Obama and his "Out of Touch" Remarks

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

Now that voters have largely forgiven Obama for being friends with an angry black man and not being able to bowl, it's time for something else...


Link

Opponents Call Obama Remarks ‘Out of Touch’

By JEFF ZELENY
Published: April 12, 2008

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — As Senator Barack Obama sought to broaden his appeal to voters in southern Indiana on Friday, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain separately criticized him as being out of touch with the middle class, seizing on a remark Mr. Obama made at a California fund-raiser about “bitter” Americans.

At the fund-raiser in San Francisco last Sunday, Mr. Obama outlined challenges facing his presidential candidacy in the coming primaries in Pennsylvania and Indiana, particularly persuading white working-class voters who, he said, fell through the cracks during the Bush and Clinton administrations.

“So it’s not surprising then that 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,” Mr. Obama said, according to a transcript on the Huffington Post Web site, which on Friday published the comments.

The remarks touched off a torrent of criticism from Mrs. Clinton, Mr. McCain and Republican activists and party officials, all accusing Mr. Obama of elitism and belittling the working class. Mr. Obama forcefully rejected those charges when he arrived at a rally here on Friday evening, drawing a standing ovation in a crowded gymnasium when he painted both of his rivals as entrenched Washington insiders.

“No, I’m in touch,” Mr. Obama said. “I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania, I know what’s going on in Indiana, I know what’s going on in Illinois. People are fed up, they’re angry, they’re frustrated, they’re bitter and they want to see a change in Washington. That’s why I’m running for president of the United States of America.”

With 10 contests remaining in the Democratic presidential primary, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton are engaged in a vigorous dispute over which candidate could be the party’s strongest nominee against Mr. McCain.

In Pennsylvania on Friday, Mrs. Clinton was first to seize upon the comment Mr. Obama made at the California fund-raiser. The Democrats are embroiled in a vigorous battle for the Pennsylvania primary on April 22.

“It’s being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter; well, that’s not my experience,” Mrs. Clinton told an audience at Drexel University. “Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them; they need a president who stands up for them, who fights for them, who works hard for your futures, your jobs, your families.”

After her remarks, aides to Mrs. Clinton issued several statements criticizing Mr. Obama, including ones that contained criticism from Republicans. Soon, the McCain campaign also weighed in with criticism of Mr. Obama’s remarks at the California fund-raiser.

“It shows an elitism and condescension toward hard-working Americans that is nothing short of breathtaking,” said Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to Mr. McCain. “It is hard to imagine someone running for president who is more out of touch with average Americans.”

While the Obama campaign initially dismissed the criticism in a written statement from its Chicago headquarters, his advisers quickly concluded that Mr. Obama’s remarks could be a political liability as he sought to win over working-class voters. He responded with unusual force at a town meeting at a high school in Terre Haute, Ind., seeking to explain his statement that voters are bitter.

“Here’s what’s rich,” Mr. Obama said. “Senator Clinton said, ‘Well I don’t think people are bitter in Pennsylvania. I think Barack is being condescending.’ John McCain said, ‘How could he say that? How could he say that people are bitter? He obviously is out of touch with people.’ Out of touch? Out of touch? John McCain — it took him three times to finally figure out that home foreclosure was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he’s saying I’m out of touch?”

The audience, made up largely of Democratic voters, rose and applauded as Mr. Obama delivered his defense. Late Friday evening, the Clinton and McCain campaigns criticized Mr. Obama once again for failing to express regret for his remark.

“Instead of apologizing for offending small town America, Senator Obama chose to repeat and embrace the comments he made earlier this week,” said Phil Singer, a spokesman for Mrs. Clinton. He added, “Americans are tired of a President who looks down on them, they want a President who will stand up for them for a change.”

Tucker Bounds, a spokesman for Mr. McCain, issued a similar response.

“Instead of apologizing to small town Americans for dismissing their values, Barack Obama arrogantly tried to spin his way out of his outrageous San Francisco remarks,” Mr. Bounds said, adding: “You can’t be more out of touch than that.”

