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For Obama, It's Now or Never
September 05, 2007 4:24 PM
ABC News' Jonathan Greenberger Reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said Wednesday that this may be his last chance at running for president.
Asked if his '08 bid was just a strategic move to position himself for a run in 2012, Obama said he didn't think his wife would allow him to run again if it doesn't work out this time.
"Well, I'm not sure- I don't think my wife's going to let me do this twice. So let me be clear about that," Obama said while campaigning in Iowa.
Obama also sought to answer charges from his Democratic rivals that he is too inexperienced to be president, by pointing to his experience in the Illinois state legislature.
"I've been in elected office longer than John Edwards or Hillary Clinton," said Obama. "I've passed more bills I'm sure than either of them --certainly in the state legislative level."
Obama served eight years in the Illinois state Senate before his 2004 election to the United States Senate. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is in her second term as a United States senator, following eight years she spent in the White House married to former President Bill Clinton. When Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., left the Senate following his 2004 vice presidential run, he had only served one six-year term.
Obama also took aim at Clinton's work on health care, arguing that the "closed" nature of the task force she led undermined the chances for reform.
"What the president can do," said Obama, "is shine the spotlight on the process and mobilize the American people to keep the pressure on. And that's something that didn't happen. And in some ways, in '93 that didn't happen because it was a closed process. And not everybody understood what was taking place, so when the insurance companies and the drug companies starting airing those Harry and Louise ads, you know, nobody really knew what was what. And that's why the American people have to be involved."
Obama's remarks come on the heels of a new ad, "Change," which seeks to position him as the anti-Washington and anti-lobbyist candidate.
September 5, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (160)
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HILLARY CLINTON WASNT ELECTED WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS PRESIDENT-- JESUS H. CHRIST!!! YOU PEOPLE ARE AMAZING. HILLARY AS FIRST LADY IS NOT ELECTIVE EXPERIENCE TO BE PRESIDENT.
Posted by: Betty | Sep 5, 2007 7:09:51 PM
I'm glad he's finally playing up his experience! Hillary's experience is way overblown, in my opinion.
Posted by: Luna | Sep 5, 2007 7:15:43 PM
They never said her time in the White House was as an elected officer!
Posted by: Jolin | Sep 5, 2007 7:17:39 PM
"I've been in elected office longer than John Edwards or Hillary Clinton," said Obama. "I've passed more bills I'm sure than either of them --certainly in the state legislative level."
Posted by: Cuda B | Sep 5, 2007 7:21:35 PM
well neither one them is qualified either.
no senator has the experience to be president.
senator mccain, are you listening too?
Posted by: deroy | Sep 5, 2007 7:21:41 PM
Who cares, all three of them are a bunch of idiots. Just a bunch of socialist disquised at liberals...or is it liberals disquised as socialists? Maybe its too hard to decipher anyway.
Posted by: Mark | Sep 5, 2007 7:24:33 PM
Uhhhm, that's why he's part of the problem, not part of the SOLUTION. Edwards got out at just the right time, we dont need anymore politicians for life......
Posted by: JMac | Sep 5, 2007 7:24:59 PM
So Obama has passed a lot of bills...Is that what makes a successful politician. Pehaps in the political arena. Do we need lots of bills? We have so much legislation on record now that we can't pay for it nor enforce it. Maybe we need someone who just wants to take care of what has already been mandated.
Posted by: Jim O | Sep 5, 2007 7:31:13 PM
I thought Obama was running on the fact that he was an outsider. Now he's campaigning that he has been on the inside longer than Edwards or Clinton? Pick a strategy already! And oh, your years in the U.S. Senate don't count. You have to show-up to work for it count. And where have you been? Selling books, traveling to Africa and running for President.
Posted by: John Doen | Sep 5, 2007 7:33:17 PM
It's about time that people see that Obama is more qualified AND experienced than either Clinton or Edwards.
You can bet that Clinton won't brag about all the experience she had at the White House knowing her husband was cheating on her.
