Obama: Negative Attacks Will Backfire

Democrat Laments Tone Of Presidential Campaign

(AP)  Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday lamented the sour tone of the presidential campaign, but insisted he and his wife have created a protective bubble around their two young daughters.

In recent weeks, Obama has been criticized by his chief rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as being too inexperienced to be elected president. One of her top advisers resigned after suggesting Obama would be vulnerable to questions about his use of illegal drugs as a teenager. A Clinton surrogate raised Obama's Muslim heritage roots in what some viewed as an unflattering way. And he and Clinton have engaged in debate about their health care plans.

"So far, I think, attempts to go negative in a way that's not policy-based have backfired on the people who have gone in that direction," Obama said during a brief interview with The Associated Press after a town hall-style meeting at an American Legion hall.

"If people are arguing about policy, that's part of politics and that's fair," said Obama, an Illinois senator.

Obama said campaign media focused on policy, such as his flier touting his health care plan, are fair game and he will be aggressive about making such comparisons with Clinton. While not pleasant, he said he can't fault his rivals for them.

"I would distinguish between ads that I would say maybe mischaracterize my positions but had to do with policy, versus personal attacks or attempts to go at my character or those things. In which case, I will answer them swiftly and truthfully if they're false and trust in the voters," Obama said.

The back-and-forth between Obama and Clinton has not affected his daughters, Obama said. The girls, Malia and Sasha, have appeared with their parents at some campaign events and were included in a holiday campaign commercial Obama released this week.

"Part of the reason that Michelle and I were comfortable doing this is our daughters are young enough. They're not watching the news," Obama said. "They're watching Nickelodeon. You know, they're 9 and 6. They're watching 'Hannah Montana.'"

Earlier this month, Bill Shaheen, a co-chair of Clinton's New Hampshire campaign and husband of the state's former governor, resigned after suggesting that Obama's admitted use of illegal drugs as a teenager could be used against him if he won the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton later denounced the comments, which she said were unauthorized, and personally apologized to Obama.

This week, former Sen. Bob Kerrey endorsed Clinton but praised Obama's Muslim roots in a way that raised eyebrows because that detail has been part of an Internet smear campaign that falsely suggests Obama is a Muslim who wants to bring jihad to the United States. Obama is a Christian. Kerrey later apologized for any unintentional insult he may have committed.

When his daughters have seen any negative coverage, Obama said the girls go straight to him or their mother, Michelle.

"We've got a great relationship with our girls where if something bothers them, they ask us. They ask us questions about that. We don't want to stoke their fears about this stuff, but we want to make sure anything that comes up, they come and they talk to us about it," he said.

He said the family has "been able to create a space for them where they are just living their normal lives like little girls."

In New Hampshire, Clinton leads Obama 38 percent to 26 percent, according to the latest University of New Hampshire poll conducted for CNN-WMUR, a local television station. In other polls, however, they are running about even.

New Hampshire holds the nation's first presidential primary on Jan. 8.

Obama now turns his focus to Iowa, where he is in a tight contest with Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards. This trip was his last to New Hampshire before the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3.

[realpatriot1]

kenshin051,

I''ve been a member of the UAW, the AFL-CIO, the SEIU, and the IAM.

Unions are a special interest and it''s high time that a Democrat had the balls/ovaries to say so!

[kenshin051]

rowdytexas, you''ve got to be kidding? edwards has had comprehensive plans on everything WAY before hillary started to form hers. in fact, she and obama have practically plagurized some of his best ideas. remember, edwards was the first with a health care plan!! if you want to read more on how to really fix our nation''s problems, go to johnedwards.com and click on issues. go. now.

what is with obama, talking about negative ads, when he''s put out the worst, most mudslinging ads against edwards yet in this campaign. based on junk, lies, and no facts. nice try obama, especially calling unions ''special interests''. i suppose you don''t mind saying that now cuz you didn''t get their support, after all the wooing you did to try to get their endorsement. now that edwards has union support, they''re suddenly ''special interest groups''.

well, barack, sour grapes, eh?

[motherhen11]

Oh, enough issues already. I just want dirt.

[permalink078]

i always ask myself is Hillary really unelectable?
i am very suspicious when republicans tell me who they can beat in the general election. let me ask, if some one was not a threat to you would you bother spending money and time to bring them down, i think the answer is no. we have Rudy basing his campaign on the fact that he can beat Hillary, we have mccain spending money in new hampshire just to tell people that he is best equipped to beat Hillary, we have the republican candidates attacking Hillary in every debate they have and we have Karl rove giving obama advice on how to beat Hillary.

