Across the Pond: the US elections blog

Barack Obama sought to turn the tables on Hillary Clinton yesterday over his controversial remarks that small town Americans “cling” to guns and religion.

In separate appearances before an audience of steelworkers in Pittsburgh, a week before Pennsylvania’s primary, the Democratic rivals attacked each other aggressively, with one new poll showing Mrs Clinton opening up a formidable 20-point lead in the State.

The American Research Group survey comes after polls last week showed him pulling to within five points of Mrs Clinton in Pennsylvania. Yesterday’s poll, taken since the “guns and religion” controversy erupted, puts Mrs Clinton ahead 57 per cent to 37, and leading among white voters 64 points to 29. The ARG polls can be unreliable and another survey, by Temple University in Philadelphia, gave Mrs Clinton a nine-point lead.

Last week Mr Obama, at a fundraiser in San Francisco, tried to explain why he has trouble attracting white, working-class voters, a large voting bloc in Pennsylvania. He said that, frustrated with their economic plight, “it’s not surprising they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them . . . as a way to explain their frustrations”.

Mrs Clinton has spent the past three days calling Mr Obama “elitist” and “out of touch”, and told the steelworkers audience that his remarks were “offensive”. John McCain, in Washington, echoed that criticism. Later, in a speech in Washington, a defiant Mr Obama said he was a person of “deep faith”, went after Mr McCain, and said: “Contrary to what my poor word choices may have implied or my opponents have suggested, I’ve never believed that these traditions or people’s faith has anything to do with how much money they have.”

Speaking to the steelworkers earlier, Mr Obama accused Mrs Clinton of being a dishonest panderer. He conceded that the words he used in his “bitter” remarks were badly chosen, then rounded on his rival. “Around election time, the candidates [will] promise you anything . . . and even come around, with TV crews in tow, to throw back a shot and a beer,” Mr Obama said to loud laughter. Mrs Clinton did just that in an Indiana bar on Saturday.

Turning to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Mrs Clinton backed in 1993 but now opposes, Mr Obama said: “You can’t spend the better part of two decades campaigning for Nafta . . . and then come here to Pennsylvania, and tell the steelworkers you’ve been with them all along.” At a union hall on Sunday night, Mr Obama said that Mrs Clinton seemed more interested in guns and hunting. “She is running around talking about how this is an insult to sportsmen . . . she is talking like she is Annie Oakley,” Mr Obama said, mockingly comparing her to the legendary American sharpshooter.

Most steelworkers questioned by The Times said that the furore was an irrelevant distraction. Indeed, in a part of Pennsylvania that should favour Mrs Clinton, Mr Obama’s speech was far more warmly received.

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