READING, Pa., April 21, 2008
Obama Sharpens His Tone
Washington Post: As Pennsylvania Vote Nears, Clinton Criticizes Rival's Negative Turn
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Play CBS Video Video Democrats Gear Up In Pa. Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are vying for the Keystone State's delegates. But, as Jim Axelrod reports, Clinton is facing a nearly insurmountable deficit.
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Video Pennsylvania Primary Preview The Democratic Pennsylvania primary election will be a crucial win for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Bob Schieffer discusses this election with key political commentators.
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Video Gov., Sen. On Pa. Battleground Barack Obama supporter Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Hillary Clinton endorser Gov. Ed Rendell (D-Pa.) discuss the upcoming crucial Democratic primary election in Pennsylvania.
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Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a rally in Scranton, Pa., Sunday, April 20, 2008. (AP)
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Photo Essay Barack Obama A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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Photo Essay Hillary Clinton A look at a life and career full of firsts.
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Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday traded accusations of negative campaigning as they headed toward a critical showdown in the Pennsylvania primary.
The volleying in the final hours reflected the high stakes in Tuesday's contest. Clinton is favored to win, but the senator from New York may still face renewed pressure to end her candidacy unless she rolls up a sizable margin in the popular vote and significant gains in the overall delegate count. As the candidates jostled with one another, their advisers mounted a final effort to shape expectations for what will constitute victory on Tuesday.
The Pennsylvania race has forced Obama to rewrite his script from earlier contests, with the result being a more aggressive tone and style in the final hours of this campaign than had been the case in previous states. Far more than at any other time in the campaign, Obama has applied pressure to Clinton, both on the stump and in his increasingly negative advertising.
The dramatic shifts in Obama's campaign in Pennsylvania reflect the lessons learned from earlier disappointments, when victories might have driven Clinton from the race. In the closing days of previous contests, the senator from Illinois almost appeared to coast toward the finish, wary of appearing too aggressive toward Clinton for fear that undecided voters would find her a sympathetic figure.
Since Wednesday's debate in Philadelphia, however, Obama has steadily escalated his rhetorical attacks. He has questioned whether she is honest and trustworthy and cast her as a practitioner of old-style, special-interest politics.
Speaking at Reading High School Sunday afternoon, Obama accused Clinton of using a "kitchen-sink" strategy of negative attacks aimed at him and said to his opponent, "You learned the wrong lessons from those Republicans who were going after you in same way using the same tactics all those years. I don't want us to become like them. I want us to change the country."
Clinton, campaigning in Bethlehem, called her rival's approach "so negative" and charged him with mimicking Republicans by attacking her plan for universal health care.
"He has sent out mailers, he has run ads, misrepresenting what I have proposed," Clinton said. "I really regret that because the last thing we need is to have somebody spending as much money as he has downgrading universal health care."
Obama's Pennsylvania campaign reflects his desire to bring the long nomination battle to a close quickly. He also is seeking to overcome any doubts the remaining uncommitted superdelegates may have about his toughness as a candidate in the hope that many more will endorse him.
But Obama advisers also believe they are competing against a more vulnerable Clinton, one whose credibility is damaged and whose negatives are higher as a result of a series of mistakes.
By Dan Balz and Shailagh Murray
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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Add a Comment See all 308 Comments
- Obama thinks that his Rev Wright connections to Louis Farakhan (Nation of Islam) will bring all the Gary Indiana black votes. But, Hillary will carry the white voters who dont want a Ayers,Wright,Farakhan, white hating Democract in the White House. Go Grl you will make a great president of everyone.
- Reply to this comment
- Have you noticed that Effendi Snob-oma''''s voice has raised an octave? Hillary knows how to squeeze. You go girl!
Posted by mudrose at 09:11 AM : Apr 22, 2008
Yeah, you go girl, because Obama''s going to win the nomination, not you. - Reply to this comment
- he is a nut job.
Posted by Obama8years at 09:31 AM : Apr 22, 20
Better watch it! I hear John has a temper! - Reply to this comment
- Hillary hails from Pennsylvania. So I believe you when you say they can spot BS a mile away. So can she.
Posted by mudrose
She must be looking in the mirror.
Posted by vmcneal2 at 10:33 AM : Apr 22, 2008
It doesn''t get any better than this! Ha!Ha!Ha! - Reply to this comment
- Have you noticed that Effendi Snob-oma''''s voice has raised an octave? Hillary knows how to squeeze. You go girl!
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Posted by mudrose at 09:11 AM
Forget Obama, maybe if Hillary put the "squeeze" on Bill more they would not have had the little intern BJ problem. - Reply to this comment
- lol, A little sniper fire and ***, doesn''''t slam dunk a total anti-American agenda, totally lying and misrepresenting yourself as above politics as usual, lying about lobbyists and special interests money, and just plain old incompetence.
Rock on HIllary! Fight like a tiger!
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Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 09:23 AM : Apr 22, 2008
It says alot about you if you''re Ok with the President of the United States getting BJs from a young intern in the White House Oval Office. On top of that there were those perverted cigar tricks. - Reply to this comment
- Hillary hails from Pennsylvania. So I believe you when you say they can spot BS a mile away. So can she.
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Posted by mudrose
She must be looking in the mirror. - Reply to this comment
- Hillary''''s numbers went down in Pa. because people got to know her. People in small town Pa may be bitter but they are not stupid, they can spot BS a mile away.
Posted by vmcneal2
Hillary hails from Pennsylvania. So I believe you when you say they can spot BS a mile away. So can she. - Reply to this comment
- youtube.com/watch?v= waz57ce_hl0
Not only is Obama have Hamas ties but from his own words wants to destroy our military strength.
youtube.com/watch?v= waz57ce_hl0
VIDEO IS OF OBAMA SPEAKING....he is a nut job. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by vmcneal2 at 08:34 AM : Apr 22, 2008
lol, A little sniper fire and ***, doesn''t slam dunk a total anti-American agenda, totally lying and misrepresenting yourself as above politics as usual, lying about lobbyists and special interests money, and just plain old incompetence.
Rock on HIllary! Fight like a tiger! - Reply to this comment
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
