Here's the video of Obama in Muncie, Ind., continuing to try to work his way out of the Pennsylvania comments.
Part of his approach seems to be that if he keeps talking about it, he will be able to reframe his thought in a more digestible form, and create the impression that is not embarrassed about it -- he wanted to say it, he's willing to say it again and again to people's faces, it wasn't a put down he was sharing with donors.
One key line: "I didn't say it as well as I should have..." No kidding! Transcript (from Obama campaign) after the jump:
Obama remarks in Muncie, Indiana today:
“Lately there has been a little typical sort of political flare up because 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, in my hometown in Illinois who are bitter. They are angry.
“They feel like they have been left behind. They feel like nobody is paying attention to what they’re going through.
“So I said well you know when you’re bitter you turn to what you can count on. So people they vote about guns, or they take comfort from their faith and their family and their community.
“And they get mad about illegal immigrants who are coming over to this country or they get frustrated about you know how things are changing.
“That’s a natural response.
“And now I didn’t say it as well as I should have because you know the truth is is that these traditions that are passed on from generation to generation those are important. That’s what sustains us.
“But what is absolutely true is that people don’t feel like they are being listened to.
“And so they pray and they count on each other and they count on their families. You know this in your own lives and what we need is a government that is actually paying attention. Government that is fighting for working people day in and day out making sure that we are trying to allow them to live out the American dream.
“And that’s what this campaign is about. We’ve got to get past the divisions. We’ve got to get past the distractions of our politics and fight for each other.
“That is why I am running for president of the United States. And I think we’ve got an opportunity to bring about that change right here and right now.
“But I’m gonna need your help Indiana. I’m gonna need your help.”
Comments (2)
Obama should apologize without the defensive tone and move ahead. The working people are the strength of America. I don't like the connotation of "working class". Money shouldn't define anyone's value. Remember he was meeting with wealthy individuals. How many of them can empathize with people in PA?
HILLARY'S POOR JUDGMENT leaves AMERICANS FOOTING THE BILL
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THE WAR IN IRAQ IS HAVING SERIOUS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR ECONOMY and those who voted for the war (i.e. hillary) should be to blame, in part, for the state of the US economy.
Look how the WAR IN IRAQ is affecting the US economy...
$3,000,000,000… 3 billion dollars PER WEEK!
That is the amount America is paying for the Iraq War PER WEEK, money that should have been used here, at home.
Add to this:
Interest. We are financing the war with borrowed money (e.g. treasuries) that carries interest; so in actuality, the war is costing the United States MORE THAN 3 billion dollars PER WEEK.
Higher oil and energy prices. Instability in Iraq is adding roughly 30 dollars per barrel as a premium.
High utility bills. High oil prices mean high utility bills. Higher oil prices shifts demand to other sources of energy - gas, coal, etc. - and greater demand will raise the equilibrium price of all sources of energy -- Can you say high energy bills?
Higher oil prices (a raw material used in the production of many goods, fertilizers, gasoline, diesel, plastics, etc.) mean higher prices of goods and services -- Can you say INFLATION?
Higher oil prices mean a higher trade deficit because most of our oil comes from foreign sources. A higher trade deficit means more money is leaving the country than is coming into the country -- Can you say Goodbye to your hard-earned money!
Our dollar is weak and getting weaker. Since we have a trade deficit and is growing in large part to the rising cost of imported oil, the value of goods and services we import exceeds the value of goods we export. You know that foreign car you're thinking of buying or the computer you're using, or that trip abroad you've been thinking of taking....well, guess what? It is going to cost more, Ceteris Peribus, because the dollar is weak and getting weaker.
Lastly, how do you think the world views our country since the argument was made for war? The evidence was weak and circumstantial, yet we rushed into war with Iraq thanks to hillary’s authorization.
Hillary Voted FOR THE WAR
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