It is amazingly rediculous how far some people go to demean or degrade Senator Obama, who has said and continues to say what the 'average American' in any small town or Urban city is feeling and has been feeling since the Clinton/Bush NAFTA and CAFTA passed. Across America, from coast to coast and border to border, you will find families struggling to simply live, factories are history, business are boarded up and the jobs that remain are struggling to stay open!

If you are not BITTER about the state of our Nation, of our people and our childrens future... then you are in deep denial or one of the 10% of the wealthy, who are simply delusional when it comes to the average Americans problems.

This is sad that a man with Obama's vision and zeal is plucked daily... but the FACTS remain the same and those you cannot change... HE HAS BROUGHT MILLIONS TO the polls and WILL BRING MILLIONS in November, where he will be elected!

What a total surprise to see Marjorie Cortez, usually the voice of reason on the DMN editorial staff, join in the same clattering commentary of the babbling political media who are ready to jump on every word uttered by Barack Obama and try to prove their candidates have more bona fides than Obama in representing the common American citizen. How is it that Ms. Cortez criticises Obama for trying to define the beliefs of small town Americans when she, in fact, is doing the same thing by assuming those good folks have been offended.

Obama's comments may have been stated poorly and in the wrong venue but what he said is not totally wrong. Ms. Cortez herself says, "Bitter isn't the word I'd use. It's more a matter of low expectations." OK, so the Senator from Illinois used the wrong word but was his intent totally off the mark? As a product of small town America I say NO! The most obscene aspect of this issue is the transparent nature of Hillary Clinton's feigned outrage and the gall of John McCain's surrogate's calling Obama elitist. Imagine any Republican calling anybody but a Republican elitist.

Go Obama. This is a tempest in a teacup, and it's stupid to perpetuate it. You want the republican elected, vote for the republican. But harping on one or two (literally) of Obama's words in a contest that is nothing but words is beyond silly.

Thankyou Ms. Cortez, for being willing to speak the truth about B. Hussein Obama and expose him for the person he really is!

I know the Obama crowd will continue to chant their hypnotic change of "Change, Change, Change..." will quickly trying to downplay any blemishes on their favorite provider (at least promiser) of entitlements and excuses for why we should turn over our freedoms and our future to him so that he can act as the benevalent dictator and continue to foster dependancy and complacency by the masses in order to further his political aspirations.

Sorry, Angie and Lamonte, but when I heard Obama's comments, I too was offended at his patronizing attitude towards church goers. Clearly he felt that he could belittle people who live in rural and small town America (including the entire state of Utah) that don't seem to have the same sensibilities as those living in the Bay area.

Perhaps those he ridicules are a bit wary of those who say "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you," which is a good reason to pray for deliverance and hold fast to your rifle.

Sure, Obama can talk and promise with the best of them, but what is he going to do to promote small business, to reduce the tax burden on those who have to pay self-employment tax like many in rural America, to help America continue to be the engine of opportunity. I don't want comparisons with other candidates, or recitations of how Bush has failed us for years. Just let me know what positives Obama brings to the table besides "hope" and the promise that government will make all your cares go away.

Marjorie has nailed this one pretty accurately.

The people are bitter because government is always and forever in the pocket of big capital. Obama is right about that, and what's wrong with a little straight talk?

On the track, sounds like you get your facts from fox news and little sean hannity....so sad

To You go girl - your comments and feelings expressed are exactly what Obama was referring to in his mis-spoken remarks to the group in SF. He understands that many in rural America are sick of the government picking our pockets to benefit those who already have wealth. You can go to Obama's website to see what he is suggesting (or promising, if you want to call it that) but the point of my comments is that Ms. Cortez, who is usually reasoned and fair in her comments, has taken the same unfair tact as the mainstream media in making claims that don't exist, instead of trying to understand what Obama was trying to say. And if you think the Republicans are going to help the small businessman and the self-employed just consider who has been in charge - in the White House and Congress - for most of the past seven years. Then consider the 20 years prior, under Republicans and Democrats and you see it isn't any better. Obama offers a fresh approach that the other two candidates, who have spent their entire civilian lives in government in one form or another, can never understand.

