The media once again shows its own incredible disdain for the American public by calling upon themselves to interpret Obama’s somewhat disjointed, extemporaneous remarks in response to a question at a San Francisco fundraiser. Parsing as a media sport is getting out of hand. In Obama’s remarks, the operative word is cling. But not in the way you suggest. Cling is a strong word implying emphasis. Obama never implied that the good people of Eastern Pennsylvania did not like to hunt and go to church at any time. Instead he is saying that in times of economic dislocation, people cling to the things that most matter to them and their families more than ever. At the same time he implies that people from areas ignored for decades will tend to turn away from national electoral poiitics because too many elected officials have not served them well in the past. Obama is not stupid. He knows that hunting is a huge and beloved pastime in the Miidwest, of which Illinois is one of the largest states, as well as other states. Factories in Wisconsin, Michiigan, Illinois, Missouri and others used to (or still do) close a week during hunting season. Why? Because no one would show up for work anyway. And most likely the boss wants to hunt, too. Obama also knows that many rural and small-town Americans attend church regularly, just as large segments of the black community does. Just like Obama’s family does. In fact, the US has the largest percentage of church-goers than any other industrial state. To suggest Obama meant something demeaning by pointing these things out is itself an invention of a mass market press needing to feed its voracious appetite for ‘scoops’ and ‘ratings.’ Obama was confusing in the next part of his remarks. He jumps into talking about anti-immigrant, anti-foreign sentiment without making a proper transition that showed a swith of gears. I believe he was saying that times of economic dislocation brings anxiety to those who loose their means of support and have little hope that their old job, or one similar, will ever be back. This is as true for the hundreds of thousands of Californians laid off during and after the tech bubble burst as it is for the unemployed or underemployed of the rust belt. The history of this country shows that, at times of economic crisis, blame put on immigrants and foreigners for the problem grows. Obama differs: he believes the way to grow jobs in the rustbelt is, in fact, to bring new technologies on line in conservation and other fields. He believes politicians who believe immigration restriction and protectionism are pie-in-the-sky and mislead their constituents. If it were that easy, our problems would have been solved before now. Obama believes the economy can overcome the loss of jobs to globalization by seeding new industries here in the US. He believes in America and that she can delivery jobs and stability rustbelt and other overlooked areas under new and creative leadership.

Who'd a thought that someone so supposedly eloquent as Obama would need such a horde of people 'revising and extending' his remarks?

I thought our current president was inarticulate. Are we to get no relief?

don't get it confused.

Obama is articulate... It's just that he has "foot in the mouth" disease.

Varian:

Who'd a thought that someone so supposedly eloquent as Obama would need such a horde of people 'revising and extending' his remarks?

I thought our current president was inarticulate. Are we to get no relief?

Well I guess if requiring a people to listen to more than a 15 second soundbite or reading more than 3 sentences is inarticulate than yeah that is what Obama is. Obama is not the problem though...the problem is the laziness of the American news consumer. People would rather these idiot pundits pick and choose a few words and tell us what to think about it rather than seek out the information themselves. Nobody who read Obama's full comments within context would have a problem with them unless they were looking to be offended. However...research and reading is not a strong suit for most people these days.

"research and reading are not a strong suit for people these days..."

Gosh, how those Obama cult members and their insult wagon chugs on!! Do they seem a little, I dunno, elitist and bitter maybe? Wonder why? oh, that's right: hypocrisy and profound lack of qualifications to be president!