Back off, Obama!

The other day I was sitting in my quiet living, watching Big Brother and copying biology notes, when I heard someone run up the steps to my apartment and bang on my door. I answered only to be met with a half-naked, 20-something year old man whom I had never seen in my life, screaming, "I love Obama!"

Until today, I might have agreed, but I just read something that I found very upsetting. According to an article in The New York Times, while at a San Francisco fund-raiser Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) said that "small-town Pennsylvania voters, bitter over their economic circumstances, 'cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them' as a way to explain their frustrations."

Now I'm not from Pennsylvania, but here in Virginia those are fighting words! As someone who has lived in both a small town and a big city, I know what I'm talking about when I say that prejudice is everywhere. Rural areas might have the reputation of being conservative, bible-belts, but it's unfair to base an entire opinion on a few stereotypes.

I've followed Obama for awhile now, and while I would love to see either him or Senator Hilary Clinton (D-NY) take the White House, I can't help but wonder if his statement is going to affect his campaign. There are a lot of voters from small-towns who might be feeling a little offended right about now.

Tell me what you think. Has Obama ruined his run? What did you think of his statement? Leave me a comment below.