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Obama's 'Bitter Comments Resonate in Rural Kentucky

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April 23, 2008 5:20 PM

ABC News’s Bret Hovell reports: It's been almost two weeks since Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., characterized small town Pennsylvania voters as "bitter", but citizens of Inez, Ky. haven't forgotten.

During a town hall meeting with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., an eastern Kentucky Republican state senator named Brandon Smith asked McCain about Obama's comments, in which the Illinois Democrat said economic conditions cause some small town voters to cling to guns and religion.

Smith said he took the comments "personally".

"He labeled us as being bitter. And then pointed out for his case, that we hide behind guns and religion here. And someone who represents this area as a senator myself, I took personal offense, but I wonder if you had any comments for us on how you feel about this," Smith asked the presumptive Republican nominee.

"Do you think that those comments reflect the views of your constituents?" McCain asked.

"I think it reflects the views of someone who doesn't understand this neck of the woods, is what I think it reflects," Smith said.

The audience of approximately three hundred (the town of Inez is populated by only about six hundred) Old Martin County Courthouse rose to their feet in a standing ovation that lasted nearly thirty seconds.

McCain, for his part, repeated the sentiment he had expressed soon after Obama's comments. He said that rural Americans had fought and won World War II, and suffered through the Great Depression.

"Those are the values that they had then and the values they have today," McCain said. "So yes, those are elitist remarks, to say the least."

April 23, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan | Permalink | User Comments (109)

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Obama proved his Marxist blindness perfectly when he tried to defend his proposed increase on capital gains taxes.

Belief in punitive marginal tax rates is a tenet of good Marxists in the US.

Charles Gibson pointed out that revenues increase with lower rates, but Obama clung to his playbook, unable to deal with facts contrary to his learned responses.

The fact that he has palled around with far-left hate mongers for decades is coming out, finally, and it now seems to be why Obama avoids debates. He's like a frightened school girl afraid that he might make a fool of himself again as he did on ABC, or be called to account for a clear pattern of action and statements a Dorhn, Ayers or Wright would be proud of.

It is all out there, and "hope" and "change" fit perfectly with Ayers speech in 2007 at the SDS reunion about how to keep the revolution moving forward in the coming years. Big, wide, vague talk "until we can act", with their kind of people in positions of power.

Obama is bad, bad news for America. Our next task in Illinois is to vote this astounding hack off of our payroll and into the gutter with his hateful friends.

Posted by: Kyle Roget | Apr 23, 2008 7:19:26 PM

Hillary argument is dumb. If she does not win pensylvania where her parents are from, which is also in Northeast, where will she win then. 60 percent of voters were women and 40 percent were old people. North Carolina is another big state and after this match we go back to where we were. Superdelegates are not as dumb as hillary Clinton and her supoorters so i do not understand trying to convince them with dumb argument. If she thinks she has a chance let her use her money for the campaign

Posted by: david | Apr 23, 2008 7:22:02 PM

Woohoo,
Obama going down. Took himself down. Just like Dean when Dean went Yeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwhhhh! Just like Allen when Allen went Macaca! Just like Dukakis when Dukakis wore the snoopy hat! Just like Kerry when Kerry said "Reporting for Duty!" Just like Fonzie when Fonzie "Jumped the Shark". Obama going down!
========================================
Obama and Bittergate, we'll never forget!
========================================

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Apr 23, 2008 7:52:44 PM

Obama's campaign for the presidency is self-destructing. Chris Matthews just aired the NC Carolina ad showing the Wrong Reverend Right in all his glory - G*d d**n America!

Is this fair? Of course it is fair - it reflects Obama's character and judgement.

For those of you who say that Reverend Wright said nothing wrong, then you should have no problem with this ad.

Rise, Hillary, Rise!'08

Posted by: LeeLee07 | Apr 23, 2008 7:59:58 PM

Too bad they dont actually know what he said.
He said, that since their economic interests are being ignored and have been ignored for decades, they have given up hope that anyone they elect will make any real changes and so, they vote about personal issues instead, like anti-gay amendments, gun control laws, and anti-abortion laws.

Posted by: bruce becker | Apr 23, 2008 8:15:37 PM

Trishia, the first state in your list for HRC to win by, didnt measure up.
HRC did not win by ten points in Pa. Do the math.
She didnt have a double digit win.
She won by 9.3229
We always drop the remainder, when it is less than .5 and we never round up to the next whole number from .3 :
So she won by 9 not 10 in her home state with the DEM machine behind her in Philly and Pittsburgh.
Not so hot, really.

Posted by: bruce becker | Apr 23, 2008 8:18:59 PM

If they would actually run what the Rev Wright said, and play the part where he is quoting our ambassador, it would be fine. If you quote out of context anyone can be made to look silly.
Of course it is more interesting than actually quoting the candidates. HRC lied to the people of NH when she said MICH should not count because we have a small state first so an unknown can be heard without having to be a millionaire. What did she do, hit the I TAKE IT BACK, button?

