I want to my add my two cents onto the excellent rundown Mike gave of the Obama apology below. One thing this man sure is good at making apologies that are basically apologies for how stupid us viewers and readers are. First attempt:
[O]bviously, if I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that. 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.
There are a whole bunch of folks in small towns in Pennsylvania, in towns right here in Indiana, in my home town in Illinois, who are bitter. They are angry… So I said, well ya know, when you’re bitter, you turn to what you can count on. So people, ya know 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 how things are changing. That’s a natural response.
Spin and more spin. His off the cuff remark can only be taken one way unfortunately for him….Believing in border enforcement and the fact that illegal immigrants should be illegal, believing in the Second Amendment, and worshiping your God is a good thing, are all things those working class white folks wouldn’t be doing if the elite in this country hadn’t forced them into it.
Allah’s take on the situation is superb:
All this really is, of course, is a variation on the left’s refrain about the “politics of fear,” in which any issue that might conceivably benefit a conservative opponent — immigration, “values,” and above all terrorism — is waved away as a stumbling block to progress contrived by The Man to keep the People down.
And Newt’s even better:
If you go to the most expensive private school in Hawaii and then move on to Columbia University and Harvard Law School, you may not understand normal Americans. Their beliefs are so alien to your leftwing viewpoint that you have to seek some psychological explanation for what seem to be weird ideas.
They can’t really believe in the right to bear arms.
They can’t really believe in traditional marriage.
They can’t really believe in their faith in God.
They can’t really want to enforce the law on immigration.
Therefore, they must be “bitter” and “frustrated.”
This is the closest Senator Obama has come to openly sharing his wife’s view that “America is a mean country”. Not since Governor Dukakis have we seen anyone so out of touch with normal Americans. It makes perfect sense that it was in a fundraiser in San Francisco that he would have shared the views he has so carefully kept hidden for the entire campaign.
Ed Morrissey also links to this video of the same appearance in question in which he implies that the small town folk are a bunch of closet racists:
Here’s how it is: in a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long, and they feel so betrayed by government, and when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn’t buy it. And when it’s delivered by — it’s true that when it’s delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama (laugher), then that adds another layer of skepticism.
Nice…but not surprising if you have read much of his books. In his book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
“…..the white Southerner who growing up heard his dad talk about niggers this and niggers that but who has struck up a friendship with the black guys at the office and is trying to teach his own son different, who thinks discrimination is wrong but doesn’t see why the son of a black doctor should get admitted into law school ahead of his own son”.
As Newt said, the man has no understanding of rural America so he pushes the implicit racism into his description of folks he doesn’t quite get.
In the end this may come down as the Obama version of the Dean Scream. The MSM is in his corner so they will most definitely run interference for him….but ya never know.
See author page
Mickey Kaus at Slate nailed it! This is one of those rare moments where the candidate gets caught saying something he REALLY believes and it illuminates his character.
And after what we have learned from the sermons of Rev. Wright and Obama’s own words in his books we see that it fits a pattern (that incredible video yonason found here).
Obama, and many of his supporters, see the U.S. as a very dark and angry place full of injustice. They refuse to see the good, only problems that cannot be corrected without them. Is it any wonder then that they want to talk to all of our enemies and abuse our friends in the world?
Overall, it’s a sour message to sell to the American people in an election year. Remember Jimmy Carter when he gave his “malaise” speech? People don’t want to hear that because it is not true and Reagan proved it.
Victor Davis Hanson called this the “McGovernization of Obama” and picked the latest Obama misstep apart word by word and apparently Hillary Clinton is doing the same.
Doesn’t seem to me like we had a lot of “economic distress” until the Democrats took Congress. What’s he talking about?
It has been amazing to watch the dissection of every word, the “slips shows what they really think” diatribes, and the assignation of multiple nefarious reasonings to every comment. It’s also somewhat amusing because, during seven years of “I don’t recall,” “I misspoke,” “I misstated,” “I could have been more candid,” and the like, we’ve heard virtually no dissection of those comments.
It’s like watching the “Mirror, Mirror” episode of Star Trek. I read the leftist blogs, and some people hear a Satanic incantation every time Cheney clears his throst. I read the blogs on the right, and we get stuff like this.
In the meantime, real wages are continuing their 20-year downward run, we still have hungry people in America, and our soldiers are still dying. My state legislature just passed a budget that cuts education while putting a multi-million-dollar honeypot of tax revenues in what is basically a slush fund for the legislators, and the Democratic governor is probably going to sign it. The FBI is back in town, this time to investigate corruption in the previous Republican administration, and it looks as if some indictments will be coming down. We’ve reached the point at which, as political figures and hangers-on are indicted, we’re too busy trying to connect them to one candidate or another that we never take a step back and look at the inherent corruption of the entire system.
While I disagree with each of them on some policy matters, I believe that McCain, Obama and Clinton are basically decent people. They have high ambition, of course, and each has been corrupted to some degree by the moneyed path that is our political system, but I don’t believe any of them to be evil or un-American. More to the point, I despise those who attempt to label any of them as such.
We should remember the words of President Eisenhower:
as we move toward our next change of government.
Wes: I’m not surprised you see darkness and despair around every corner. You are a Democrat aren’t you? Do you also want to admit being an Obama supporter or are you still hiding behind the fig leaf of objective neutrality?
Didn’t you get the talking points from the Clinton campaign this morning? She’s out there touting the rebirth in many formerly depressed areas of Pennsylvania.
