Article: Forgotten people rings with strategist

Bob Shrum didn't take offense to Sen. Barack Obama's recent assessment of Pennsylvania's rural populace. But he was offended by Obama's choice of words.

Shrum, a well-known Democratic strategist and Connellsville native, said Obama misspoke, but his assessment is true enough.

"What he said -- in a mangled way -- was not condescending, but empathizing," Shrum said. "He used the word 'bitter,' which is one of the things that mangled the statement.

"But it's not clear to me that people don't understand what he meant."

During the April 13 airing of "Meet the Press," on which Shrum is a regular contributor, a panel of pundits deconstructed Obama's words.

Shrum was quick to weave his political ...

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