Today's Article
Hearing Hillary Clinton
call another politician
'elitist and divisive' is
like hearing Mike
Tyson refer to another
boxer as 'a little crazy.'
call another politician
'elitist and divisive' is
like hearing Mike
Tyson refer to another
boxer as 'a little crazy.'
The American Spark
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Obama, Clinton and Bitterness
By Cliff Montgomery - Apr. 19th, 2008
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has spent the last several days combating the Corporate
Media's misrepresentation of comments he gave at a fundraiser in San Francisco. The Illinois senator correctly
stated that the working class people of Western Pennsylvania are angry and bitter about the economy in their
area, and naturally "cling to guns and religion" to ease their pain.
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Obama's rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, has claimed that such
a clear understanding somehow shows Obama to be "elitist and divisive."
We're sorry, but hearing Hillary Clinton call another politician "elitist and divisive" is like hearing Mike Tyson refer
to another boxer as "a little crazy." Clinton's statement is not a clever quip, it's praise from Caesar.
First, let's consider Obama's 'bitter' remark...
Hillary Clinton and the talking heads of modern Corporate News--millionaires almost down to the last person--
honestly appear to have convinced themselves that Americans are at heart quite optimistic about the
economic and political course of this country.
It should be pointed out that practically no one on "Pundit Row" is actually from western Pennsylvania, and
almost certainly none of them has suffered the economic hardships of that area.
But this reporter was born and raised in the former factory town of Cumberland, Maryland, a town tucked next
to the western Pennsylvania border. Cumberland had long served as a major blue-collar link between
Pittsburgh, PA and Baltimore, MD.
And this reporter can without a hint of doubt tell Hillary Clinton and Pundit Row that the word "bitter" doesn't
begin to express the righteous anger and outrage of that region.
For the last 30 years, the people of that area have seen politicians of almost every stripe gleefully aid Big
Business in sending high-wage, blue-collar union jobs either to the U.S. Deep South or to foreign countries.
They have seen those jobs replaced by dead-end, tedious service positions that only pay a fraction of what had
been provided by the old union jobs.
Though the Clintons and those on Pundit Row may not wish to admit it, most Americans do not work in
Seattle's Silicon Valley. U.S. citizens, especially those in western Pennsylvania, are far more likely to work at
service jobs provided by Wal-Mart than by Microsoft.
And they're pretty damn bitter about it.
In a New York Times/CBS News poll released earlier this month, a full 81 % of Americans now say they haven't
been this "dissatisfied with the country’s direction" since the early 1990s, according to the April 4th edition of
the Times.
That spells bitterness to everyone except Corporate News pundits, neo-conservatives and Hillary Clinton. And
perhaps no one in America is more rightfully bitter about their bleak economic future than the fine people of
western Pennsylvania.
Many pundits also have openly misrepresented Obama's thoughts on guns and religion, essentially claiming
that the Illinois senator declared that western Pennsylvanians are only lovers of religion and guns because of
their current economic hardship.
But to take that view seriously, we'd have to believe that Sen. Obama was actually claiming that western
Pennsylvanians were all gun-hating atheists before their local economy went to ruin--a self-evidently foolish
notion.
Obama instead was pointing out that during desperate times filled with great loss, people of all stripes naturally
cling to those remaining things which continue to give their lives structure and meaning.
Suppose for a moment that Chelsea Clinton was in a life-threatening car accident. Senator Clinton and her
husband receive a telephone call, telling them of the heartbreaking turn of events. Their daughter's very life
now hangs in the balance.
During such times of utter desperation, Hillary Clinton surely would turn with extra vigor to those things in her
life which always have given her a feeling of hope and meaning--her husband, her family, her God. And if the
horror lasts over a long period of time, long-held hobbies also would take on an increased significance, as they
too add an extra touch of structure and certainty.
At such desperate moments that's the most natural emotional response in the world, effecting everyone from
the wealthiest to the most poor.
