Where Obama And Clinton Differ

Democrats Agree On Most Policy Issues, But There Are Some Points Of Contention

(AP)  Democrats just can't decide whether Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton would make a better presidential nominee, and there's some good reason for that. When it comes to policy, they are closely aligned.

"The differences between Barack and I pale in comparison to the differences that we have with Republicans," Clinton said at a debate earlier this year.

Even on one of their most frequently debated policies, Obama once said: "Ninety-five percent of our health care plan is similar."

Stephen Hess, a presidential scholar at the Brookings Institution, said their policy agreements ironically have added to the tension in their campaign.

"There is simply no doubt that when two candidates virtually agree, you have to find other reasons to find an argument about why you should be for one rather than the other," he said. "That's why suddenly the issues in this campaign are issues of character rather than position. And once they are issues of character, they can get very personal."

Both want to provide health care for all and end the Iraq war. They want to increase tax credits for college tuition, protect abortion rights and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen labor and environmental standards.

They want to reform immigration in largely the same way and both have energy plans that would cost $150 billion over 10 years.

Here are some of the most significant points of contention that may help voters in the 10 contests choose between Clinton and Obama.

Health Care

Both say they have a goal of providing universal coverage and will try to lower costs to make it more affordable. The biggest difference is that Clinton would require everyone to get health insurance while Obama would not. Clinton says her plan is the only one that is truly universal because people won't get coverage unless they are required to, similar to auto insurance. Obama says people will get insurance only if they can afford it.

Housing

Both want to help homeowners facing foreclosure, but Clinton's plan includes a five-year freeze on interest rates for all subprime mortgages, which often go to borrowers with the poorest credit. Obama disagrees with the proposed freeze, saying it will drive up interest rates and keep other people from getting mortgages.

Both candidates also support legislation to help homeowners with "underwater mortgages" - meaning their homes are worth less than the mortgage. That legislation would provide government guarantees for their mortgages, but Clinton wants to go one step further than Obama. She wants the federal government to buy underwater mortgages and reduce payments to a level homeowners can afford.

Education

Obama has called for something that irks teachers' unions. He says educators should be rewarded based on performance as long as test scores aren't the sole measure. Clinton says she would support merit pay, as long as it was based on school-wide performance and not the individual teacher.

At the college level, both want to provide more tuition relief through tax credits - up to $3,500 for Clinton and $4,000 for Obama. Obama also would require something Clinton does not. Students would have to perform 100 hours of community service to qualify each year.

Retirement

Both candidates say they would help low- and middle-income workers set up personal retirement accounts and provide government matches for the first $1,000 saved annually. But they would go about it differently.

Clinton would match 100 percent for families earning $60,000 or less, with smaller breaks for those earning up to $100,000. Obama would match 50 percent of the first $1,000 for families making less than $75,000.

On Social Security, Clinton has refused to say publicly what options she would consider to keep the system afloat long term. Obama has said the best choice is to raise Social Security taxes on people earning more than $200,000.

Foreign Policy

The debate over whether the president should directly negotiate with rogue leaders has been one of the most prominent issue differences in the campaign. Obama says he would meet with heads of state in places like Cuba, Iran and North Korea. Clinton says those meetings could be used for propaganda and her first response will be outreach through other diplomatic channels.

Immigration

Another much-discussed division: whether to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. Obama says yes, for safety reasons. Clinton says no.

Taxes

Both candidates would repeal Bush's tax cuts on wealthy Americans to pay for their programs. Obama also has a plan for across-the-board tax cuts for most workers. Clinton doesn't support Obama's plan because of it $80 billion cost and because it would apply to families with significant incomes. Obama's campaign says it would begin a phase-out for households that earn around $150,000.

[enlightened-]

Hmmm...Obama doesn''t lie? He must have just forgotten that Rezko gave him a bigger donation than he admitted. And he forgot when he said that he didn''t accept money from big oil companies. And what about some of those infamous sermons he claimed not to be in attendance for...but later was proven false? And we never did hear why his church took out a 10 million dollar loan on the property Wrights "retirement home" was built on. And what exactly was it that Obama did as Senator of Illinois? Oh, yeah...I think he forgot that too....

[moblou]

They differ in the fact that Hillary writes and gives plans for America that Obama borrows/lifts and tweaks them as his own. In fact, they differ greatly it is just that we haven''t really heard any of his real ideas.

[sunny20081]

Shame to the world, does Obama look black to your eyes? Why should a son to a white woman and black father be called black? How do you define ''black'' and
''white''? the adults are cursed, that is why they call Obama black. Muslims are mad that Obama is a christian! Clinton thought otherwise!
vote for Obama for whom he is!

[sunny20081]

I really don''t mind voting for McCain or Hillary or Obama, I just can''t vote for a liar! I will rather vote for some one who speaks the bitter truth even if it hurts, at least that can be amended. How can you cure a liar? Liars only accept it when they are discovered. Lies sucks people, lies stink! Of all these three candidates, Obama is the true genuine candidate that will do the job whole heartedly especially as he knows that the whole world is watching him. For the other two, they have already photocopied ready-to-tell lies based on past experience and practice.
I hate lies, but still love the people!

[sunny20081]

The lying couple wants to get back to the white house to clean up what they left behind!
Lying their way to the president isn''t cute! I hope they don''t plot to hurt Obama! Will Hillary vote for Obama if he becomes the Democratic nominee? Then it will be a strange thing in deed. How will she vote for some one who has no experience and can''t answer 3.00 am call! Chelsea is telling people to mind their business, yet calling them out to the cold to mind her business! This is a family thing, these three musketeers are out for something, before long we will find out.