I rarely agree with Ms. Cortez, but the mere fact that she has drawn the ire af Angie, Lamonte and the rest of the mantra chanters, is evidence that she has hit the nail on the head. That may seem unkind, and I apologize, but the point remains. Obama is charismatic and believable, able to rally "millions," but to what end? Change to what? The old phrase comes to mind, "Be careful what you pray for, you might get it." I still don't here what it is Obama wants, how he is going to get congress to give it to him or how he intends to pay for it other than increase my tax burden. Politicians are all about making us feel good. Cocaine can make a person feel good, but the side effects and aftermath are deadly, and once adicted, getting rid of the source is painful and difficult. All that glitters isn't gold, and there is prescious little gold in this upcoming election.

ediddy - as usual, you totally miss the point of the discussion as you use any excuse available to state the talking points of this month's (year's/decade's) conservative newsletter. We're talking about a specific comment made and the response to that comment. If you want to make a point about the campaign in general, find a blog that fits your rant.

It’s fair politics to use a candidate’s poor wording against them. Obama is a big boy, in the big game and has to endure what every other politician in history has had to:
putting his foot in his mouth. But, not defending Obama, there is a lot of hypocrisy from long term “elitists” like the Clintons even using the “E” word. It’s laughable that a person who has spent most of her political career trying to over-legislate guns even weighs in on an issue like that. And, there is a certain “elitist” quality from some in journalistic circles in assuming that “since they grew up in a small town”, they know what rural America feels (the same fatal “elitist” error Obama made). I grew up in a small town too, but I dare say one can’t categorize them as all happy and content anymore than they can classify them as “bitter”. Bitterness is not confined to the rural towns. You lose your job, your home and your pension and then tell me there is no bitterness around. Some obviously are not part of the tragedies that made people bitter, rural and urban. So who is REALLY out of touch?

Lamonte,
I didn't miss the point at all. The comment supposedly taken out of meaning is indicative of the man's attitude in general. And, as for the "rant", you have no clue as to my political bent. You, Sir, are an Obama apologist. I'm just making a point that he needs to be clear and concise as to the means by which he intends to accomplish the change he persistantly harps on. The devil is in the details, and change needs to be detailed. Point of fact, there is no conservative in this election. Even if there was, I'm not sure what that means anymore. I'd like to get behind someone who does more than talk.

What Senator Obama fails to understand is that much of the "bitterness" which white working class America feels is directed toward his own Democratic Party. The constituency based politics of the Democratic Party is race and gender based, not class based. This has in effect expelled working class white America from the Democratic Party. If McCain wins, it will be due to this fact. And, if McCain wins in the face of all the Republican Party's negatives, the current Demo leadership should all take long walks off short piers.

ediddy - "I'd like to get behind someone who does more than talk." Vote for Obama and give him a chance. Yes, I am an Obama apologist because too many people, like today's Marjorie Cortez - not the Marjorie I usually read, are too quick to criticize his well intended statements before and without any critical examination of what he was trying to say. And yes, we "apologists" have pointed to Obama's vast oratory skills as one of his great strengths which makes us disappointed when he uses ill-advised language in the wrong venue to make his points. It just gives his opponents credibility where none is due.

One more thing, if there are no conservatives in this year's election, why are so many conservatives speaking out in favor of John McCain?

Lamonte,
I'm not sure I agree, but maybe the lesser of three evils. It is a sad time when our country has devolved to a point where our best options rise to the level of mediocrity. Can you enlighten us, specifically, as to the details of the change Obama is offering. Not just that changing from the current administration is good, but what that change is. BTW, I favor Obama over the other two rather than not vote at all, but but I'd like him to stop chanting change and tell me to what he wishes to change and why he thinks, once elected, he can have such broad power as to overrule the other entrenched branches of government. The greatest power in the POTUS is still the ability to affect the future through court appointments, but changing today is a little more nuanced than just chanting change. I'm sorry, I just don't see Obama as being as deep as you do.

