Clinging

I grew up in a small, midwestern town in Pennsylvania. People there absolutely are bitter, absolutely are sick of both parties and all the administrations under which their jobs disappeared and their towns withered, and they absolutely do cling to religion, to guns, to anti-trade and anti-immigration sentiment to try to comfort themselves with the past and to figure out how to navigate a foggy future. They also aren't sure about black folks. I think the pundits underestimate the ability of these people to see the truth in what Barack Obama said, to avoid being manipulated by those who would try to make them feel angry about it. They won't hold it against him.