Republicans step up attack on Obama’s Roanoke speech
Chris Head
Gov. Bob McDonnell
The fight over the content and context of President Barack Obama’s campaign speech in Roanoke has become part of the national narrative of the presidential election, and Republicans were doing all they could today to keep the conflict going in Virginia and other battleground states.
Republicans have seized on two sentences from Obama’s July 13 speech at Historic Fire Station No. 1 and are using them to portray the president as demonizing business owners. They kept up the attack Wednesday, staging news conferences in Roanoke and Richmond and 22 other locations in 11 other states to play up the issue.
Obama’s campaign and the president himself have said that Romney has taken the remarks out of context and has ignored the underlying message of the Roanoke speech.
The key point of attack was a line in Obama’s speech in which he stated, “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”
Republicans pounced on the comment, arguing that it reflects Obama’s hostile attitude toward the business world.
Numerous non-partisan fact-checkers have argued the line was taken out of context: When Obama said “you didn’t build that,” he was talking about roads, bridges and other infrastructure that businesses use on a daily basis.
“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help,” Obama said in his Roanoke stump speech. “There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”
A few sentences later, Obama said: “The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.”
Despite that, the “you didn’t build that” line made its way into Romney campaign ads, apparently generating enough response that Obama was obliged to respond directly in a television ad of his own.
“Those ads taking my words about small business out of context? They’re flat out wrong,” Obama said in a 30-second ad released Tuesday. “Of course Americans build their own businesses.”
Gov. Bob McDonnell, a top national surrogate for Romney, disputed assertions that Republicans are twisting the meaning of Obama’s remarks.
“It’s not out of context, it’s out of touch,” McDonnell said in an appearance at a Richmond office products business. “That’s what’s wrong with his comments. It’s not just his words; it’s the repeated policies. “
In Roanoke, Pete Snyder, the director of the GOP’s coordinated Virginia campaign, and state Del. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County, stood before a campaign banner for Republican Mitt Romney bearing the phrase “We Did Build It!” and condemned the president’s remarks about businesses.
But Head, who owns Home Instead Senior Care, said he’s disturbed by the underlying thrust of the speech.
“It’s really an exposure, an opportunity to see that our president doesn’t know what it means to build a business,” Head said. “He doesn’t understand anything about it. And really, how could he? He’s never done it. I have.”
But what about the line Obama uttered after the “you didn’t build that” comment, when he said, “when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together?”
Asked if he agreed with that line from Obama’s speech, Head said, “If you take that line by itself out of context, absolutely I agree with it. But if you take it in the framework of what was said, the real point of it is he doesn’t understand, because he talked about — wrapped on both sides of that comment — the infrastructure that government provided. The viewpoint is for him that government provides everything. The reality is that government doesn’t get anything that we don’t give to them.”
Head said that he and his wife Betsy purchased Home Instead Senior Care as a franchise and sweated to grow it from a start-up with 12 caregivers to its current size, with 19 administrative staffers and more than 300 caregivers.
“Building it yourself means that on the weekends, when no one would be answering the phones, and we would have an opportunity to get a new client, none of our competitors would be answering the phones, and our phones would be forwarded to a cell phone,” Head said. “It means doing as I have done more than once, coming out of the shower with soap in my hair, standing absolutely naked in my bathroom, trying to sound as professional as I possibly could, talking to a prospective client seeing if I could help them to meet the needs that they would have in taking care of their elderly loved ones.”
Head did shake his head at the wave of negative ads from both sides that have saturated western Virginia television stations. But he said Obama’s remarks should get voters’ attention.
“Going forward, I would hope that what this would begin to do is get voters to pay attention to the underlying ideology of the candidates and not listening to sound bites and fluff, but really listening to the substance of the message,” Head said.
In response, state Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said that Obama’s remarks, when taken in context, were right on.
“Romney’s distorting what the president said,” Edwards said. “I was there. He was simply talking about that we’re all in this together, that all of us who succeed have had help at some time in their life, whether it be family, teachers, government programs or what not.”
– Mason Adams and Michael Sluss
July 25, 2012 - 6:26 PM
Just shows what an empty suit old Mitt “out-of-context” Rmoney really is. Can’t wait for some enterprising left wing blogger to slice up one of his speeches. When the GOP resorts to gutter politics you know they are desperate to change the subject. The real question remains, when will Mitt release his tax returns and what is he hiding from the American people?
“Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves.”
Or, “take care of the country and your reelection will take care of itself.”
The wisdom of this was missed by the President’s handlers who also misjudged the savvy of the independent voters. Why else would they have bombarded them with dumbed down TV ads?
Somebody should have told them that these folks are sitting on the fence for a reason, and it is not a lack of foresight.
Indeed, it takes more foresight to figure out things yourself than to merely follow one herd or another. And deciding the things you care about does take time.
Yet, independent voters also need help. Though they do not blame the President for all of the country’s problems, or expect him to fix them overnight, they do expect him to stay on the task day by day.
Yes, honest effort is what they want, but they are not seeing it lately. Perhaps this is because the President’s handlers are too worried about losing their jobs to let him do his. But he is the President and he should get them all out of his way to focus on running our country.
Besides, keeping his nose on the grindstone might be the best way to convince the independents that he should get more time to finish out the job.
Words have meanings. The President said what he said. The president has a history that precedes him. Anyone intellectually honest knows the president meant what he said in the way he said it. He could have phrased it this way. Since there is infrastructure that you may have used while living on this Earth, you can not claim credit for your successes. You could not have done the things you do without the infrastructure.
Since the infrastructure is public roads and goovernment granted monopolies, we all pay for that infrastructure in taxes. We all use it. So if that is the key to the success, then why aren’t we all successful? You, the successful industrialist did do that himself. His achievement is his.
Even trying to read this as innocuously as possible, it is still a horrible statement that shows a deep distrust and dislike of independent success by the individual.
I would urge the Roanoke Times to be an unbiased new reporting entity. The bias is plain in this article in this portion.
“Republicans have seized on two sentences from Obama’s July 13 speech at Historic Fire Station No. 1 and are using them to portray the president as demonizing business owners”
I don’t see this as frivilous. This paper has bashed Republicans and Conservatives based on less. Be careful that you don’t go too far. You might start losing subscriptions. Then I guess you will aim for a bail out where we have to buy your rag whether we want to or not!
Art,
I do believe the pot is calling the kettle black…..
Art,
When will pothead and cokehead Obama release his college transcripts?? What is he hiding???
what is Romney hiding from the voters? Does not releasing his tax returns mean that he does not want us to know what a small percent he pays in taxes? Does it mean it might reveal how long he was with Bain after 1999. He has something he is hiding. In November we will remember the Bain.
Where would Head be if he couldn’t find 300 educated caregivers? If those are skilled caregivers, such as RNs, where would he be without Medicare, which pays for most skilled home care? Even if not, what seniors would have the money to pay for the necessary work his employees do if they were on there own for health care? Head created his success, but it still would not have been possible if not for the efforts Americans all worked toward together. That’s all Obama said. And Romney essentially repeated that sentiment in a speech that, ironically, also demonized Obama’s remarks.
It’s sad the lengths Republicans find themselves forced to go to in order to demonize this president. If he was as bad as they contend, they should be able to simply tell the truth.
So, Etch A Sketch….why not show your tax returns? What slickery have you used on your taxes that you afraid of showing? Inquiring minds do really want to know. What are you hiding, Mr. Romney?
@7 Dan Radmacher:
I asked Chris Head if his patients used Medicare or Medicaid to pay for his services. He said they did not. Another reporter repeated the question and he affirmed that answer again.
– Mason Adams
the perspective on this “blog” are nothing short of bias towards any idea deemed “conservative” much like the mainstream media. Without a teleprompter Obama is liable to make many more missteps, get use to it.
I would implore any voter though to first seek out other sources of information, do your own research with a variety of media. Neither side is perfect and minus an unbiased format you may never know. I care about this country and I want to know the WHOLE truth not just what I want/expect to see here.
@7 Dan, did Del. Head’s Home Instead franchises receive any economic development grants/ incentives when they opened their locations in Lynchburg or Roanoke? Either from the state or localities? It would be pretty surprising if they didn’t.
