Clinton to Obama: Stop Complaining

By: Fernando Suarez
Topics: Hillary Clinton

(CBS)

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

PHILADELPHIA -- Hillary Clinton went after Barak Obama today for "complaining" about the hard questions he was asked at the recent ABC News debate. "We were both asked some pretty tough questions and that's part of what happens in a debate and in a campaign," Clinton told a local Philadelphia morning show. "And I know he spent all day yesterday complaining about the hard questions he was asked. Being asked tough questions in a debate is nothing like the pressures you face inside the White House. In fact, when the going gets tough, you just can't walk away because we're going to have some very tough decisions that we have to make."

While Obama wasn't pleased with the debate because he felt the moderators didn't get to substantive issues until 45 minutes after it started, ABC has also been facing criticism for what some felt was an unfair focus by the moderators on Obama.

But Clinton is no stranger to complaining about the unfair treatment she's received at previous debates. At a recent debate hosted by NBC's Brian Williams and Tim Russert in Ohio, Clinton complained about being called on before Obama. "Can I just point out that in the last several debates, I seem to get the first question all the time," she said. "I just find it kind of curious that I keep getting the first question on all of these issues."

Clinton was asked this morning if she thought the debate was fair. "Well, can I say that I've been through, what 23 of these debates? And as I recall, I was asked some pretty tough questions in nearly every one of them. That goes with the territory," she said. "The special interests are going to be a lot tougher than 90 minutes of questions from two journalists, and we need a president who is going to be up there fighting everyday for the American people and not complain about how much pressure there is, and how hard the questions are."

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by greenfun April 18, 2008 6:43 PM EDT: Obama is such a wuss. The very first time he had to take tough questions in a debate, and he and his supporters are acting like two year olds. Get over it. He now claims he doesn''t want to do any more debates. He is taking his cookies and going home. He''s been getting a free ride all along. ABC had the first moderators with real guts.
The dude has a relationship with Rezco, Ayers and Wright.
Give me Clinton-I don''t want a pansy in the White House.; Reply to this comment


by stirg April 18, 2008 5:04 PM EDT: Mr. Obama, Please step down for the good of the democratic party and the american people, we need the country to be focused on solving our problems-we want solutions-not talk.; Reply to this comment


by kangarootoo April 18, 2008 4:43 PM EDT: Mrs. Clinton, for the sake of the party, for the sake of the country, please drop out of the race or return to a healthy, meaningful dialogue on the issues. Those of us considering voting for Senator Obama are drawn by his desire to build up while you, and your husband, appear bent on trearing down.; Reply to this comment


by stirg April 18, 2008 4:35 PM EDT: Hillary took the same tuff questions and used them to her advantage, by taking in debth about her programs, Obama let himself be sucked in and didn"t turn the tables on them-POINTS up a big advantage hillary has against the republican attack machine-she can take it and deflect it-again it showed obamas lack of experience; Reply to this comment


by exaag April 18, 2008 4:32 PM EDT: An open question to Obama supporters: If Obama was white, and if the past associates were klansmen who bombed a black church in Mississippi, and if Obama met with these people in their homes and took money from them,and say Obama had a KKK banner in his campaign headquarters rather than a Che Guevara banner, and say Obama went for 20 years to some fundamentalist southern whites-only church while claiming he was "unaware" of the racism, but, aside from that, the "white Obama" asserted the same political views in his "hope and change" speeches, would you still trust him? THAT IS WHY the so-called "unfair" questions were important.; Reply to this comment


by formlessness-2009 April 18, 2008 4:08 PM EDT: wow it''s amazing how i never tired of the whole pot calling the kettle black thing from politicians. Hillary, may we remind you of your whole "the press is being too hard on me" thing from the last debates? The fake tears from New Hampshire.... stop whining? how about taking some of your own advice and stop complaining, no matter how low you sink you will not be our next president. sorry game over, you can stay till the end of the race, but like the last runner to finish a marathon, you get no reward.; Reply to this comment


by javalation April 18, 2008 4:00 PM EDT: Thanks to your lies Hil, I''ve learned what you are really about "win at all cost". You would rather do everything in your power to help McCain beat Obama so you can get another shot in 2012. The problem is, your negative rating continues to soar. You may be so hated by 2012 that no one would want you even for dog catcher.; Reply to this comment


by mrtutto April 18, 2008 3:56 PM EDT: The least that CBS could do is learn how the spell the name of our next President.It''s Barack Obama.; Reply to this comment


by mrtutto April 18, 2008 3:52 PM EDT: I knew that Hillary was a Republican.She was in on this with George and Charles. She received the play book before the debate. Didn''t George work in the Clinton White house ? It is HILLARY WHO HAS BEEN WHINING... before every primary she either starts crying or complaining about the Saturday Night Live thing. She just gets away with it. Obama wasn''t complaining. He just wasn''t ready for an ambush by George ( can''t get enough of those great Clinton years ) Stephanopoules.and Sean Hannity. If you look at the questions that were designed to totally convince that audience that Obama is unpatriotic, you would clearly see Hillary fanning herself. If someone had told him that he would be facing 3 Republicans, he would have been better prepared for the real sniper fire.; Reply to this comment


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