I don't think Obama had any intension of suggesting the people of PA/IN are inferior.

[UALRBSofL]

I just think he is out of touch with the average person. I don't hold this against him. He doesn't understand them. He needs to realize there are a lot of people whom are not anti-gun, are not anti-religion, are very accepting of people whom don't live in PA/IN or the Appalachian area. I'll just say my experience in PA was just the opposite of what Obama's experience in PA has been, and, as a gay man, people in PA were very accepting. I'm not talking the large populated areas either. I think the statement he made is the fear of the unknown. Maybe it's not so much fear as it is he just doesn't know much about people in this region of the country. I say this will all due respect, he came across as painting people in that region of the country with a broad brush, and, in my opinion, not being raised in that region, he doesn't have an understanding of people who live there and it came across as a lack of knowledge or awareness of these people.

[Cant trust em]

1. "hold on to what you've got" is the point he's trying to make

when economic opportunity is limited I think that people might have the tendency to want to cling to the things they do have. Guns, religion, etc.

[2rth2pwr]

2. Many people in PA probably see this as you do.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I'm from PA. He has small-town PA nailed--they are the most skeptical, resistant

to change, "show me the money" traditional people I've ever lived among. Obama is an honest man. He doesn't spin things--he just lays it out like he sees it. I appreciate that about him--that lack of a permanent state of political caution and calculation. Hillary could use some of that--she's entirely phony and condescending.

[uponit7771]

7. RIGHT!! And he was talking about people being mad at government because they promiste shit & dont

...deliver

[uponit7771]

4. Hillary and McSame don't have to work a DAY in the lives any longer for thier lifestyles while Obama

...does; he loses his senate seat he's going back to work at some company or something.

THAT'S out of touch to me

[Cant trust em]

11. I don't think that's a great argument

Obama will go on to do whatever he wants and make as much money as he wants. I don't think that people in York, PA will identify too greatly with that. I work in an office in San Francisco and I don't really agree with that.

That's just my two cents.

[JoFerret]

15. He is a MILLIONAIRE

get real here. he is set for life.
not a bg deal but let's not pretend he has made a vow of poverty or something.

[blogslut]

5. Thank you

I live in a small town located in the Panhandle of Texas. I know all about religion, guns and xenophobia. I know about hopelessness. I know how people would rather cling to what's familiar than take a chance on change.

[LSparkle]

6. What he said is true in regions of ALL states ... it's a universal condition

to hold on to things that give you HOPE when there isn't any to be found
in your physical circumstances. If that hope is in the form of religion,
or the gun that allows you to at least defend what you HAVE, or to take
comfort in being among others who look/act/come from the same area as
you, at least it allows you to keep going on when times are tough.

It's called the human condition. He was trying to elevate the debate.
And simple-minded, divisive pundits are dragging us all back down into
the mud.

[uponit7771]

9. Hillary is too, she should stay FAR away from this issue with her NAFTA vote

[Roxy66]

8. I am "Small-Town"...and he is right. People are drowning out here...Yes

and they are BITTER.

[tekisui]

10. Bitter- Party of 75,000 in this small town.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. whereas Hillary is apologizing for George Bush

[RememberWellstone]

13. Of course not.

Inexperience speaks again for the wonderboy.:eyes:

[JoFerret]

14. Out of touch. Yes

.

[PVnRT]

16. Well, I was born in this region

(Indiana) and he's right. People here buy into the red meat garbage because they believe no one in Washington is actually going to do anything to help them. I hear it every day at work, restaurants and gas stations. People are pissed off, bitter and cynical, so they'll take any reason they can get to vote for one candidate over another.

I really don't get where this "elitist" nonsense is coming from.

[Ilithiad]

17. Intentions...

do not matter. What matters is how ppl will interpret it. And they will interpret it bad. Trust me. He should be more careful with that mouth of his.