Posted on 01/06/2008 1:42:04 PM PST by NormsRevenge
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton clashed Sunday in the slushy New Hampshire homestretch, deriding each others' claims to be the true candidate of change. Clinton told Democratic voters they should elect "a doer, not a talker." Obama countered that his critics are stuck in the politics of the past.
At a raucous rally in a high school gymnasium in Nashua, Clinton skewered Obama for several votes he has cast in the Senate, such as his vote in favor of the Patriot Act and for energy legislation she described as "Dick Cheney's energy bill." She never mentioned Obama's name but left no doubt about whom she was discussing.
"You campaign in poetry, you govern in prose," Clinton said.
Obama, speaking at a packed Manchester theater, took issue with Clinton's criticism of him during Saturday's Democratic presidential debate.
"One of my opponents said we can't just, you know, offer the American people false hopes about what we can get done," he said.
"The real gamble in this election is to do the same things, with the same folks, playing the same games over and over and over again and somehow expect a different result," he said. "That is a gamble we cannot afford, that is a risk we cannot take. Not this time. Not now. It is time to turn the page."
Tuesday's primary could be pivotal for the Democrats. Obama, the freshman Illinois senator, is hoping to sustain momentum from his caucus victory in Iowa, and Clinton is looking to recover from her stinging third place finish.
A CNN/WMUR poll released Saturday found Clinton and Obama tied at 33 percent each in the state, with John Edwards trailing at 20 percent.
Edwards, who barely beat Clinton for second place in Iowa, was joined Sunday by three families who suffered medical tragedies as he made an emotional case against insurance companies. Picking up on a theme from the debates, the former North Carolina senator told reporters that he and Obama offer real change to voters while Clinton represents "the status quo."
He also argued he has more passion for change and would be more willing than Obama to fight for his goals. "He just believes you can negotiate with people," Edwards said of his rival.
Obama aides found themselves on the defensive after Clinton said during Saturday's debate that Obama's New Hampshire campaign co-chairman, Jim Demers, is a lobbyist whose clients include pharmaceutical companies. The Clinton campaign kept up the criticism Sunday morning in a teleconference call with reporters, noting that Obama has repeatedly said he does not take money from federal lobbyists or political action committees.
Obama communications director Robert Gibbs said Demers is a state lobbyist and does not do business involving federal legislation or regulation. He said the campaign has drawn a distinction between lobbyists who are registered to work at the state level and those who lobby the federal government.
"A ban on lobbying money and PACs is far from perfect," Gibbs said. "There is a difference between a college football player and professional football player," he added.
During the debate, while Clinton referred to Demers, the camera caught Obama shaking his head, saying "not so."
"He was shaking his head because her implication was that it violated our lobbyist pledge and his role quite clearly does not," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.
Obama sounded an upbeat tone throughout the day, telling New Hampshire crowds their votes could propel him to the Democratic nomination.
"You will have the chance to change America in two days time," he said. "In two days we can do what the cynics said could not be done. We will have the chance to come together, Democrats, Republicans, independents and announce that we are one nation, we are one people and it is time for change in America. This is our moment, this is our time."
The former first lady was clearly elated to be greeted by a large, enthusiastic audience of her own in the same Nashua high school that Obama filled the day before. Both candidates had to use a second gym for the overflow crowd.
She took questions from several audience members after delivering a short, spirited stump speech — a marked contrast to her final appearances in Iowa, where she would give an hourlong campaign address and leave, generally without taking questions.
Earlier, she and daughter Chelsea braved slushy sidewalks to go door to door in Manchester for about an hour seeking votes.
After leaving one house, Clinton was asked by a TV reporter how she felt about the Democratic debate the night before.
"Really good," the senator said. "We're starting to draw a contrast for New Hampshire voters between talkers and doers."
Maura Labrie, a first grade teacher, said she was undecided but had told Clinton she had liked her debate performance.
"I liked how you said it hurt your feelings," Labrie said, referring to a question that said polls showed she lacked likability.
Husband Bill was campaigning in North Conway, N.H., sticking to the key word "change."
"There's a different between talk and action. It makes a big difference if you've actually changed people's lives, if it's the work of your life," the former president said.
___
Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy, Nedra Pickler, Charles Babington and Holly Ramer contributed to this report.
Will the media ever point out that Obama calls for CHANGE, but he doesn’t say what that change will be? He is a broken record. And not a solution one.
I propose a duel
Most politicians want change. The change in your pocket.
Unbelievable. Only a liberal or an idiot would buy that act.......sorry I answered my own question.
LOL! And I suggest it should be televised!
with what ?.......SPITBALLS ????????
they are marxist liberals
Clinton to herself: It worked!
It's all about feelings, which she is devoid of except to use as a ploy.
The dumbed down American people are being led around with a ring in their collective nose.
How about keeping your powder dry until Hillary is off of the stage?
Take notes for later, but today the priority is making sure that Hillary is NOT the Dem candidate.
Wow, the little old lady vs the spoiled young stupid brat. Ahhhhhh! What fun.
Wow, talk about a put-down. Very eloquently stated.
with what ?.......SPITBALLS ????????
I will gladly loan them a pair of short-barreled dueling shotguns loaded with 00 Buck.
Yeah, let's asked Monica the former 19-year old intern how much her life was changed by a predatory executive. I'm still stunned that Monica didn't sue Bubba AND the US government.
Norm, please! When will somebody start asking Hillary the hard questions? And insisting upon answers? I have this recurrent nightmare inwhich even republicans refrain from those questions! First of all, what constitutes Hillary’s 35 years of experience and ‘change?’ What has she actually done and when? And what about all of the Clinton financial scandles? What about her alleged intimidation of women who claimed old Bill was an abuser? What about all those FBI files that wound up at the White House? What about all those ‘lost’ Rose law firm documents? What about all those records at the Clinton library that are being withheld from the public? What about all the anecdotal evidence that she was pre-emptory and abusive toward the Secret Service and others? What about her hatred for the American military? What about current refusal to face the public in anything other than a ‘staged event?’
Hillary keeps touting her 35 years experience. Those very narrow fields include:
1. campaign manager for Bill (Anyone with a brain knows this was NOT hands on work when they employed hundreds of consultants and professionals. Hillary's role: Overview and sign off)
2. Rose Law Firm, partner (One of the partners constantly complained that Hillary was NOT doing enough case work -- five trials during her tenure there.)
3. First Lady - given the job of getting together a Universal Health Plan -- delegated that job to other professionals and mentors -- abject failure.
4. Expert liar --> except when she's caught red handed
5. Thief --> caught stealing from the White House
So, in effect, she's not an expert at anything. She fails at everything she does including hiring Sandy Berger to do her dirty work for her... including Hsu, Susan McDougal who both went to prison for her...
She's an idiot and a failure.
Hillary (the smartest woman in the world) has outsmarted herself. In being too critical of Obama she risks being the designated ‘establishment’ candidate ... a fate worse than death for dems. Her only other choice is to run against Bush...and he aint on the ticket in’08. Poor, poor Hillary. I wonder what her plans are for life after government.
Hillary talking about poetry and prose?
Watch her closely and you’re gonna find
There is evil on this woman’s mind
Just how low can she go?
Well, if you didn’t know
Two steps up is a rodent’s behind
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