« Previous | Main | Next »

Clinton Camp Pushes Visuals to Keep Obama 'Bitter' Comments Alive

Share

April 12, 2008 7:33 PM

ABC News' Sarah Amos and Eloise Harper report: While Former President Bill Clinton has been unusually quiet regarding comments Sen. Barack Obama made calling rural America "bitter," the story has been front and center at his most recent campaign events in the form of a little white sticker.

At a late afternoon rally in Goldsboro, N.C., a dozen or so audience members were seen wearing computer-printed stickers with the slogan "I'm not bitter."

The slogan was in response to comments Obama made recently, when he said, "It is not surprising that they (rural America) get bitter and turn to guns or religion or antipathy." The stickers were again spotted on a random assortment of audience members at the former president's events in Deep Run and New Bern.

At first, those sporting stickers were confused as to who exactly was distributing the items protesting Obama's remarks. One young man thought students had been passing them out; another said they came from event organizers; a third said she thought they came from the campaign, but wasn't quite sure. At first a campaign staffer played up the grassroots angle, not admitting where the stickers had come from

The Clinton campaign staff eventually acknowledged that the stickers were printed by members of their North Carolina team and distributed at the rally, an act that seems to be part of a larger push to keep the Obama story alive in rural North Carolina.

Despite the campaign's efforts, though, the story doesn't really seem to be catching on as much as the campaign might have hoped. The stickers are still few and far between in the crowds. In addition, Clinton surrogate and former North Carolina DNC party chairman Tom Hendrickson brought up the remarks at two rallies this morning, and neither time received anything above a tepid response from the crowd.

"My message to Sen. Obama is: We are not frustrated, we are not bitter. We turn to our faith because we believe. Amen. We hunt and fish because it is part of our culture and we enjoy it. So, Sen. Obama, don't pity us and think that we are bitter and frustrated. We are hard-working family folks who are smart and we get it. We don't need the pundits to tell us what to think. In the words of that old Hank Williams song, 'We are country folks and we will survive,'" Hendrickson told a barely applauding crowd this morning in Winterville, N.C.

Whatever the long-terms effect of the stickers and the story, a few audience members seemed happy to have a sticker to wear. As one woman walked out of the event in Goldsboro she said she was appalled by what Obama had said and that the sticker was a good idea.

April 12, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (178)

User Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I have noticed that all Obama does is say one liners like: Oh it's just more old style politics or some such thing as that, instead of facing all his lies, deceitfulness and nonsense. He thinks that if he just brushes off the real criticisms he should have to face, people will just forget about them. Be careful everyone or that just might be what happens. Don't forget all the stuff he should have to face and answer for..that's just what he is counting on.

Posted by: Vickie | Apr 12, 2008 9:23:45 PM

she is soo dirty
The Clinton campaign staff eventually acknowledged that the stickers were printed by members of their North Carolina team and distributed at the rally, an act that seems to be part of a larger push to keep the Obama story alive in rural North Carolina.

no way for a fellow dem to be acting
liars pointing finger

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:24:13 PM

I wonder how many different kinds of brie cheese obama sampled in that san francisco mansion while he talked bad about small town americans?

Posted by: al | Apr 12, 2008 9:25:25 PM

the economy sucks
we're mired in war
we're heavily in debt
people are losing their jobs
gas prices are insane

threats such as global warming loom

damn right i'm bitter, and today i'm especially bitter that people care more about the word "bitter" instead of the things that make me bitter

i could give a crap today who doesnt and doesnt like Obama here. I was an Edwards fan to start. It's clear only Obama of the candidates left recognizes bitterness of people like me, the other two are living in a fantasyland where they hear horror stories from people every day about health care, put them in their stump speeches

but dont think I'm bitter about it?

WAKE UP

Posted by: Sitsu | Apr 12, 2008 9:26:26 PM

The Clinton campaign staff eventually acknowledged that the stickers were printed by members of their North Carolina team and distributed at the rally, an act that seems to be part of a larger push to keep the Obama story alive in rural North Carolina.

Despite the campaign's efforts, though, the story doesn't really seem to be catching on as much as the campaign might have hoped. The stickers are still few and far between in the crowds. In addition, Clinton surrogate and former North Carolina DNC party chairman Tom Hendrickson brought up the remarks at two rallies this morning, and neither time received anything above a tepid response from the crowd


The lady just does not get it.
She will never win
Supers see what she is all about.

Obama 08
nice guys do win

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:27:07 PM

Whatever the long-terms effect of the stickers and the story,
Long term will be American voter will
reject you. and reject you big.
some people have empathy it is very clear she has none.

Millionaire elitist.
800,000 reasons not to vote for her

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:30:00 PM

Lifetime Democrat:
Voting for McCain if Obama wins the nomination..

