So, as you may be aware by now, at an appearance in San Francisco where Obama was talking to some far left-wing California donors, he basically said that small town Americans are racist, gun-nuts who are religious fanatics and who just don't get it.
"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. And it's not surprising then 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."
So, small town, Midwest America is filled with hateful religious, anti-immigrant, gun-nuts, eh Barack? How more harsh can a candidate be against people he wants to vote for him? Who can deny that this is a pretty bald and mean-spirited statement from the vaunted candidate of love and peace?
So, how should we discuss this incident? Should we talk about all the Democrats in small town America that Barack offended? Should we talk about how Barack is obviously only aiming his message at extremist liberals that have disdain for most Americans?
Not for Cillizza. No, for him this is not the time to chastise Barack Obama for his elitist hatred of the folks who live in America's heartland. No, for Cillizza it is time to point a finger at the nasty ol' Republicans and screech that Obama's gaffe is a perfect example of how Republicans will be MEAN to him!
Cillizza's headline for his piece was "Republicans Quickly Pounce on Obama Remarks," as if the only thing to Obama's remark was how the nasty Republicans would treat it. His initial post before the update started like this:
If Democrats are wondering what awaits Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) this fall if he becomes the party's presidential nominee, the events of the past few hours should serve as something of a guide.
And, after recapping all the things the Republicans said about Obama's middle America hate rhetoric, here is how Cillizza wrapped up his point.
Republicans are certain to use comments like this one to paint Obama as an out-of-step liberal beholden to the wants and needs of voters on the two coasts. It's a blueprint Republicans followed to perfection during the 2004 campaign against Sen. John Kerry -- effectively portraying the Massachusetts senator as an elitist without interest in or regard for the average voter in fly-over country.
Obama's roots in Illinois and strength among independent voters -- at least in the primary process to date -- make him more difficult to label. But that doesn't mean Republicans won't try.
Um, “paint Obama as an out-of-step liberal”? Chris, Obama is painting himself as an out-of-step liberal! The Republicans are just reporting the facts here!
So, Cillizza has no interest in actually discussing Obama's remarks at all. His only interest is in how to help Democrats defeat Republicans and, in that light, his focus is solely on warnings to Dems about what he perceives as the GOP's strategy.
This is further proof that Barack could admit to being the Anti-Christ and the MSM would paper it over and crow that it is all the Republican's fault for brining up the point! How much more in the tank could one get?
(Photo credit: Mediabistro.com)
