Obama Says He Regrets Recent Remarks
Barack Obama said today in an interview that he regrets offending people in recent remarks in which he said that small-town Americans are “bitter” and “cling to guns or religion.“
Obama has come under fire yesterday and today after revelations of the remarks, which he made last weekend at a fundraiser in San Francisco. Here’s what Obama said at the fundraiser in reference to small-town residents in Pennsylvania who have experienced economic distress:
“It’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.“
Initially, Obama appeared to stand behind his comments, but in a phone interview with Trail Mix this afternoon, he for the first time expressed regret about the remarks, while simultaneously defending the core of what he was trying to say. Here’s what Obama said in the interview. He was responding to a question about whether he would apologize to small-town Americans who were offended by his quote in San Francisco:
“Well look, if there — obviously, if I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that. But the underlying truth of what I said remains, which is simply that people who have seen their way of life upended because of economic distress are frustrated and rightfully so. And I hear it all the time when I visit these communities. People say they feel as if nobody is paying attention or listening to them and that is something — that is one of the reasons I am running for president. I saw this when I first started off as a community organizer and the steel plants had closed, and I was working with churches in communities that had fallen on hard times. And they felt angry and frustrated.“
According to Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton Biography, “A WOMAN IN CHARGE”, she was first introduced to Civil Rights at the age of 15. It was then she attended a Civil Rights Rally by the late great Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr., in 1962. She even met him in person after the rally. While, also, still in high school she was a babysitter for Immigrant Workers , who worked the field.
In 1965 she integrated an all white church in Wellesley Massachusetts. It was a stir!!! In 1966, after becoming President of the Wellesley College Student Union she was able to negotiate, with college staff, about increasing the black student enrollments and the black faculty jobs. She was proud to say that the black student population went from 10 to more than 100 in 1969. In 1969 she graduated from Wellesley College and was a Spokesperson at her Graduation. She was then labeled by LIFE MAGAZINE as on her way to becoming a political meteor. It was also ,about this time, that she was involved in both Civil Rights and Anti Vietnam War Rallys. After Graduation from Wellesley, she had the option of attending Harvard or Yale Law School. Since Harvard didnot support Women Rights, she went to Yale Law School. Today, it still haunts her that she had participated in an on campus rally, and approximately several days later on another campus there was the Kent State Massacre. She could have been one of those fatality. She didnot participate in any Freedom Riders Events because education was her number one priority.
ecbmtrumpeter on 04/27/2008 (10:06 pm)
Colin Powell made the case against Iraq based upon Military Intelligence, especially Satellite Intelligence, indicating Mobile Weapons of Mass Destruction. Since Iraq was under Sanction and Probation, and the Weapon Inspectors were given the run around by Saddam. Saddam Hussein bluffed to have Weapons, and pretended to have Weapons of Mass Destruction because he wouldnot follow the Rules of The International Court. George W. Bush Jr Declared War on Iraq, based upon Weak Intelligence, on his own. Neither Congress nor Hillary Clinton voted for a War ,they voted that Iraq wasnot following the Rules… George W. Bush Jr. ,also, was to finish what his father George H. Bush Sr. started. Hillary Rodham has been against Wars since engaging in Anti Vietnam War Rallys back in the 60’s. Today she has formed a Military Coalition to end the Iraqi War, responsibly, and bring our soldiers home. She also have the Military Backing, and Know How to continue fighting the War On Terror in Afghanistan. This time, under her Administration, our Troops in Afghanistan will have the proper Armor and Equipment to Win The War on Terror.
ecbmtrumpeter on 04/27/2008 (10:04 pm)
If Barack Obama’s views may be linked to the tirades of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright then John McCain must certainly share the Reverend John C. Hagee’s views that the U.S. must join Israel in a preemptive strike against the Arabs, the Russians and the Chinese in order to bring about the second coming of Christ.
After all, John McCain did solicit and proudly acknowledged the Reverend Hagee’s endorsement in March 2008.