Julie Bosman contributed reporting from Philadelphia, and Michael Cooper from Dallas

I think the flap over it reeks of bullshit, as the Republican method of being "in touch" with working-class whites seems to be "pay lip service to their prejudices during election season, and then proceed to do nothing to actually help them".

[Cairber]

I think Obama was dead on. Instead of focusing on the real issues, smoke screens are thrown up for people living in small towns. They do cling to issues like guns and religion...I mean, cmon...just look at Bush's election strategies these past two elections. He got people to the polls from small towns by harping on about homosexuals and other "family values" issues. In the midterm elections, at least in this area, you had the small town reps going on and on and immigration.

Here are his remarks in full:

OBAMA: So, it depends on where you are, but I think it's fair to say that the places where we are going to have to do the most work are the places where people feel most cynical about government. The people are mis-appre...I think they're misunderstanding why the demographics in our, in this contest have broken out as they are. Because everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class don't wanna work -- don't wanna vote for the black guy.' That's...there were intimations of that in an article in the Sunday New York Times today - kind of implies that it's sort of a race thing.


Here's how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long, and they feel so betrayed by government, and when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama (laugher), then that adds another layer of skepticism (laughter).

But -- so the questions you're most likely to get about me, 'Well, what is this guy going to do for me? What's the concrete thing?' What they wanna hear is -- so, we'll give you talking points about what we're proposing -- close tax loopholes, roll back, you know, the tax cuts for the top 1 percent. Obama's gonna give tax breaks to middle-class folks and we're gonna provide health care for every American. So we'll go down a series of talking points.

But the truth is, is that, our challenge is to get people persuaded that we can make progress when there's not evidence of that in their daily lives. You go into some of 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. So it's not surprising then that 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.

Um, now these are in some communities, you know. I think what you'll find is, is that people of every background -- there are gonna be a mix of people, you can go in the toughest neighborhoods, you know working-class lunch-pail folks, you'll find Obama enthusiasts. And you can go into places where you think I'd be very strong and people will just be skeptical. The important thing is that you show up and you're doing what you're doing.

And here is his rebuttal after McCain and Clinton called him elitist:

When I go around and I talk to people there is frustration and there is anger and there is bitterness. And what's worse is when people are expressing their anger then politicians try to say what are you angry about? This just happened - I want to make a point here today.

I was in San Francisco talking to a group at a fundraiser and somebody asked how're you going to get votes in Pennsylvania? What's going on there? We hear that's its hard for some working class people to get behind you're campaign. I said, "Well look, they're frustrated and for good reason. Because for the last 25 years they've seen jobs shipped overseas. They've seen their economies collapse. They have lost their jobs. They have lost their pensions. They have lost their healthcare.

And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said we're going to make your community better. We're going to make it right and nothing ever happens. And of course they're bitter. Of course they're frustrated. You would be too. In fact many of you are. Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur. The same thing has happened all across the country. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody is thinking about you. And so people end up- they don't vote on economic issues because they don't expect anybody's going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don't believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here's what rich. Senator Clinton says 'No, I don't think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania. You know, I think Barack's being condescending.' John McCain says, 'Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? You know, he's obviously out of touch with people.'

Out of touch? Out of touch? I mean, John McCain--it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he's saying I'm out of touch? Senator Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I'm out of touch? No, I'm in touch. I know exactly what's going on. I know what's going on in Pennsylvania. I know what's going on in Indiana. I know what's going on in Illinois. People are fed-up.

They're angry and they're frustrated and they're bitter. And they want to see a change in Washington and that's why I'm running for President of the United States of America.

[General Zod]

Clinton is apparently living in a parallel universe.

“It’s being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter; well, that’s not my experience,” Mrs. Clinton told an audience at Drexel University. “Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them; they need a president who stands up for them, who fights for them, who works hard for your futures, your jobs, your families.”

Either Pennsylvania is putting on a completely different face for her, or Hildebeast is just listening to what she wants to hear. I think it's pretty obvious which one it is. . .

[Big Phil]

Obama all but apologized for his remarks - I really wish he wouldn't do that, and instead would just call McCain and Clinton on their bullshit. It takes some serious delusion for a multi-millionaire to call someone who, until a year or two ago, never made more than $400K in a year, an elitist.

