You just can’t make this stuff up. After apologizing for calling his constituents “racist” last week, Pennsylvania congressman, John Murtha, clarified his remarks in another interview by saying that the good people in western Pennsylvania are ‘redneck’ because he thinks that if they don’t support Obama it’s because (shhh, he’s black).

“What I mean is there’s still folks that have a problem voting for someone because they are black,” Murtha said. Murtha said the history of southwestern Pennsylvania is teeming with racism. “This whole area, years ago, was really redneck,” he told WTAE-TV Pittsburgh.

Got it, they’re racists just like you said the first time, Congressman, because anyone not supporting Obama is certainly doing it because he is black. 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. And it most certainly couldn’t possibly have anything to do with issues. Murtha’s challenger, Republican Bill Russell said this in response to Murtha’s clarification:

…some voters will always hold “racist attitudes,” but that voters in western Pennsylvania who break with Obama will mostly do so over his views on issues like abortion and gun control. “To take that and apply that to the entire population itself in western Pennsylvania, as he did, is absolutely wrong,” Russell said.

Even though Russell is apparently a political carpet bagger in the election against Murtha, I agree with Russell about why most people in that area won’t support Obama. This is nonsense. Obama is experiencing less discrimination based on race than Hillary experienced based on gender and that McCain is experiencing based on age.

I’m still not sure what Murtha hopes to gain from race-baiting. If my Congressperson called our district “racist” and “redneck,” I would be less inclined to support him/her in the election for the unflattering characterization. I would also be less inclined to support that candidate they referenced when making the claims (in this case Obama). Is Murtha purposefully trying to anger his district to vote en masse for someone other than Obama or is he trying to play on white guilt? Certainly if Murtha’s district is as racist and redneck as he claims it is, white guilt would be nonexistent. Either way, Murtha is playing race games and I think it stinks.

Crossposted at Partizane.