Marc,
I hope that you are joking about the Shakespearean references... If not, it seems to me that YOU are out of touch with the rural people. I grew up in NYC, thinking that same way, and my ignorance was corrected when I attended the Air Force Academy over 20 years ago. I met farmers and other rural folk who were well-read, and very sharp... Maybe you don't get to know such folk in your ivory towers at Temple, but they are out there in large numbers.
The so-called "everyday people in the rural edges of the blogosphere" can just as smart as you think you are.
Meanwhile, Clinton demonstrates her own Everywoman qualities by reminiscing about hunting behind the old barn as a child.
Marc!
There has to be another way.
The worst part about this historic election is the fact that our (Obama freedom riders) fears of annihilation in the final election will only continue to mount. Even after HRC is left standing backstage, real patriots will still wait in horror. I say real patriots because nobody has rode for America like Black people.
Somewhere inside, all real patriots are preparing for the influx of white people (returning from over seas, climbing out of their death-beds and from under graves) who will surely vote for McCain even if they have to make their mark in blood.
So Marc, please don't say that Obama needs to be more bush-like. Instead say that we need to think of a way to make this country less bush-like, less afraid of brilliance and more willing to accept destiny.
If Obama doesn’t win: many real patriots will have to decide if this country has gone too far of its course. More importantly, if McCain takes the country’s highest office it will mean the U.S. is happy investing in an old, forgetful, sick and dying democracy.
FINALLY!!!!
You have endorsed the man!!!! :-)
Sorry you're not a superdude! lol
Which brings me to my next point.
You said she said: “I believe [Americans] want a president who reads books, thinks hard about tough issues, and takes all sides into account before rushing headlong into ill-advised policy.”
Then, you answered: Really? Then how do we explain George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan? Even Bill Clinton, who’s considerably smarter than both of them, had to play “country dumb” in order to sway the Pennsatucky crowd. From where I sit, Americans want anything but the smart and thoughtful leader that you describe.
Me talking now: She said that that is the type of President [Americans] WANT, not, HAVE/HAD?
You need to answer.
Bless!
PingBack from http://john-mccain.blogthisandthat.info/?p=17632
I have to back Marc on this one. Sadly, Americans are far more interested in a president who "is one of the guys" than someone willing and able to engage in sophisticated thinking. Since Carter our presidents have gotten more and more simple -- or played simple, like Clinton. The Republicans have been brilliant in painting the Democrats as elitist and egg-headed. If we wanted a smart president, we would have elected Gore. And by a large enough margin that Bush could not have stolen it.
Marc is right: far more damaging to Obama than white America realizing he is, in fact, black (Wright) is rural white America (and I've lived there too, so I'm not talking from some ivory tower) is them realizing he's smart.
To your point on Americans wanting the "country dumb" president, I think it's difficult to really say this with any surety. Sure GWB, a proven idiot who stumbled through his debates with Gore and Kerry, won twice, but never by any substantial margin.
Otherwise, I agree, BO needs to learn how to talk to the rural voters to win in November. How he will do this with any sincerety (and not resorting to Hillary-esque caricature) will be a challenge.
"The so-called "everyday people in the rural edges of the blogosphere" can just as smart as you think you are."
...and I once read an article about a man who survived a sky dive after his parachute failed. Does that mean the rate of surviving parachute failures from a 10,000 foot dive is high? I think not.
Marc's post is highly accurate and illustrates, clearly, the real issue which is most Americans are, by in large, either too dumb, too hoodwinked, or have the wrong set of values when it comes to selecting leaders of this government.
I honestly don't think we're talking about dumb or smart -- I think it's a bit of paranoia. I think we're at a point in our culture when we don't want to feel less intelligent than anyone else -- whether or not it's the truth. We all think we can be famous, we all think we can write a screenplay, we all want to be on a reality tv show. It's easier to think people who are famous or successful are lucky -- just like us but with a lucky break -- than understanding or appreciating skill, experience, and learning. I'm being overly general, but I think we as a nation are not looking for the smartest, shrewdest, savviest, most experienced person to be president (in which case it would be Colin Powell or Bill Richardson). I think John Kerry turned voters away because he exuded "I'm smarter than you" and we don't want that -- even if it would be good for us. I think George Bush attracted voters because he seems, on the balance, a touch stupider than we are, a recipient of lucky breaks from Day 1, someone who as achieved with attempting.
Ugh. I don't feel good writing these things. I don't like that we've had this president for the past 7 years. I wonder what our country would look like had the Supreme Court not passed over Al Gore.
Based on all the various things I've read all day every day, I've become more enlightened about the Americans in Pennsylvania, (I'm in California) and I have faith in my fellow Pennsylvania Americans and belive they are more on top of things than my local news portrays. That said, I belive Pennsylvanians, (even Pennsyltuckans) will see thru Hillary's nonsensical "he's an elitist" trash and we'll see Obama upset Hillary on April 22nd in Pennsylvania. Then can she please just go away???
Go Obama!
How many everyday people on the rural edge are reading your blog?
For those who have left comments about my "rural edges of the blogosphere" remark: RELAX, IT WAS A JOKE!!!! (Hence the smiley face). The remark was an allusion to McCain and Clinton, whose handlers used the exact same language to critique Obama. Whew!!!