I would like to throw in a couple of quotes:
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power. – David Brin
Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then–we elected them. – Lily Tomlin
Tom
As far as quotes on power go, I actually think the following is more accurate:
“Power does not corrupt men; fools however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.” – George Bernard Shaw
Psychology tells us that parsing words can at times be quite revealing. For example BHO’s apology: “If I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that,” is not the same as saying: “I worded things poorly, and apologize to those I offended.” The first statement first of all implies a question as to whether he misspoke in the first place, and second implies regret that people were offended, not regret for what he said. It doesn’t take a degree for one to feel the difference either, which is why his remarks, and then attempt at an apology have provoked the response they have; people can tell when they’re being condescended to.
It’s not that I believe that Barack Obama is actually “evil” per se, or even “un-American” in a hard-core way; though I do find it odd that he thinks not saluting for the National Anthem and “not wearing that [flag] pin on his lapel” is actually more “American” than saluting or wearing said pin. What I believe is that he is possessed of some misguided principles, which were they to be implemented from the office of the Presidency would be dangerous to our nation, and our society. I also believe he’s quite clever, and politically astute.
In “Dreams of my father” he espouses several anti-white sentiments, which no matter how you try to justify it remain what they are. Identity politics are a 40+ year old business, and as of yet they have only demonstrated their ability to divide and foster resentment; not unite and heal.
His plan to restore the “esteem” of the third world essentially amounts to a weakening of American power. Which indicates somewhere at in his thinking that American power is actually a negative thing. I consider that a rather dark view, but that’s just my “typical” opinion.
By way of Hugh Hewitt:
By way of Ray Robison:
Mike:
No, I’m not. As I’ve said before, I’m a registered Independent who has voted for Republicans, Democrats and independents/third-parties at every level. I listen and read political debate across the spectrum. I’m conservative on some issues, liberal on others.
It’s sad; all I really said was, basically, “let’s get away from the BS attacks and talk about real issues,” and you responded with a BS attack:
Now, the FUNNY part is that you can’t even do that very well. Yeah, we all know that Obama supporters get their talking points from the Clinton campaign…sheesh.
But, he will save us.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004287168_apondeadlinearrogance.html
“Spin and more spin.” — Curt
And O’Bomber spins faster than anyone.
In this video…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIxmi3e2Vmo
…which I found at Powerline, Obie, instead of being ashamed at being caught, proudly puts his condescending arrogance on display, accusing McCain and Hillary of “politics,” for picking on him for making “mistakes” (Hillarity isn’t the only one entitled to “misspeak,”I guess). In other words, he’s playing the victim, because that’s all he’s got, to generate sympathy for his contemptible cynicism, which he passes off as righteous indignation. That’s chutzpah!
I couldn’t watch the whole thing at once. I had to take it in small portions. His spin was turning my stomach. (Calling gun ownership a quaint “tradition” which he implies that he respects – excuse me while I hurl). He just oozes arrogance and contempt for those he’s speaking to, kind of like this video which I think captures the essence of what is going on.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=s3_jh2dO78U
The man (and I use that term loosely) is an empty shirt, filled only with his own hot air, who has accomplished nothing except to line his pockets at the expense of his constituents. And now he has his eyes set on a larger prize, with much more potential for self enrichment, and a lot more constituents to neglect.
He sure do lie perty, though, don’t he?
@uDDERCHaOs
Interresting article, except, O’Bomber is so far over that line it isn’t funny any more, especially with so many people thoughtlessly following him. I like where the author cautions him, “Nobody expects Obama to be perfect. But he better never forget that he isn’t.” No. We had better wake up, and realize how flawed he is, because he doesn’t have a clue and probably never will.
I GUESS HIS PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE YOUTUBE “JEDI MIND TRICKS” VIDEO?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/JediforObama
@yonason Sorry for the brief post but I had to run off to work. Millions on welfare are depending on us! The line that really jumped out at me in the article was this:
“But both Obama and his wife, Michelle, ooze a sense of entitlement.
“Barack is one of the smartest people you will ever encounter who will deign to enter this messy thing called politics,” his wife said a few weeks ago, adding that Americans will get only one chance to elect him.”
deign
–verb (used without object) 1. to think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
–verb (used with object) 2. to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply.
3. Obsolete. to condescend to accept.
@Uddercha0s
Nice observation.
I only wish the implication that this would be the only time was true. I think what was meant, though, might have been “would stoop to” entering, which doesn’t preclude doing so in the future. Ironically, however, he may have to lay low for a while after what we are learning about him. And, if his ties to Rezko could be shown to be illegal, he might have an interminably long wait. One can “HOPE.”
Oh, and no offense meant at modifying your name, above. I just thought I would play along with the “chaos” part of it. I may in the future, too, unless you object.
Haha.. Yes, that is my “Hope” as well. I think the Rezko trial is really going to hurt him. I am still waiting for all of the juicy stuff to come out on him. How Daddy #1 the economist justified up to 100% taxes. Marxist. How mommy seemed enamored with Muslims and Marxism. How the typical, white, VP of a bank grandma struggled to send him to private school. How about one of his earliest mentors, mentioned in Dreams From My Father, Frank Marshall Davis the communist. Let’s hear about his time at Occidental College, Columbia, Harvard Law. The law firm where he didn’t do any significant work for Rezko. Let’s talk about the earmarks made for the Chicago Hospital and wifeys $200k raise. Michelle opens up a whole other can of worms with her comments, beliefs and background. Add the Rev, Black Liberation Theology for 20 years, David Axelrod, Louis and the Weather Underground and I think a pretty picture can be painted. I don’t want to sound to “hopeful” here but I believe McCain would have to be caught screwing a gay, muslim lobbyist on a bed full of money while shouting racist remarks to lose this one. Otherwise, I think there is no hope left for us.
No offense taken to the name modification. I wish that was the biggest thing I could find to be offended by!