A St. Petersburg Times editorial columnist would never shill for Obama ...

Presidential hopeful Barack Obama got himself in a bit of hot water some weeks ago when some comments he made at a San Francisco fundraiser were publicized at the Huffington Post by one of the attendees. The following YouTube video provides a relatively clear version of the audio along with a transcript:



Yes, it was the comment about communities beaten down under the Clinton and Bush administrations reacting to tough times (reacting to free trade and illegal immigration) by clinging to guns and religion while sinking into fear of those who are different from them (such as Mr. Obama, we may suppose).

Much has been written about Obama's sociological analysis, if not the clueless economic policy that he sketched at the same time, which might be summed up as an indication that Obama has a patronizing attitude ("elitist") toward those who aren't voting for him. The Obama campaign stumblingly alternated between claiming that one cannot be elitist after coming from a humble background such as theirs (Ivy League education notwithstanding) and the claim that the analysis was perfectly accurate but unfortunately phrased.

Apparently that reaction wasn't good enough for Robyn Blumner at The St. Petersburg Times. She ducked into the restrooms at the Times building and emerged as Shill Woman, determined to employ her super powers to rescue Obama from his gaffe.

The first order of business was to redefine it from a gaffe into a quip.

Barack Obama may have been a little too blunt in his now infamous quip about how the economic insecurities gripping small-town America manifest themselves, but the word "bitter" perfectly sums up my feelings these days.
(The St. Petersburg Times)

Got that? It was a quip, OK?

Shill Woman apparently did not want to dwell on the quip, however. She elected to use her powers to create a great diversionary tactic, instead.

First, she applies the condescending remarks to herself. Whereas Obama suggested bitterness as a reaction to the economically tough times under Clinton and Bush (?), Shill Woman grabs the "bitter" label with both hands and hugs it like a long-lost sister. And then we're off again into one of her anti-Bush administration rants, running the gamut from the "endless" war in Iraq to her clueless analysis of health care.

In short, Shill Woman went red herring in a big way, trying to bury the news under a mountain of her recycled opinions.

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