Rivals slam Obama's elitist remarks on small-town folks
Tim Shipman in Washington- The Daily Telegraph and agencies
Mr Barack Obama's presidential campaign has been knocked off balance after the Democrat White House front-runner was caught on tape apparently belittling the fears of small-town Americans who have lost their jobs.
The senator from Illinois was forced into a frantic damage limitation exercise after a recording emerged in which he appeared to dismiss impoverished blue-collar workers as bitter individuals to make themselves feel better.
In comments that may damage his chances of winning the forthcoming Pennsylvania primary election, Mr Obama told fundraisers: "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and like a lot of small towns in the Mid-West, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them."
"It's not surprising then they get bitter. They cling to guns or religionor antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment oranti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
His rivals and political commentators seized on the comments, pronouncing them a watershed moment that raises questions about whether he understands many of the people he hopes to lead - for whom religion and the right tobear arms are positive and wholesome aspects of their lives, not a crutch fashioned from bitterness.
Mr Obama initially refused to apologise for his remarks but at a campaign rally on Saturday, he said: "I didn't say it as well as I should have. If I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that."
But Mr Obama defended labelling struggling working-class voters "bitter", insisting they have every reason to be frustrated.
"I said something that everybody knows is true, which is that there are a whole bunch of folks in small towns in Pennsylvania, in towns right here in Indiana ... who are bitter."
"They are angry. They feel like they've been left behind," he said of those hit by tough economic times.
"That's a natural, natural response. And they want to see a change in Washington and that's why I'm running for president of the United States of America."
Mr Obama was slammed by his rival for the Democratic White House nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton, for his comments which he made at anupmarket fundraiser with wealthy Californians last week.
"Senator Obama's remarks are elitist and are out of touch. They are not reflective of the values and beliefs of Americans. Certainly not the Americans that I know. People embrace faith not because they are materially poor but because they are spiritually rich."
-honestly at this point of time, i think that hillary is trying to lick the whole of america's boot; i actually agree with obama. so if i have the rite to vote for america's next president, i straightaway vote for obama-
De facto Republican nominee John McCain's campaign also hit out at Mr Obama's remarks.
"It shows an elitism and condescension toward hard-working Americans that is nothing short of breathtaking," said McCain adviser Steve Schmidt.
"It is hard to imagine someone running for President who is more out of touch with average Americans."
-now, i dont think that obama is out of touch. just so happened that hillary and mccain are idealists who dun see wad they should see-
Battling to keep her White House hopes alive going into a tense 10-day stretch which could define the end game of her enthralling tussle with Mr Obama, Ms Clinton knows that anything less than a big win in the Pennsylvania primary on April 22 would severely dampen her hopes of taking the race to the end of the nominating calendar in June, in her long-odds bid to outdo Mr Obama.
Both have been campaigning in Pennsylvania and Indiana where trade and job losses are playing a prominent role in campaign rhetoric. Pennsylvania has lost more than 200,000 manufacturing jobs and Indiana, more than 100,000 since President George W Bush took office in 2001.
Ms Clinton hopes that Mr Obama's remarks on working class voters will give her the wedge she needs to pick up ground in the race. After six weeks of long distance sparring, both will clash in a face-to-face debate in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, a Clinton supporter, said he's concerned that Mr Obama's comments will provide fodder for Republicans in the general election in November.
"I don't think he's an elitist, but they will be used by the Republicans to make him look that way."
-rite now, the republicans sound like a bunch of vultures waiting to pounce on every scrap of dead meat-