Barack Obama has acknowledged that the Reverend Wright did bring faith in God to his life, however Barack Obama never solicited the Rev. Wright’s endorsement and he rejected the deplorable comments of the Rev. Wright.
If someone brings faith in God to your life, do you deny that person as Judas did Jesus or do you stand by the positive benefits that person has made on your life? You should no more deny the person who brought you faith in God then you should deny your parentage.
For too long small-minded politicians, lobbyists, the media and talk-show hosts have used fear, division and rancor as instruments to maintain power and position in Washington.
Barack Obama’s means of governing through confidence, unity and reason threatens the Republican and Clinton fear mongers who are long accustomed with using fear, threats and ridicule to maintain their power and position. Republicans want Hillary Clinton as the Democratic party nominee because the Clintons are willing to maintain the status quo “divide and conquer” means of governance.
It’s refreshingly nice to see the better angels of America’s character prevailing as voters vote for Barack Obama and reject the racial, religious and ethnic slurs being spewed by the divisive fear mongers of the McCain and Clinton campaigns.
John Patrick Smith on 04/27/2008 (1:55 pm)
Any presidential candidate that will not place his hand over his heart during the National Anthem,will not wear an American flag label pin because it offends other nations is anti-American and a socialist communist. Obama should run for office in another country if he doesn’t like it in the USA.
Wake Up Democrats on 04/27/2008 (8:36 am)
Obama & Rev. Wright are racist, plain & simple, end of story !
HisWordsSpeakForThemself on 04/25/2008 (8:55 pm)
I urge you not to back down from telling the facts about Obama and his preacher in you ad.
Genie Holcomb on 04/24/2008 (6:54 pm)
That Linda Davis in NC is playing racial politics by dragging up the Rev. Wright story. Next will be the scare tactics.
Maybe we she check out what is being said in her church and see if she is associating with the wrong kind and being hypocritical or sincere.
She goes to a Church of God. Aren’t some of the Church of Gods those extreme right wing evangelical pentecostal groups? Those groups are sometimes very extreme and very prejudiced, especially in the South.
sensiblethoughts on 04/24/2008 (1:30 pm)
On Tuesday, April 22, 2008, Inside Edition had John McCain on and they were questioning Obama’s relationship with William Ayers. They were showing movies with voice about William AYERS and his wife Geraldine Dohrn during their Weatherman Underground days. McCain had a few comments
marge on 04/23/2008 (8:20 pm)
I think it would be simple-minded to view Obama’s comments as applicable to all of small-town America, as some are claiming. Members of small-town America that don’t feel bitter or that don’t “cling to guns or religion” should not take Obama’s comments personally, because they weren’t personal comments. This is why his remarks to Trail Mix were really well-put. His wording mistakenly offended some, but his message is still clear: In the ideal America, there is no room for people to feel at odds (or bitter or frustrated) with one another. We need to fight the causes of that frustration instead of attacking each other over syntax.
NewJerseyStudent on 04/13/2008 (6:50 pm)
I’m not sure why Obama needs to apologize for what is the truth. When people’s way of life is threatened they do cling to what gives them comfort and security. Does the Senator have to be so politically correct that he can’t even speak? He at the time of the comments was simply providing his thoughts to a campaign volunteer from San Francisco who had asked a question about how best to reach the people of Pennsylvania who reside in small towns. Obama had been a college instructor on constitutional law for sometime and appears to have gone into teacher mode if you read the full text, which most newspapers are loathe to print, as it would further clarify the remarks and heavens forbid end a news story.
We have too many important issues to spend so much time devoted to a non-issue.
Helen on 04/13/2008 (2:34 pm)
Fowler and others that perceive the Obama comments to be negative towards the working class people in Pennsylvania are definitely wrong. I am a working class citizen and Obama is right we are angry, frustrated and bitter in some instances. Therefore, what Obama said is true but Clinton (for political gain) and McCain are trying to twist it to mean something else. Therefore, Fowler, Clinton, McCain and others that feel that Obama statement is not the true are the ones that are out of touch with us.
FellowAmerican on 04/13/2008 (2:18 pm)