Delegate Leader Refutes Clinton's Personal Attacks
This story was written by Katy Justice, Daily Texan
Sen. Barack Obama responded to jabs from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at Thursday's Democratic debate, calling them political silliness and saying personal attacks discourage people's faith in the federal government.
The Cuban government, the economy and immigration were issues where Obama and Clinton shared viewpoints, but the Illinois senator avoided personal attacks when he answered a few key questions. CNN's John King, Campbell Brown and Univision's Jorge Ramos brought up several of Clinton's recent personal criticisms against Obama.
Clinton told crowds in Texas that while Obama gives speeches, she gives solutions, CNN's John King said at the debate.
She ripped Obama when King asked her about allegations of Obama plagiarizing material from the governor of Massachusetts.
"Lifting whole passages from someone else's speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox," she said. Boos from the audience followed.
Josh Earnest, Texas spokesman for the Obama campaign, said he believes everyone is tired of Clinton's recent personal attacks on Obama.
"I'm happy to have a debate on the issues, but what we shouldn't be spending time doing is tearing each other down," Obama said. "We should be spending time lifting the country up."
Clinton also said she was amused when she saw Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, unable to name one of Obama's accomplishments. She has previously called Obama "all hat and no cattle" and called him too inexperienced to be president.
"What they see is that if we don't bring the country together, stop the endless bickering, actually focus on solutions and reduce the special interests that have dominated Washington, then we will not get anything done," Obama said.
Obama has an 11-state winning streak, and the Texas primary will be important for the Democratic candidates.
© 2008 Daily Texan via U-WIRE