Obama racial issues may extend to Pa.

[billbuckhead]

POLITICO

Obama racial issues may extend to Pa.
By: Carrie Budoff Brown
March 20, 2008 03:24 PM EST

PHILADELPHIA — Stephanie Gill, a bartender in a white working-class neighborhood, noticed the shift immediately.

A week ago, her customers at Rauchut’s Tavern in Tacony didn’t have much to say about Barack Obama. But when she returned to work Wednesday, a day after the Illinois senator attempted to quell the furor over his pastor’s racially incendiary remarks, the reaction inside the corner bar was raw and unapologetic.

“People are not happy with Obama,” Gill said. “It’s the race stuff.”

Obama has always been a tough sell in largely white Northeast Philadelphia and in the city's blue-collar river wards, a collection of white ethnic enclaves where customers at the local watering hole have often been born and raised in the neighborhood that supports it.

And his speech Tuesday, although widely praised by the pundit caste and Obama supporters, has only seemed to widen the gulf with the Budweiser class here.

More than a dozen interviews Wednesday found voters unmoved by Obama’s plea to move beyond racial divisions of the past. Despite baring himself with extraordinarily personal reflections on one of the most toxic issues of the day, a highly unusual move for a politician running for national office, the debate inside taverns and beauty shops here had barely moved beyond outrage aimed at the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Obama’s refusal to “disown” his longtime pastor.
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<http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=CB593185-3048-5C12-00F9EE6880399149>

[BeatleBoot]

1. The Pastor is the political gift that keeps giving.

And they haven't even scratched the surface yet.

[Hoof Hearted]

11. He's the Dean scream in surround sound, and Obama keeps rewinding the tape and hitting play.

[roguevalley]

15. then too bad for Pennsylvania. And too bad for anyone celebrating

racial division. No wonder the talking heads say every place between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia is Alabama. Here's to hoping they are wrong. By the way, folks, the new scandal has displaced the reverend. And, I am sure if any of you are Christians or Jews, you would be more for forgiveness and reconciliation than hating. After all, Jesus and the rabbis were for that as the way we should leave. Oh, and 'the other guys do it' is not a defense.

[2rth2pwr]

20. Why don't you start it and forgive bush.

[roguevalley]

21. ha-ha-ha, nothing like staying on subject. You apparently

can't find it in yourself to have higher asperations for your countrymen than I do or you wouldn't have posted your inanity about Bush. Anyone can forgive Bush. the trick is meaning it. Oh, and I forgive you your little side track here. I prefer that Pennsylvanians are better than the stuff people in the media are saying. If you find offense with that, then I pity you.

[bluestateguy]

2. everybody is paying attention to passportgate now

this is old news now.

[billbuckhead]

3. Close your eyes and hope real hard

Hillary's opponent's bad judgement will never go away.

[ossman]

5. I agree. McCain's judgement is horrible.

[loyalsister]

16. Yea

Gloat all you want and bask in the ugliness. The racial tensions have been stretched here be happy. Anyone who enjoys this needs to know what they are loving.

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2008/03/hubbard-says-he-was-target-of-racial-incident-in-soulard/

[neverforget]

4. "This speech plays only to the elites" Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia political strategist

I guess I am part of the elite then :eyes: These are also the same people that will vote for McCain anyway.

[billbuckhead]

8. No they voted for Rendell and would vote for Hillary but not the souless empty suit.

[GarbagemanLB]

9. There's always 2016, Hillary!

[Blue_Roses]

6. dammit, your 3 threads are here again?

ugh...

[CatsDogsBabies]

7. Wasn't this already posted?

[billbuckhead]

10. There's just so many negative stories about Hillary's opponent

It is hard to keep track.

[catgirl]

12. Yes, he's spamming. Please alert mods!!

[JoFerret]

17. call mommy immediately

.

[better tomorrow]

13. I am sure that race will be an issue in McKean County in PA......

the local factory in the biggest town in the county makes their employees listen to Limbaugh 3 hours a day.....

Boycott Zippo and Case....Boo...hiss....

[GoldieAZ49]

14. Well they are typical white folks

with common sense

[better tomorrow]

18. that or their brains are so frozen they don't know the difference....

just kidding. I was born there and I had the common sense to "leave" after 40 years.....and now I can see how much more "liberated" I am. I do feel sorry for them, though, that they only get one viewpoint....

[Hoof Hearted]

19. K & R.