Taking him down one vote at a time

Let's see: I am over 500 now for people I know will do the same since our little talks. (who'd a thunk it..me stumping for a Republican)

Hillary 08..if not then McCain!!

Posted by: Vickie | Apr 12, 2008 9:30:21 PM

Please guys, even though obama sat in that mansion and ate brie cheese and drank wine and stereotyped you and said you cling to your guns when you get bitter shutting the world out, don't be bitter about being bitter. obama really cares about you. really, he does. he's just a nice guy who wants to make things better for you typical whites. LOL.

Posted by: al | Apr 12, 2008 9:30:43 PM

Sorry Clinton supporters but this isn't the general election, it's the Dem primary. Most Dem voters agree with Obama, and even if they didn't, don't forget that the ones who really matter now, the superdelegates, are all liberal elite who probably feel this was an act of courage.

Posted by: Raj | Apr 12, 2008 9:31:01 PM

Vickie

I too will be voting for mccain if obama is the nom.

Posted by: al | Apr 12, 2008 9:32:21 PM

What's really sad is that for so long, people thought if they supported Obama, they would gain access to this elite club of well-educated, wealthy, hip people. All of his promises of unity were empty words, and that was all he had going for himself. Now, his true feelings about the American people are coming to the surface.

Posted by: Sarah | Apr 12, 2008 9:32:38 PM

Well when the boss sreams shut up i guess you shut up. He has alot riding on her winning 800,00.00
worth riding on her. And just think if she was to win the GE how much they would be worth when her term was up.
Millionaire craves money and power.

They are devoid of human empathy

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:33:19 PM

I can't help visualizing a crowd of Clinton fans wearing 'I'm not bitter' stickers on the day she announces her withdrawal.

That's the spirit.

Posted by: Niels | Apr 12, 2008 9:36:50 PM

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HILLARY SUPPORTERS NEVER EVER LISTEN TO ANYONE BUT HER. CLINTON WHO CAN DO SOME STRANGE INTERPRETATIONS CHANGED THIS TO AN INSULT. IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE AND NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN IF SHE HAD NOT ONCE AGAIN POINTED HER FINGER ACCUSINGLY. THE MAN HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG. INSTEAD HILLARY AND BILLS FINANCIAL CONDUCTS, THE CLINTON LIBRARY, IE.. ARE HANDED TO THE TRASH AND WE ARE MISDIRECTED TO FRONT PAGE NEWS WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS

Posted by: GAWANIA | Apr 12, 2008 9:37:10 PM

Niels, that post is a classic.

Excellent. Yes, there's nothing like the mind's eye. Haha.

Posted by: greg | Apr 12, 2008 9:39:23 PM

All Americans will have heard about her giving those stickers out . do you supporters understand what she has done to a fellow Dem.? She stinks and everyone will remember that.
Especially after the RNCC said they were going to write letters threatening the Dem Senators and Representative.

Dont forget the supers will hear from their people
the GOOD GUYS WIlL WIN THIS ONE

HILL IT IS CALLED EMPATHY..TRY TO BUY SOME

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:42:45 PM

when i think of 'bitter' the first people that come to mind are rev wright and michelle obama-

Posted by: sonia trevino | Apr 12, 2008 9:45:25 PM

MONEY CAN BUY LOTS OF THINGS...BUT IT CANT BUY PEACE OF MIND,
CANT BUY TRUE HUMAN EMOTIONS
CANT BUY UNDERSTANDING
CANT BUY SYNPATHY FOR OTHERS
CANT BUY FORGIVENESS
CANT BUY GOD
CANT BUY HEAVEN
HILLARY IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR IN SERIOUS TROUBLE

Posted by: Lauren | Apr 12, 2008 9:50:26 PM

lauren-you are correct money cannot buy allot of things. but spellcheck is free. i recommend it to all you wealthy, educated, obama supporters. please it drives us poor blue collar, uneducated, clinton supporters nuts.

Posted by: sonia trevino | Apr 12, 2008 10:01:49 PM

All you folks who seem to want to celebrate this need to keep one thing in mind...should Obama go, so goes the hopes of any Democrat, including Hillary ,winning in November. He alone has brought in most of the new voters nationally AND is currently winning about 90% of the African American vote. IF you think a sleazy push out of Obama from this campaign will help the Democrats at all, you are mistaken. Folks, the Clintons win at all cost strategy may work for them to get the nomination, but if Obama is not on the ticket, and I wouldn't blame him if he said no after all of this if he were asked, then you can kiss goodbye to a Democratic win. And if you think Hillary will be more suited to run against McCain, wait until the Republicans hit her with the Bosnia lie tapes. They are chomping at the bit to get rid of Obama and have Hillary to run against. If I were Obama if that happens, I would say have at her.

Posted by: Stewart from North Carolina | Apr 12, 2008 10:07:16 PM

Post a comment