Posted on 12/02/2007 5:32:37 PM PST by LdSentinal
On a day that a new poll said Barack Obama leads in Iowa, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested her rival has character issues.
Clinton closed out her Sunday with an appeal to voters in Bettendorf to caucus for her, but earlier in Cedar Rapids, she took Obama to task over his health care plan and disputed his claim he doesnt take lobbyist money.
When a reporter asked whether she is suggesting Obama has issues of character, the New York senator said, Im going to let voters make that decision but its beginning to look a lot like that. It really is.
The two campaigns spent a good part of the day tangling with each other, all of it on the heels of a new Des Moines Register poll in Iowa that said Obama leads Clinton and John Edwards.
The poll, published Sunday, said that Obama has 28 percent support, with Clinton next at 25 percent and Edwards in third with 23 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.
With a month to go before the Jan. 3 caucuses, the campaigns are beginning to sharpen their attacks.
Clintons appearance at The Lodge in Bettendorf, though, was all about turning out the vote by encouraging people to buddy-up with friends and neighbors to boost turnout.
It is close, it is tight. Its going to be a race to the finish line, Clinton told about 400 people.
Clinton said she wanted to win the caucuses and, next year, push the state into the Democratic column in the general election.
I want a long term relationship, she said. I dont want to just have a one night stand with all of you.
Clinton was joined by former Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat who has endorsed her.
Gephardt touted Clintons experience and said there was no time for on-the-job training. Weve had on the job training the last seven years and we have a president whos ineducable, he said to applause. It didnt work.
The Clinton campaigns been drawing contrasts with Obama over health care for the past week.
On Sunday, the campaign ratcheted up the pressure by pointing to news reports that a political action committee run by Obama has contributed tens of thousands of dollars this year to local and congressional campaigns in early nominating states.
Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said early Sunday that Obama ought to shut down the PAC, which he pointed out has taken lobbyist money. Obama has made swearing off lobbyist money a campaign issue. He says his campaign doesnt accept it.
The Illinois senator, who was in Des Moines on Sunday, brushed off the complaints.
I think that folks from some of the other campaigns are reading the polls and starting to get stressed and issuing a whole range of outlandish accusations, he said. Everything that weve done is in exact accordance with the law, and unless they can show that it hasnt been, Id suggest they focus on trying to get their supporters to caucus in Iowa.
Later, Clinton said she shut down her leadership PAC when she launched her presidential bid but Obama at least skirted if not violated FEC rules and used lobbyist and PAC money to do so.
Clinton said shed rather attack Republicans, but added I have been on the receiving end of rather consistent attacks. Well now the fun part starts. Were in the last month and were going to start drawing the contrasts...
Obamas campaign said that 57 percent of his PACs money this year went to candidates in non-early states, and it cited a news report saying a Clinton family foundation donated $100,000 this year to a South Carolina library. South Carolina has an early primary.
This presidential campaign isnt about attacking people for fun, its about solving peoples problems, like ending this war and creating a universal health care system, Obama said in a statement Sunday.
Pot. Kettle. Black.
Hillary is clearly getting desperate.
to hillery
takes one to know one
Irony is lost on the der Schleikmeisteress.
So the L.A. Times is waiting for final orders to roll out the hit piece on Obama, right?
Did she really say that? LOL!
“Obama has issues of character, the New York senator said...”
Hahahahaha...unbelievable. The woman has no shame.
AHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Whew. That was funny.
Hillary doesn't look good in black.
If any one of us ever said such a thing at a job interview we'd be thrown out on our butt so quickly there wouldn't be any time to say "thanks for the interview" ........
What balls! There are lots of books dealing with H Clinton’s character issues...
My first response was ‘if that ain’t the pot callin’ the kettle...’ oh, you know...
macaca moment...
Hey Hillary, is Bonnie Campbell a lesbian too?
America is a wonderful country! I mean it! No honest writer would challenge that statement! The human comedy never runs out of material! It never lets you down!
Tom Wolfe
Must everything with these people have sexual overtones? Frankly, as creepy as she is, a one-night stand would be overstepping her "marketability".
Hey Hillary, how much money did Obama get from Chinese dishwashers that live in bungalows? Hmmmm?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.