[Glocksman]

Obama all but apologized for his remarks - I really wish he wouldn't do that, and instead would just call McCain and Clinton on their bullshit. It takes some serious delusion for a multi-millionaire to call someone who, until a year or two ago, never made more than $400K in a year, an elitist.

Heh...'Married $50 million McCain' and 'Hundred Million Hillary' calling Obama out of touch with working people is the pot calling the kettle black.

Speaking as one of these blue collar embittered working stiffs, I'll say Obama's right on the money.
We are bitter about being ignored, jobs leaving because of 'free trade', CEO's making $$$ while throwing thousands out of work, tax cuts for the rich, etc.

'God, guns, and gays' are being cynically used by Repubs as wedge issues.
Personally I'm uncomfortable with Obama's past on gun rights, but there are more important issues out there.
Hopefully more and more people like me will realize just what the Repubs have done.

Shit, I feel like Roddy Piper's character in They Live when he first put on those dark glasses.
'I've got one that can see'

[Oni Koneko Damien]

Obama all but apologized for his remarks - I really wish he wouldn't do that, and instead would just call McCain and Clinton on their bullshit. It takes some serious delusion for a multi-millionaire to call someone who, until a year or two ago, never made more than $400K in a year, an elitist.

...umm, did you even read the rebuttal? He didn't apologize, he took their claims and, the way he's always done so far, he turned them and threw them back in their face. He said, basically, that if Hillary and McCain think that people aren't bitter, they're the ones out of touch, that the reason they vote on things such as gun control and gay marriage is because they've been told for thirty years that things would be made economically better for them, and it never happened, so they vote for the few things they feel they have any chance of controlling with their vote, and that he intends to change that.

Once again, a completely awesome move on his part that just continues to hammer home the point that... goddamn he's smooth.

[Cairber]

I believe he did apologize today for anyone he may have offended and said he could have chosen a better word. Trying to find that transcript now...

[Cairber]

This was a quote from today:

"I didn't say it as well as I should have," he said. "But what is absolutely true is that people don't feel like they are being listened to. And so they pray and they count on each other and they count on their families."

So he's apologizing but still feels he was right, which he was.

link

[Big Phil]

Obama all but apologized for his remarks - I really wish he wouldn't do that, and instead would just call McCain and Clinton on their bullshit. It takes some serious delusion for a multi-millionaire to call someone who, until a year or two ago, never made more than $400K in a year, an elitist.

...umm, did you even read the rebuttal? He didn't apologize, he took their claims and, the way he's always done so far, he turned them and threw them back in their face. He said, basically, that if Hillary and McCain think that people aren't bitter, they're the ones out of touch, that the reason they vote on things such as gun control and gay marriage is because they've been told for thirty years that things would be made economically better for them, and it never happened, so they vote for the few things they feel they have any chance of controlling with their vote, and that he intends to change that.

Once again, a completely awesome move on his part that just continues to hammer home the point that... goddamn he's smooth.

See Cairber's post above

[PainRack]

You know what......... this election is turning into a real life protrayl of that Chris Rock movie where he ran for president.

[Durandal]

Clinton is apparently living in a parallel universe.

“It’s being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter; well, that’s not my experience,” Mrs. Clinton told an audience at Drexel University. “Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them; they need a president who stands up for them, who fights for them, who works hard for your futures, your jobs, your families.”

Either Pennsylvania is putting on a completely different face for her, or Hildebeast is just listening to what she wants to hear. I think it's pretty obvious which one it is. . .

What a fucking hypocritical cunt. Does anyone actually believe that people in small towns who've faced stagnant economies, a dearth of jobs and increased corporate control of their communities are just chipper and happy with the way things are? Now who's naïve, Hillary?

[Superman]

Shit, I feel like Roddy Piper's character in They Live when he first put on those dark glasses.
'I've got one that can see'

I love that movie. Classic.

There's truth in what he said. It might be a kernal of truth, but I wish everyone would stop pretending there isn't.

