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Obama Goes After Bill Clinton
January 09, 2008 4:42 PM
ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Sen. Barack Obama hit back at his rival's husband, former President Bill Clinton Wednesday morning on NPR's Morning Edition, accusing him of "mischaracterizing" his 2004 position on the Iraq War.
"Former President Clinton has continued to mischaracterize my record on this and we're going to have to call him on it," Obama said. "The press has already pointed out that he's wrong about this, but he keeps on repeating it."
Obama was referring to comments Bill Clinton made on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, lashing out at Obama and calling his candidacy "the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen."
"It is wrong that Senator Obama got to go through 15 debates trumpeting his superior judgment and how he had been against the war in every year, enumerating the years, and never got asked one time -- not once, 'Well, how could you say that when you said in 2004 you didn't know how you would have voted on the resolution?' " Clinton said at a campaign rally at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire Monday night.
"Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen," the former president said.
By Wednesday morning, Obama was accusing Bill Clinton of misleading people about his position.
"At some point we are just going to keep drilling away at the fact that it is indisputable," Obama said on National Public Radio.
"I opposed this war from the start. In 2002, 2003, 2004, and the fact that I voted for funding for the war once I got into the Senate is perfectly consistent with my position that it was important to make sure that our troops had the equipment and the tools that they needed at a time when things were very dicey."
Obama also said he is in a strong position to win the Democratic South Carolina primary on Jan. 26th.
"I'm reaching out not just to the African-American community, but to people from all walks of life, saying we can put together a coalition that we haven’t seen in a long time to actually move the progressive agenda forward," he said.
January 9, 2008 in Bush, George W., Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (43)
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After George Bush showed just how naive and gullible the American people can be, along comes Obama and he's doing it all over again. Same shtick, wrapped in a different package, and just look at the "audience" gobbling it up! We the People deserve exactly what they insist upon getting so that, once again, they can spend years crying about the choice they made!! Go Figure!!
Posted by: Chuck | Jan 10, 2008 4:18:46 AM
The audio of Bill Clinton attacking Obama as a "fairy tale" is really scary. Bill Clinton completed his 8 years in the White House and he's desperate to get back in there. But there is no way he can change the fact that Obama predicted that the war with the Iraq was a mistake while Hilary (with all her "experience) was voting in favor of it.
Posted by: Susan | Jan 10, 2008 4:26:51 AM
Please, I beg of all of you, LOOK AT WHAT EACH OF THE CANDIDATES SAY AT THEIR WEBSITES, WATCH THEIR SPEECHES AND DEBATES.
I believe Mccain, Hilary and Obama will all be improvements over bush, but just listen to their words, their wisdom, and their records. Mccain is a stand up guy, Hillary is questionable on her motives, but still has good ideas, But..... the kind of blatant hatred i see for Obama on this blog is illogical.
WATCH HIS SPEECHES ON foreign policy . PLEASE. He IS THE REAL DEAL. Is he young, yes, but he is a year older than clinton was when he ran.
WHAT IS OBAMA'S OVERALL RECORD?
Well, he did DESIGN and WRITE numerous initiatives which would specifically aim at stopping corruption in politics.
THIS IS THE FIRST PRESIDENT IN A LONG TIME WHO TRULY WANTS TO ASK US, ALL OF US TO START BELIEVING IN OUR INDIVIDUAL ABILITY TO AFFECT OUR GOVERNMENT.
He is unanimously committed to standing VERY TOUGH on Iraq, Pakistan and the like, however He will sit ONE on ONE with the enemy and tell iran, : we will offer you a legitimate position in the global economic infrastructure, BUT you will not get to support terror, swear the destruction of your neighbors etc.
Please read barack's Plan for America. It is clear, concise, and outlines an excellent strategy for MAKING AMERICA THE LEADING WORLD SUPERPOWER.
How, by promoting science and math in the schools, by attracting students to study in the fields of GREEN Technologies, to free us from foreign oil.
Obama is the most patriotic man that America has seen since Teddy Roosevelt or MLK. And Obama is for the workers, and their right to organize, he's for middle tax credits and higher minimum wage.
I beg you to READ and STUDY about EACH of the candidates, pasts. and their character.
Thank you.
