't that what rethugs say...it's all Clinton's fault. Time to blame the owner of these comments. Obama has foot-in-mouth disease. I

[Heathen57]

20. IF he would lose in the GE

Hillary and company can take at least partial credit for it. She and her campaign have pulled out every dirty trick and swift-boat technique that they can think of on him. They have given the GOP a lot of ammo to try and use against him.

When she said that McLame would be a better CIC (president) than Obama, she lost all cred as a Democrat. It would not surprise me if she went indy or GOP since she couldn't bully the DLC to anoint her to the Candidate.

[Auntie Bush]

22. Oh my God!

You people lie about what Hillary said and then believe your own lies!

Hillary didn't say McLame would make a better CiC! Gottalink for that?

She said she and McCain had more experience than Obama. For God sake he's 71 years old and was a prisoner of war for 5 years and a senator for a gazillion. How can anyone think Obama has more experience than McCain? She was simply stating the truth! Stop putting your lies in her mouth and then claiming she's pulling every dirty trick in the book. Maybe she's using politics to try to win an election...the same ones she'd use to beat McCain if she were our nominee. She's a fighter and that is just what we need in this election if we want back in the White House. Mr. nice guy and claiming racist at every comment is not going to beat the Right Wing swiftboating machine. Wake up and smell the roses.

[Heathen57]

23. What Clinton said, in essence

(I don't want to look up the actual quote) was that both she and McCain had both proven their qualifications, and all Obama had was "a speech".

Only the delusional would consider that not endorsing McLame. The voters heard it, the party bosses heard it, and the SD's heard it.

Hillary has pounced on every move Obama has made and tried to twist and spin it. So much so that the sane folks are waking up to her tactics and calling her out on it.

She is a perfect example of a DINO and what has been wrong with the party since the turn of the century.

It is time for a change - a change to bring the Democratic party back to Democratic ideals, not Republican warmed over.

[Auntie Bush]

24. Well I don't have the skills, interest or time to refute you, but

as I remember...she was trying to say she had more experience than Obama...and she pointed out that even McCain does too so she was a better choice for president. It was a political statement. Also, as I remember...the empty suit comment was at a different situation. :shrug:
But none of it matters...it's all done in the name of politics called the primary. Both sides have criticized each other. So let's agree to disagree.

[Heathen57]

25. That is something I can do.

Agree to disagree. :hi:

[GoesTo11]

27. here's the quote. she just said McCain has passed CiC threshold, and demurred on Obama

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/06/clinton-mccain-and-i-hav_n_90310.html

"I think it's imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold," the New York senator told reporters crowded into an infant's bedroom-sized hotel conference room in Washington.

"I believe that I've done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you'll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy,"

[damonm]

5. As a certain Vulcan might put it...

[Voice for Peace]

12. Exactly. And a prime example of the mindset that gets us into wars.

Where do people think war starts, anyway? In the government?

No, it starts in the minds and attitudes of you and me.

If it can't end there, it's going to rage on in the rest of the world.

I think many recognize we as a race are at the edge of the proverbial abyss.
There's a way out, there's till time to take a whole new direction.

[TheDoorbellRang]

17. Changing the mindset

We have no need to look further than GD-P to see the results of "antipathy to people who aren't like us." The vitriol here against the "other" results in myriad pronouncements of not voting for the dem nominee this fall in protest, against all common sense and self interest. Wonder how you'd ever even start to change this mindset on what seems to be a common failing amongst mankind.

Humanity -- we're a funny bunch. Sometimes I'm not too optimistic about our chances.

[Voice for Peace]

18. LOL. And if you put all the GDp posters in a room with guns, they'd probably start killing

each other.. somebody would start it and the next thing you know everybody would be defending their "own."

As far as the change goes.. it starts with me. I can only change myself, I can't change anybody else. But I've often been inspired to change myself by others, by their example and their vision.

Try to make me change, and I'll fight hard -- even if I know the change would be good for me.

I'm always reminded of the story of the battle between the sun and the wind, both trying to get a guy's coat off his back. Who can win a contest like that?

[cooolandrew]

13. We are the ones we've been waiting for, when Obama is being smeared it by proxy is us too.

For the sake of Gore the sake of Kerry not this time way too much on the line

[noiretextatique]

14. obama is right on target

i have no problem with what he said.

[TheDonkey]

15. That's because rethugs have abandoned small town Pa on economic issues. Obama was 100% correct

I am from a small town in PA. Guess what, we have a giant factory in the middle of my 3,000 person town that has been shut down for nearly 2 decades and is just an eyesore and decaying ruin of past economic prosperity. Now the town is just in shambles but still votes for GW Bush because why? We know why....

[TragedyandHope]

19. Exactly. Both of his opponents are going out of their way to prove his point.

They think voters are too dumb to notice. The MSM is eating it up, but the public sees right through it.

[Emit]

21. I was thinking this very same thing on the drive to work today. Yes.

You've hit the nail on the head. How ironic, indeed. I hope others will see that.

[Swamp Rat]

26. Bitter doorbells

:D