Obama stumbles

(Wayne Brown is a well-known Trinidadian writer and columnist who now resides in Jamaica. This is the fifth in his Sunday Stabroek series on the US presidential election.)

A week in politics, indeed. Last week Friday, news broke that Barack Obama, asked in San Francisco why working-class Pennsylvanian whites seemed reluctant to support him, first said such types had for too long watched their jobs disappearing, despite promises of help by successive administrations, then explained:

“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.”

A stunned silence. Then came the ‘Hwop!’ ‘Hwop!’ of champagne corks popping in the Clinton camp.

This columnist caught the news already in progress on CNN. The newscaster wore such a faux-mournful mien that, registering her expression before her words, I thought for an alarmed moment another 9/11 had occurred.

At a rally, Clinton adopted the same graveside manner. It was deeply unfortunate, she lamented, that even while she meant as President to lift Pennsylvanians up, her opponent was “look[ing] down on them.” Small-town Pennsyl-vanians, said Hillary, weren’t bitter, but “hard-working” Americans who were “optimistic and forward-looking and proud.” Reflexive applause.