Do you live in the "real" America?

[Kim of VA]

I saw McCain's campaign advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer interviewed on CNN a day or so ago and she said that Northern Virginia (where I live) is not part of the "real Virginia". (Should I turn in my passport?)

Sara Palin says that she likes to go to the small towns in America where the "pro-American" folks are. Meaning, I suppose, that all of us suburbinites and city-folk are anti-American.

Yesterday at a McCain rally Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) said that "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God". I do?!!!!

Are these the new Republican talking points?! Insult the majority of Americans?

[jknyc]

It's very divisive language and does nothing to further McCain's claims to be able to bring America together. It's frustrating to watch the phrasing used repeatedly. You can't chalk it up to one mistaken phrasing when it's become a current campaign slogan.

[maryellen]

It's disgusting. I live in one of those states that is probably considered not "real America" (funny though, we were one of the original 13 that started it all...)

I saw a very funny, smart woman on the Daily Show recently. She made an excellent point: She was angry that all these politicians come to the NYC area and "wrap themselves in our tragedy" (meaning 9/11 of course) and then go off and dis us as not being American enough. Obviously, we were "American enough for Al Quaeda."

I think she wrote a book called "The Wordy Shipmates" or something. I'll have to look her up...

[ahava]

I thought a lot about this today (m)

I think it is being blown up a bit.

I don't have facts to back it up but what % of americans live in the top 10 largest cities ?25% ,maybe at the most I'm guessing. I think the republicans are pointing out that the issues of the large cities tend to get more press time and $$ for issue that are specific to large cities. I think the gop is trying to appeal to the "rest of" or "majority" of americans who can tend to get excluded while the focus is on the big cities.

I think if you did not look at the #'s - a visitor to this country would think everyone lives in these top 10 cities .... time to spread the attention around a bit is all.

[Jeannie]

I think that's an overly generous interpretation of:

"liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God".

[Jeannie]

I don't get it. McCain approves of these kinds of statements by the speakers at his rallies?

I hate Americans that work and achieve and believe in God? Why would I hate such people? I am one!

[augie]

I saw McCain's campaign advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer interviewed on CNN a day or so ago and she said that Northern Virginia (where I live) is not part of the "real Virginia". (Should I turn in my passport?)

Sara Palin says that she likes to go to the small towns in America where the "pro-American" folks are. Meaning, I suppose, that all of us suburbinites and city-folk are anti-American.

Yesterday at a McCain rally Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) said that "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God". I do?!!!!

Are these the new Republican talking points?! Insult the majority of Americans?

Hayes did apologize fwiw . . . http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2...ent-was-wrong/

. . . as did Palin http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/...oom/index.html

I do think that in the high-stakes campaign season, rhetoric gets heightened and people do actually say things they regret or don't come out as they intended. I'm not defending or agreeing with the statements. I do think it's admirable that they step forward and take accountability for what they said (versus "I apologize if you were offended" or the old stand-by "my words were taken out of context.")

[freddy]

Eh, you say potAto, I say potAHto

Some people call them real Americans, others call them racist rednecks. Either way, they vote republican. So, the one who calls them real americans, big surprise, she's a republican. The one who calls them racist rednecks, big surprise, he's a democrat. Its all just a matter of perspective.

[Tiger]

That was Sarah Vowell (sp.?)

It's disgusting. I live in one of those states that is
I saw a very funny, smart woman on the Daily Show recently. She made an excellent point: She was angry that all these politicians come to the NYC area and "wrap themselves in our tragedy" (meaning 9/11 of course) and then go off and dis us as not being American enough. Obviously, we were "American enough for Al Quaeda."

I think she wrote a book called "The Wordy Shipmates" or something. I'll have to look her up...

Jon Stewart did quite a funny rant on this "real" and "fake" America yesterday.
I can't tell wether I'm real or not, I live in a small town, but we have to be red, or is it blue? Anyway, I think we sway to the left...
T
(who can never remember left brain or right brain either, and does that define me?)

[jvirginia]

Hayes did apologize fwiw . . . http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2...ent-was-wrong/

. . . as did Palin http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/...oom/index.html

I do think that in the high-stakes campaign season, rhetoric gets heightened and people do actually say things they regret or don't come out as they intended. I'm not defending or agreeing with the statements. I do think it's admirable that they step forward and take accountability for what they said (versus "I apologize if you were offended" or the old stand-by "my words were taken out of context.")

Double standard? Obama has said things that didn't come out as intended, and he has been hammered, hammered, hammered by them. Examples include "My Muslim faith" which any intelligent listener could understand meant people's wrong perception that he was a muslim and "57 states" when he meant 47. Those seem pretty petty compared to statements that indicate that some Americans (the republicans) love their country and are patriotic while the rest of us do not. Oh ... one more ... Michelle Obama's comment about being proud of her country for the first time. TOTALLY jumped on, even though even Laura Bush said that it was clear what she meant (which was not that she hates her country).

On the bitter comment - Obama apology: "Obviously, if I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that," he told the Winston-Salem Journal, but "the underlying truth of what I said remains, which is simply that people who have seen their way of life upended because of economic distress are frustrated and rightfully so."

Palin apology: "I don't want that misunderstood," Palin said. "If that's the way it came across, I apologize."

Hayes apology: ""I genuinely did not recall making the statement and, after reading it, there is no doubt that it came out completely the wrong way"

I don't see a big difference there, but Obama sure never got the benefit of the doubt.

If you want to give one side the benefit of the doubt, give it to both sides.

[Jeannie]

What about his spread the wealth around comment? Obviously a poor choice of words, but the other side swears it reveals his socialist manifesto.

[jvirginia]

I saw McCain's campaign advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer interviewed on CNN a day or so ago and she said that Northern Virginia (where I live) is not part of the "real Virginia". (Should I turn in my passport?)

Sara Palin says that she likes to go to the small towns in America where the "pro-American" folks are. Meaning, I suppose, that all of us suburbinites and city-folk are anti-American.

Yesterday at a McCain rally Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) said that "liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God". I do?!!!!

Are these the new Republican talking points?! Insult the majority of Americans?

Not to mention Bachmann's comments about Obama and others maybe having anti-American views, or McCain's brother saying that Northern Virginia is communist country.

This is exactly what Powell was talking about. The Republicans have become so divisive.

For people who don't think this is a big deal, I can't even explain how personally painful it has been for 8 years (and especially since 9/11) to get the message over and over again that as someone who opposed the war, didn't support Bush, and has a liberal stand on social issues that I don't love my country, that I'm not a real American, that my values are not American values, that the American flag is not MY flag, but only the flag of conservatives ... oh, I can go on and on. These statements are just certain conservatives (I'm not saying all conservatives feel this way) voicing their true feelings - I'm just grateful that in the internet era they can be called on it.

BTW I live in a mostly republican small town, but I guess I'm an alien.

[jvirginia]

What about his spread the wealth around comment? Obviously a poor choice of words, but the other side swears it reveals his socialist manifesto.

No, no, it reveals the true, secret, radical, anti-white, terrorist-loving, Kenyan-born, socialist anti-American mole that Obama is.

And don't forget, when Palin contradicted McCain about Pakistan when asked a question on a rope line, THAT was "gotcha politics"

[nmcd]

It's no wonder there are so many

"Obamicans" now. I think there's a very good chance the Republican party could split in the aftermath of the election.

[jordansmom]

Hayes did apologize fwiw . . . http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2...ent-was-wrong/

)

I understand he vehemently denied making any such statements until a local reporter produced a video/audio of him making those statements. Sincere apology? Doubtful!