Dan Radmacher:
The truth about the President- More deficit spending in three and one-half years then the previous 8 years, national debt so great the average American (myself included) cannot imagine a number with so many zeros, unprecedented regulatory burden in both number and “estimated” cost of new regulations, unprecedented executive over-reach, czars, unilateral executive orders and utter contempt for separation of power and the legislative process, a signature legislative “accomplishment” that is the most unpopular, far-reaching, intrusive and expensive cradle to grave entitlement America has and will ever see, bail-outs, stimulus spending that did not stimulate anything but his cronies/donors, the public sector and unions, anemic productivity, under reported unemployment that is still above 8% and will never get close to the promised 6% while he’s in office, burgeoning welfare, disability, food-stamp rolls and now unilateral action to reverse “Making Welfare Work” to unashamedly buy more votes, “Fast and Furious”, national security leaks, a Senate controlled by his party that has not passed a budget for 3.5 years, divide, demonize and destroy political ads that attack private sector accomplishments and that even President Clinton and other leaders of his party criticize, unprecedented attacks on religious freedom and conscience that have resulted in numerous lawsuits from both Catholics and Protestants, top-down, crony-capitalist green energy “investments” that fail miserably with taxpayer dollars but are still touted as “the way forward”, the weakest “recovery” on record, record low consumer confidence and sidelined private investment dollars no one could imagine four years ago. The truth about President Obama is that he is a left-wing, ultra-liberal, European-style “social democrat” which is double-speak for socialist, a far left ideologue who repeatedly eschews ideology, a politician who has always relied on “Chicago-style” politics to destroy political opponents with a smile and has never been anything but a politician. His promise to cut the deficit in half, end earmarks, not appoint lobbyists, lead a transparent administration, promote civility, unite Americans and halt “politics-as-usual” a dismal failure.
Obama: I Really Like Business People
-
Obama says he really likes business people and when they’re all driven out of business by his antibusiness administration and “the government” is running everything – he’s really going to miss them too!
-
For the full CONTEXT see blog item:
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/07/obama-i-really-like-business-people.html
-
Just thought I’d pull a couple of sentences out, since that’s what Repubs are doing.
“The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.” President Obama
Oh, and this from Romney: “You Olympians, however, know you didn’t get here solely on your own power,…”
Whoaaaaa, dude, Chris Head worked weekends and answered the phone at home while dripping from a shower???? Gimmeee a break. I’ve done that numerous times WITHOUT owning my own business. I guarantee you Obama’s done that., Heck, the guys who wrote this story have done that as lowly reporters for a newspaper.
Get over yourself, Head.
LB, is it the fact that companies are making record profits and sitting on mountains of cash instead of hiring, or the lowest corporate tax rates in 60 years that best demonstrate how anti-business Obama is? I suppose it’s also Obama’s fault that businesses are paying such low wages despite increased profits and productivity?
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/06/22/504853/corporate-profits-all-time-high/
Hi folks,
I wanted to address the comments that the above story is an example of biased, opinionated reporting.
Much of the basis for the assertion that the “you didn’t build that” line was taken out of context comes this post last week. I wrote that post so I’ll take the heat for it.
It’s true that we as reporters aren’t supposed to venture into matters of opinion – that’s the job of the editorial board and columnist Dan Casey – but I felt it was important to examine the question of that line’s context for a couple of different reasons.
1) We as reporters make calls on context as a daily part of our jobs.
Most stories I write include a quote at some point. It’s part of my job as a reporter to make sure the quote is presented correctly, in such a way where it doesn’t look like the person being quoted was saying something other than what they meant.
An example from the story above would be this line from Del. Chris Head: “Going forward, I would hope that what this would begin to do is get voters to pay attention to the underlying ideology of the candidates and not listening to sound bites and fluff, but really listening to the substance of the message.”
In that line, he’s talking about the general barrage of political ads on TV right now. Head is a Republican, and this came in the context of a news conference in which he criticized President Obama for his remarks. If someone wanted, they could play that completely out of context as a defense of the president and not a criticism. But that’s not fair to Head, as it’s not how he intended that line.
We make these kinds of judgments every day. I’ve been doing it since I got into journalism in 2001. So with that in mind, I felt comfortable even thinking about looking at the president’s remarks in Roanoke and making a call on whether that line was taken in context or not.
2) This took place in Timesland, IE the Roanoke Times coverage area.
Unfortunately, the practice of taking candidates out of context has run rampant in this election. And both sides are guilty.
During the primary season, Mitt Romney was blasted for saying “I’m not concerned about poor people” and later “”I like being able to fire people.” Both of those statements played into the Obama campaign’s talking points. The only problem – both were taken out of context.
