Angry Clinton Rips Obama Over Mailings

Accuses Rival's Campaign Of Distorting Her Health Care Plans, Trade Views

(AP)  Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday that a pair of mailings sent to voters by rival Barack Obama's campaign criticizing her health care plan and trade views are false, misleading and a betrayal of his pledge to practice a new style of politics.

"Shame on you, Barack Obama. It is time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages in public - that's what I expect from you," Clinton said angrily, waving the mailings in the air.

"Meet me in Ohio, and let's have a debate about your tactics," she added.

The two presidential candidates will meet in a televised debate in Cleveland Tuesday.

Clinton spoke to reporters after an early morning rally at Cincinnati Technical College, one of several events she has held across Ohio this week. After losing eleven straight contests to Obama since Super Tuesday, the former first lady is banking on a strong showing in primaries in Ohio and Texas on March 4 to save her fading candidacy.

With so much on the line and the clock ticking, Clinton ripped into Obama much more directly and forcefully than she has in the past.

She compared Obama to President Bush during the rally, suggesting the country had already taken a gamble on an inexperienced candidate who promised change.

"People talk a lot about change. We have lived through some of the worst change that anyone could imagine the last seven years," she said to loud applause. "People thought we were getting a compassionate conservative, didn't they? It turned out he was neither. We have lived with the consequences of those mistakes."

But the New York senator saved her toughest words for Obama's mailings, saying she refused to see the campaign "polluted" by such tactics.

"Enough about the speeches, and the big rallies, and then using tactics right out of (former Bush political adviser) Karl Rove's playbook. This is wrong and every Democrat should be outraged," Clinton said.

Clinton's advisers have repeatedly criticized the Obama campaign's health care mailing, which says her plan for universal coverage would "force" everyone to purchase insurance even if they can't afford it. Her plan requires everyone to be covered, but it offers tax credits and other subsidies to make insurance more affordable.

Obama's plan does not include the so-called "individual mandate" for adults, and he has argued that people cannot be required to buy coverage if they can't afford it. He has said his first priority is bringing down costs.

The Illinois senator's plan does include a mandate requiring parents to buy health insurance to cover children.

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Read the Obama campaign's health care mailing here.

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The second mailing, on the North American Free Trade Agreement, quotes a 2006 Newsday article suggesting Clinton believed the agreement had been a "boon" to the economy. NAFTA and other trade agreements are extremely unpopular in Ohio, which has suffered an exodus of blue-collar jobs to other countries in part due to such agreements.

It's a particularly sensitive matter for Clinton, whose husband championed and pushed for passage of the agreement as president. She is counting on the support of white, working class voters in the state.

"I am fighting to change NAFTA," she insisted. "Neither of us were in the Senate when NAFTA passed. Neither voted one way or the other."

Clinton said Newsday had corrected the record about her views on the agreement. Indeed, the paper published a blog item earlier this month saying Obama's use of the word "boon" was unfair.

"Obama's use of the citation in this way does strike us as misleading. The quote marks make it look as if Hillary said "boon," not us. It's an example of the kind of slim reeds campaigns use to try to win an office."

Earlier, Newsday published an item saying the word "boon" had been their "characterization of how we best understood her position on NAFTA, based on a review of past stories and her public statements."

As evidence of their concern about the issue, the Clinton campaign released two new ads in Ohio, including one featuring John Glenn - a former astronaut and U.S. senator from Ohio for 24 years - saying Clinton would fix trade agreements like NAFTA.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the campaign stood by the accuracy of the mailings.

"We look forward to having a debate this Tuesday on the facts, and the facts are that Senator Clinton was a supporter of NAFTA and the China permanent trade treaties until this campaign began," he said. "And she herself has said that under the Clinton health care plan, she would consider 'going after the wages' of Americans."

Clinton also pushed back on questions about how her campaign had burned through nearly $130 million, only to be vastly outspent by Obama on ads and organization in several key states.

She also denied having overspent on campaign consultants. Financial reports published this week showed she had paid $7.5 million to the consulting firm of her senior strategist Mark Penn for polling and direct mail services. Clinton's top media adviser, Mandy Grunwald, was paid more than $2 million to produce ads.

"Our money goes to directly communicating with voters. That's where the money goes," Clinton said.

She added that she felt good about her prospects in Ohio and Texas but refused to say whether she needed to win both states to stay in the race.

"Let's let the people of Ohio vote. Let's actually have an election and then we can look at the results," she said.

[jdubs63]

Oh my you guys.some really good info here.I just cannot see Michelle Obama as First Lady.....

[gunnerv1]

Obama better be careful or the "Anointed One" will have someone bust a cap on hs azz!

[gunownerdan]

"How a politician stands on the Second Amendment tells you how he or she views you as an individual ... as a trustworthy and productive citizen, or as part of an unruly crowd that needs to be lorded over, controlled, supervised, and taken care of."
- Suzanna Gratia-Hupp

www.A-HUMAN-RIGHT.com

[ivandrago]

Have you ever noticed that when ever Hillary doesn''t a win state there''s always a reason that doesn''t involve her. Well it was this. Well it was that. Never congratulations I was bested here.

