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Why 'Bittergate' Is So Bad for Obama

Posted Apr 13, 08 4:45 AM CDT in US,  Politics 

(Newser) – The uproar over Barack Obama's description of small-town Americans as "bitter" has hit the candidate so hard that there's talk of a Hillary Clinton comeback, and Politico's Mike Allen can think of plenty of reasons why. For starters, Obama has alienated a swath of blue-collar voters just nine days before the Pennsylvania primary.

But the impact goes well beyond Pennsylvania. Obama's gaffe that bitter heartlanders "cling to guns and religion" isn't going down well in red states, which could boost Clinton's push for more superdelegates in several regions. Dissing Midwesterners to a crowd of latte liberals in San Francisco is especially a gift to John McCain, who now has more ammunition to shoot down the candidate as an out-of-touch, elitist liberal.

Source Politico

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Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., waves to the crowd as he leaves after a town hall meeting at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., Saturday, April 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., serves burgers at a lunch with supporters at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., Saturday, April 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., has lunch with supporters at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., Saturday, April 12, 2008.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks with the crowd during a commercial break in MSNBC's Hardball College Tour with Chris Matthews.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Barack Obama • Obama 2008 • Pennsylvania primary • Indiana primary • blue-collar vote • small towns


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