We didn’t cover the question of context of those quotes on the Blue Ridge Caucus – or even the controversy over the quotes – because they didn’t take place in our coverage area. I cover city government and am following three congressional races and the Senate race this fall. Frankly I don’t have time to cover every turn of the screw in the presidential race.
But because this had a Roanoke tie, and since we covered the campaign speech, we felt like we should look at this issue.
3) The question of whether “you didn’t build that” was in context seems pretty clear.
I am sure this statement will get some blowback from commenters who disagree. That’s your right, of course, and I’d suggest for people who feel that way, post why you think I’m wrong on this. We want to encourage discussion and debate.
But I looked at this as I would any other politician’s speech. It’s sloppily phrased, for sure – but after reporting on politicians and stump speeches for years, I can report with confidence that that’s not uncommon when you’re looking at written transcriptions of a speech. These things rarely resemble academic papers – and that’s all the more so when you consider this was the third speech delivered on a day that started on the other side of the state.
That isn’t the reason I made the call for “out of context,” though. It’s what Obama is saying in the lines around “You didn’t build that.” He’s talking about the role of government infrastructure in supporting businesses, so the “that” refers to roads and bridges, not the business itself.
The biggest thing for me, though, is this line, which comes right after “you didn’t build that” and is delivered in such a way that it’s clear this is the point he’s making: ““The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.”
That line directly contradicts the interpretation that “that” refers to businesses. I think you can make an argument around that, but it requires too many contortions of logic for me. Occam’s Razor dictates that the simplest explanation is usually correct, and in that case it would be that with “you didn’t build that” Obama is talking about infrastructure.
With those things in mind, I felt comfortable making what I consider to be a reasonable and narrowly drawn call on context.
That said, I’ll repeat what I’ve said before, and that’s that there’s plenty of grounds for argument (on both sides) about that portion of the speech in its longer context. That conflict between the public sector and private sector has become a major theme in this election, and indeed in U.S. politics over the last hundred years or more. It’s a conflict that’s played a factor in countless stories I’ve written over the years, whether it’s about a congressional race or an issue in a Roanoke neighborhood. The arguments on both sides of that conflict, I think, are one of the defining themes of this election.
Finally, as for the question of bias – I said up top we’re about transparency here at the Blue Ridge Caucus. Everything that I’ve written for the Roanoke Times has my name on it. There’s 2+ years worth of blog posts here, and there are thousands of news stories since 2003 with my byline. I think that’s the context for the question of how I approach news and politics. My record is out there for everyone to see and judge.
– Mason Adams
Link to the original post is busted, Mason.
@18:
Thanks, Tad. It’s fixed now.
– Mason Adams
This is all the GOP has. They don’t have a candidate to promote, so this is what they’re left with.
Really ChrisHead…you answered your cell phone in your own bathroom? This is your example of the big blood, sweat, and tears that went into making your business? Oh the sacrifice. Laughable.
Mason, you state that you have made the call that the criticisms of the President’s speech fail because his words are taken “out of context”
But I think you have failed to put the whole speech into context. Isn’t it the point of the speech that we can tax the wealthier people more because they used infrastructure to build that wealth. Because they not only didn’t do it on their own, but they got to where they are because they are just “lucky” or in the Presidents words “You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something – there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.”
The subtext of the speech is that you don’t deserve anything more than anybody else because you didn’t earn it. You made it because of other peoples efforts, and aren’t any smarter or worked harder that anyone else. You don’t deserve any more than anybody else who isn’t successful.
21 – Spot on…the whole thing in context is just as bad. Especially the snarky, dismissive tone he uses in the quote you cited.
His true feelings and ideology were on display, right here in Roanoke. We don’t need the media or Obama sycophants telling us “what he really meant”. It’s obvious how he really feels.
Funny how Obama is such a “great communicator” – yet his handlers are constantly having to explain “what he really means” every time he strays from his David Axelrod-penned teleprompter speeches.
Maybe this is better in context for everyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwWW2DQS_DU&feature=player_embedded
@21 frank, 22 The Other Rick and 23 Uptheriver:
I’m glad to see I’ve won you all over that the longer excerpt from the speech is great grounds for argument. It’s great to see common ground on that.
– Mason Adams
People hear what they want to hear and they comprehend the way they want to comprehend and there is little to be done about it. If Obama walked on water, ended world hunger, found jobs for all and made Iran start calling us “the Great Friend”, they would complain about the lack of a flag pin!
