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Obama made a mistake
I hope I don't get kicked out of the echo chamber for admitting this, but Obama made a mistake.
The word "bitter" may be accurate, but it was a poor choice of words. When you say someone is "bitter" you're criticizing their character. There may be justifiable reasons to be angry, but "bitter" implies that someone is nursing a grudge, etc.
Yes, many people are angry, but "angry" doesn't have the same connotations as "bitter." The way he put it just sounds bad. Hillary's response of praising the people's resilience is simply taking advantage of his mistake. People would rather be praised than insulted, even if the insult is more accurate than the praise.
"Cling" was also a poor choice of words. And to top it off, who uses the word "antipathy" outside of grad school? When trying to connect with lower-middle-class voters, using words that most people would have to look up in a dictionary isn't a smooth move.
In any case, Obama has now said that his choice of words was poor, and he's made the same point in a better fashion. It's a minor mistake, but a mistake nonetheless and saying that it was a brilliant maneuver to trip up the Hillary and McCain show is just daft.
Will a mistake like this ultimately matter? It may cost him a few points in PA, or he may recover just fine. He's got time. But keep the big picture in mind:href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/11/the-deal-with-add-ons.aspx
The word "bitter" may be accurate, but it was a poor choice of words. When you say someone is "bitter" you're criticizing their character. There may be justifiable reasons to be angry, but "bitter" implies that someone is nursing a grudge, etc.
Yes, many people are angry, but "angry" doesn't have the same connotations as "bitter." The way he put it just sounds bad. Hillary's response of praising the people's resilience is simply taking advantage of his mistake. People would rather be praised than insulted, even if the insult is more accurate than the praise.
"Cling" was also a poor choice of words. And to top it off, who uses the word "antipathy" outside of grad school? When trying to connect with lower-middle-class voters, using words that most people would have to look up in a dictionary isn't a smooth move.
In any case, Obama has now said that his choice of words was poor, and he's made the same point in a better fashion. It's a minor mistake, but a mistake nonetheless and saying that it was a brilliant maneuver to trip up the Hillary and McCain show is just daft.
Will a mistake like this ultimately matter? It may cost him a few points in PA, or he may recover just fine. He's got time. But keep the big picture in mind:href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/11/the-deal-with-add-ons.aspx
... if the two candidates hypothetically split the remaining pledged delegates 50-50, then, given the likely allocation of add-ons, Clinton would need to win a whopping 90 percent of the remaining 230 or so superdelegates to get the nomination.
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At least it got the block quote formatted correctly. Here's that link in a clickable form, I hope:
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/trailhead/archive/2008/04/11/the-deal-with-add-ons.aspx
April 12, 2008 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm an Obama supporter, and I think you're dead on. "Bitter" implies the other person is small, resentful, petty. "Angry", "frustrated" are better. Hopefully this won't be fatal. Cause if Obama can't beat McCain, Clinton sure as hell can't.
April 12, 2008 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I dunno Rabbit.
I would hope this wouldn't sway anyone but those who tend to parse every word, gesture, and nuance of a candidate. They are a minority, but it does seem to be a growing one. That is a concern.
I think Obama was right to use the correct word. People are bitter, and should be. Maybe he could have used a better word, but I think a strong word was needed.
It's true Clinton will make hay over this, so in that sense, it may have been a mistake.
I just can't agree that this is anymore legitimate than Hillary "implying" something. I hate these picky-ass, anal-retentive, parse-in-the-most-negative-light politics of destruction.
Maybe if we all just stopped buying into painful semantics, we'd all be better off.
April 12, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well said Rabbit and Workerbee. But I think probably those who are parsing every word, gesture, etc. have probably, for the most part, already made up their mind. I have a hard time believing that there are that many undecideds left out there, and I think that for those who have already made up their mind this won't necessarily sway them.
And about the semantics: couldn't agree more. I'm tired and we have a lot bigger fish to fry.
April 12, 2008 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you!
I don't want to beat up on Obama in any way but a mistake was made and to deny it is to give creedance to the people who are trying to make Political time with the statement!
"Cling" and "Bitter" are not words anyone wants to be used in a description of themselves!
And , if you are religious at all the "clinging to religion" thing also seems pejorative.
April 12, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think in this never-ending, feels-like-it-started-2-years-ago campaign, there are these certain points when 'your candidate' says or does something and you just cringe thinking, "Goddamnit, I'm going to have to defend that dumb shit later." It's practically a reflex at this point. I remember thinking that when I read the "typical white person" comment and this one. Not because I finally "came to my senses" but because I knew it was one of those stupid things every human being does. Sometimes words fly out before we realize what we're saying. I'd imagine Senator Clinton's supporters felt that way when the Bosnia thing happened.
They are politicians, not robots, not messiahs, not perfect. They're inevitably going to stumble at times. And they'll both just keep picking themselves up.
April 12, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think "bitter" was a mistake (see his continued use of the word). It's true, a lot of people are bitter about the state of things, and it's no shame to say it.
I did cringe at the "cling to guns and religion" part though. That did come off as condescending.
But, it was a mistake, a poor choice of words. He's hitting back hard, re-emphasizing the rest of it. The "cling" phrasing only exists in one poor-quality audio recording, so I don't think most people will remember it.
I have no clue how this'll play out. Watching in somewhat nervous anticipation...
April 12, 2008 3:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
He'll be fine , in the long run, in the Party but I fear the ramifications in the GE. You just know how they will play that over and over again! No doubt with a back drop of that photo that seems to show him as the only one on the stage who appears to not be saying the pledge of allegiance!
April 12, 2008 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
To me, the issue is: Do we want leaders who speak to us as adults, or shall we perpetuate the politics of slogans and sound-bites, in which real issues like the state of the economy and the war in Iraq take a back seat to empty talk about guns and religion? I appreciate that Obama is willing to give us an honest analysis. You don't have to agree with him. If you don't think that cynical politicans use guns and religion to avoid talking about the real issues, knowing that people "cling" to guns and religion because they are important to them, fine. Let's talk about whether Obama was right about that. If you think he was right but you think it is terribly impolitic to say that, then in my opinion you are enabling the cynical politicans.
I think the politics of fear-mongering extends to fear-mongering about words. The current political system has conspired to keep people in a state of fear about speaking the truth about certain things. Polticians have become so fearful of being perceived as being on the "wrong" side on terror(TM), religion, patriotism etc. that they cannot tell the truth. The result is endless pandering, sloganeering and phoniness. Bravo to Obama for taking a different course.
April 12, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink