On a sidenote, TWD/AmlFella/Etc...what do you think of the owner of your beloved Steelers saying that "Obama is one of us". ???


http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/owner_of_pittsburgh_steelers_e.php

I thought Forrest Gump said that.

Non-issue to me.

And, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Quit expecting some politician to fix poverty, and do your part. Do something to create jobs. Start your own charity. Raise money for those in need. DO YOUR PART.

Government is not going to change things, but we the people can.

Was meant more of a "in jest" comment, not a real political one.

Neo,

I cannot imagine something as trivial as politics or the economy making me bitter or angry. Life is simply too short for such nonsense. We play the hand we're dealt to the very best of our ability and keep moving. I have my faith, my family, my friends - what else is necessary for a joyfilled life?

yes, indeed these people who blame others are the so called victims of society, the losers in the lottery of life as Kerry used to say - these are the voters that Obama already has wrapped up for election day because he has promised them more of the working families' income through higher taxes

so why insult the independent small town church goers and gun owners of Pennsylvania? Could it have anything to do with the audience he was speaking to? The billionaires out in San Francisco?

Inquiring minds want to know?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/14/need-headline_n_96578.html

"Clinton Heckled, Obama Cheered Over 'Bitter' Remarks"

The ones who didn't get stuck in Iraq, that is.

you are in a very small minority then if you think that the economy is "trivial". not that that's a bad thing, either, but like it or not, it definitely DOES matter to most.

like i said before about jeffrey sachs' comments, if you look around the world where there is violence and war, the common thread is poverty and lack of potable water. sure, the frustration may manifest itself differently, but the root is not what it might appear. that's what obama is talking about.

change is initiated from within. if you're waiting on others to change for you, it will be a long wait. not happy with your situationa nd place in life? Don't blame anyone but the person you see in the mirror first thing each day

can't he blame people in politics for political decisions that affect his life? he IS initiating change, in his view, by voting for obama. deal with it.

Yes, Obama is (and now you are) doing armchair psychoanalysis on all of these frustrated people. And the conclusion is that they only believe what they believe because they are frustrated and downtrodden. In other words, if they just had good jobs and mortgages they could pay, they wouldn't believe in a right to bear arms and wouldn't "take refuge" in their faith. To me, that kind of characterization smacks of condescension.

Cheers to Truffle! Well said.

I think every day Obama is proving himself more and more to be what he is - a politician. He likes to make it seem like he's not, but he is and he is stepping in it more and more every day.

the point is that they latch onto these things rather than that which is truly affecting their lives because they feel that the politicians aren't going to help the latter plight because they never have. fwiw

i dont think it is condescending when his explicit purpose of stating it is because he wants to fix it. he never said it was wrong to believe in those things. he was implying that, with him, they can start to feel like those neglected needs can come to the fore.

oh Ron come to your senses will ya?

Obama critizes the blue collar yahoos in small towns for voting principle and morality over their own self interests!!!!!!! these issues he criticized the "great unwashed" for were primarily non-economic in nature!

I have heard this before, the great Adlai Stevenson criticized these same people back in the 50's for not voting for him.

Its all just so much elitist condescension, and you know it.

Not what I heard Ron. I'd say he came across as condescending, putting that type of person down - they have nothing else but their guns, church, etc.

I guess we all put our own spin on it depending on who we are in favor of.

i am not going to convince you all to not not be cynical. i was just trying to put his comments into a non-cynical context. oh well.

How do you accomplish putting his cynical comments in a non-cynical context without performing high wire contortions without the benefit of a net?

we are simple people Ron, we take people's words for what they mean!

we are not "nuanced" like the demo elitists and we have not had the benefit of the heigth and depth of your analysis (nor that of Neo) -

i dont think i used any high wire contortions at all.

i would consider obama's comments much more pragmatic than elitist.

Ron,

In the big picture of life, the economy is trivial. Am I rich? NO - well, maybe to someone in 3rd world country. we are so blessed in this one. Do I like what's happening in the economy at present? NO, but will I allow it to have that much of a negative impact on my life - NO.

yeah right, thats why he has spent much of the past 4 days trying to explain what he "really meant"; a straight talking politician wouldn't have to backtrack to revise and extend......

i am sure that you are representative of everyone, walden.

do i need to give you the jeffrey sachs example again?

Nope, since I see the common thread as being power-hungry leaders who torment their citizens.