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.
She’s desperate and stupid. This gives Obama the perfect opening to get into a full airing of character issues without appearing to be mean to the girl. After all, she hit him first.
And Hillary, if she had a brain in her head, would realize that the last thing she wants this election to be is a referendum on character and ethics. The smartest woman in the history of the universe made a rookie mistake.
I think Biden or Richardson would resist the urge to tackle the Beest on this, but I do think you're right, Barry O is a shoot-from-the-lip neophyte who will be glad to mix it up on this topic. December 13th is the Des Moines Register Rat debate, it will be interesting to see what happens then, and what leads up to it...
She will let nobody get in the way of her blind ambition.
I imagine that she’ll revert to her nasty self if she starts losing primaries.
Pot, meet 1/2 black kettle...
-———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. -—————
I’m surprise no one commented on this. What has H. Clinton ever accomplished? She has never ran a business, never had a bill passed as the junior Senator. Being a former Presidents wife does not count. Gephardt is the same phony he always was!
Can't pass this by without stating the obvious: This woman is uncouth, and evil.
Can you imagine the outrage in the media if a Republican said something so crude? There would be rivers of ink expended.
You took the words right out of my mouth!
Wouldn't it be the greatest downfall in history if she looses it in front of cameras one day with one of her signature epithets!
Were I God, that's how I'd sink her.
Hillary is old politics. Her voters are the dumbasses.
Well, she did make it through eight years in the White House without getting indicted for Whitewater/Rose Law Firm/Cattle future bribes, etc.
The cheating will be reserved for Michigan and New Hampshire, I think...
She can lose BOTH Iowa and New Hampshire, and when the uncontested Primaries are handed to her, the largely-gay media will declare her “The Comeback Kid, and tell us glowingly how everthing is now decided, and Hitlery will be coronated nominee...
Hillary is to character what east is to west.
Good grief, is she trying to lose just like Kerry did? Would she actually know if anyone had character issues? I just hope she and Bill keep talking every chance they get.
Ahhhmmm.
Ahhhmmm.
no...
Oh my God! Better it should fall off.
Any possiblity that Obama might “suggest” that Hillary is a criminal?
While it is my personal opinion that Hillary will not be the democrat nominee ... this statement from her pretty much negates a Clinton/Obama ticket. Oh wait, I forgot that Hillary can crawfish out of anything she has said in the past.
I want a long term relationship, she said. I dont want to just have a one night stand with all of you.
I can't even believe that the wife of Bill (the bent one) Clinton would even bring up a one night stand.
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.
Attacking Hillary = Bad. Hillary attacking = fun. This woman is a head case of the highest magnitude.
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