Clinton Tweaks Message

By: Fernando Suarez
Topics: Hillary Clinton

(CBS)

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

HARTFORD, CONN. -- With Barack Obama's message of "change" seeming to resonate with voters and his continued attempts to pigeonhole Hillary Clinton as the "status quo" candidate, the Clinton team is tweaking their message.

Selling the sole idea of Clinton being the "experience" candidate seems to be on the outs.

During a campaign stop in Hartford, Clinton laid out a tweaked stump speech, where she focused on delivering a long list of things she "believes" can improve the lives for Americans.

Clinton said "I believe" over 25 times during her speech with lines like: "I believe health care is a moral right…I believe people have the right to organize…I believe our tax code should fair to the middle class…I believe that anyone who wants to move a job from Connecticut overseas should not get one penny of taxpayer help to do it…I believe every child needs a chance to make it in life…"

She made it clear that she has "very different beliefs than the current administration" in an attempt to define herself as a "change" candiate and to distance herself from the "status quo" argument.

Although Clinton is taking on this new approach, it doesn't fully abandon her position as the candidate with the most experience to be president.

"How do we translate our beliefs in to action? How do we go from a campaign where we make speeches, the people stand up and cheer and clap loudly, into making what we believe, real?" asked Clinton in a jab at Obama, without naming him.

In fact, Clinton never mentioned Obama by name during her stop in Hartford but rather focused her attacks on President Bush's State of the Union speech, which she is planning on attending tonight.

Clinton said to loud cheers, "I assume that all of you know that tonight is a red letter night in American history. It is the last time George Bush will give a State of the Union!"

"Now if we all do our part, next year it will be a Democratic president giving the State of the Union!"

Clinton continued, "I'm sure that the President tonight will, as he has for the previous seven years, say that the state of our union is strong."

"But with all due respect Mr. President, come on the road with me, come meet the people that I meet," she added. "Listen to the stories that I listen to. Sit at tables in diners and hear what's on American's minds."

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by katefranklin January 29, 2008 4:06 PM EST: The last thing this country needs is a president that is continually "finding their voice". Experience is no substitute for judgment and leadership. Clinton has again and again reminded she does not possess these mandatory qualities. The inexperienced Obama is myth that has been sprayed far and wide by the Clinton establishment, but has no rational basis. Leading senior members of Congress and the House would not endorse someone that is not ready to lead on day one.; Reply to this comment


by awkeup January 29, 2008 5:09 AM EST: Hey Hillary, how about getting rid of the Federal Reserve? Oh, I thought not, you went clubbing with them at the Bilderberg summit.

Please don''t vote for Hilary. Do your homework. Ron Paul is the only candidate that can get our government back to where it should be. No inflated money, no Federal Reserve. No CFR or Trilateral Commission (Bill served on both). They are only concerned with power & the new world order.

You owe it to yourself, your kids & your grand-kids to start thinking outside the (TV) box. Check out Ron Paul. Great guy, intelligent, honest with integrity. He knows how we got here & he can get us out quickly & safely. Just do your homework.; Reply to this comment


by lillianiadem January 28, 2008 7:44 PM EST: I''m proud of Hillary for running against Bush, not Obama. If the national media would tell people who Barack Obama really is, he would never have gotten this far. Readers, just Google "Obama" and "religion" and read what the NYT had to say about Obama''s "Afrocentric" Christian church. The Hebrew peole are all replaced with African people. Go to his church''s website at "Trinity United Church of Christ Chicago" and read their current magazine; they''ve given Farrakhan a humanitarian award! Read up on his Rev., Jeremiah Wright, who says that 9/11 was just what "white America" deserved! Then Google "Obama" and "lobbyists" and read the AP and Boston Globe stories on his money-grabbing from and service to lobbyists. It''s not that his opponents don''t take lobbyists'' money; it''s that they don''t lie about it. Obama does. Before you get swept away by his high-flown talk, find out who he really is!; Reply to this comment


by dinslc January 28, 2008 3:20 PM EST: Will she also be stealing Obama''s campaign signs that say "Change We Can BELIEVE In"?

Since they''ve already been printed, she can just scratch out Obama''s name and scrawl her own name over the top.; Reply to this comment