Nothing Obama does or says can detract from the instinctual dislike of Willard Romney and all he represents.
I’ve had a problem with the whole speech from the outset, and have said so previously. Obama’s obvious contempt for the idea that someone would actually claim credit for their success, and have the audacity to believe it was because of their hard work and intelligence. His facial expressions and the tone of his voice show his true feelings.
My beef with the “out of context” thing all along, has been how so many of the people whining about it now, are all to eager to take Republicans and prominent conservatives out of context whenever it suits their own agendas and purposes. This happens quite regularly, especially with certain talk show hosts. And when it does, any attempt to explain the true meaning in context is most often met with ridicule and name-calling.
Now that the shoe is on the other foot, all of a sudden “context matters”.
The President neither understands or respects business and instinctively looks to government for solutions. He equates government with society and makes no mention of civil society- the family, churches/places of worship, voluntary associations, private schools, or anything other than the state. He speaks with arrogant, dismissive condescension about individual initiative and promotes collective policies, programs and massive spending that clearly reveals his anti-business slant. The fact that he mentions individual initiative in one sentence surrounded by disdain for the idea of individual success is quintessential Alinski-speak. He has redefined the family, radically eclipsed religious freedom and believes himself and the federal government the arbiter of economic activity. A classic crony-socialist with a thinly veiled disdain for God-given inalienable rights. He views the Constitution as a negative restriction of government and the legislative process as a roadblock to avoid with executive orders and illegal executive actions. He is surrounded by academic eggheads who are at best suspect of the private sector and has been schooled and mentored by rabid socialists.
I was initially angry at Obama’s words in my home town. I live in CA now and am surrounded by liberals here in the Bay Area. I used to be a democrat, by default, because my family members were. But I realized, after living here and “waking up” and paying attention to what is happening in our great country, that I am Conservative at heart. I am grateful that Obama spoke without the teleprompter, because he let his true colors show. There is no back pedaling on this one. All you have to do is listen to what he says and HOW HE SAYS IT to know EXACTLY how he feels about America and small businesses and all that has made this Country great. Keep talking without the teleprompter, Obama! And remember, Obama, all those roads and bridges were paid for with tax dollars which come from all those small businesses which you resent so much. Get it right.
#26 When Romney has been taken out of context — such as when some claimed he said he enjoyed firing people — you haven’t seen me pushing that as the truth. But as you can see from Romney’s Olympics quote that’s going around, he really pretty much agrees — or agreed — with what Obama said. Only the hard-core partisans won’t admit that.
Pretending this is about remarks in a speech, how he made them or how you believe he meant them, or even about Obama and his “true feelings” simply show yours, nothing more and nothing less.
I repeat, for the rest of the nation not involved in dishonest scapegoating, nothing Obama does or says can detract from the instinctual dislike of Willard Romney and all he represents.
29 – Regarding Romney’s Olympics quote…was he pushing class warfare there? Or the idea that those athletes should give something back (i.e., pay more taxes)?
Because that’s exactly the point of Obama’s diatribe in Roanoke. These successful business owners should be “giving back”. Nevermind that they already pay their share of taxes and then some (income, property, payroll taxes for example)…plus they employ people who in turn pay taxes on their income and the property they own and the things they buy. For Obama and the liberals who buy into his rhetoric, it’s not enough and never will be.
30 – While it shows my true feelings, there are certainly plenty who share those feelings. Obama is playing the same class warfare game he’s always played. That, and the race card, is about all he has left…because he certainly can’t run on a record of success.
As for the “instinctual dislike of Romney”, I guess we’ll find out in November, won’t we?
No, you’ll have another excuse in November too.
Shall we guess how you folks interpret and perceive Romney’s remarks about Britain? I am sure you will be just as sure to see his “true colors” too.
#31 Nice projection there, OR.
BTW, Romney is making a complete shambles of his trip to England. Folks are comparing him to Palin. What a disaster.
Another 2 hard hitting ads that will resonate. Maybe the President should drop the whole thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0etEmiCL8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llQUrko0Gqw&feature=player_embedded
Short of the Jedi mind trick, you’re not changing anyone’s mind on what the President said. You are either are going to spin whatever Obama says or does to TRY and make it make sense or you actually heard what he said and realize how that way of thinking is bad for the country.