As for Edwards, his experience as Senator allowed him time to vote for the China Most Favored Nation bill, giving China a green light to take away our steel industry. And you wonder why the Steelworkers endorsed him today. Maybe they can't afford computers to type "Edwards China Trade" in Google and see that their boy is a turncoat.
Posted by: Jim Mell | Sep 5, 2007 7:38:35 PM
They are all worried about how we are viewed by other countries. Hell, since when does a LEADER sit around and worry about what other countries think? Obama et al are all a bunch of narcissistic, self-absorbed panderers. For instance, if they are so willing to appease a group of people that are here illegally, over the interests of law-abiding Citizens, then we are all being sold down the river. Obama would only serve to hasten the sale.
Posted by: Scott | Sep 5, 2007 7:44:15 PM
Most don't remember that if Peter Fitzgerald had sought a second term Obama would still be in the Illinois senate. Thanks or blame go to the Illinois Repulblican organisation .
Posted by: jack f | Sep 5, 2007 7:46:59 PM
Want to know why the U.S. is messed up?
Look at the responses of most of the people posting here. I am surprised some of you can afford a computer.
These politicians are mirror images of the people that elect them. Most of you will be ok because most of you don't bother to vote. You just sit and spout unfounded nonsense on news sites.
Posted by: Lee Yarbrough | Sep 5, 2007 7:53:12 PM
I'd like to see what the alleged bills are all about. Maybe they're like the composite fantasies in his books where he takes credit for other people's achievements. Obama is neither experienced nor prepared to be president. It takes more than a lot of nice sounding words to lead a country. With the mess that we're in we need a president with the ability to smash through the Gordian Knot not just try to talk it into uncoiling. Sometimes the best man for the job is a woman, and her name is Hillary.
Posted by: Juan Perez | Sep 5, 2007 7:56:20 PM
The primary system was intended to "reform" the way political parties chose their candidates. Now look what we've got going today. What a mess. Before primaries decided the issue conclusively, those smoke filled rooms had seen to the nomination of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt (as VP first and then as President), Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman (as VP first and then as President), and Ike Eisenhower. In the last 50 years how many reform period candidates stack up well against that list?
Posted by: Knute Rockne III | Sep 5, 2007 8:07:57 PM
Juan...they are primarliy ethics reform something Senator Clinton knows nothing about.
Just ask HSU...if you can find him again. Maybe the Clinton's got him out of the country before he could talk
Posted by: Tom | Sep 5, 2007 8:17:27 PM
Obama is the best prpared not for lobby ,not for PAC money, Clinton and Bush can not rule the country for 32 years ,SHAME on You USA //////////////// 4000 dead, 3000 wounded shame on you Clinton and Edwards.
Posted by: Bertrand | Sep 5, 2007 8:26:20 PM
4000 young men and women, 3000 wounded, washington experience ,washington wisdom Shame on you , 32 years corruption from Clinton and Bush families......Where is the democratie???????????where is other people???????Poor people no chance for them . Where is america's dream??????? Shame on you , Shame on you. How to show example to the rest of the world. Bush told Liberia president to step down .How aboout his father, himselfs, Clintons?????? I am so sorry about you liars......
Posted by: Bertrand | Sep 5, 2007 8:33:09 PM
America is big liar country, 32 years torture, 32 years dictatorship,Hilary,Bill Clinton, Bush father and Bush W. America can you see yourself????? Hilary again ???? for how long???? we are tired to see them from young till old couple. America where are we going with our democratie?? Tomorrow CHELSEA will come too?????? Are we dreaming?????Are we dreaming????? Do you understand that AMERICA ??????????
Posted by: Bertrand | Sep 5, 2007 8:41:21 PM
I AM HAPPY TO SEE PEOPLE ARE REALIZING THAT HILLARY DOESN'T HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE EXCEPT FOR BEING BILLS WIFE AND BEING A JUNIOR SENATOR !! WAKE UP EVERYONE !!!!
Posted by: carole | Sep 5, 2007 8:43:53 PM
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