Posted by: james vanderbrug | Jan 10, 2008 5:45:11 AM
Senator Clinton proved the “experts” wrong!!! She really has shown that substance, experience, and her "proven" ability for enabling change, along with a lifelong passion and experience in actually helping the majority of Americans, is what the voters care more about when choosing the best leader for this next critical term as president! Voters are not listening to the slanted views of the media "pundits" who care more about drama and manufacturing a "story", rather than reporting the truth... Americans are smarter than the "sheep" they believe we are! The NH voters proved this!!!...
Thank goodness the American people, INCLUDING educated, affluent, intelligent Democrats – women AND men (unlike what the media keeps portraying falsely!), are finally waking up and realizing that although Obama is a brilliant orator, he lacks the actual skill, leadership, experience, and ability to truly make change happen and lead our country... talk is cheap at this point - Look at his record as a State Senator in Illinois and in DC!!! Whenever he is presented with a difficult vote, he doesn't even take a stand - he votes "present”!!! He voted “present,” effectively sidestepping issues nearly 130 times as a state senator. On a sex crime bill, Mr. Obama cast the only vote in a 58-to-0 vote!! He barely has any record for doing much as a US Senator in Washington DC, but what is interesting is that he said he would vote against the Patriot Act, yet when he joined the US Senate, he voted for it!! He said he would vote against the Iraq war, and then voted for funding, he “claims” he is against the special interests like the oil companies and all the giveaways and tax breaks they've been given, but he voted for Dick Cheney's energy bill, AND, he SKIPPED a tough vote on Iran, distorted what the bill authorized, and criticized those who voted for it: check the facts – the list is long with his hypocricy (Where is the media with these facts?)!!
Obama’s record does not show the true leadership that is required for creating the change we desperately need! He’s not the “outsider” that his campaign is trying to make him out to be – yes, he has fantastic speeches, but his record shows otherwise...it proves that he is more of the typical “sidestepping” polititian and lawyer that we have seen before, who lacks the “real” leadership to get things done. The Republicans will have a field day with Obama if he ever got lucky enough to win the Democratic ticket!!!
Rookies are not needed right now to run the country in the most important job in the world.... Remember the last "rookie" who used “likeability” without substance or experience to get elected? Back then, people liked GW Bush, they didn't care that he lacked experience because he talked in generalities and made us feel good. Well guess what, he won the White House and got us into this mess!! - GW Bush ran a very similar campaign as Obama, and his inexperience has been a disaster for our country!!.... Gore and Kerry warned all of us, but we didn’t listen. Obama can talk in generalities - anyone can do this, but he has no clear plan, no clear ideas, shows a lack of “true” leadership by avoiding difficult decision-making as proven by his actual voting record, and lacks the "real world" experience to deliver on his unsubstantiated promises and “generalities” for change...Hopefully people won't make the same mistake we made with Bush by believing in another rookie with Obama.
Posted by: Honan | Jan 10, 2008 6:56:02 AM
Keep calling Bill Clinton out on this Obama, don't let him get away with a breath, and do remind him and Hillary of all the fun he had in the white house as he told the American people the biggest fairy tale that actually happened to be true -- "I did not have sexual relations with that woman!". It is deplorable that Bill Clinton is given all the air time he wants and doesn't want and uses it to attack Obama. Is he running for president? It's disgusting he is fighting Hillary's battles, it's disgusting women running to the polls to vote for Hillary after seeing her tearjerk on TV, another setup. What's she gonna do if she's president and a challenge arises, have the women surround the white house in support while she boo hoos? Also, Barack had no dealings with Rezko, and whatever involvement he had with him was just knowing him, I believe it was a naive one. And finally, Hillary did not win New Hampshire. Something is amiss with that, and it will come out. Why how would all the polls say the same thing and all get it wrong just for Hillary and Obama? Every single poll had it correct for McCain and all the republicans and the rest of the democrats, and incorrect for those two! Gimme a break!
Posted by: RuthieM | Jan 10, 2008 11:54:05 AM
Isn`t Bill Clinton the same guy that supported racial profiling when he was the first "black" president? Remember when Bil Bradley told gore all he had to do to put a stop to it was walk down the hall to Bill`s Office and have a conversation with the Prez? The establishment Dems like Bill don`t care about regular peo;ple. There just care about getting elected even if they have to satisfy the lobbyists.