I would have loved to have been at this speech to see if people were clapping and cheering while he was saying this stuff. It is nice to see these blog posts from Mason Adams and the Blue Ridge Caucus since I can now chalk any future posts up to bias partsian drivel and not waste my time. Trying to spin this undefensible speech is one way to destroy your credibility. Good work!
#36 John Brown, the entire speech is available online. You can hear audience reaction. Not the same as being there, but you can hear it.
And I do realize that I am unlikely to change the minds of folks who prefer for billionaires and other in the Repub PR machine to do their thinking for them.
#37 gdad, for the record the majority of business owners aren’t billionaires or even millionaires. If you listen to that entire speech and it resonates as something you’re on board with I would venture a guess that you are a card carrying socialist. Or maybe just someone who is on government assistance and doesn’t want to see the gravy train end. Government employee with a full pension?
36
The reaction of the crowd was shameful (for Roanoke) and ignorant.
I saw the crowd. I’d bet there weren’t too many “undecided voters”. It looked like a rally in Detroit. Tons of Union members and black folks. Not a real representation of the Roanoke Valley, if you ask me.
Obama felt at home. His cockiness and comfort led to his horrible, no good, awful statement. He’s paying for it.
Yeah, but you’re no bigto eh Lake Claytor?
Sorry, that was supposed to ask if you thought you were a bigot? No need to share if you are a “bigto”.
Does anyone in Britain speak ‘Austrian’ I wonder??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr7zhnctF4c
#38 I was referring to the billionaires who ARE anonymously pouring tens and hundreds of millions into the election, John Brown. I just read a list of about 26 of them, most of whom wanted to remain hidden and all who donate either completely or mostly to Repubs.
“Card-carrying socialist”? Well, I DO have a library card, which is probably socialist by your standards, and I also have an organ donor card. Is that what you’re talking about? Government assistance? Nothing that you don’t get, I’m sure. Full government employee pension? Nope. Care to try some more?
#39 Man, LC, you’re getting more despicable by the post. Of course you probably think your average TP gathering is “representative.” Or maybe a meeting of John Birchers.
#43 Gdad, you’re basing your opinions and political views on the fact that billionaires are donating money to a candidates campaign? What do you have against billionaires? Maybe they don’t want to see America go down the toilet, maybe they want to stay billionaires instead of having their wealth redistributed.
If you don’t work for the government it is very possible you work for one of these evil billionaires. Or maybe you work for one of the small business owners that Obama insulted right here in your hometown to your face as you were clapping and cheering and begging for more.
What would Obama have to do for you people to raise an eyebrow and say “wait a minute that doesn’t sound right” Given his track record I would venture to say nothing.
(and yes I said you people or maybe I should have said sheeple)
40
Bigot?
For what? Reporting the demographics accurately?
Whatever.
“It’s sad the lengths Republicans find themselves forced to go to in order to demonize this president”
The president has demonized himself with the awful job he is doing. And Rad,, you demonize yourself by supporting the left wing no matter what takes place. Your left wing RT was so far to the left as to be laughable as any kind of serious “strait news”…
“The reaction of the crowd was shameful (for Roanoke) and ignorant.” Is not “Reporting the demographics accurately”.
“I saw the crowd. I’d bet there weren’t too many “undecided voters”. It looked like a rally in Detroit. Tons of Union members and black folks. Not a real representation of the Roanoke Valley, if you ask me.” Is not “Reporting the demographics accurately”.
“Obama felt at home. His cockiness and comfort led to his horrible, no good, awful statement. He’s paying for it.” Is not “Reporting the demographics accurately”.
So what part of your blatantly bigoted remarks is it you think is “Reporting the demographics accurately”?
Tyler Blount your perspective leaves truth the odd man out, just say that you are attacking the President with your partisan version of some issues and policies and blaming him whether he deserves it or not. That would be the truth.
#46 Tell us what percentage of Roanoke City is black, LC.
John Brown, don’t expect any answers to your questions from gdud… just crickets is all he usually provides.
#51 Those were rhetorical questions, MMM. No answer needed or expected.
Glad to help you understand what’s going on, MMM. I know it’s tough for you.
I thought when he asked ‘What do you have against billionaires?’, gdad, that it was a valid, actual question soliciting a response.
I mean, if you are scared to answer, that’s okay too, but you should stand up for what you believe instead of hiding behind someone’s coattails too.
Your bill will be in the mail, and no TANF or WIC accepted here.