Obama Brushes Off Clinton's Attacks

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Barack Obama said Hillary Clinton looked "in her element" at last night's debate, which he described as a "roll out of the Republican's campaign" against him in November.

"I have to say Senator Clinton looked in her element," Obama said. "She was taking every opportunity to get a dig in there. That's alright. That's her right. That's her right to kind of twist the knife a little bit."

While not completely ruling it out, Obama seemed disinclined to participate in another debate with Clinton before the North Carolina primary on May 6th.

"We had agreed earlier to a debate, Senator Clinton declined that," he said. "We've now had 21 [debates], and look, the previous three, we did very well, so it's not as if we don't know how to do these things."

Obama spoke to a lively crowd at a town hall meeting here today, who cheered him on as he told them that he brushes off Clinton's attacks.

"She's only airing negative attacks on TV in Pennsylvania, like most places," he said. "I understand that because that's the textbook Washington game. That's how our politics has been taught to be played."

Obama vowed to respond to forthcoming attacks "sharply and crisply," although he said he trying to show some restraint when addressing jabs from Clinton.

"If the Republicans come at me I will come right back at them," Obama said. "I'll be honest with you, it's a little harder to do with a fellow Democrat because I'm trying to show some restraint. I wont have this much restraint with the Republicans."

Check out the video below of how Obama reacts to Clinton's attacks.

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by tommyjonq April 19, 2008 3:34 AM EDT: hillary looked plain worn out. either she''s aged ten years, or the botox wore off. or maybe it''s the way all of her friends have dumped her. even teacher''s pet, stepho, kept asking her and asking her if obama is "electable." what could she say? if she says "no," then she''s kneecapping a "fellow" democrat on the record. if she says, "yes! yes! yes!" then her one and only only argument to the superduperdelegates is out the window. the most horrifyingly fascinating part is the way that she is forced to lower herself and her family, lower and lower, just because she has that one in humdred chance of a plane crash or some other horrifying lucky break coming her way. i hope it never ends.; Reply to this comment


by ag1143 April 18, 2008 8:17 PM EDT: I agree. By his words and actions, Obama''s character is as "suspect" as the gesture he made after talking about Hillary Clinton at the Raleigh rally. The laughter and roar of the crowd was a dead giveaway.
Why would he chance giving the wrong perception to kids? He knew what he was doing.
That was not a great role model for children, especially how boys should treat girls.
Presidential candidates must not do something that kids would think Wow, if he can do that so can I!
Another poor choice on your part Barach.
How many times are we going to hear behavior denials on your part?
You are creating the distractions. This is about character. You are not getting high marks!; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 April 18, 2008 12:19 PM EDT: Americans are looking for the answer to the many (too many) concerns facing our country as a direct result of Conservative Policy.

War
Corruption
Deaths
Destruction
Energy
Food
Health
Housing
Pollution
Racism

And, these Republicans can only focus on what they deem as pertinent issues such as an American Flag Lapel Pin?

I guess I would be attempting to divert attention away too if I were the cause, and wished to sustain the course America has taken.; Reply to this comment


by nanging3 April 18, 2008 5:52 AM EDT: THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SINCLAIR PERIOD IN HIS LIFE...

And it was equally candid about his youthful struggles: pot, booze and %u201Cmaybe a
little blow,%u201D he wrote, could %u201Cpush questions of who I was out of my mind,%u201D
flatten %u201Cout the landscape of my heart, blur the edges of my memory.%u201D Most
memorably, the book gave the reader a heartfelt sense of what it was like to
grow up in the 1960%u2019s and 70%u2019s, straddling America%u2019s color lines: the sense of
knowing two worlds and belonging to neither, the sense of having to forge an
identity of his own.; Reply to this comment


by nanging3 April 18, 2008 5:49 AM EDT: OBAMA IS A BIG CRY BABY, NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL.
THOSE WERE QUESTIONS A LOT OF US WANTED ANSWERED, TOO BAD HE DIDN''T GIVE US STRAIGHT ANSWERS.
THEY ARE ALL LEGETIMATE CONCERNS.

GO SEE THIS VIDEO IT WILL BE HIS NEXT BE PROBLEM IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET !!
Subject: you have got to see this !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI77cU3jsFs&eurl=http://www.ziggidy.com/index.php
?option=com_content&view=article&id=322:baracks-original-race-speech&catid=1; Reply to this comment


by truth-hurts April 18, 2008 3:20 AM EDT: How gay can you look Obama!!! That cute little brush of your shoulder, not exactly a manly man type move.

Oh, I''m sorry. I hope I didn''t offend any gay people.; Reply to this comment


by joemile April 18, 2008 12:42 AM EDT: What will happen is this. Democratic Party will nominate Obama for elitist value they like to hold. Then, they will lose to McCain. ** If Hillary doesn''t get nominated, I would rather have another 4 years of Bush than Obama (who is as bad as John Kerry).; Reply to this comment


by joemile April 18, 2008 12:40 AM EDT: Obama tries to spin his bitter-cling-to-religion-and-gun comments. He also lied when his handwriting and answer of "yes" on the banning gun questionaire. Obama is an elitist and a liar. His supporters are as bittered as he said but no one else is. ABC did a great job at being fair. Timing, coin toss, and questions. Just because Hillary answered the question better, doesn''t mean that Obama questions were harder. I will not vote for him in the general election. Bring it on!!! It is either Hillary or McCain.; Reply to this comment


by joanhallhovey April 18, 2008 12:22 AM EDT: I agree with you - the moderators should be fired. It was like a bully gang-up on the way home from school. He was blindsided. It was, in my opinion, a set up. Disgusting, and certainly unprofessional. I think Senator Barack Obama is a great man, and will make a wonderful President of the United States. And I believe the whole world will benefit. I wish you a good wind at your back, Mr. Obama!; Reply to this comment


by eroosevelt08 April 17, 2008 11:47 PM EDT: Obama better wake up, because Clinton was telling the truth about the Republican tactics. If he can''t face or understand the Republicans'' tactics, he should do us all a favor and drop out of the race before Democrats lose a chance for the White House. And his constant whining and two-faced remarks are hurting the Democratic Party.; Reply to this comment