[permalink078]

can they really beat her or they are trying to get rid of her in the primaries? i personally think if they could beat her as they claim, they would let her win the primaries and then deal with her in the general election. i can''t believe that Karl rove wants obama to win, that''s ridiculous. the Republicans will do all they can to make sure they do not face Hillary in the general elections. democrats we need to wake up and open our eyes. we have the republicans and democrats attacking Hillary because they know if she wins, she will be unstoppable. stupids democrats are falling in the republican trap once again. she was leading in the polls and they attacked her left and right by making us believe she is unelectable. i strongly believe that she so far the best candidates the democrats have and they will be loose the elections if they elect someone else. i would like to see obama be our next prsident but the truth is, he can not win against any republican. do not believe the polls, polls lied that john kerry was going to win and they also lied that Howard dean was going to win the primaries. if polls were right bush would not be the president today. let''s give the republican there medicine.

go Hillary

[permalink078]

hi

[tbweb]

Hillary Clinton setting up 2 anti-Obama web sites and attacking Obama''s Kindergarten years is a major turnoff. Clinton staff also mentioning cocaine twice against Obama on Hardball was equally low ball and disgusting, Hillary Clinton can win without any of that and it looks desperate and pathetic. It also won''t translate into support and Votes either!

[realpatriot1]

juno912,

The Hallmark of a negative campaign is the spreading of false smears, not legitmate questioning of what a candidate has actually said or done.

As an Obama suppoerter I have no problem with people questioning his voting record or failure to show for votes, his relations with special interests like Archer Daniels Midland and other ethanol producers, his lack of experience(something he shares with ALL the candidates), or criticisms of his policy proposals.

He & Edwards have the legitimate right to quuestion Hillary in the same manner; that''s how the candidates are vetted and voters receive the information they need to make an informed decision.

The problem I have is with people who make the kind of unsubstantiated smears like you did in your post.
Would you like to provide some examples to substantiate your claims that Obama has run a race-baiting, gay-bashing campaign, and negative campaign?
You can''t because it''s typical Clinton ***!

Hillary & Guliani should lock themselves in a closet and have a New York-style streetfight and let the rest of us focus on America''s future and acheiving national reconciliation.

[truth019]

All of you Hillary supporters are FAKE!!!

SHE SAW HER POLL NUMBERS "FALLING BIG TIME THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN IOWA & NEW HAMPSHIRE..... AS WELL AS NATIONALLY!!!!

SHE JUST GOT "RID OF THE TOP LEVEL POLLSTERS ADVISING HER CAMPAIGN @ BILL''S REQUEST!!! (SHE STILL CANT STAND ON HER OWN FEET HUH??).....

THATS WHY WE ARE SEEING THE "KINDER, GENTLER HILLARY".....(WHAT A PIECE OF CROCK *** THAT IS)!!!!

1ST YOU HILLARY SUPPORTERS "ATTACKED BARACK FOR RUNNING".... "WE KNOW YOU PEOPLE THINK ONLY HILLARY IS QUALIFIED & IT''S HER MANIFEST DESTINY AS A WHITE WOMAN"!!!!

THEN YOU ATTACKED "OPRAH FOR HAVING THE NERVE TO SUPPORT OBAMA & NOT ENDORSE A "WHITE PERSON"!!!!

& DONT MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THOSE WERE REPUKES ATTACKING HER.... BECAUSE "MOST OF THE ATTACKS CAME FROM ANGRY DEMOCRATS WHO SAY THEY ARE "INCLUSIVE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR", BUT "PRACTICE SOMETHING DIFFRENT"!!!!

(LIKE I SUPPORT BLACKS AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A SUBSERVIENT RELATIONSHIP WITH ME/US)!!!!

YOU PEOPLE "BETTER WAKE UP REAL QUICK"!!!

HILLARY CAN "WIN", BUT ONLY WITH A 50 + 1 MAJORITY, BECAUSE SHE IS "TO *** POLARIZING"!!!!

BARACK IS ATTRACTIVE TO DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS & REPUBLICANS!!!!

THAT IS WHY YOU "HATE HIM HUH???"!!!!
"SHAME ON YOU UNDEMOCRATIC DEMORATS"!!!!

TRUTH & JUSTICE WILL WIN OUT OVER BIGOTRY & LIES!!!
GO BARACK!!!! 2008!!!

[rowdytexan2]

Obama nor Edwards was so busy bashing Hillary that they never had time to develop policies and plans for fixing our government until a month ago when they were booed at the debates. Now, all of a sudden they decide they need to make a plan. So they take everybody elses and change the a little to make like they might have a clue.

NOW, when Hillary strikes a little at their records and starts talking about their trumped up plans, they decided to cry foul.

Typical junior high mentality out of both of these guys.

[eddie1515]

Help Reunite The Republican Party.....Nominate Hillary Clinton "08". A large number of Democrats will cross over to the dark side and vote Republican, before they vote for Hillary. Including myself. She wants the voters to trust her with the nomination. Yet....she won''t trust the people with her records, is there something there she/he does not want the people to know?

[jonesforch]

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

[hillary4sout]

GO HILLARY U SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT YOU IS WHY YOU WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT THE POOR MISGIDED NUTCAKES.. HILLARY GO FIGHT WIN ... READY ON DAY ONE AND YOU BETTER BELIVE SHE WILL BE BROTHER !!!!!!!!HILLARY 08 THE STRONG RIGHT CHOICE.

