John Murtha

Double take? Yeah, I did that too when I first heard about it. On Wednesday, former Hillary Clinton supporter and Pennsylvania Congressman, John Murtha had this to say about the cold shoulder that his constituents in western Pennsylvania are giving Obama:

The 17-term Democratic congressman told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in a story posted Wednesday on its Web site: “There is no question that western Pennsylvania is a racist area.” [emphasis added]

Yes, yes we all already know that anyone not supporting Barack Obama must be a racist. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Obama’s lack of experience, character, judgment (with friends like Wright, Ayers, ACORN, and Rezko who needs enemies), lying, flip flopping, race-baiting, sexism, and caucus fraud. It also has absolutely nothing to do with Obama’s own comments about bitter Pennsylvanians, clinging to their guns and religion. No, we are racists all, every last one of us!

Murtha apologized for his ‘racist’ character assassination of his constituents. But I’m left wondering why a Congressperson would say this about their own district. Murtha is up for reelection and his Republican challenger has already jumped on the comments. Call me cynical, either Murtha is a complete idiot or he made the “racist” claim on purpose to ignite backlash against Obama in Pennsylvania and insure Obama’s ‘bitter and clinging’ comments circulate again.

According to Real Clear Politics, Obama has clung to a narrowing lead over McCain in Pennsylvania polls until October 7, since then, Obama has maintained a comfortable double digit lead. Was this an outrageous gaffe or is Murtha a stealth PUMA putting a hole in Obama’s hot-air balloon?

You can read the original story published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Photo Credits: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File. In this April 16, 2008 file photo, Rep. John Murtha, D-PA speaks in Washington, DC.

Crossposted at Partizane.