Jeers for Clinton as She Continues Criticism of Obama

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

PITTSBURGH – During remarks the American Manufacturing Organization today Hillary Clinton continued to push Barack Obama’s comments that middle class Americans are “bitter” over their economic situation, but the political jab wasn’t well received by the union crowd.

“I understand my opponent came this morning and spent a lot of his time attacking me,” Clinton said as the crowd began to grumble.

“Well, you know, I know that many of you, like me, were disappointed by recent remarks he made,” at which point members of the audience began saying “No!” and making noises that sounded like boos.

Clinton continued cautiously, “And I think it’s important that we give people the chance to really compare and contrast us. You know, I am well aware that at a fund-raiser in San Francisco he said some things that many people in Pennsylvania and beyond Pennsylvania have found offensive. He was explaining to a small group of his donors what people who live in small towns like right here in Pennsylvania are like and why some of you are voting for him but instead of looking at himself he blamed them and said that they cling to religion and guns and dislike people who are different from them. Well I don’t believe that.”

Clinton quickly moved past the comments and recovered the audience attention when she said, “After seven years of Americans feeling invisible to this president, president Bush, it’s time that we leveled the playing field and begin acting like Americans again and that means we roll up our sleeves and we get to work making our country what we know it can be and went on to talk about her ideas for fixing trade relations and how she has a plan to save manufacturing jobs.”

The crowd seemed supportive of Clinton’s plans to fix trade and create more manufacturing jobs; she even received a couple of standing ovations. Clinton focused on the growing tensions between the United States and China over fair trade and told the crowd how she called on President Bush to boycott the opening ceremony at the Olympics in Beijing. Clinton took the opportunity to take a dig at Obama for not agreeing to the boycott.

“I’m still waiting for my Democratic opponent to give us a clear answer on the Olympics, he says he is of two minds. Well, as a president you’ve gotta be able to make up your mind and you’ve gotta be able to stick with your decisions. And if you can’t stand up to China over an opening ceremony, how are you going to stand up to China when it comes to trade or currency manipulation?” Clinton said to loud applause.

Following her speech Clinton took some questions from the crowd. One gentleman in the audience asked Clinton about NAFTA and how her husband signed the bill into law. The man asked Clinton how he can be sure that Americans won’t be tricked again. Clinton responded with a big smile, “As smart as my husband is, he does make mistakes.”