Given the controversy over his "Bitter" comments, I believe Obama needs to do another tour thru PA. The unofficial nickname of it should be the "Mad as Hell" tour.
Obama's basic point - that dissatisfaction with politicians and the political process can lead citizens to express their resentment in a religious or other context, and to retreat to things they find comfortable or familiar - is certainly not new. Probably thousands of dissertations have been written on this subject. If Obama's comments were put in written for an academic audience, for example, there'd be no issue with this as a hypothesis.
(Indeed, that hypothesis is probably a lot more useful for understanding the actions of al-Qaeda, versus President Bush's misinformed and ultimately disinformational comment that "they hate us for our freedoms.")
What's needed is for Obama's comments to be taken out of an academic context, and be put in a form that "makes it real."
In fact, I have his stump speech right here:
My Standard Stump Speech for Obama's "Mad as Hell" tour through PA:
[...preceded by various substantive comments on issues...]
"Let me ask:
"Are you happy that we've spent $650B on the Iraq war, after we found no weapons of mass destruction, and no ties to the al-Qeada that attacked us on 9/11?
"Are you happy that thousands of people have lost their homes, while the Bush administration was asleep at the wheel during the growing mortgage crisis?
"Are you happy that Pres Bush wouldn't sign an increase in the minimum wage, until the Democrats took control of the Congress?
"Are you happy with tax cuts that favor the wealthy, who get richer and richer while they send American jobs overseas?
"The media and Republicans seem to think you should sit on your hands and smile. They see that 80% of Americans say we're headed in the wrong direction, and yet they can't understand why you're not happy about that.
"I've driven around this state a lot, and I see that people are angry, unhappy, and ready for a change.
"But let me tell you. I don't run from anger. I listen to it. It's a politicians job to hear the voices of the people. That's my duty.
"And as President, I'll make it my job to work together with you to provide solutions for the problems that we face as a nation.
"Yes, I know you're angry. But there is an antidote to anger. The antidote is hope.
"I talk a lot about hope. And what I've found is, hope is not something you have. Hope is something you give.
"For the people of Pennsylvania, I say to you, there is reason to hope. As President, I will go in a different direction on Iraq. I will go in a different direction on taxes for the rich. I will go in a different direction on the economy.
"When we have hope, when we work together, when we make a change for the better... that's what makes America strong, and united. And when we are strong and united, there is no limit to what America can do... we can do anything."
Is anybody feeling me on this?