[Patrick Degan]

Obama all but apologized for his remarks - I really wish he wouldn't do that, and instead would just call McCain and Clinton on their bullshit. It takes some serious delusion for a multi-millionaire to call someone who, until a year or two ago, never made more than $400K in a year, an elitist.

...umm, did you even read the rebuttal? He didn't apologize, he took their claims and, the way he's always done so far, he turned them and threw them back in their face. He said, basically, that if Hillary and McCain think that people aren't bitter, they're the ones out of touch, that the reason they vote on things such as gun control and gay marriage is because they've been told for thirty years that things would be made economically better for them, and it never happened, so they vote for the few things they feel they have any chance of controlling with their vote, and that he intends to change that.

Once again, a completely awesome move on his part that just continues to hammer home the point that... goddamn he's smooth.

See Cairber's post above

So he apologises for style after he did indeed call both Hillary and McCain on their bullshit.

[Glocksman]

There's a reason why it was the first movie I bought when I purchased a Pioneer LaserDisc player.

The social commentary subtext was something I picked up on when I first saw it in a theater, but I ignored it because I was a Limbaugh spew swallowing Republican at the time.

[Big Phil]

So he apologises for style after he did indeed call both Hillary and McCain on their bullshit.

He shouldn't be apologizing at all. He should take Hillbilly and McCain's self-righteous hypocrisy and ram it up their respective asses. This was an opportunity for Obama and his allies to point out how detached from reality both McCain and Hillbilly are and how they're hurting Blue-Collar America, and instead he apologizes for offending people? For fucks sake...

[Darth Wong]

Yeah, well, politics is a weird game. I'm always reminded of the fact that Gore crushed Bush in a debate but "lost" because people thought he looked "arrogant" while schooling Bush in every way. Like it or not, people seem to prefer passive/aggressive bullshit over straight talk.

[Patrick Degan]

So he apologises for style after he did indeed call both Hillary and McCain on their bullshit.

He shouldn't be apologizing at all. He should take Hillbilly and McCain's self-righteous hypocrisy and ram it up their respective asses. This was an opportunity for Obama and his allies to point out how detached from reality both McCain and Hillbilly are and how they're hurting Blue-Collar America, and instead he apologizes for offending people? For fucks sake...

Um, he did do that. Or did you not read the actual rebuttal?

[Oni Koneko Damien]

...umm, did you even read the rebuttal?

See Cairber's post above

He shouldn't be apologizing at all. He should take Hillbilly and McCain's self-righteous hypocrisy and ram it up their respective asses. This was an opportunity for Obama and his allies to point out how detached from reality both McCain and Hillbilly are and how they're hurting Blue-Collar America, and instead he apologizes for offending people? For fucks sake...

And for 25, 30 years Democrats and Republicans have come before them and said we're going to make your community better. We're going to make it right and nothing ever happens. And of course they're bitter. Of course they're frustrated. You would be too. In fact many of you are. Because the same thing has happened here in Indiana. The same thing happened across the border in Decatur. The same thing has happened all across the country. Nobody is looking out for you. Nobody is thinking about you. And so people end up- they don't vote on economic issues because they don't expect anybody's going to help them. So people end up, you know, voting on issues like guns, and are they going to have the right to bear arms. They vote on issues like gay marriage. And they take refuge in their faith and their community and their families and things they can count on. But they don't believe they can count on Washington. So I made this statement-- so, here's what rich. Senator Clinton says 'No, I don't think that people are bitter in Pennsylvania. You know, I think Barack's being condescending.' John McCain says, 'Oh, how could he say that? How could he say people are bitter? You know, he's obviously out of touch with people.'

Out of touch? Out of touch? I mean, John McCain--it took him three tries to finally figure out that the home foreclosure crisis was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he's saying I'm out of touch? Senator Clinton voted for a credit card-sponsored bankruptcy bill that made it harder for people to get out of debt after taking money from the financial services companies, and she says I'm out of touch? No, I'm in touch. I know exactly what's going on. I know what's going on in Pennsylvania. I know what's going on in Indiana. I know what's going on in Illinois. People are fed-up.

I re-state my earlier question: Did you even read the rebuttal?

