Clinton And Obama's Icy Meeting
GRANTHAM, PA. -- Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had an awkward encounter at a forum on faith and compassion held outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania tonight. The icy meeting between the two came just minutes after Obama took Clinton to task for her ongoing attacks over comments he made at a fund-raiser last week that middle class Americans were "bitter" over their economic situation.
Obama told a crowd at a rally before the forum that Clinton "knows better. She knows better, shame on her. Shame on her. She knows better!" Obama also went on to accuse Clinton of using Republican talking points to attack him.
The candidates, who appeared separately at the forum hosted by CNN and Messiah College, had their first meeting on the campaign trail since a debate in Austin, Texas over a month ago.
Clinton, who opted to go first, was asked about Obama's comments from last week.
"Well, he will have to speak for himself and provide his own explanation," Clinton said. "Someone goes to a closed door fund-raiser in San Francisco and makes comments that do seem elitist, out of touch, and frankly patronizing. That has nothing to do with him being a good man or a man of faith. We had two very good men and men of faith run for president in 2000 and 2004 but large segments of the electorate concluded that they did not really understand or relate to or frankly respect their ways of life and I think that has been an issue for voters as I heard today from people who I visited in Scranton and elsewhere."
The moderator later switched gears to focus more on issues of faith. Clinton was asked if she believed God wanted her to be president.
"I could be glib and say we will find out," Clinton said, laughing. "I wouldn't presume to even imagine that God is going tell me what I should do I think he has given me enough guidance.
As Clinton finished her 45-minute-long discussion, Obama was called to the stage where they greeted each other at the stage briefly. Obama brushed past Clinton in what truly looked like an uncomfortable moment between the two.