Hillary Clinton: Front-Runner And Target

Other Democrats In The Race Take Aim At N.Y. Senator

(AP)  Hillary Rodham Clinton is finding herself in her rivals' cross-hairs.

Barack Obama and John Edwards try to paint her as a candidate of the Washington establishment and beholden to special interests. Chris Dodd questioned the former first lady's competence on health care reform. They have hinted she's too divisive to govern effectively as president.

The shift in tone was perhaps inevitable, coming nine months into a largely cordial primary campaign that has left the New York senator the undisputed front-runner for the Democratic nomination. In criticizing Clinton, they acknowledge she's a formidable candidate and accept that she's unlikely to stumble badly to give others an opening.

"Her opponents are starting to worry that she is consolidating her position, and that's potentially fatal for them," said Raphael Sonenshein, a political science professor at California State University, Fullerton. "A lot of people watching her campaign are surprised by the fact that it's strengthening and could be starting to break away."

The new dynamic is also a clear expression of frustration by Clinton's rivals, who were forced to the sidelines this week when she released her new health care plan. The rollout drew extensive media coverage.

Republicans are criticizing Clinton as though she's already the Democratic nominee. Rudy Giuliani has relied on newspaper and Web ads to assail her on the Iraq war.

To remain in the game, Democrats are starting to point out Clinton's potential vulnerabilities and question her electability.

At a seniors' forum in Iowa on Thursday, rival Joe Biden suggested congressional Republicans would refuse to work with Clinton to accomplish health care reform.

"Let's be frank about this," Biden said. "What's changed to make you think Hillary is going to be able to put together the 15 percent of Republicans" who will be needed to enact any overhaul of the health care system?

In an interview with The Associated Press, Dodd said Clinton had mismanaged her effort to reshape the nation's health care system during her husband's presidency and questioned why she touted that experience as evidence she should be allowed to try again.

Biden and Dodd are both polling in single digits and have had little impact on the overall dynamic of the field. But their criticisms come amid new efforts by Clinton's lead rivals, Obama and Edwards, to portray her as part of the status quo.

Edwards has been particularly aggressive, claiming Clinton lifted his health care plan and criticizing her ties to lobbyists and other special interests.

His top campaign strategist, Joe Trippi, even sent an e-mail to supporters this week blasting her for attending a fundraising lunch with lobbyists. Clinton, he wrote, is the "poster child" for what's wrong in Washington.

Obama faces his own set of risks and complications. He has pledged to run a positive campaign without the personal attacks or negativity that would cast him as a "conventional" politician. That pledge has come with a downside: Clinton strategists pounce each time Obama utters any sort of critique.

So in a new television ad campaign released this week, Obama tiptoes around Clinton's vulnerabilities without addressing them head on.

In an ad about health care, he laments the "bickering" that defined past attempts to reform the system. "For the last 20 years, Washington has talked about health care reform but reformed nothing," he says.

Is he talking about Clinton? Obama doesn't say.

And without naming names, Obama's new campaign speech includes a warning about a return to political polarization.

"George Bush and Dick Cheney may have turned divisive, special interest politics into an art form, but it was there before they got to Washington," he said.

For her part, Clinton hasn't taken the bait and has largely ignored the potshots from fellow Democrats.

"Voters can see through politically motivated attacks," said her spokesman Howard Wolfson. "Other candidates are clearly frustrated with their falling poll numbers."

Clinton is already training her sights on the GOP. She referred to Cheney this week as Darth Vader, and a top Clinton campaign adviser, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, said Giuliani's rocky personal life would be fair game in a general election.

But longtime Democratic strategist Erik Smith said that despite Clinton's clear strengths, there was still opportunity for her rivals to make headway. Their critiques could have particular resonance in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, where voters are closely following the contest, he said.

"If you are running behind a front-runner, you have to do something to change the dynamics of the race," Smith said. "You really have no choice - you can't rest on your laurels and hopes that she trips."

[getloud1]

Ron Paul has it all.

**** TAKE AMERICA BACK ****
**** STOP THE WAR & Corporate Corruption****

Ron Paul has it all.

He has NEVER voted:
* to raise taxes
* for an unbalanced budget
* to raise congressional pay
* for a federal restriction on gun ownership
* to increase the power of the executive branch

He HAS voted:
* against the Iraq war
* against the inappropriately named USA PATRIOT act
* against regulating the internet
* against the Military Commissions Act

He will eliminate the IRS, Wasteful Government Spending & Stop The Iraq War Immediately!

Most importantly, he voted NO on anything in Congress that is not allowed by the Constitution.

He is the only candidate not a member of the CFR!

Shouldn''''t ALL members of Congress uphold the Constitution? Aren''''t they SWORN to uphold it? You can bet Paul won''''t call the Constitution "just a G**D***ed piece of paper" like George Bush is reported to have.

If you want a candidate you can TRUST due to a proven track record, visit ronpaul2008.com and get busy spreading the word. The Mainstream Media is Blacking Out Ron Paul From Exposing The Truth! He has won 6 straw polls already and growing daily!

Ron Paul Revolution: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ron+paul

Get Active Join The Revolution In Your City Today! http://ronpaul.meetup.com/cities/

Also checkout http://video.google.com search for Federal Reserve Fraud

[prinzowhales]

"Cattle Futures" Clinton vs. the "Cross-Dressing Mafiosi"...sounds like it would be quite a match...all we need is a big tub of mud, some German shepards and a burro...These two couldn''t be running for the presidency...what kind of cretins would support them?...this is a joke, right? Please, tell me it is a joke...

