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Published: April 14, 2008 11:40 pm
Area Obama backers combat critics
BY MIKE FAHER
The Tribune-Democrat
The fallout continues from presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s statements about small-town Pennsylvania.
With the state’s critical primary election next week, political rivals on Monday sought to extend and amplify the controversy concerning the Democratic senator’s April 6 comments.
The Obama campaign fought back, calling together supporters in 11 communities including Johnstown.
“He didn’t mean it as an insult,” Westmont resident Joe Alaimo said at the Johnstown press conference. “He meant that it’s time we took our own country back.”
Obama’s speech at a San Francisco fundraiser has made “bitter” a key word in his battle with Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.
Obama was speaking about voters who are frustrated with the economy in Pennsylvania.
“So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations,” he said.
Some contend Obama’s words are insulting and show that he is an “elitist” – out of touch with working-class people.
But Alaimo, a former U.S. Steel employee in Johnstown who has twice been displaced by plant closings, said he supports Obama and believes the candidate is “the man who can transform our country” as president.
“I do not think he’s an elitist,” Alaimo said. “I think he was taken out of context.”
Joining him Monday was Frank Fantauzzo of East Taylor Township and Johnstown resident Aaron Stuart, who said Obama understands those who are struggling financially.
“For too many years, we’ve heard promises that have just never panned out,” Stuart said.
With both Clinton and Obama entering the final week of campaigning in Pennsylvania, the issue is not expected to fade.
Clinton again addressed Obama’s comments Monday during a speech in Pittsburgh.
“I don’t think he really gets it that people are looking for a president who stands up for you and not looks down on you,” she said.
Ed Cernic Jr., Cambria County’s controller and a Clinton backer, said he is unhappy that Obama has not retracted his words.
“I think he’s trying to stereotype small-town Pennsylvania,” Cernic said, adding that he believes some voters will turn away from Obama because of the controversy.
“To what degree, I think we’ll all have to wait and see,” Cernic said.
Obama repeatedly has said he chose his words poorly. But he also stands behind the idea that voters are frustrated and bitter.
At an event Sunday night outside Harrisburg, he labeled the attacks against him “politics as usual” and called for unity.
“We don’t need to try to mangle somebody else’s words or score cheap political points,” Obama said.
“What we need to do is come together and actually solve problems.”
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