Obama Counters Clinton's Negative Ad

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

WAUSAU, WIS. -- With three days left until the Wisconsin primary, Barack Obama continues to campaign through out the state with stops in Wausau, Eau Claire, and Milwaukee today. In the last 24 hours, Obama has stepped up his rhetoric against Hillary Clinton, calling her criticisms of him silly and dismissing her claims that he won't debate her.

"She's got an ad running right now saying, 'well, Barack Obama won't debate.' We've had 18 debates! 18 debates. I've got two more scheduled next week!," Obama told a crowd in Green Bay last night.

"But that's what happens when you've been in Washington a long time, your attitude becomes, 'I'll just say whatever might work to win an election'."

Obama's campaign released a new ad to counter the Clinton ad in Wisconsin.

"After 18 debates, with two more coming, Hillary says Barack Obama is ducking debates? It's the same old politics," an announcer says in the ad.

Both Obama and Clinton will be in Milwaukee this evening, where they are scheduled to speak at the Founders Day Gala. The two candidates have not appeared in the same city since the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond, Virginia last Saturday.

While Clinton has spent most of her time in Texas and Ohio, Obama has been focusing on Wisconsin. Most of his campaign stops have been at Wisconsin colleges and universities, where he continues to court young voters. Obama is aware of his appeal with young voters and recognizes their effect on his campaign.

"I can't tell you how many parents tell me that they changed their minds because their daughter or their son talked to them," Obama said yesterday in Milwaukee.

Obama is also going after the blue-collar vote, a demographic that he generally has not preformed well with. He visited a General Motors plant in Janesville earlier this week and hosted a roundtable meeting at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau this morning. Obama spoke to students and faculty about the importance of workers acquiring skills and training to compete in the economy.

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by hopeful08 February 17, 2008 10:54 PM EST: Government fingerpointing is at all time high - see recent Telecom Immunity debates. Hillary is good at this game though not as good as Bill.

On the war in Iraq, its not her vote that is the most concerning. It is her refusal to admit that it was a mistake even now.
On campaign contributions, its not that she accepts more lobbyist money than the other candidates combined, it is that she tries to paint everyone with the same broad brush.
On Healthcare, she is proposing Universal Health Coverage but calling it Universal Health Care. Even her own experts say that it will leave millions uncovered.

McCain is known for rejecting the politics of his own party to say what he means but his policies are from GW.

A non-credible person with the policies we like VS. a credible one with policies we hate?; Reply to this comment


by katefranklin February 17, 2008 7:47 PM EST: If you need more than 18 debates to make up your mind, you are hopelessly undecided. Debate requests are an age-old trick used by ailing campaigns that have failed to generate enough interest to fundraise. Hillary''s war chest is broke. She is effectively asking Obama for some free air time. So much for the Clinton aura of fiscal responsibility.; Reply to this comment


by girlinvt-2009 February 17, 2008 5:56 PM EST: OF COURSE HE DOESNT WANT TO DEBATE. IN EVERY STATE THAT HE HAS DEBATED IN BEFORE THE VOTE HE LOSES AFTER THE DEBATE (CALIFORNIA/CNN AND NEW HAMSHIRE); Reply to this comment


by gieske11 February 17, 2008 1:57 PM EST: The power of words:

Please see the link:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_cd-AJeJvBE; Reply to this comment


by gieske11 February 17, 2008 1:54 PM EST: The power of words:

Please see the link:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_cd-AJeJvBE; Reply to this comment


by arr967 February 17, 2008 12:50 AM EST: Let''s see, Hillary''s Health Care Plan is mandated. If you don''t like the price you get fined or get your wages garnished. She sat on the Board of Directors for Wal-Mart from 1986-1992, the largest Union Busting organization in the world. She voted for the War. She expects people to let someone who "Lied Under Oath", and is proven to be a Pervert reside in the White House, when most of us wouldn''t let someone like that in our own Home. She''s taken money from Lobbyist''s when Obama hasn''t. Obama can beat McCain, and she can''t. Her campaign is in financial trouble, and she wants to manage the budget of our country. What else is there to Debate? OBAMA ''08!; Reply to this comment


by fmattca February 16, 2008 7:32 PM EST: The power seems to be getting to the Obama campaign. Power corrupts. Hillary is finally responding to Obama''s relentless attacks masked in sweet rhetoric,and he is turning condescending and disrespectful.; Reply to this comment


by fmattca February 16, 2008 7:32 PM EST: The power seems to be getting to the Obama campaign. Power corrupts. Hillary is finally responding to Obama''s relentless attacks masked in sweet rhetoric,and he is turning condescending and disrespectful.; Reply to this comment


by fmattca February 16, 2008 7:32 PM EST: The power seems to be getting to the Obama campaign. Power corrupts. Hillary is finally responding to Obama''s relentless attacks masked in sweet rhetoric,and he is turning condescending and disrespectful.; Reply to this comment


by samrlim February 16, 2008 7:03 PM EST: OBAMA AFRAID OF CLINTON FOR A DEBATE IN WISCONSIN.

SENATOR OBAMA THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW YOUR STRENGTH AND ABILITY. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE YOU ARE AHEAD ON DELEGATES AND BACK UP BY THE MEDIA.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID FOR? UNLESS YOU ARE HINDING SOMETHING THAT YOU DON%u2019T WANT VOTERS TO NOTICE YOUR WEAK POINT. DEBATE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ELECTION PROCESS SO THE VOTERS WILL BE ABLE TO KNOW THE CAPABILITY OF THE CANDIDATES THEY ARE ELECTING.

DON%u2019T SAY: %u201CITS AN OLD POLITICS%u201D.; Reply to this comment