[sunny20081]

Others will be cast into the lake of fire for giving God the name of an idol! You can go on your knees and receive the mark 666 is the name of prayer! Both Christians and muslims shall be judged! If you think you are better than a moslim, show it by your works not mere words! Hillary has shown by her works that she is not a good liar! she lies like a nursury school kids. When it is found she now creates new vocabulary '' mispeak'' or ''misspoke'' or ''missclinton'' or missnomination or missthewhitehouse. Bill who has always lied came up again, this time not defending his concubine, but his dear wife. He only made things worse! She told him on the phone to shut up, you are too old to remember the Bosnia story. People, Hillary and Bill are tired, don''t you see it? They are fighting like drowning people, since the can''t make it, they want to marr it!
They don''t mind McCain being president, provided he is not a black man. They don''t want it to go down that a black boy beat the unbeatable almightless Clintons in a race. I love them, but I hate their mudslinging and misspeaks (or lies).
I wish I could write better!

[sunny20081]

Who do you believe in then my or ms jack3213? Are you a liar too?
McCain is not a liar right?

[sunny20081]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8510748876310097541
(watch the link above dear people, and you will know the secrets untold reasons why Obama wants to be president).
People, take your time and watch this. It will make you think. Not all that glitter is gold, the devil is neither black nor white, he can be both! So put race aside and face facts! There are so many fale Christians today who use God''s name in vain! They shall have their reward. On that day He shall say ''depart from me, you murderer of innocent babies and women! I don''t know you! You used my name in vain, you were called a christian but you never had any fear of God in you''

[frankbowers]

I don''t mind tell all I am for Mrs. Clinton, as a financial advisor for years since 1961 her husband did more for our nation than the 8or nine previousones did back to Truman and FDR, and hope she proves to be the winner I am sick of the endless war and helping the black and the latino illegal to overrun America one food stamp card at a time, with medicade to help bring in more. FRANK

[frankbowers]

Hey did the writer of this story forget that Mrs Hillary Clinton is white. Shame on him for forgetting the most important reason of all to vote for her how sick he is. I know I do not wish rev. wright to be our next presiding chaplin in DC. Frank

[jockh]

Hillarys problem is that voters know how easily the Clintons lie; and that both Hillary and Bill would lie on a stack of bibles.

Misspeaking is one thing, repeating something over and over makes it a FLAT LIE !!
The Clintons simply cannot help themselves; they tell a big lie when a small lie will do. And they tell a small lie when the truth will do. After careful training from Bill, Hillary can lie out of both sides of her mouth at the same time even when there''s no particular reason to.
Lets face it, it takes a bare faced liar to confuse a hug from a little girl in Bosnia with the terror of running from sniper bullets.

If you think that a few Clinton lies are acceptable then just look at the trouble the country is in because of the lies of President Bush: one million Iraqis and over 4000 American servicemen dead; the lies of a President really do matter so God help America if the world famous misspeaking Clintons get elected.

[Peter Leinfelder]

If we elect hillary, we are electing Bill, and monica, or someone like her.....this dynasty has created so much Bull S*it and will continue to do so, Remember, Bill Clinton was inpeached for lying among other things....Let''s not bring back the honk job to the white house.

[realpatriot1]

nanking3,

In the Muslim world they have a name for someone whose father is Muslim but who rejects islam and practices Christianity instead. The word is Infidel and it isn''t a compliment. Since you like to lecture others from a postion of perceived intellectual superiority, I have to ask-was that simple enough for you to understand?

What''s wrong with negotiating with Hamas? Over the years Republican Presidents have negotiated with China, North Korea, Russia, White South Africa,the PLO, the Mullahs of Iran, the Viet Cong, Khadafi, Pinochet, Papa Doc, Salvadoran death squads, and Osama Bin Laden. Is Hamas worse than them?

You say that you''re Republican becuase everyone can''t be on welfare. Republicans have never lifted a finger to reform welfare, it took a Democrat to "end welfare as we know it".

Jack3213,

Do you consider Abu Graib, water boarding, warrantless wiretapping,holding people without a hearing, and invading a country that didn''t attack us to be acts of charity?

Something for nothing? Are you talking about tax breaks and loopholes for the rich? No-bid contracts for corporate cronies? lap dances for government employees on taxpayer paid credit cards?

[greatdrivew]

Jack3213:

On the contrary, there''s nothing more "patheric" than people who bash candidates without identifying who there candidate is and why he or she is a better choise.

You''re nothing but a sleeze-slinging troll.

[greatdrivew]

How do Barack and Hillary differ? I''ll sum it up for you in one sentence:

Hillary fully intended to keep business as usual in D.C. until she realized Barack was going to beat her, at which point she tried to change course and began riding his coattails of change.

[jack3213]

NOTHING MORE PATHERIC THAN THOSE WHO BELIEVE THEY WILL GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. OBAMA IS A LIAR, SO IS CLINTON. TO BELIEVE IN EITHER OF THESE TWO DESPERATE & UNQUALIFED CANDIDATES IS A GRAVE MISTAKE.

[webama]

I''m not sure Hillary loves America. One thing I do not have doubt about, she loves honors and she loves the White House.

[jockh]

Hillary is NOT a liar.

I must admit that as a parent, it is all too easy to confuse a hug from a little girl with the terror of running from sniper bullets.

[jack3213]

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN A WORD IS "SCARY" BOTH CANDIDATES HAVE SOME FORM OF EVIL-NESS AND THUS IT WOULD BE A *** SHAME THAT EITHER ONE OF THESE HYPOCRITS EVER GOT NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE.

[nanging3]

MONICA SAID SHE IS NOT WORKING ON CAMPAIGNING THIS TIME BECAUSE POLITICS LEFT A BAD TASTE IN HER MOUTH.

I AM A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE EVERYONE CANNOT BE ON WELFARE.