Today in Scranton Pa., Hillary Clinton made a valiant effort to patch the hole in her leaky boat.

She held a ‘press availability’ live while campaigning in Scranton in order to provide more legs to the Barack Obama comment that she is calling “elitists and divisive.”

Clinton said, “We need a president that respects all people. We don’t need a president that looks down on them.”

The reference point for this ‘press availability’, something the Clinton campaign is not known for, was a statement Obama said earlier in the week at a private fund raiser in San Francisco while he was trying to explain his troubles winning over some working-class voters because they have become frustrated over economic conditions.

He said, “It’s not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

Clinton said, “Sen. Obama has not owned up to what he said . . . we are looking for an explanation . . . what does he believe? ” She said first he defended the statement, then he said apologizes for it but we don’t know what he believes, Clinton said.

Obama did say, “If I worded things in a way that made people offended, I deeply regret that.”

Clinton was focusing on guns and religion and recently she portrayed herself as a pro-gun churchgoer. However in 1999 Clinton appealed for gun control.

A reporter at the press availability asked her when was the last time she shot a gun or went to church?

Clinton snapped back “That is not a relevant question.”

But then she thought twice about the question, didn’t answer the gun question but said the last time she was in church was Easter.

Another reporter asked Clinton about her current position in life with respect to her causes for the middle class. The Clinton’s reported income in the past seven years of $109 million.

She said “I’m rooted in the middle class,” referring to her father and grandfather who worked in a mill in Scranton and buried here. She said people are concerned about the Obama comments and there has been an outpouring of questions. She again said we need to know what Obama means when he makes these comments.

When asked about the problems Obama cited, Clinton said, Of course we have problems after seven years of Bush how can we not have problems.”

While taking every advantage of the Obama comments calling them elitist and divisive, she said she was running for president, “because I believe I’m electable.”

Clinton has gained some ballast in her listing boat.