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Obama likened to Clinton enemy
07/03/2008 12:47 - (SA)
Washington - Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign compared rival Senator Barack Obama to the Clintons' chief nemesis of the 1990s, escalating their war of words since the former first lady won three primaries this week.
The two campaigns sought to score points against each other on Thursday, and Clinton spokesperson Howard Wolfson drew parallels between Obama and Kenneth Starr, one of the Democrats' greatest nemesis.
Wolfson said Obama's statement that he plans to be more critical of Clinton's record is reminiscent of the attacks the Clintons endured during the investigations in the 1990s.
Clinton 'the victim'
Many Democrats feel the Starr investigation was politically motivated, and injecting Starr into the debate is one more way for Clinton to depict herself as a victim of enemies out to get her. She has already complained recently about the media being against her.
Obama was not asked about Wolfson's comments during a television interview on Thursday with ABC News, but he seemed to attribute his losses in three of four primaries this week - after winning 11 in a row - to a desire by voters to test him a little bit more.
"They want me to earn this thing, and not feel as if I'm just sliding into it," Obama said.
On Wednesday, Obama told reporters he plans to increase his criticism of Clinton's record.
His campaign also has been attacking her for refusing to release her tax returns. The Clinton campaign said all the Clintons' returns since they left the White House will be made public around April 15 - the deadline for filing US income tax returns.
Obama spokesperson Bill Burton said the comparison to Starr is "absurd" when Clinton has been calling for more scrutiny of Obama's record.
'It's about transparency'
"We don't believe that expecting candidates for the presidency to disclose their tax returns somehow constitutes Ken Starr tactics, but the kind of transparency and accountability that Americans are looking for and that's been missing in Washington for far too long," Burton said in a statement.
Both campaigns on Thursday also announced huge gains in fund-raising ahead of what is turning into a long campaign. Clinton's campaign said she had raised $4m online since Tuesday's wins in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island. Obama's campaign countered by announcing he had raised a record $55m in February, eclipsing the impressive $35m that Clinton had raised then.
Clinton's victories has given her campaign new life, but her task remains daunting. Even if she wins every remaining contest, she cannot surpass Obama's tally of delegates won in primaries and caucuses. But Obama also cannot reach the 2 025 delegates needed for the nomination without the help of "superdelegates," the party and elected officials who automatically attend the convention and can support whomever they choose.
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