Posted by: bruce becker | Apr 23, 2008 8:21:39 PM

bruce becker - Ten points win despite Obama spending 11 million dollars. Obama can't even buy himself a win in PA. The people of PA could have ended the race but instead voted AGAINST Obama! The people say NO to Obama!

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Apr 23, 2008 8:22:54 PM

WAY to GO Kentucky. Don't forget what Obama said. He's hoping that comment will just go away. Get out the vote and get Hillary in the White House! Git R Done!!

Posted by: Darla | Apr 23, 2008 8:39:31 PM

RC - Not even with 11 million, the most money ever spent in a primary state in history! The people said NO to Obama!

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Apr 23, 2008 8:42:12 PM

I am a 54 year old, middle class, white, female and have lived in Kentucky my entire life. I am proud to say that I support Barack Obama and his theme of change and hope. I am so sick of the nit picking going on about race, gender, income level, etc..! What does all that matter? It perpetuates stereotypes and does nothing to cast light on the candidates ideolologies or characters. Isn't THAT what we should all be interested in?

Posted by: P. Morse | Apr 23, 2008 8:42:52 PM

SEE YA IN NC HILLARY,

WILL SEE HOW MANY POINTS YOU WIN BY HERE!

START PACKING THAT BAG, YOUR OLD FRIENDS CANNOT RESCUE YOU ANY MORE IN NC!!

OBAMA08!! YES WE CAN!!

Posted by: RC | Apr 23, 2008 8:43:03 PM

RC - I don't think Hillary will be contesting NC. I'm not positive on this info but it looks like that from where I sit.

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Apr 23, 2008 8:45:41 PM

I support HIllary Clinton, because she is sensible, strong, intelligent, and trustworthy. By trustworthy, I mean that I trust her to improve things for all Americans. That is precisely what Bill Clinton did, and I suspect she will do the same. I also am somewhat appalled and bothered by the extreme fannaticism of a lot of Obama supporters. These people can be quite cruel in their language and in their attempts to dismiss the bulk of the democratic party. I keep thinking, "Where did y'all come from?" If Obama gets the nomination the press and the newcomers to the party can thank themselves. McGovern all over again-- good luck winning without the base of the democratic party...the press should really think about losing their credibility because they seem in love with Obama and that is not objective. A lot of times I get my news from the Mexican channels because at least then it is without all the spin. I only understand about 3/4ths of what they are saying because my Spanish is not the greatest, but it is better than hearing this and that news anchor basically chastising HRC for staying in the fight. The caucus in Texas was a joke, it did prove how unfair caucuses are. HRC won the primary by 4 or 5 %, but somehow lost in the caucus. I really wish the news would do in depth coverage on what happens at these caucuses, because here in Texas there was all kinds of cheating and irregularitis reported. Thank goodness the GE is not a caucus and cannot be manipulated. The caucus, to say the least, is not representative of the true will of the people.

Posted by: texasdemocrat | Apr 23, 2008 9:03:23 PM

"Why bother with Kentucky. It will never vote Demacratic ever!"

I suggest you look at who won Kentucky in 1992 and 1996. Now let's go down the list of states Obama won.

Posted by: geevill | Apr 23, 2008 9:15:02 PM

geevill - You wanna look at the red states Obama won and make the same statement?

Posted by: Dogsoldier | Apr 23, 2008 9:17:13 PM

This article shows that the full impact of Obama's wright/clinging bitterness has not even been scratched. He got creamed in PA even without the votes of Republicans and Independents who are deeply offended.

In November Obama can probably take Illinois, Maryland, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon. A couple other perhaps. But the West, South, and Northeast. Every else, not enough black, naive youngsters , and elitist rich white liberals.

Posted by: geevill | Apr 23, 2008 9:25:22 PM

I just want to add that what I thought was wrong with Obama's comments on guns and religion is that it is very arrogant and eggheaded to judge people from small towns like he did. Elitist??-- or just an arrogant eggheaded, smart alec snob??? I cannot stand arrogant people. They are the opposite of smart.

Posted by: texasdemocrat | Apr 23, 2008 9:30:14 PM

It's always amazing to me how the internet can bring together such highly concentrated masses of stupidity and hatred such as for example appears on this message board.

You all truly deserve the incompetent, corrupt, murderous government you have gotten and will continue to get.

Now *that's* bitter!

Posted by: Behelden | Apr 23, 2008 9:33:22 PM

Dogsolider: Looks like my efforts in PA paid off with a big win for our gal!! Oh it's SWEET,SWEET,NECTAR!!

Posted by: russell | Apr 23, 2008 9:42:57 PM

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