Karl Rove: Coal Country, Pennsylvania Is Where People “Really Do Cling To Their Guns & Their Faith"

Karl Rove: Coal Country Of Pennsylvania Is Where People “Really Do Cling To Their Guns And Their Faith”

http://www.newshounds.us/2008/10/23/karl_rove_coal_country_of_pennsylvania_is_where_people_really_do_cling_to_their_guns_and_their_faith.php

Reported by Ellen - October 23, 2008 -

FOX News endlessly attacked Barack Obama last spring, calling him an elitist for saying that people in small towns in Pennsylvania are bitter and cling to guns and religion. But Karl Rove said almost the same thing on last night's (10/22/08) Hannity & Colmes. During an analysis of the demographics of the state, Rove stated that the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, which he described as “coal country,” has “the kind of people who really do cling to their guns and their faith.” There wasn't a peep of protest from Sean Hannity. With video.

As I noted in my previous post, FOX News has been focusing on Pennsylvania along with John McCain. Coincidentally, they have been rehashing Obama's “bitter” and John Murtha's “redneck” comments, both of which just happen to pertain to Pennsylvania. Republican gaffes are being ignored, of course, including Sarah Palin's ignorance about the job she's campaigning for.

During Rove's appearance, Sean Hannity suddenly veered away from a discussion about the election and polls in order to take yet another swipe at Murtha and Obama.

In his “just wondering” voice (which is almost always accompanied by a self-serving agenda), Hannity asked, “I'm trying to understand, if John Murtha's referring to people in Pennsylvania as racists and as rednecks, and we know what Barack Obama said about bitter Americans clinging to their guns and religion with antipathy towards those that aren't like him. He was talking about the people in the state of Pennsylvania. I'm trying to understand, why would anybody in Pennsylvania vote for him when he said that in a, you know, in a real moment, that he didn't think he was being recorded?”

A graphic of the state of Pennsylvania, with the number “21” for the number of electoral votes it has, helpfully appeared on the screen, obviously at the ready beforehand.

“Well, he's got a problem,” Rove replied. “James Carville once famously referred to Pennsylvania as Pittsburgh on the west, Philadelphia on the east and Alabama in between. I think that was his way of sort of mimicking what John Murtha said. But it's a conservative part of the state. And then if you take the far southwestern corner, over there near Pittsburgh and the suburbs, that's coal country and that's the kind of people who really do cling to their guns and their faith.”

Did Hannity call Rove an elitist? Of course not. It was Alan Colmes, not Hannity who commented on Rove's remark. Colmes said with good-natured mocking, “Hey, Karl, you didn't just say people cling to their guns and faith? I don't believe you just said that. You didn't say what Obama said.”

Rove smiled but he began stammering. “No, no. I'm just... I'm quoting Obama. In quotes.” Rove made quotation marks in the air.

Colmes said, “I didn't see the hand quote thing.”

Neither did I. You can view for yourself: http://www.newshounds.us/2008/10/23/karl_rove_coal_country_of_pennsylvania_is_where_people_really_do_cling_to_their_guns_and_their_faith.php