Clinton Back To Firing 'Words' At Obama
HARRISBURG, PA -- After a day of being ridiculed by Barack Obama for hints at making him the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton plans to take several swipes at him in a prepared speech this afternoon.
In excerpts released to the press this morning, one reads, "Senator Obama promises to withdraw from Iraq within 16 months. But his top foreign policy adviser said he's not really going to rely on that plan. I guess that plan is just words, too."
Yesterday, Clinton remained mum in criticism of Obama at her campaign stops in Scranton. She referenced him once with a small jab about his plan for healthcare on Monday, but chose instead to highlight her family history and familiarity with Pennsylvania coal-mining country.
But today, it's back to biting at Obama, with heavy reference on the "just words" line Obama used without attribution from his campaign chair and Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick.
"On the campaign trail, Senator Obama talks about clean energy," reads another excerpt. "But in the Senate, he voted for Dick Cheney's energy bill loaded with new tax breaks for oil companies. When he faced a tough choice, his support for a clean energy future turned out to be just words."
The Obama campaign responded by saying Clinton is no champion of clean energy, either. "Proving once again that she will say and do anything to win this election, Senator Clinton today has unleashed a kitchen sink of distorted and discredited attacks that she knows aren't true," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "Barack Obama isn't about to be lectured on words from someone who's actions spoke much louder when she voted against renewable fuels and higher CAFÉ standards until she started running for President, championed NAFTA as good for America until she started running for President, and supported George Bush's disastrous war in Iraq until she started running for President."
Clinton will spend most of her week in Pennsylvania. Last night she promised a crowd at a Scranton rally that she'd return for this weekend's St. Patrick's Day parade.