Clinton Says Obama Is "Nitpick"ing Her Record

By: Ryan Corsaro
Topics: Hillary Clinton

(CBS)

From CBS News' Ryan Corsaro:

PITTSBURGH -- Hillary Clinton took several questions about Barack Obama and the purgatory of Florida and Michigan delegates from reporters aboard her press plane as it took off for Scranton this morning.

Clinton held her press availability shortly after finishing a St. Patrick's Day parade appearance. She was questioned about accusations by the Obama campaign that she did not have any sort of prominent role in peace deals with Northern Ireland.

"I understand the desire of my opponent to nitpick," said Clinton, but argued that she had a role that was "validated many times" and maintained that has visited Northern Ireland for the purpose of peace agreements "more than Bill Clinton has."

"I don't know how many times Senator Obama has met with the Secretary of State from Ireland," said Clinton, maintaining that she meets with him frequently.

Clinton was asked about Tony Rezko's amount of fund-raising for the Obama campaign and the role of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, recently dismissed from the campaign, Clinton said repeatedly, "I think those are questions for Senator Obama and the Obama campaign."

On Michigan and Florida, where it has yet to be decided whether or not the two states will have the opportunity to have their delegates acknowledged in the election, Clinton said she hoped to see it happen.

"My position is to count their votes and count what they've cast or revote," said Clinton.

"It's important to send the message that we value them, we need them."

Asked if it was unfair to change the rules of the primary last minute, Clinton said "the rules are difficult" but she believes ultimately votes need to be counted and soon.

"I just want Michigan to make a decision," said Clinton.

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by girlinvt-2009 March 17, 2008 2:56 AM EDT: How about we see Obamas tax returns for the Rezko years since Rezko funded Obamas state legislature runs his run for House of representative ect.Rezko was selling appointments to the very board Obama sat on at the time he was there.Then you got Reverend Wright and twenty years at the same church.Obama is no real candidate for president; Reply to this comment


by riskytime March 16, 2008 10:54 PM EDT: Tax returns, earmarks, donor lists, and first lady papers have absolutely no bearing on the real issues facing our country. This is another Obama camp tactic to get us off track--take attention off of the Rezko and Rev. Wright connection and blast his opponent. tell me any of those documents will fix our economy, end the war in Iraq, create more jobs, fix the mortgage crisis, etc... All the demands for these documents are nothing more than a "Red Herring"...to get americans side tracked from what is really important about selecting our next president. Obama''s cult must think americans are stupid.; Reply to this comment


by riskytime March 16, 2008 10:50 PM EDT: Obama has been playing the race batier card and the racist card to benefit himself and blames it on his opponent. Please read the article at this link
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=aa0cd21b-0ff2-4329-88a1-69c6c268b304&k=5083; Reply to this comment


by hallihunt March 16, 2008 10:44 PM EDT: Monet - Your inflammatory comments only serve to fire up the Clinton supporters and disgust most of the reasonable readers on this site. I''m sure you are aware of how ugly your comments are, but I don''t think you realize how ridiculous they make you appear. Personal attacks are always the fall back for the weak and uninformed.; Reply to this comment


by marthainal March 16, 2008 8:07 PM EDT: Who is Obama really?? Do we, the voters, really know??

http://kennethelamb.blogspot.com/2008/02/barak-obama-questions-about-ethnic.html

http://www.therealitycheck.org/StaffWriter/erush022007.htm; Reply to this comment


by lnab73 March 16, 2008 7:56 PM EDT: seanwhit

a quarter million in contributions from a slum lord who helped advance your career isn''t a "non" story.

But much like whitewater and the disinformation from the neo-con hack Ken Star (who in the end found nothing to prosecute)...perception is everything.

It ISN''T that Hillary doesn''t have her issues, exactly who in politics doesn''t have them?

The real problem is that we are now 8 months from the general election. If you don''t think the republican spin machine isn''t going to tear Obama a new one with his 20year relationship with a very racist minister, think again.

The only question is this. Can Obama sufficiently disavow his relationship with Rev. Wright (who clearly doesn''t care for non-black america)? Don''t think he can do it. This should have been vetted long ago, early in the primary season.

do believe there are some very hidden, powerful and self-serving people behind Obama given his unprecedented rise to celebrity.; Reply to this comment


by nmben March 16, 2008 6:20 PM EDT: Hillary, the master of pay-to-play earmarks (69% Clinton%u2019s corporate earmark recipients contributed to her campaign: LA Times Dec. 10, 2007).; Reply to this comment


by nmben March 16, 2008 6:15 PM EDT: Facts never stood in the way of the Clinton camp. Just like their bogus claims on foreign policy and SCHIP, and pay-to-play earmarks (69% Clinton%u2019s corporate earmark recipients contributed to her campaign: LA Times Dec. 10, 2007).

Sooner or later the truth comes out; I hope the Obama shines light on these and other policy-ethics issues.; Reply to this comment


by msyoung227 March 16, 2008 4:18 PM EDT: This week it was disclosed that Hillary lied about the extent of her involvement in the Northern Ireland Peace Treaty (she made a speech, encouraging women to get involved); she lied about opening the Bosnian borders, and comedian Sinbad explained the borders were opened the day before he, Sheryl Crowe and Mrs. Clinton arrived for a USO Tour. We learned that she lied about SCHIP, but the media was too full of a 30-second soundbyte from a compilation of sermons given Christmas, and 7 years ago by the retired pastor of Barack Obama''s church, to follow up these stories. Clinton based her campaign on experience, now we learn she has none. Isn%u2019t that more important than a few words spoken by a man who is no longer Obama''s pastor? And the media blasted Pastor Wright all over the TV and headlines without giving Obama the courtesty of commenting before-hand, yet, their only mention of one of Ms. Clinton''s lies was to say that she said it isn%u2019t true, and Obama is %u201Cnit-picking%u201D her record. Where are the %u201CClinton lied%u201D headlines or the special TV reports or the sensational stories about the impending Peter Paul v. Clinton trial? What about about the $850,000 in contributions from Norman Hsu that she returned (a half-million more than the Rezko%u2019s contributions to Obama)? Where are her income tax returns? Her earmarks disclosures? I''m sure there''s room for these stories now that they have beat the Pastor Wright and Tony Rezko non-stories to death.; Reply to this comment


by msyoung227 March 16, 2008 3:39 PM EDT: This week it was disclosed that Hillary lied about the extent of her involvement in the Northern Ireland Peace Treaty (she made a speech, encouraging women to get involved); she lied about opening the Bosnian borders, and comedian Sinbad explained the borders were opened the day before he, Sheryl Crowe and Mrs. Clinton arrived for a USO Tour. We learned that she lied about SCHIP, but the media was too full of a 30-second soundbyte from a compilation of sermons given Christmas, and 7 years ago by the retired pastor of Barack Obama''s church. With Clinton basing her entire campaign on experience, and now we learn she has none -- which is more important. A few words spoken by a man who is no longer Obama''s pastor, or three significant lies directly out of the mouth of the woman who would want to be your president? And unlike their treatment of Barack Obama, when the media blasted this information all over without giving him the courtesty to comment, their only mention of one of Ms. Clinton''s lies is the fact that they asked her and she said it wasn''t true. Where are the headlines about these lies? Where are the special TV reports? Where are the sensational stories about the impending Peter Paul v. Clinton trial? What about the $850,000 in contributions from Norman Hsu that she returned? Where are her income tax returns? Why won''t she disclose her earmarks? I''m sure there''s room for these stories now that they have beat the Pastor Wright and Tony Rezko stories to death.; Reply to this comment