The latest “breaking news” in the political area is the fact that Obama made remarks about small-town voters in Pennsylvania. He said that the working class “cling to guns or religion?” when they are faced with economic challenges. While this is his opinion, Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain are leaping on this statement to attack Obama before the Pennsylvania primaries on April 22. Obama’s competitors are harping on the fact that he did not choose the right words in front of a group of wealthy voters.
What everyone should really be focusing on is the fact that a blogger and recent citizen journalist, Mayhill Fowler, is the one that broke the news that led to a chance for Clinton and McCain to attack Obama in the days leading up to the primary. What Clinton and McCain, who called Obama’s comments “elitist,” are missing out is what he said before he talked about bitter working class voters turning to guns and religion.
“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,” said Sen. Obama.
He is slyly blaming past administrations, to which he conveniently picks Bill Clinton’s and George Bush’s, to point out the other candidates’ flaws. This is probably why the other candidates are so upset, but I have yet to hear them voice out about this indirect comment against them. Obama’s speech should not be given so much attention when it was a blunt opinion that showed what he believed the voters to be thinking about. I am sure plenty worse has been said by all the candidates.
The media should be focusing on the reactions of the voters in Pennsylvania and theirs opinions on the candidates versus Clinton’s and McCain’s opinion on the speech. Obviously they are not going to say praising words for their competitor. April 22 cannot come soon enough.