[klingon69]

b48151 -- I have question for you: Is it now mandatory that you be a pedophile or engage in bathroom *** to be a Republican? Or, is it still okay for anyone to be Republican, provided your IQ is less than 10? Just curious.
Posted by SFTodd at 02:13 PM : Sep 23, 2007
Then you must be qualified on all points.

[klingon69]

Guess what Republicans, your giving China economic power by your sinful greed to profit and who cares what happens to the middle class
Posted by mestsal at 11:02 PM : Sep 22, 2007
Ahh, but who gave China favored nations status for trade???
That''s right, Bill Clinton

[starleo146]

Rudy may look better in a dress, but Hillary can out-debate him on any subject. Looking forward to that.

Posted by SFTodd at 06:48 PM : Sep 22, 2007

Why do they possibly think Giuliai could beat Hillary in a debate I just do not see it . I see Rudy as a complete dimwit although he was a lawyer but that fake smile I just want to slap his face and those calls to his wife all planned she is a dimwit just like him.

[starleo146]

I watched her on every news program this morning and I have not made up my mind yet which democrat I will vote for, But I have to say the news Questions to her are so biased they tried everything to have her slip up but I have to say she is very intelligent and has the media down. She looked very presidential today and I have to look into paying more attention to what she is saying I also think the republicans have been planning for this a long time and it will not be easy for her I see more Clinton attacks, attacks but she is tough I will give her that.No democrat elected could be as bad as bush and friends

[sftodd]

b48151 -- I have question for you: Is it now mandatory that you be a pedophile or engage in bathroom *** to be a Republican? Or, is it still okay for anyone to be Republican, provided your IQ is less than 10? Just curious.

[radiob-2009]

If (what if) Hillary wins the democratic nomination the democrats will lose the presidential election.
So who will be the republican lapdog?

[realpatriot1]

ramos937,

I agree that a great deal of the shots at her are because she''s the frontrunner and also because many republicans resent the successes of her husband at delivering on promises they made but never delivered on themselves.

At the same time, she brings much of it on herself.

I just finished listening to her explain to George Stephanopolous why she voted against the Levin amendment to require Bush to wait for the U.N. to finish its work before authorizing war against Iraq.

She tried to compare it to her husband building a coalition against Serbia which was an entirely different circumstance, given the fact that her husband wasn''t threatening to go it alone.

She claims that she would never have granted Bush authority if she knew how he would use it. EVERYONE KNEW HOW HE WOULD USE THE AUTHORITY!! He said how he was going to use it! Her husband was more believable when he said he didn''t have *** with that woman!

She''s 100% politician.

[mistered9]

Go to it Democrats. You make Clinton a better choice.
You should spend your time building yoursef up not trying to distry the opposition,
What jerks.

[mistered9]

Democrats taking aim at Hillary Clinton made us make up our mind, we will vote for her.
If there that afraid of her, she must be the best choice.

[radiob-2009]

Cfin5


Ron Pauls voting record can be found here.

http://votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=296

Scroll down to find out how he voted on every issue.

[ramos937]

My candidate is Richardson. But, I can fully understand the potshots at Hilliary. She is the front runner. If Obama was the front runner, the same folks would ignore Hilliary and take potshots at Obama. But, I sincerely feel pity for those who make up lies, half truths and rumors about her.

[actornaught]

Too early to give up on anybody, really. You have to realize that not too long before November 1992, Bill Clinton was third in all the polls, behind Ross Perot and GHWBush. Then Perot did his little freakout thing, and Bill was voted in just to get rid of bush.

Probability is way against Ron Paul, but ya never know...

[cfin5]

Kalivontin,.......I think you need to go sleep it off before you post anything else tonight.

[kaliveotin]

I admire your effort, but you can give up on Ron Paul. Hes a right wing religious Zelot against the war. Who is his constituancy. Last time I looked the right wing religious types weretrongly behond the war and supportive of our torture policy. His anti-war stance is admirable but he''s extreemly anti-american with his oppressive morality position on a woman''s right to choose. Almost everybody dislikes him for a different reason. He''s a right wing republican religious zelot who has angered the right wing and left wing. Furthermore no moderate would ever support him. GIVE UP ON RON PAUL as a presidential hopefull.

[dutchfarmer]

The media''s darlings are Clinton and Giuliani. The media lacks objectivity. Ron Paul is the ONLY sane choice for President 2008.

[madmax87820]

I wish everyone who is registered to vote would TRULY research every candidate running, on both sides, Ron Paul is the only candidate that will truly stand for the american people, I know this hurts, but do your research and consider becoming a Republican to support this great Patriot to become our next President, (we can all come back to the Democrat side when we get this job done), please, do your research before you kill my vote

[cfin5]

Kaliveotin,.....Good point! That reminds me of something I thought of awhile back in that if a doctor is gonna cut on me, I want his college GPA posted right on his white coat 24/7/365! Man, wouldn''t that rule would stop the sqrewin'' around in college from here on out or what?

[kaliveotin]

Insurance companies, pharmacutical companies and DOCTORS, and LAYWERS are selfish and greedy obsticles to good health care in America. If they all gave just a bit, we could get this done.