[Broomstick]

Now that voters have largely forgiven Obama for being friends with an angry black man and not being able to bowl, it's time for something else...

Ya know, I can't bowl for shit either, and even this white chick knows black men have some genuine grievances. I'm tired of pussy-footing around issues and pretending everything is getting better when it isn't. It's like that black preacher ranting on and on - I don't know why anyone found that surprising, other than maybe I didn't realize how naive so many people are. That's hardly the worst diatribe I've ever heard.

Opponents Call Obama Remarks ‘Out of Touch’

I say his opponents are full of shit.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — As Senator Barack Obama sought to broaden his appeal to voters in southern Indiana on Friday, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain separately criticized him as being out of touch with the middle class, seizing on a remark Mr. Obama made at a California fund-raiser about “bitter” Americans.

Yes, well, seeing as so fucking many of us are falling out of the middle class that's not such a shock - it's hard to "be in touch" with a middle class that no longer exists.

particularly persuading white working-class voters who, he said, fell through the cracks during the Bush and Clinton administrations.

I know why he said Clinton, but really, the Clinton years were peaches and cream compared the Bush bullshit.

“So it’s not surprising then that 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,” Mr. Obama said, according to a transcript on the Huffington Post Web site, which on Friday published the comments.

And you know something? He's fucking right! That's why this man is getting the votes - he's right. He's blunter about it than the old-timer beltway assholes like, but it's the truth. A lot of the white middle (and former middle) class feel either shit on, ignored, or both.

The remarks touched off a torrent of criticism from Mrs. Clinton, Mr. McCain and Republican activists and party officials, all accusing Mr. Obama of elitism and belittling the working class.

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

How does recognizing that a large swath of the American public has felt ignored, left behind, and otherwise "fallen through the cracks" belittle us? What "belittles" is telling us that everything is OK when it is not. What is elitist is telling us that we are mistaken about the reality we see around us.

A year ago I had $50k/year job, health benefits, I supported my family and was also able to help out my parents when they needed it. I had money in the bank, and I could afford to fly airplanes. Where am I now? I have no job, no health coverage, have had no luck finding any job but the most meniel labor for five months, I have zero money for luxuries of any sort, my unemployment benefits run out in 4 weeks, and I have "too many assets" for government aid. The only real prospect for work I've found - which is not certain yet - is part-time work and less than half the wage I made before. My Other Half and I have already discussed which of our possessions we will sell off in which order to stave off homelessness as long as possible, should that become necessary.

YES I have fallen through the cracks. Fuck yes I blame the sort of "free trade" that has sent American jobs overseas, left my neighbors destitute, and limited my options. Hell yes I and my neighbors are bitter. We are bitter because we lose our jobs due to "cost-cutting" and "bad years" at work, only to see the CEO's walk away with not million dollar bonuses but bonuses in the tens of millions. I drive through my neighborhood and I swear to god half the homes are for sale or the families have been turned out due to the housing meltdown - only to find there are no rental units available.

I am planting a vegetable garden this year to help out with the food bills, as are many other people - the stores that sell garden supplies are complaining no one is buying flowers and they're running out of vegetable seeds and starting plants. Do I stick with what I have, or try to enlarge the garden by hand because renting a rototiller is simply not in the budget? If I did, do I have the ability to store that much, and if I don't, how the fuck am I going to cover rent AND food AND utilities AND getting to and from that part-time, half-the-wages job assuming I even get it?

Mr. Obama forcefully rejected those charges when he arrived at a rally here on Friday evening, drawing a standing ovation in a crowded gymnasium when he painted both of his rivals as entrenched Washington insiders.

Yeah, I'd fucking applaud, too.

“No, I’m in touch,” Mr. Obama said. “I know exactly what’s going on. I know what’s going on in Pennsylvania, I know what’s going on in Indiana, I know what’s going on in Illinois. People are fed up, they’re angry, they’re frustrated, they’re bitter and they want to see a change in Washington. That’s why I’m running for president of the United States of America.”

Yes, yes, I believe he does know what's going on, and he's got the testicles to speak the truth instead of the party line.

