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In response to Hillary Clinton’s condemnation of Obama’s recent comments concerning the bitterness of small town voters, Obama came out strongly at a campaign appearance in Steelton, Pennsylvania.
Here’s the video, it’s about 3 minutes and 50 seconds into it:
Here’s a report on it from On The Road:
STEELTON, PA. — In his harshest rhetoric yet, Barack Obama defended the comments he made at San Francisco fundraiser, admonishing Hillary Clinton for what he calls, playing politics.
“I expected this out of John McCain. But I’ve got to say, I’m a little disappointed when I start hearing the exact same talking points coming out of my Democratic colleague Hillary Clinton. She knows better. She knows better, shame on her. Shame on her. She knows better!â€
While speaking to union workers at labor gathering here, Obama mocked Clinton, calling her Annie Oakley.
“She’s running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsmen, how she values the Second Amendment, she’s talking like she’s Annie Oakley!,†Obama said.
“Hillary Clinton’s out there like she’s on the duck blind every Sunday. She’s packin’ a six shooter! Come on! She knows better. That’s some politics being played by Hillary Clinton. I want to see that picture of her out there in the duck blinds.â€
I don’t think his “shame” on her will erase the effect of his ignorant statements on small town voters. He probably should be apologizing for that instead of going on the offensive. Hillary is winning this round, without question.
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It is laughable for Hillary or any Democrat for that matter to come out in defense of gun ownership and religion. Even for her to call Obama an elitist is a failed feat between the millionaire’s club that’s the US Senate.
I rather see Obama play offense on this one and I hope he sticks with it. You’re damn right I’m bitter. Hearing Hillary kick this issue around like any other political football just shows how much she’s out of touch. I feel like I’m finally hearing what I wanted Obama to say about Hillary for a long time.
Yeah for those who feel he shot himself in the foot when he was
stating the truth.
Look at Bill Clinton he said
“The reason (George H. W. Bush’s tactic) works so well now is that you have all these economically insecure white people who are scared to death,
http://www.huffingtonpost.....96433.html
Similar assessment that Obama made.
I definitely don’t think she’s winning this round. I don’t really agree with either of their platforms but I don’t trust her, never will trust her, and find it despicable that she would talk about the gun issues and religion like those are actually important to her. Obama was absolutely right in saying that small town voters post a challenge, and for people that read the entire speech, he makes a very valid point and doesn’t single out guns or religion as illegitimate issues, just that people no longer trust government to be looking out for them and must therefore fight for their rights.
I think Hillary would be the disaster-in-waiting, and I would be so embarassed as a woman and as an American to have her representing me. Obama I can live with.
I believe Barack Obama is THE sleaziest politician ever. The things that he is talking about do not make sense, he is more determined on being a CELEBRITY rather than helping people. He has taken money from lobbyist and some of his views are less than desireable. There is an interesting article on his view on after birth abortion. The American electorate should read that and reconsider the idiot that they are supposrting for President.
You say it Barack! You’re right! And like someone already mentioned, I like to see Barack play offense on this one.
Obama ‘08!
He’s surprised that politics are going on? What did he expect?
All “small town people” are bitter everywhere, so are “big town” people! We’ve all lost industry and jobs whether you’re from Penn. or Georgia. That gives no one a license for passing judgment on religous ideals, 2nd amendment opinions, or accusing bias against immigrants or anyone else who is “different” from us. It WAS elitist, insulting, and condescending, and he won’t undo this one by shaming Hillary or McCain or anyone else. This wasn’t about policy, this was a personal insult to millions of us as individuals.
Sure, people are bitter, but that’s beside the point of Obama’s incendiary comments. He’s almost implying that Barrack Obama is the solution to personal self-defense AND eternal salvation, all in one. His comments dismissed the role of religion and gun ownership in society as borne of negative anti-social feelings, which is a gross generalization and an elitist one to boot.
I have a minor disagreement with you Robert - in that he does imply that religion and gun ownership can be fueled by long term job loss. I’m not sure I see where he says that they’re borne of it. Personally it makes sense to me - Religion and weapons both empower people who feel helpless.
Call that an elitist observation if you want, he sort of earned the label with his tactlessness. It’s certainly a gross generalization. I also think there’s probably truth to it.
I don’t know, IndiMinded, maybe religon can be fueled by long term job loss as a refuge from depression perhaps, but guns ownership is a stretch. I believe Obama was just throwing in a negative about gun ownership because he failed to convince the NRA to support him, just a little bitterness of his own there.
