Obama hits back at Hillary
2008-03-05 23:02
Chicago - Barack Obama, fresh from losses in Ohio and Texas, on Wednesday promised a more aggressive approach in his battle with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic US presidential nomination.
The Illinois senator vented frustration at what he called a
"very negative" campaign his rival had run against him in recent days and said it seemed to be a factor in his setback.
The attacks "had some impact," Obama told reporters as he headed back to his home city of Chicago from Texas, a state that along with Ohio and Rhode Island went to the former first lady and New York senator, breaking his month-long winning streak and breathing new life into Clinton's campaign.
Voters blame trade deals
Clinton labeled Obama, a first-term senator, too
inexperienced to lead US foreign policy. She pressed that
charge with an ad juxtaposing sleeping children, the sound of a
ringing White House phone and an ominous warning that if a
world crisis were to erupt, Americans need a "tested" leader.
Clinton also criticised what she called Obama's
inconsistencies on hemispheric trade, an issue important in
Ohio, where many voters blame trade deals for job losses.
Instead of only his usual message that he is better
equipped to lead on foreign policy because he showed better
judgment than Clinton by opposing the Iraq war early on, the
Illinois senator bluntly derided Clinton's assertion that her eight years as first lady counted as foreign policy seasoning.
'Think it's important to examine the argument'
"I hope people start asking, what exactly is this foreign
experience that she's claiming? I know she talks about visiting
80 countries. However it's not clear...was she negotiating treaties or agreements, or was she handling crises during this period of time?" Obama asked.
As the Clinton campaign has urged reporters to more closely
examine Obama's ties to a Chicago developer, Tony Rezko, facing
federal corruption charges, Obama suggested Clinton's record on
ethics should be fair game, too.
"She's made the argument that she's thoroughly vetted in
contrast to me," Obama said. "I think it's important to examine
that argument because, if the suggestion is somehow that on
issues of ethics or disclosure or transparency, that somehow
she's going to have a better record than I have, and will be
better able to withstand Republican attacks, I think that's an
issue that should be tested."
Obama also expressed pique at her argument that some of her
wins in big states like California and Ohio were more
significant than his sweep of many small states like Idaho and
Nebraska.
Did not flinch from the role
Some political strategists warn that going negative can
backfire, especially in primary contests when the rivals are
from the same party.
And a central message of Obama's candidacy is his pledge to
rise above the divisive politics of the past.
Clinton, who poured her energy over the last few weeks into
salvaging her candidacy, did not seem to flinch from the role
of aggressor, as she told Ohio voters she was a "fighter" and
"doer" ready to take on big corporations and other interests
blamed by some working class voters for their economic
struggles.
- Reuters