I would imagine it's very true that much of the working class in depressed areas of this country is "bitter". "Bitter" about having their jobs outsourced, "bitter" at working several jobs at low wages to survive, "bitter" that the price of necessities like gasoline, food and housing are at an all time high, and "bitter" that our government, under Bush/Cheney and the GOP have given nothing but lip service to the working people of this country while making sure the wealthy and powerful at the very top of society is wealthier than at any time in this nation's history. Yes, I guess I'd be "bitter" too.

watching the Obama campaign turn into a train wreck is so fun to watch. The platitudes have to end at some pointand when the true man is shown we see that he is nothing but a condescending liberal. Uniter? puh-leez
This guy is really scary... and his wife? She's worse!
Better luck next time Deomocrats!

I'm an Independent watching this election closely. To call Obama "elitest" is silly. Clintons are wealthy, and McCain's second wife is worth gazillions as a beer heiress. Parsing every word they say may be entertaining, but if that keeps up someone else will need to step in. McCain can't keep his facts straight on Iraq, Annie Oakley brags about her shootin', and Obama can't bowl and is seen as "uppity" because he graduated from good schools. Shame on all of us for lowering the bar on campaigns.

It is funny to me to watch people try to defend his words. Twist them to fit what they think. They completely miss the point. People are not as offended by Obama calling them bitter. They are offended by his putting religion and guns into the same pejorative category as apathy towards those different than them, and anti-immigrant stances. These same Obama supporters who defend him because it was just a couple of words are the same ones who condemned the other candidates for just a couple of words. They are also the same people, of course, who buy into Obama's rhetoric. One can not have both ways, words do not matter and words do matter because that is all Obama has is words. He has no real experience that qualifies him, so we must base our decisions about him on his words. He has failed this test miserably by repeating showing that he does not understand America or what she stands for (i.e. attending Rev Wright's church, being "friendly" with a known terrorist, and his attempts to enact wealth redistribution, etc).

Well, for heaven's sake, we sure don't want any elitists running the country. Let's all get behind, ah, Mitt! After all, he's a member of the NRA! Now there's an outfit with more than words, yesiree!

Obama is certainly an elitist. Not because he has never been poor, nor because he is well educated, but because he thinks he is smarter than most Americans. He is an elitist because he went to San Francisco and talked to another bunch of elitists about the "poor rest of America that is bitter and thus religious or anti-immigrant." There was no respect for diversity of ideas, just him implying his great knowledge. It is an attitude that I can't swallow and I was going to vote for him.

What Obama's defenders don't seem capable of understanding is that *even if he's right*, he's being horribly patronizing and condescending. Nobody likes to have one's thinking diagnosed as a delusion, or have it suggested that one's cherished beliefs are simply the pathetic grasping at straws of a bitter loser.

Most people of faith that I know don't "cling" to faith because their reality is so pathetic -- they *embrace* faith as a great good in and of itself, as they would regardless of whether they were rich or poor. I'm fortunate enough to associate with both affluent believers and struggling believers in the same LDS stake. The things that draw them to God are remarkably similar, despite their different economic circumstances.

Obama, however, suggested that these cherished beliefs are nothing more than a crutch -- the "opiate of the people," to quote someone a bit further to the Left than Obama himself.

Why can't liberals just acknowledge that people of faith believe because they have tasted faith and found it to be good, and not presume to take upon themselves the right to second-guess others they really know nothing about?

Middle class America has been so badly treated for the last 30 years, having lost significant buying power from their incomes. Workers now produce much more goods and products per person than in the past, but get none of the rewards.

Those that aren't bitter haven't been paying attention well enough to understand what's been happening to them. It's like the comparison to the frog in a pot of water that comes to the boil slowly. People who are so busy working that they're not particularly well informed have just accepted their lot in life without understanding what's happened to them.