[future_watch]

I spent a lot of time over the weekend doing research on candidates and following up on some way out rumors on one of our Democratic candidates. Barack Obama said it is silly season but things are way beyond silly judging from various Internet sites. The lies and hateful discourse reminded me we still have very far to go in America and that Democrats all to often beat themselves out of the White House with radical behavior. Democratic voters need to take a deep breath, remember the stakes, and vote with our heads rather than from anger and fear routed in race, gender, and religion. Do we want a President who has 35 years worth of proven experience at the local, national and international levels and a personal life that has already been opened to public scrutiny or an idealist without comparable experience and, personally speaking, an uncertain past open to innuendo and questions. To borrow a NASCAR term--it''s go or go home time. Silly season is a gross understatement.

[jack99123]

Best comment at the 80th award ceremony was by Jon Stewart. He pointed out that we got rid of Hussein in Iraq but are trying to bring back Hussein Obama to be our president.What a prograss we have made? Hussein of Iraq must be laughing in his grave.Let us wake up before we get 8 more years of dumb presidency that we had for the last 8 years with Bush. Hillary is still leading if we count Florida & Michigan in our delegate count.Viva Hillary !!!

[erasmus6]

The people of America are the ones that voted in Bush, not once, but twice. Is it any wonder that most of them aren''t capable of voting in the right person?

It is rather pathetic how the media controls you. But hey, I guess that is how you like it, you have let Bush control you for 8 years.

[handyre]

Hillary Clinton- the "Tonya Harding" of politics

[jamjholmes]

U ignorant sheeptards who are voting for the same ol status quo are ruining this country. U can''t see through the bs. Tv tells you so u obey and vote for their corporate candidates. Democrat/repub dont matter, it is all the fking same. You think you are voting for change with Hussein O''bama? Hes like ALL the others. Hitlery is worse. If the establishment does''nt like a candidate that should be your guy. U all ***** up. Thx.

[jgaines1--2008]

Now that''s acting. Senator Clinton reminded me of a "professional" wrestler. "Meet me in Ohio...!"

[jedi08]

Where did all the Hillary Clinton Supporters go on this site. They must all be in hidding. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
ding dong the witch is dead. the wicked witch is dead

[tbweb]

I like the Obama campaign characterization of this: tactical anger.

I liked Sen.Clinton until she got this new campaign manager who seems to embrace the silly season. I suppose seeing how a candidate (and her handlers) reacts to adversity shows a lot about how they would act as President.

Posted by andor3 at 03:01 AM : Feb 25, 2008,,,

"Tactical Anger" may be the right characterization because the news media is reporting Hillary Clinton sat on this for 2 weeks before complaining about it, if it were that important to Hillary she would have mentioned it as soon as she found out about it! Why wait 2 weeks? So tactical anger is probably correct!

[andor3]

I like the Obama campaign characterization of this: tactical anger.

I liked Sen.Clinton until she got this new campaign manager who seems to embrace the silly season. I suppose seeing how a candidate (and her handlers) reacts to adversity shows a lot about how they would act as President.

[erasmus6]

"need a life--" posted by b-easy63

I was going to ask you the same thing. You seem to be the one that posts non-stop, page after page. Do you eat or sleep?

[erasmus6]

"but even more important than what we do or don''''t do--what the fvck is it to you?" posted by b-easy63

Actually it isn''t just me. People all over the world are reading these articles and posts. We are all watching you go down the drain. We all are interested and want to be aware of what is happening because for some reason the U.S. likes to intrude in other countries lives. The U.S. cannot seem to mind its own business. In fact the U.S. is going to be the cause of World War 3. Why do you think you have terrorists after you? It is because you push your immoral ways on to their people and they don''t like it.

[eddynewhope]

Okie dokie - night night kmccliment. I''m not defensive about a candidate experimenting with drugs. I do however take offense at folks taking that fair admission and twisting it into the Mark Penn "drug-dealer" smear that you have posted here over and over again. Talk about why you support your candidate, and stop lying about the candidate that I support.

[kmccliment]

Eddy your dillusional. This has aready been mainstreamed. Dont get defensive over his drug use. He openly admits it. You didnt read his book obviously. I think you are here to pass your dillusional time away. With that I will be retiring....Eddy , paddle faster I here banjos... BUWAHHHAAHHAAA. I''m out..

[b-easy63]

how do you figure he beat them theve got some very big states coming up and barrys losing it in those states. if he doesnt win them its lights out. go home to chi town

Posted by kmccliment at 01:42 AM : Feb 25, 2008


LOL. Dreamweaver....It is actually Hilary who has to win them and by margins of 17 points or more for EACH race to be the front runner again. If he just keeps pace with her--he will still lead, If he wins any--you can meet us here to discuss her concession speech. For the sake of her supporters, I hope she loses really big--then maybe a little wake up call and humility will be the order of the day.

It is a very unwise thing to say certain states are second class or that they do not matter.

[erasmus6]

"you are wrong about our President--he cannot do anything without the cooperation of Congress" posted by b-easy63

I never said the President could do something on his own. He managed to get the cooperation of Congress and so can any other President.

[b-easy63]

ay I ask why you guys didn''''t get off your lazy a-s-ses and close ranks years ago and do something about Bush?

I think that you are full of c-r-a-p.

Posted by erasmus6 at 01:39 AM : Feb 25, 2008


LOL. We actually did get off our lazy azzes and close ranks. We marched, wrote our Congressmen, protested. called, signed petitions, got on watch lists...Unfortunately "we" were not in the majority--but even more important than what we do or don''t do--what the fvck is it to you? You have a country? Why are you so busy into our country and not in your own--need a life--do we fascinate you that much? Or are you just waiting to see how all our problems turn out, knowing as usual, your country won''t be far behind in trying to emulate us-even our downfall? You are kind of a pest--and beneath wasting my time on--troll.