Recognizing and voicing such a simple psychological truth is not a divisive act. But misrepresenting such an
observation for personal political gain is an unspeakably divisive action more in tune with the hubris of Karl
Rove than Hillary Clinton--who of all people should know better by now.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - Apr. 19th, 2008
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has spent the last several days combating the Corporate
Media's misrepresentation of comments he gave at a fundraiser in San Francisco. The Illinois senator correctly
stated that the working class people of Western Pennsylvania are angry and bitter about the economy in their
area, and naturally "cling to guns and religion" to ease their pain.
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Obama's rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, has claimed that such
a clear understanding somehow shows Obama to be "elitist and divisive."
We're sorry, but hearing Hillary Clinton call another politician "elitist and divisive" is like hearing Mike Tyson refer
to another boxer as "a little crazy." Clinton's statement is not a clever quip, it's praise from Caesar.
First, let's consider Obama's 'bitter' remark...
Hillary Clinton and the talking heads of modern Corporate News--millionaires almost down to the last person--
honestly appear to have convinced themselves that Americans are at heart quite optimistic about the
economic and political course of this country.
It should be pointed out that practically no one on "Pundit Row" is actually from western Pennsylvania, and
almost certainly none of them has suffered the economic hardships of that area.
But this reporter was born and raised in the former factory town of Cumberland, Maryland, a town tucked next
to the western Pennsylvania border. Cumberland had long served as a major blue-collar link between
Pittsburgh, PA and Baltimore, MD.
And this reporter can without a hint of doubt tell Hillary Clinton and Pundit Row that the word "bitter" doesn't
begin to express the righteous anger and outrage of that region.
For the last 30 years, the people of that area have seen politicians of almost every stripe gleefully aid Big
Business in sending high-wage, blue-collar union jobs either to the U.S. Deep South or to foreign countries.
They have seen those jobs replaced by dead-end, tedious service positions that only pay a fraction of what had
been provided by the old union jobs.
Though the Clintons and those on Pundit Row may not wish to admit it, most Americans do not work in
Seattle's Silicon Valley. U.S. citizens, especially those in western Pennsylvania, are far more likely to work at
service jobs provided by Wal-Mart than by Microsoft.
And they're pretty damn bitter about it.
In a New York Times/CBS News poll released earlier this month, a full 81 % of Americans now say they haven't
been this "dissatisfied with the country’s direction" since the early 1990s, according to the April 4th edition of
the Times.
That spells bitterness to everyone except Corporate News pundits, neo-conservatives and Hillary Clinton. And
perhaps no one in America is more rightfully bitter about their bleak economic future than the fine people of
western Pennsylvania.
Many pundits also have openly misrepresented Obama's thoughts on guns and religion, essentially claiming
that the Illinois senator declared that western Pennsylvanians are only lovers of religion and guns because of
their current economic hardship.
But to take that view seriously, we'd have to believe that Sen. Obama was actually claiming that western
Pennsylvanians were all gun-hating atheists before their local economy went to ruin--a self-evidently foolish
notion.
Obama instead was pointing out that during desperate times filled with great loss, people of all stripes naturally
cling to those remaining things which continue to give their lives structure and meaning.
Suppose for a moment that Chelsea Clinton was in a life-threatening car accident. Senator Clinton and her
husband receive a telephone call, telling them of the heartbreaking turn of events. Their daughter's very life
now hangs in the balance.
During such times of utter desperation, Hillary Clinton surely would turn with extra vigor to those things in her
life which always have given her a feeling of hope and meaning--her husband, her family, her God. And if the
horror lasts over a long period of time, long-held hobbies also would take on an increased significance, as they
too add an extra touch of structure and certainty.
At such desperate moments that's the most natural emotional response in the world, effecting everyone from
the wealthiest to the most poor.
Recognizing and voicing such a simple psychological truth is not a divisive act. But misrepresenting such an
observation for personal political gain is an unspeakably divisive action more in tune with the hubris of Karl
Rove than Hillary Clinton--who of all people should know better by now.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!