South Dakota Obama Campaign Says "bitter" Comment "essentially" Accurate

Argus Leader excerpt:

Since [the poll was taken], Obama has had to explain comments he made at a San Francisco fundraiser in which he characterized rural voters as "bitter" because of economic distress. Those people, he said, "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment." Both Clinton and the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, have attacked Obama for the remarks.

"If everything is still in play on June 3, and Hillary Clinton comes here, she might be able to use those comments about guns and religion to her advantage," Simmons said.

Obama apologized for the remarks and said he could have chosen his words more carefully. Nathan Peterson, Obama's state director in South Dakota, said the "essence" of those remarks were accurate.

"I think many South Dakota voters understand that Washington has left them behind," he said. Peterson predicted that Clinton would suffer for trying to use the words to her advantage.