"How many everyday people on the rural edge are reading your blog?"
Probably not a lot. But there are probably quite a few ex-pats from the rural community who do read blogs like this. I'm one. Foot in many worlds sorta person.
And, to be fair, this site is fairly new. It doesn't yet have the size and diversity of audience it deserves. I sincerely hope that this site continues to grow and that it attracts people of all races and backgrounds, including those rural white folk in areas that city folks like to denigrate. I'm sure they could benefit from reading this and that they'd probably NOT agree that they weren't insulted, but probably would agree that if Obama were able to thread the needle between his upbringing, his race and the other things that limit him from mass appeal, he's the preferable candidate.
People in urban areas compare Obama to Kennedy. For rural folk, FDR is the more apt comparison. Those old enough to remember the works projects, the TVA, etc. that's compelling stuff.
You might be surprised at how many rural folk would read this blog if they could. After all, once you've done 12 hours a day of hard labor, you've got few choices when you go home. Read a book, watch crappy tv (which is some places is still only 1-2 channels received over an antenna), or go online. The things you have available to do for entertainment simply don't exist in most places in this country. They don't even have basic services, so to expect them to have the opportunity you do to participate in a blog like this is ill-informed at best and downright prejudiced at worst.....where I grew up, people are still using dial up over 100-year old copper wire. They can barely check email, participating in a blog is out of the question. (So Obama's talk of creating jobs by revamping infrastructure really hits home with them!)
You might also be surprised at the percentage of highly SELF-educated people out in rural America. My adoptive father is a white farmer. He would work for 12-14 hours a day. Spent his precious "down time" reading all he could. He probably reads 2-3 books a week, most on American history, with a particular affinity for the Civil War and immediate aftermath. (He's very pro-North, in case you were wondering). On topics of American history, he can hold his own with me, and I have both a M.A. in a related field and a J.D.
My father has this book-exchange set up with his buddies from the American Legion. They pass books around, discuss the topics. On a recent visit, I overheard him and another gentlemen discussing men like Robert Gould Shaw and Joshua Chamberlin- motives, morality, etc.
If you have no idea who either of those two men are, well, can you say you are better educated? If you don't actually read books, are you really smarter than he is? Don't confuse being "culturally educated" in the stuff that mainstream society values with being truly educated. Some of the smartest people I have met have been members of the "Greatest Generation" who were deprived of education either because of their race, race and gender, or because they lived in those rural, isolated areas- sometimes all of the above. And some of the biggest idiots have been from affluent East Coast families.
BTW- everyone keeps referring to Bush as if he's one of those rural white folks. Please stop blaming them for his mistakes and attributing his lack of intelligence to being one of them. It wasn't only NASCAR dads and coal miners that put him in office. Plenty of affluent white folk and others voted for him.
Remind me again what his grandfather did for a living? Where Bush actually grew up? Bush didn't become a Texan or a "cowboy" until he was an adult. And, honestly, to use the term cowboy as a derision of him is an insult to true cowboys. Bush is a rich spoiled brat from an established New England family who is playing dress up. The only reason that plays in "Middle America" is that the Democrats haven't offered them anyone else since Clinton. Remember Clinton? Plenty of those rural folk liked him too. Bush and Clinton won those NASCAR votes for the same reason. They connected with that demographic and made the feel like he wasn't looking down on them. If you don't agree with me or don't understand what I'm trying to say- mosy over to Slate and read the Henneberger (sp?) piece on the subject. She's spot-on.
Sorry for the attack. My computer screen didn't show the smiley face (it showed a square character after your sentence), thus I didn't realize that your remark was tongue-in-cheek.
I had my ass handed to me by some of those rural folks in college academics, and some of those rural folks have kept me alive in battle, so I get defensive...
I take exception to everyone that has written on this blog.And from what I've read every one is a liberal elitist and none of you and especially the canidates are in touch with the rural people. All I'm hearing when you all say rural is poor dumb and white. Well I'm rural folk and have been my entire life and believe me we pay attention and we vote and we are the enemy of the liberal elitist like y'all!
The most elitist thing about Obama's comment - and this call & response - is the underlying assumption that the votes of rural whites and poor whites need to be justified because they are irrational. You say: "...poor Whites...vote their fears and anxieties rather than their interests." Do they do this more so than, say, poor blacks or rich blacks or rich whites or middle-class Asians? Give me a break. Everybody votes their values. The person who votes for the pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-Affirmative Action candidate is a values voter just as much as the person who votes for the pro-life, pro-gun rights candidate. But the latter voter is targeted as the intransigent, ignorant person who foolishly does not act in his own self-interest. That is where the real condescension is. This guy: http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/right-fight-wrong-word/ gets it. I've lived in both rural, coal-mining America and the big cities and I'll tell you that one place was more narrow-minded and segregated than the other. And it ain't the one you're thinking either.
I have a friend from Pensatucky who heard Obama's remarks and agreed with them completely. Apparently this rural yokel listened to the entire statement before reaching a conclusion and then convinced his dad to do the same. It seems that at least some people from Pensatucky can be swayed by thoughtful commentary and vote more than their prejudices.
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