...Barack Obama...sharply challenged Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's candor, consistency and judgment Tuesday in a televised debate that underscored her front-runner status two months before the first presidential primary votes.
Obama, the Illinois senator, began immediately, saying Clinton has changed her positions on the North American Free Trade Agreement, torture policies and the Iraq war. Leadership, he said, does not mean "changing positions whenever it's politically convenient."
Sen. Barack Obama...criticized [Hillary Clinton] directly for not releasing her correspondence as first lady. But he kept his cool demeanor, describing her tendency toward secrecy as simply "a problem."
Obama pursued Clinton most pointedly over her White House papers, most of which are still locked away in her husband's presidential library in Little Rock. She said that she had approved the release of the papers, a point that national archivists dispute.
"We have just gone through one of the most secretive administrations in our history, and not releasing, I think, these records at the same time, Hillary, that you're making the claim that this is the basis for your experience, I think, is a problem," Obama said.
The heart of Clinton’s case was that if Republicans hate her, she must be doing something right.
But Obama came back sharper.
"Part of the reason Republicans are obsessed with you, Hillary, is I think that’s a fight they’re very comfortable having," he responded, adding that "what we don’t need is another eight years of bickering."
Obama’s criticisms were about philosophy and process; about another eight years of polarizing politics; about the approach to the issue, rather than the issue itself. Twice at the end he showed his sense of of humor -- very effectively.
It is too soon to tell whether Obama sufficiently abandoned his inner McClellan to satisfy some
of his allies and pacify his donors. He may not have met the expectations of the press, but those expectations are fairly ethereal. Obama will argue against Clinton on his own terms; he will not throw sound bites at her. He does not lack the fortitude to craft a zinger, he just doesn’t, as a matter of course, like to traffic in them – they are too base, too customary, too politics-as-usual for him. There is a reason why Obama only compared Clinton’s foreign policy to Bush-Cheney Lite once – he felt he had gone to too far.So – on his own terms, yes, Obama did not temporize and drew strong contrasts with Clinton.
[Bill Clinton], Russert pointed out, has specifically requested the National Archives to delay any such release [of Hillary Clinton's records of her activities as first lady]for several years. "Would you lift that ban?" Russert asked.
"Well, that's not my decision to make...[b]ut certainly we'll move as quickly as our circumstances and the processes of the National Archives permits."
An answer guaranteed to make most eyes glaze over. But Obama effectively jumped in, noting that on one hand Clinton stresses her experience as first lady, while on the other she takes a passive approach to allowing a thorough examination of her activities during those years.
"Part of what we have to do is invite the American people back to participate in their government again," Obama said. "Part of what we need to do is rebuild trust in our government again. And that means being open and transparent and accountable to the American people."
This debate ended wacky, with a question to Kucinich about his UFO sighting, which he confirmed, and joked about.
That handed Obama his best spontaneous moment, in response to a question about life beyond earth.
"What I know is there's life here on Earth, and we're not attending to life here on Earth," he said.
A Navy judge advocate general and lifelong Republican endorsed Sen. Barack Obama's Democratic presidential campaign Tuesday.
John Hutson is also dean of Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord.
During a conference call with reporters, Hutson praised Obama's early opposition to the war in Iraq and said he's the best candidate to restore America's moral standing in the world.
House Democrats sharply criticized the head of the Justice Department's voting section yesterday for making a series of racially charged statements, including his suggestion that black voters are not hurt as much as whites by voter identification laws because "they die first."
Tanner's testimony followed a series of remarks this month that have caused a political uproar and led to calls from some Democrats, including senator and presidential hopeful Barack Obama (Ill.), that Tanner resign or be fired.
MSNBC - (Howard Fineman): She talked about the process. And also that was the one time where Obama turned toward her, what we used to call in old debate language, the pivot, remember that? He turned toward her and he said look, this will not stand because if you're claiming the presidency based on your being the first lady, you've got to come clean on that. I thought that was his best debating point that he's made in any of these debates so far."
ABC News - Political Radar (Jake Tapper): I think Obama's having a pretty good night. LINK
Fox News (Major Garrett): [On Social Security] …Obama took the question and enlarged it both philosophically and tangibly. …Thus, Obama trumped the stage by giving his tax policy a philosophic core (help young earners and cash-pinched retirees), while taxing the rich with either higher income or payroll taxes. Obama's best substantive moment, by quite some distance. LINK
Atlantic - Marc Ambinder: Bottom line, before all the analysis: …Barack Obama's were more resonant… LINK
ABC News - Political Radar: "You asked me if I would pledge, and I have pledged." -- Clinton, sounding, shall we say, Clintonian. Then Obama gets a bit deeper: "We have been governed by fear these past six years." THERE is the link to his campaign message that was missing earlier this evening. It does seem like the Obama camp has plotted this out a good bit this evening. LINK
Washington Post - The Fix (Chris Cillizza) "Obama: We Will Not Be Governed by Fear": …It was a nice moment for Obama especially because both Clinton and Edwards, whose answers had preceded his own, simply said they would do everything in their power to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. These debates are about creating opportunities and taking advantage of them. Obama just did it. LINK
Washington Post - The Fix (Chris Cillizza): …Obama Scores on His Background LINK
New York Times - The Caucus (Katharine Seelye): Alternative Minimum Tax - 10:39 p.m. …Mr. Obama also said he would not campaign on the Rangel plan, but here he made a smart tactical move, turning the discussion to problems faced not by the richest people in the country but by struggling single mothers. LINK
Huffington Post: Glynnis (9:48:12 PM): The reason the GOP is focusing on You is cause that's the fight they're comfortable having…Obama steps out of the corner!! LINK
New York Times - The Caucus (Katharine Seelye): Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants - 10:58 p.m. …Mr. Obama uttered a devastating phrase for anyone who remembers the 2004 campaign: he said he couldn't tell if she is "for it or against it." LINK
Frank Luntz' focus group of Fox judged Obama the debate winner:
Clip from the debate
No comments:
Post a Comment