“It’s being reported that my opponent said that the people of Pennsylvania who faced hard times are bitter; well, that’s not my experience,” Mrs. Clinton told an audience at Drexel University.

Of course, this is the stupid cunt who can't remember whether or not she was under sniper fire in the past. Her "experience"? Ronald Reagan had fucking Alzheimer's but at least when it got to the point he couldn't remember his own fucking biography he had the grace to retire from private life. What's this bitch's excuse?

“Pennsylvanians don’t need a president who looks down on them; they need a president who stands up for them, who fights for them, who works hard for your futures, your jobs, your families.”

Yes, and that might be why they'll vote for Obama instead of an elitist cow like Clinton.

“It shows an elitism and condescension toward hard-working Americans that is nothing short of breathtaking,” said Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to Mr. McCain. “It is hard to imagine someone running for president who is more out of touch with average Americans.”

I fail to understand how anyone could make a case that Obama is "out of touch" with the average American.

“Here’s what’s rich,” Mr. Obama said. “Senator Clinton said, ‘Well I don’t think people are bitter in Pennsylvania. I think Barack is being condescending.’ John McCain said, ‘How could he say that? How could he say that people are bitter? He obviously is out of touch with people.’ Out of touch? Out of touch? John McCain — it took him three times to finally figure out that home foreclosure was a problem and to come up with a plan for it, and he’s saying I’m out of touch?”

^ What he said.

“Instead of apologizing for offending small town America, Senator Obama chose to repeat and embrace the comments he made earlier this week,” said Phil Singer, a spokesman for Mrs. Clinton. He added,

Uh... maybe because he didn't offend us?

Methinks the aristocracy is pissed because Obama is pointing and saying "Look! Look! The Emporer is NAKED! And the peasents are LAUGHING AT HIM!"

“Americans are tired of a President who looks down on them, they want a President who will stand up for them for a change.”

Thank Og Little Bush can't run again!

I think the flap over it reeks of bullshit, as the Republican method of being "in touch" with working-class whites seems to be "pay lip service to their prejudices during election season, and then proceed to do nothing to actually help them".

^ What he said.

[Glocksman]

Goddamn.

If you were a man, I'd say you had a pair of large brass ones.
As it is, I'm seriously considering ripping off large parts of your post (with permission of course) for the newsletter I'm putting together for my union local on why we back Obama instead of Clinton or McCain.

[Broomstick]

Goddamn.

If you were a man, I'd say you had a pair of large brass ones.

I do have a nice pair - 34C. They're called "chesticles" and I keep 'em out where they can be seen and admired instead of stashed in my pants like you bashful guys.

As it is, I'm seriously considering ripping off large parts of your post (with permission of course) for the newsletter I'm putting together for my union local on why we back Obama instead of Clinton or McCain.

You have my permission. Attribution is always nice, but perhaps saying the author is "Broomstick" might lead to far too much speculation about witches and bitches. If you need my actual name PM me. We Hoosiers need to stick together (Um... you live in Indiana, too, right? I seem to recall that...)

[Glocksman]

Once I find out which direction my local's PAC wants to go in dealing this this, I'll PM you if I decide to use your material.

The bit where you outline your recent job history may be useful, as I know several of our members who have the 'I got mine' mindset and don't realize just how precarious their situation is WRT health insurance and the scarcity of $15/hr unskilled blue collar jobs.

I don't have to tell you what a disaster it is to lose your health insurance along with your job, but a lot of the people in my local don't seem to make the connection.

[Glocksman]

(Um... you live in Indiana, too, right? I seem to recall that...)

Yeah, but in Evansville.
Down here we have a saying that Indianapolis seems to think that I-70 is the state line and that we should just go ahead and secede to join Kentucky.

[Broomstick]

Well, you know, I'm in Gary, which Indianapolis and Mayor Daley both seem to think belong to Chicago. It seems a common problem in this state, that the corners drop off the radar screen in Indy despite the fact we probably are greater economic engines (and certainly higher populations) than all those endless miles of cornfields.

It IS refreshing that our primary might actually mean something this time around, though.

[Anguirus]

I can't STAND how the media is spinning this. "Obama Gives Clinton an Opening" my ass.