[chirumbolo]

Typical smarmy O-bomb-A *** - accuse his opponents of negative attacks,claim they will backfire, when all along, O-Bomb-A has been running the dirtiest, race-baiting, gay bashing, negative campaign of any of the Democrats. We Democrats are not fooled by O-Bomb-A''s sort. He''ll be gone before too long. Can''t wait.

[agnim]

The poor woman, Hilary, needs to have a man (and a DISGRACED on at that) to lead her campaign.

Hilary Clinton cannot even hold a decent family together; yet Americans should trust PARTNER OF A CHEAT & A LIAR (Bill Clinton) to run a country of 300, million?

Lying, cheating, lack of good judgment, Bill Clinton, brought such huge disgrace to the White House and his presidency; yet this deceiver has the nerve to go on national TV challenging Obama''s experience.

Bill Clinton is running for the presidency on behalf of his wife; because he knows Hilary is politically incompetent and is riding on his DISGRACED coattails.

Too bad, Bill will surely help to sink Hilary''s national campaign, which she could not manage on her own anyway.

It''s good for the nation to witness that Barack Obama can run a national campaign without having his spouse upstaging him.

[kansas1946]

Ohhhhh..I can see the Hillary gang are getting nervous, hitting this article like crazy. Kinda like the Ron Paul groupies. Say what you will, Obama is a class act and Hillary is the one that has gone negative, mostly out of fear. I love this guy. Just stay on the issues Barack.

[realpatriot1]

metroduck/Anduril919,

Voter won''t learn how irresonsible Obama is from you because you have no examples to back up your charges.

What are these attacks on Clinton by Obama? Has he brought up travel-gate, FBI file-gate, furniture-gate,
"I didn''t inhale-gate", "I didn''t have *** with that woman-gate,national healthcare-gate,"I''m not standing by my man-gate",or any other garbage like the planted smears about his adolescent drug use or his juvenile attendance at a Muslim school mandated by his parents.

As far as I''m concerned, he hasn''t been tough enough on the former 1st meddler.

Her type of experience is not what we need.

[anduril919]

What''s classy is that in the midst of the Hillary campaign going positive, the Obama campaign remains on attack mode with this article and with the letters their sending to supporters. Why? That''s all they have going for them. From the get go, Obama kept on attacking and insinuating, relying on the Republican themes that have so divided the nation. And what''s more disgusting is that the attack on Hillary is baseless. What''s more disgusting is that when Hillary responded to the OBAMA CAMP''s LIES with truth, they still attacked Hillary. Now THAT''s classy.

And what''s interesting is that the no one has responded to my challenge. In the midst of thousands of Obama supporters, not one can recall a factual inaccuracy that Clinton has said of their campaign or their opponents. After I''ve shown Obama for the HYPOCRITICAL attacks he has made, after showing that OBAMA used Republican LIES for his attacks, no one has even responded with anything analogous from Clinton.

The truth is, Hillary has acted with so much more class than Obama in this campaign. The truth is, Hillary has maintained the integrity of her campaign better than Obama''s.

[anduril919]

It''s high time that the Clinton camp counter the heavy partisanship of MSM by simply presenting the facts about Obama. Time and again, the Clinton camp has been accused of attacking and negative campaigning when all they''ve done is respond to Obama''s attacks and lies. Any objective observer would see that the dirtiest campaign and the one who has said more lies is Obama. You only need to look at it.

Everytime that the Clinton camp has called on the Obama camp for the lies that the Obama camp has said - all Obama responds with is that Hillary Clinton is attacking. There is no substantive response to the point that the Clinton camp has made. In other words, Obama has acted like a PUNK whenever he is caught in a lie. Just compare the "Fact Hub" and the "Fact Check" (Clinton''s and Obama''s) how substantive the responses of the Clinton camp are and how the Obama camp is just simply negative. And the worst thing is that Obama is still regarded as a saint when he is the most guilty when it comes to dirty tricks.

[coolprophet]

RON PAUL IS THE NEW WAY
What we need is a President who will show us the way. Not the old way. Not the same way, but a NEW way. Think about this for a minute. What if we pulled all of our troops out of South Korea? They''ve been there for 50+ years. What if we quit worrying about Iran, but instead, realized that its having a nuclear weapon will not mean the end of the world? What if we pulled all of our troops out of the Middle-East, and brought them all home? What if we realistically addressed the National Debt, and paid attention to REALLY DOING SOMETHING about stopping illegal immigration? These are the ideas of Presidential candidate, Ron Paul. He''s a ten term Congressman and a physician who has delivered over 4,000 babies. He''s an intellectual who''s published four books, three of which are devoted entirely to sound economics and one to foreign policy. He was raised on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania as a pious Lutheran, but now he attends a Baptist church. Paul is given to mulling things over morally. Whenever he recollects the helicopter pilots he treated as an Air Force Flight Surgeon (Captain) during the Vietnam War, a war which he now says was "totally unnecessary and illegal," he laments, "They were gung-ho. I''ve often thought about how many of those people never came back." Candidates with the high level of personal integrity and proven track record of adherence to The Constitution, Congressman Paul has always demonstrated only come around once in a lifetime