In the wake of 'Bittergate' and Sen. Clinton's recent transformation into someone Main St. USA could relate to, I am moved to post a diary.
Let's visit one of those Main Streets, OK? Specifically 1244 N. Main Street, Crown Point, Ind., the site of what some have called 'the shot heard 'round the world.'
Bronko's is a Restaurant and lounge, not a bar as some stories have led you to believe. (This just in: It is believed by SOME that video of the event has been altered to be darker, more sinister and drab looking than it really is. Also the video quality is not up to CNN standards, hence shot by a Local Area Man!)
I have tasted their food, in fact, I have had the best stromboli sandwich experience in my entire life courtesy of the place. Pizza is not bad either.
Bronko's, despite the great name, and 'Dad' sitting next to HRC (who reminds me of my late grandfather, who incidently was named Bronco, but I digress (be prepared for a lot of this)), is not the classic working-man's tavern I know and love.
How can I tell? No pickled eggs jar on the bar. And it sits in a strip mall.
Crown Point is the county seat of Lake County, Indiana. It is a typical bedroom community in the area. Demographically is is not very diverse: Crown Point Demographics
It is a fine place for some pizza and beer after a hard day of stumping for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Also noted in the photographic evidence is Hammond, Ind., mayor Tom McDermott. Odd, since he is mayor of an actual working class city approximately 25 miles as the crow flies from Crown Point.
Now the northern half of Lake County is filled with real honest-to-goodness factories and working class people. It has been hit (repeatedly) by hard times.
It is a place of bars on street corners, with Old Style signs or others advertising the beer of choice. Places filled with people who are not too pleased with NAFTA, who are not too pleased about seeing their jobs shipped overseas, who are not too pleased about fewer jobs in the manufacturing industries. People who are worried what will happen if they get sick, worried about their crappy health insurance. People who would tell Hillary exactly how they feel, in colorful terms.
People whose fathers (and grandfathers) were working class people and they still are working class people. People who know bullshit and call it when they see it.
If she did step into a corner tavern, she might see they are actually bitter.
So when Hillary stepped into Bronko's and tried to pull a regular-guy schtick (unlike this guy), working-class people saw it for what it is -- political pandering.
So next time you see a corner bar in your travels, park the car, get out, talk to the regulars inside. (Advice to any potential presidential candidate, too) You will see a different slice of America.
And have a pickled egg. They aren't bitter.