Thomas Frank "WTMW Kansas": People are bitter in small town

Thomas Frank, author of What's the Matter with Kansas wades in to the controvery via Sam Stein whose quickly becoming a daily addiction.

Thomas Frank, the author who redefined the perception of the red state/blue state divide in America, says he doesn't find Sen. Barack Obama's comments on the bitterness of small-town Midwesterners all that alarming.

"People are bitter in small towns," Frank told the Huffington Post. "People are bitter everywhere. I don't know if you have seen the stock market -- people are bitter about their situation. It doesn't strike me as a very controversial statement."

I think the Clinton's have misjudged this controvery...

Gallup reports Poll Silence

Barack Obama, who has come under attack by his presidential rivals for describing small-town voters as "bitter," seems to be weathering the storm to this point as far as voters are concerned. He maintains a 10 percentage point lead over Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, 50% to 40%, according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking.

That 10-point lead matches Obama's best of the campaign, and even as the controversy has dominated the political airwaves, Obama's support remained strong in tracking interviews conducted on Saturday and Sunday.

And in Truth, we can see why... only 15% of American's are "Satisfied"

The percentage of Americans who are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States is now at only 15%, according to the latest Gallup Poll update. This marks the lowest reading on this measure since June 1992, and the third lowest Gallup has recorded since 1979.

According to Ben Smith Hillary's not getting traction in W. PA

Clinton whacks Obama at a forum in Pittsburgh hosted by a Steelworkers-backed group, and is met by dead silence and, First Read reports, a few groans.

The union is neutral, having supported Edwards.

I think we can see where Hillary's Attacks are starting to go and the reaction she got from this crowd and her body language, visibly uncomfortable, is quite telling.

Video Here via MSNBC

•  Tips/Recs

  by Billary Redux on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 10:20:21 AM PDT

•  She should be uncomfortable..

  Is it possible that La Hillary has finally overplayed her hand?  

  I was so sick of seeing her "concern" speaches over the weekend bemoaning the fact that Obama would call people bitter.  I can't be the only one who can see through this chick.

  by importer on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 10:26:15 AM PDT

  •  Her tag team with McCain ain't workin'

    And he is doing his best to direct the GOPers to be nice to her. For the time being.

    by cskendrick on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 10:40:35 AM PDT

•  This blends with Robert Reich's

  comments in MissLaura's diary. Good stuff

  by eclecticbrotha on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 10:46:32 AM PDT

•  clinton still has

  her pulse on the '90's.  Oh, thats ringt, we are in a whole new century.  Maybe that is her problem.

  by ratador on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 11:42:06 AM PDT

•  Good work. I'm surprised there are not more

  comments here.   Thanks.

  by HoundDog on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 11:42:29 AM PDT

•  I wouldn't pay too much

  attention to the Kansas book, it's strategically flawed and quite frankly silly.

  by riverdan1900 on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 12:40:19 PM PDT

•  "bitter" isn't the issue. it's saying that

  people cling to religion and guns and hating immigrants when they are bitter.  Most people that are religious are religious when they are happy and sad.  Guns and Churches have been in America since the 17th century, through good times and bad.  I'm sure there are some that don't like immigrants, but the issue of today is really illegal immigrants.  It's hard not to see these comments as anything but insulting and demeaning.  And his changing story through all of this has hurt him as well.

  by yragca on Mon Apr 14, 2008 at 07:26:21 PM PDT