Bitter-Gate: Obama's Blue Collar Buddies

Obama's political gaffe in San Francisco may have been a death-blow. With blue-collar Pennsylvania, Indiana and North Carolina all on the horizon, Obama has a lot of explaining to do. He's been slammed with charges from "elitism" to being "out-of-touch" and "insincere" -- in essence, the sentiment is that he's just "more of the same."

Who will come to the rescue in his time of need? Who dares to come out and still say, "Well, you're a Bonehead, but I still support you"...?

Rock legend "Boss" Bruce Springsteen reached out to fans this week, saying that Obama's remarks were "ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision" in order to "distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment."

He added, "Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems."

What he brings to the ticket: Bruce may not be ready for VEEP, but he does pull some political clout. In 2004, he gathered 100,000 fans to hear John Kerry speak and helped boost him through Wisconsin and Ohio.

What could be better than an endorsement from the head of a 1.4-million member LABOR UNION?

"Members tend to vote in a strong majority direction consistent with what the official union position is," said Harry Katz said, dean of the school of industrial relations at Cornell University.

"Senator Obama understands the challenges working people face every day," Hoffa said back in February. "He is the candidate in the best position to lead our movement to restore the American dream for working people in this country."

In lieu of recent misstatements, Hoffa holds strong. "Barack Obama is the man who can change America," Hoffa told a group of truck drivers from New Penn. "I looked in this guy's eyes. I believe him. I believe he can change this country."

Hoffa believes that Obama will renegotiate NAFTA. "He will sit down with the Mexicans and Canada and say, 'Hey, there has to be a new deal. We're losing jobs to you and this was never the intention,'" he said.

Hoffa adds that Gore and Kerry were "hard to like" but he's all jazzed up over Obama.

What he brings to the ticket: Hoffa's the ultimate working class supporter. He's currently on a one-week tour around Pennsylvania to drum up support during this controversial time. Obama reportedly interrupted Hoffa's breakfast at O'Grady's Family Restaurant last week to ask how things were going on the campaign trail.

Carson said in his endorsement speech: "I am proud to support Barack Obama for President because he represents the kind of bold leadership and change that our country desperately needs. I know Senator Obama, like me, is committed to ending the war in Iraq, bringing down gas prices, and creating good jobs here in Indiana, and he has the judgment and courage to solve these problems," Congressman Carson said. "Senator Obama is a fighter for working families, and part of a new generation of leadership that will bring needed change for our country and I am proud to endorse him for president."

What he brings to the ticket: It's unlikely that Obama will pick another African-American as his running mate, but Carson does have a strong criminal justice / anti-terrorism background, having worked with the Indiana State Excise Police for nine years and served on the Department of Homeland Security board.

Despite being a loyal Clintonite, Evan Bayh came out with a surprise statement at a town hall meeting in Indianapolis this week (indicating that should Obama win the nomination, Bayh's not such a bad guy to consider for #2).

"I don’t believe he is an elitist," Bayh said. "His comments were open to interpretation, that’s the problem and the Republicans will use that ruthlessly against him, that’s the problem. I'm concerned that statements like this, even if they are taken out of context, can be used very effectively by the other side to keep us from getting the change that we need."

What he brings to the ticket: This senator is a dynamo and has been urged to run for president himself. He has a strong history of creating jobs, cutting taxes, creating a budget surplus, strengthening law enforcement and increasing school funding. (He also presides over a swing state and carries the energy/youth many voters are looking for in a #2!)

In a surprise endorsement last week (after promising to remain neutral), Bob Casey Jr. says that Pennsylvanians will not judge Obama based on one statement. When CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked Casey if he thought Obama was an Elitist, he responded, "Ridiculous. Anyone who knows Barack Obama, knows his life story, knows that that’s not true."

"Here’s the larger point," Casey clarified. "He was trying to express the frustration that people feel not only with this economy but with what’s been happening in Washington where the special interests have had a stranglehold on the process in Washington."

What he brings to the ticket: He's super-Catholic (an area of voters Obama has failed to reach) and as a result, he has more conservative views on things like abortion and same-sex marriage (which may balance Obama's extreme liberalism). He also has similar goals to reform Medicaid and increase minimum wage. However, he lacks the credentials an Obama Veep needs to offset the charges that he "lacks experience."

"There is nothing elitist about the fact that working class families are struggling today. Our economy is sluggish. Gas prices are up to near $4 a gallon. It costs 25 percent more just to turn your lights on. A loaf of bread and gallon of milk cost a lot more than they used to. And wages are stagnant while the pay of CEOs continues to rise," Blagojevich said on the tarmac at Midway Airport last week.

"So the frustration, the anger, the bitterness that Sen. Obama is talking about, that middle America is feeling, is precisely why he’s done so well in this election," he continued. "People are responding to the fact that he is offering a voice to them, where in the past it's just been a bunch of lip service from a bunch of politicians in Washington."

What he brings to the ticket: Blagojevich has loads of experience as House Representative (1997 - 2003) and Governor (2003 - Current). He's certainly not elitist, having worked as a shoeshiner, dishwasher, pizza delivery boy and meat packer. He's taken big steps in providing universal health care in Illinois. On the other hand, it's unlikely Obama will let him get too close, as he has many "corruption charge" skeletons in his closet and he voted for the Iraq war.

I would guess Obama's probably thinking to himself: "Geez, where's John Edwards when you need him?"