It doesn't make sense as a "dog whistle" because the wrong people are hearing it...besides, the pitch is clearly aimed at the media and superdelegates, not blue collar voters who are unlikely to be obsessively following the demographic analysis crap on cable news. It's not gonna fly with the superdelegates, though...the trend there is clearly toward Obama. Besides, polls now are pretty meaningless in terms of what polls will be saying in a few months. Clinton is getting the pickup-truck vote with her gas tax pander, but at the price of totally p***ing off the Al Gore crowd and anyone who cares about the environment or economics.
I think everyone will hear it shortly, and they'll hear it isn't the context best calibrated to maximize it's appeal white racist resentment. They won't hear Clinton saying it, they'll hear Clinton being described as "talking bluntly about race" and people accusing the down trodden white woman of being a racist.
Also, it parallels her constant stump speech use of blue collar and working class to mean white.
about the environment argument. People who are struggling financially should shut up because they are helping the environment by not driving.
However, if one is financially secure - it's okay if they drive about.
I don't have a car - and I'm a great believer in conservation - but this is skewed - as usual.
