Obama is a great leader and he will reach out to them.

But"rural people" need to show more respect for those who have also had a bad time in the world -- minorities, the weak and the poor of the world and they need to start reaching out to those who are "different from them."

It is a two-way street.

As an Obama campaign worker, I can tell you that I was in miserably poor black areas in North Carolina and West Virginia and I was in miserably poor white areas in those states. Guess which areas treated me with kindness, affection and warmth? Offered me food and drink? Smiled and welcomed me? Guess which neighborhoods had children running after us, begging us for buttons and keeping us company?

Guess which ares were cold, standoffish, and wary toward me and in which area I had a dog set on me?

I am a middle-aged white lady, by the way.

I'm sorry that the people in poor, rural areas have had it so bad -- but so have Native Americans on reservations and African-Americans in the Inner City. But, they have not retreated into the same kind of wary conservatism.

It is a much more complicated situation than this article indicates -- though, yes, Obama and the Democratic Party should engage EVERYONE more -- including rural voters who have lagged behind in their support. But someone also needs to remind rural voters that they are not the center of the universe. They need to come into the 21st Century and be our Partners. We can do a lot of good TOGETHER. Join us. Rural voters talk an awful lot about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. They should try it.

Virginia loves Obama. And, in my "Red County" they REALLY loved Obama.

Joan, you seem to focus on situations where Obama looks bad. Obama is the candidate, Joan. How about some positive articles?

Or are Salon and you going to spend the next several months playing this little "passive aggressive" game?

You are giving women and feminism a very bad name. You all are making us look like sore losers who can't deal with reality.

Women take responsibility for their actions. Women deal with reality. Women are strong. Women don't look for excuses. Women don't put down others to make themselves look better. Women are better than how Hillary's most extreme supporters are acting.

I live in Fauquier County -- we straddle the "old" and "new" Virginia. I love my adopted home. The liberals here are magnificent -- and the conservative folks have kind hearts.

But, I had to have a public school teacher reprimanded when he called our son "Monkey Boy" when our 5th grader expressed belief in Evolution.

I also had to explain what the "War of Northern Aggression" was to my son when he was invited to an elite "Governor's School" summer program.

Every time I see a Confederate flag, I wish I had a gun to shoot it off its flagpole.

I imagine that if Joan actually had to live in a place like this, she would be as furious at Hillary Clinton as many of us Obama supporters are. It is easy to be so casual about the race baiting that has been going on when you don't have to live in areas where the scars of Jim Crow are real and when you have to live with REAL, LIVE racists.

Although, THANK GOD, there are fewer and fewer racial problems in Virginia, thanks to education and good Democratic Party governance.

Hillary and Bill are acting badly Joan. It doesn't mean they ARE bad.

We tell this to our children an awful lot as they are growing up. "You AREN'T a bad boy, sweetie, but you are acting in a bad way! Mommy knows you didn't REALLY want to kill Mittens! But, please don't put kitty in the dishwasher!"

This is ridiculous. Bill and Hillary need a "Time Out," and so do many of their supporters.

And, I am sorry, but they are not being victimized and persecuted. They are in a race that is over except for their weird insistence on staying in the race for some sort of closure and respect.

If they would leave, their opponents could heap praise on them and no one could ever "abuse" them again.

I know we Obama supporters should simply be happy at winning, but...

You couldn't have either included an Obama supporter for balance or just let this be an objective article by leaving any "partisan" out? Must we have to deal with more Hillary whining, excuses, talking points and "Obama bashing" disguised as questions or innocent comments?

Really, this is getting old, Salon.

Get Real Clinton Folks!

You can claim that it is "stuff" that makes you dislike Obama, but, let's face it: Many Dems voted FOR Hillary because they liked Bill or wanted a woman and many people voted against Obama because, when given a direct choice, they didn't want to vote for a black man.

There is a HUGE difference between voting FOR something than voting AGAINST something.

But, at least admit it. Don't lie and say that the Rezco crap and the church situation shows Obama is "bad." Bill and Hillary Clinton (whom I have defended for years!) have plenty of shady business dealings and radical friends! They are Democratic politicians!!!

I am SICK to death of Hillary folks (or trolls -- whatever) acting as if Hillary and Bill are virgin candidates, with no complicated stories of their own.

You support them, therefore their flaws are not important. FINE. BUT THEY DO HAVE BIG FLAWS. THEY ARE INCREDIBLY WONDERFUL AND INCREDIBLY HORRIBLE TOO. That is what makes them such amazing historical figures.

I am soooo sick of all this ignorance and CANNOT wait for this primary to be over so the only people I have to argue with are idiot Republicans.

Jeez.