By Caren Bohan
PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidentialcandidate Barack Obama spent a fourth day on Monday defendinghimself for calling people in small towns with economic blight"bitter" in a controversy that rival Hillary Clinton is tryingto use for a comeback.
Republican John McCain sought political gain from the flap,saying it is the people from small towns in America whosurvived the Great Depression, fought in World War Two andbuilt a strong postwar economy who are the "heart and soul ofthis country."
Clinton, who is vying with Obama to face McCain in theNovember presidential election, also pounced on Obama's remarksin an effort to revive her struggling bid to overtake Obama'slead in the state-by-state contest for the Democraticnomination.
With tests looming in Pennsylvania on April 22 and Indianaand North Carolina on May 6, Obama was forced to spend anotherday explaining comments he made at a private fundraiser lastweek, in which the Illinois senator said economic problems hadled voters in some small towns to become "bitter" and "cling toguns or religion."
"Now it may be that I chose my words badly. It wasn't thefirst time and it won't be the last. But when I hear myopponents, both of whom have spent decades in Washington,saying I'm out of touch, it's time to cut through theirrhetoric and look at the reality," Obama told steelworkers inPittsburgh.
Speaking to the Associated Press' annual meeting inWashington, he said many Americans are bitter about Washingtonnot addressing economic dislocations caused by globalization,as well as high health care bills and other woes.
"They are angry and frustrated with their leaders for notlistening to them; for not fighting for them; for not alwaystelling them the truth. And yes, they are bitter about that,"he said.
KEEPING CONTROVERSY ALIVE
Speaking later to the same steelworkers, Clinton tried tokeep the controversy alive.
"I don't think he really gets it that people are lookingfor a president who stands up for you and not looks down onyou," said Clinton, a New York senator and former first ladywho would be the first woman president.
But there was some resistance from the mostly union crowd,which included Obama supporters. Some murmured disagreement andsaid "no, no" when Clinton attacked Obama and remarked theywere probably as disappointed by the comments as she was.
An American Research Group poll conducted over the weekendshowed Clinton with a 20 point lead over Obama in Pennsylvania,57 percent to 37 percent. Previous polls had showed a closercontest in the state.
Arizona Sen. McCain, speaking to reporters on his campaignplane on a flight to Pittsburgh, said the remarks may well havedefined Obama for Americans as representing "a certainout-of-touch elitism."
"I think his remarks may be defining, because it shows afundamental attitude about the heartland of America, thatbasically says that it's economic conditions that shape theirvalues," he said.
His campaign sought to capitalize on the flap by citing itin a fund-raising appeal to supporters.
McCain also criticized Obama for not repudiating plans byformer President Jimmy Carter to meet representatives of Hamas,a Palestinian militant group that the United States considers aterrorist organization.
Obama told the Associated Press meeting that McCain wastrying to distract voters from his support of Republicaneconomic policies that have hurt moderate-income Americans.
He also mocked Clinton for an event at an Indiana bar onSaturday.
"Around election time, the candidates can't do enough foryou. They'll promise you anything, give you a long list ofproposals and they'll even come around, with TV crews in tow,to throw back a shot and a beer," he said.
(Additional reporting by John Whitesides, Writing by SteveHolland and Andy Sullivan, editing by David Wiessler)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
