[Reuters] Obama struggles to win white vote in rural Pennsylvania

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

Whitmoyer said Obama's mention of guns as an emblem of rural culture was interpreted by local people as a sign that he will restrict their use if he becomes president.

"If he isn't for guns, he's against guns," Whitmoyer said. "He just cut his own throat with everyone who owns a gun."

<snip>

Whitmoyer, who said he will probably vote for Clinton, also said he opposes Obama's support for gay rights, and is suspicious of his endorsement by TV host Oprah Winfrey.

"Anyone who walks with the true Christ is going to be against Obama," said Whitmoyer, whose license plate has the message 'I'm saved, Jesus is Lord!' He added: "Religion is going to hurt him."

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1933322220080421

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. Real Americans love guns. Jesus loved guns, and Jesus was a real American.

</sarcasm>

[blm]

27. What's odd is that he says he's against Obama for being for gay rights and supported by Oprah

yet he is completely unaware that Hillary has been courting gays and Clintons often appeared on Oprah - but maybe Hillary camp doesn't WANT Mr. rural voter to KNOW that and doesn't speak about her support for gay rights to those crowds.

[thereismore]

2. That's some stupid people. Can I say that here? nt

[scheming daemons]

3. "Rural Whites" is a code-word for something most won't mention.... racists

...to the core.

[Diamond Dog]

6. I'm a rural white, and I agree.

My town is chock-fool of idiots like this.

[Diamond Dog]

8. *chock-full, though fool works, too. n/t

[thereismore]

15. OMG how do you fight against that? I met an educated racist yesterday,

said that Arabs "as a group" can't be trusted with nothing. This was not in PA, this was in CA. God help us.

[Growler]

22. Ding! Ding!

> "Rural Whites" is a code-word for something most won't mention.... racists

Exactly!

[cali]

26. that may be largely true but my rural town went for Obama

in fact, my almost entirely rural state did. And it was a primary. So did other rural states.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. Yes you may.

I grew up with these people. This crap doesn't surprise me at all.

[tridim]

5. Whitmoyer just proved Obama's point about "bitterness"

I wonder if he understands that?

[SaveAmerica]

23. No, he won't, because he believed it the way it was presented to him by Hillary's campaign.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Obama Wins the Bowler's vote of Pennsylvania...62% to 38%

PHILADELPHIA, April 21 /PRNewswire/ --

The Pennsylvania Bowling Proprietors' Association (PABPA), in tandem with Strike Ten Entertainment -- the marketing arm of the national Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA), today announced Barack Obama as the winner of its state-wide "Bowl Your Vote" challenge. The three-day challenge gave voters the option to allocate their pin count (three game scores) to either Clinton or Obama. Despite his own lackluster showing inAltoona, PA, Obama claimed victory by capturing 62% of the "bowling vote" versus Clinton's 38%.

"Bowling is an enduringPennsylvania tradition and a part of our state's identity, and we offer our congratulations to Senator Obama for capturing the hearts and minds of our state's bowlers," said Jack Minelli, President of the PABPA. "We would also like to extend an offer for both candidates to receive complimentary bowling lessons. Despite capturing the 'bowling vote,' Senator Obama still needs a great deal of help with his technique."

http://newsblaze.com/story/2008042105032500048.pnw/newsblaze/POLITICS/Politics.html

[ErinBerin84]

9. Did the person doing the interview

break the news to him about Clinton's support for Gay rights?

Maybe her "SAN FRAN-cisco" gave him a different impression (I'm kidding...I think).

[jenmito]

10. If he opposes Obama's support for gay rights, why would he vote for Hillary who ALSO supposedly

supports gay right? Not to mention very similar position on gun control. No wonder Hillary's base is uneducated/less educated people. :eyes:

[MercutioATC]

11. Whitman is a complete fabrication...

...or he's yet another frighteningly uninformed voter.

Guns are the issue? That's fine.

Obama said what he said and many have interpreted that as a sign that he doesn't support private gun ownership (something that he's denied repeatedly).

Clinton has come right out and said that she supports reinstating the "Assault Weapons Ban".

Anybody who knows anything about firearms uses the AWB as an example of ignorant politicians making poor decisions based on, seemingly, the advice of equally-ignorant old ladies and soccer moms. The AWB is HORRIBLE legislation...not because it restricts gun rights, but because it does so in a completely arbitrary and, frankly, silly way.

He's voting for Clinton, a vocal supporter of reinstating the AWB because he interpreted one of Obama's statements in a certain way? Either a fabrication or horrific ignorance.

Unfortunately, it may well be the latter.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. Rural PA is full of frighteningly uninformed voters.

As far as I could tell growing up there, the main sources of information about politics were AM talk radio and the (usually astonishingly horrible) local newspapers. Oh, and the usual 6:00 network news, which is usually about as relevant and informative as a box of rocks.

[CK dexter]

12. Gosh, these folks sure don't seem to "cling" to guns or religion!

"If he isn't for guns, he's against guns"
"Anyone who walks with the true Christ is going to be against Obama"

These interviewees clearly hold well-reasoned, sensible positions on guns and religion. How embarrassing for Obama that he was unable to court their honorable votes!

[calmblueocean]

21. LOL! You got it.

Remind me to go find that guy and ask him who the "true Christ" really is.

[barack the house]

13. Can't figure why he wouldn't have the religious vote after the Pope hope speech...

Jesus is at work. Through the Holy Spirit, he draws you to himself, into his sacrificial love of the Father which becomes love for all. We see then that the Church’s liturgy is a ministry of hope for humanity. Your faithful participation, is an active hope which helps to keep the world -- saints and sinners alike -- open to God; this is the truly human hope we offer everyone (cf. Spe Salvi, 34). Your personal prayer, your times of silent contemplation, and your participation in the Church’s liturgy, bring you closer to God and also prepare you to serve others. The saints accompanying us this evening show us that the life of faith and hope is also a life of charity. Contemplating Jesus on the Cross we see love in its most radical form. We can begin to imagine the path of love along which we must move (cf. Deus Caritas Est, 12). The opportunities to make this journey are abundant. Look about you with Christ’s eyes, listen with his ears, feel and think with his heart and mind. Are you ready to give all as he did for truth and justice?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/19/nyregion/19popeyouth.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&ref=nationalspecial2

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[AllentownJake]

17. These people

sigh.

All the bad statistics on education and healthcare....comes from this area.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

19. It's all over the state in the rural areas.

I grew up northwest of Pittsburgh, pretty close to the OH/PA state line. Public education was terrible. Terrible. I never realized how awful it was until I went to college and started meeting people who'd gone to high school in reasonably middle class areas. God, their high schools sounded like freaking Ivy League universities in comparison.

[Avalux]

18. A shining example of what Obama was stating.

Instead of writing a piece about something substantial, Whitmoyer decides to try to make this race about guns; one of those distracting wedge issues. What an ass.

[Connie_Corleone]

20. Obama was right. This Whitmoyer proves it.

[Occam Bandage]

24. So, basically, rural folks prove Obama was entirely correct in his assessment of them.

That is, that they do not trust government in the slightest, and so they cling to guns and religion instead of trying to fix their actual problems.

[anonymous171]

25. "Obama's support for gay rights"? I thought Clinton was the gay crusader and Obama was a bigot?