It does sound like a stretch the way I wrote it, because it’s very simplified. But guns make people feel powerful - that’s one major appeal they offer. To those who feel very powerless in their lives this can be a particularly alluring outlet. That’s what I mean.
I can’t say for certain that this is what Obama meant, because he didn’t go in depth on the subject. Honestly, your interpretation could be just as valid - his words on the were fairly brief and tactless enough that I see why you think he’s the bitter one. But since this is something I do believe to be true I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
The reason we don’t agree on that, IndiMinded, is that husband is a gun collector and sportsman, as both our sons are. There is no power in gun ownership, and anyone who believes that probably doesn’t own any, not for sports, anyway. =)
I’m not trying to imply that the sense of power a gun offers is the only reason a person would be drawn to guns. There are a variety of reasons a person could own one such as security and a variety of sports. But if you think that a gun cannot offer the bearer any sense of power, I’d be forced to disagree with you.
My friend, we’ll call him Dan, owns a gun - and he once came bursting into a small group of my friends with it (not loaded, though we didn’t know) which he pointed at his best friend, who immediately (but playfully) ducked for cover. “Man, you all would have been so dead”, he commented after the initial shock wore off.
Alright, a bizarre story, Dan’s sort of got an odd sense of humor.
Now Dan isn’t violent, he’s never hurt anyone and I doubt he ever will. He’s also not dumb, one of the smartest people I know actually (despite the story, he’s NEVER once been careless with his gun, that I’ve seen anyway). But he likes his gun.
I think that as twisted a notion as some people find it, to him, his gun represents a personal assurance that he can take some measure of control of his life if he needs to.
It is empowering. It’s his ace in the hole. I don’t see anything wrong with that, but I also want to recognize it. Guns are powerful, so of course they can make people feel powerful.
He speaks the truth!
She lies!
No, No. Shame on YOU, Barack Obama!
You know, Japan doesn’t allow guns and their crime rate is WAY lower than ours.
Single issue voters are the reason we have an electoral college. People don’t make good, informed decisions.
God forbid a politican speak honestly.
I’m sorry, but I’m getting worn on the visciousness and may be feeding into it a bit. I apoligize, but I do mean what I say even if I doesn’t come across nicely.
IndiMinded, I think that it is the mind set of the person who owns the gun, so we agree there. An inner city 15 year old gang member with a handgun certainly perceives power in it, and I think that Obama can only to relate to that mind set. Only because that is the mind set he’s been exposed to, which makes it all the more insulting that he just doesn’t get the large population that respects the gun but doesn’t feel particularly empowered by it. So there again, that goes back to my statement that I think a portion of this fray comes from a cultural difference. Had I grown up in an inner city gang area, I might feel the same way he does.
I grew up in a small, rural town (this includes the entire state actually - W.V.) where guns are a staple of life for sport and personal security. I’ve seen many people vote for one candidate over another solely on the issue of the right to their guns. While it’s very closed-minded to think all small town people are like that (which they’re not, and I don’t think Obama was speaking of ALL small town people, but more of why his numbers are lower in this area), I’ve seen many overlook major issues in favor of the so-called “pro-gun” or “pro-God” candidate — even when we know these are fundamental American rights that are not going to be stripped from us.
Babs– Obama did not grow up in an inner-city gang area. He has had, in his lifetime, much more cultural diversity than I suspect you, or I, have had. I am not saying he embodies that, but I think it is faulty to critique him for his background.
Pennsylvania is notorious for their guns. In Philadelphia, they once had a benefit where people could trade in their guns for toys (I think it was something like a “Toys for Guns” program). The program had to shut down after the first couple days. They ran out of toys.
It is not a question of whether “some people” perceive guns as powerful and others do not. All people perceive weapons as powerful. The difference you may be trying to describe, is that when you’re living in a militarized or violent environment, the need to defend yourself increases (as such, there is an increase amount of people who retain/carry weapons).
What perhaps Obama is referring to– sociologically, is how people get caught up in the ideology behind gun ownership. They cling to this– and it becomes the very essence of nationalism, democracy, and their identity. This essentialism is not healthy in a pluralistic society, but is understandable. People do the same thing with protecting parts of the environment, their religion, etc.
obama remember the clintons sad they was against giving the five year plan for mother with children but then turn around an sign the bill for parents on public aid to recieve public aid for only five years and then after the five years you are on your own /// an remember monica his mistress to get the heat off of him he let that rock go over there in africa an kill all those people now you tell me who out of touch!!!!