Illinois Sen. Barack Obama came under fire for stating that voters in places like rural Pennsylvania become frustrated and bitter, and frequently exhibit antipathy toward others when experiencing the realities of difficult economic times.

Both his rivals, Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain are making the case that he is an elitist, out of touch with people and condescending to boot.

While Barack Obama would surely love to have rephrased his remarks at the San Francisco fundraiser that led to this firestorm, the sentiment of his comments reflects deep-rooted, broad social issues affecting millions of Americans.

It’s not the rural Pennsylvanian’s fault, but the failure of government to instill any sort of confidence that fosters these inherent traits.

So listen to this clip and you decide if Obama is out of touch - or the only one of the presidential candidates willing to raise the level of debate…