Posted by: Luke | Jan 10, 2008 12:23:22 PM
I like both Hillary and Bill Clinton and Obama. I currently undecided. I am so disappointed in the Clintons. After watching Bill foam at the mouth bad mouthing Obama, I was turned off. It seems that Bill is trying to be Prez. not Hillary. We must all remember Bill had no experience when he entered the White House. I always liked the Clintons but listening to them and their supporters(bloggers) act this way is pushing me away from her. It's very scary. What happened to the Clinton's?
Posted by: sharifa | Jan 10, 2008 2:34:11 PM
If it walks like a duck, etc. etc. etc....I think it is very telling how Obama is phrasing his responses to President Clinton's comments. Why is that? Perhaps it is because Bill Clinton is right: Obama voted to fund the war in Iraq. The other candidates have admitted they voted to fund the war. Why can't he? In my book if you vote to fund the war you are supporting the war. If I voted to fund the war I would be supporting the ONGOING war. It doesn't mean I want the war to continue it just means I support it right now. If Obama wants to prove Bill Clinton wrong then he should tell him to quit lying, not "mischaracterizing" his votes. Obama's responses are nothing more than same old Washington double-talk. Get real Obama. If you don't support the war...QUIT VOTING FOR IT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM...NOW! Only then can you say you do not support the war. Otherwise, you are the liar.
Posted by: Terry Neal | Jan 10, 2008 4:11:17 PM
Of course he had to fund it. He couldn't leave soldiers without supplies. If he did not fund it, you would slam him for leaving troops out in the cold. My husband is in the military (15yr) with 2 tours to Afghan. and 1 to Iraq. I would ask for Obamas resignation if he didn't send my husband those freakin supplies!!
Posted by: Sharifa | Jan 10, 2008 7:00:23 PM
Hillary is running on her husbands record and as for her husband, he has lead this country for 8 years and another 4 years as Senator. It is an absolute greed to ask another leadership to lead this country as president for another 8 years.
Enough is enough!
Posted by: Gala, T. | Jan 10, 2008 7:26:40 PM
What is wrong with everyone? This is an election to decide the fate of the USA, and all of you are bickering like children! We, as the democratic party have to remain united to get the crazy people out that are in office right now. The best way to do that would be to support whichever candidate wins the nomination, even if that means leaving your comfort zone. The only thing that matters is taking are country back from corruption and ignorance. With all of this division, and in one party even, there is no way that our country can survive. Please, stop arguing and start paying attention to the things that are paramount.
Posted by: zd | Jan 10, 2008 8:02:51 PM
zd,
I thought we did that 2000!
Har Har!
Posted by: Lord Har Har | Jan 10, 2008 8:31:09 PM
zd,
I just reread your post, and now I see what your point is.
One thing that is wrong is the people that are in office (and I presume you mean, Mr. Bush) is that the 22nd amendment means that Mr. Bush will no longer be in office on 1/20/09, at 12pm.
If you REALLY want to change things in Washington, look at your ballot. If the person in the House of Representatives is incumbent, then vote for someone else.
The laws are passed by the Congress, then signed (or vetoed) by the president.
We don't elect a dictator; we elect a presiding officer, incharge of executing the laws that Congress passes.
Hence, Mr. Bush could not go to war without Conrgess' approval, nor can the war continue without its approval.
Nor will the next president be able to do the same.
Nice hyperbole, however.
Har Har!
Posted by: Lord Har Har | Jan 10, 2008 9:05:09 PM
The ex-president should Shut up...Are the other candidates running against billy or hillary....Every time he personally disses the candidates, the other spouses should lay into hillary, just to even the score....the Clinton machine has to be stopped before they turn this Nation into a socialist country...They are liars to the utmost degree.
Posted by: juju | Jan 11, 2008 1:49:55 AM
Obama on war: 101. Obama is not against wars, just 'dumb' wars. He voted against the war on Iraq. He did have enough sense and compassion for the troops(real people put in the line of fire by an idiot)to support the funding so that they could be prepared since bush threw them out there anyway. Mr. and MRS clinton supported it. Now thousands have been murdered.
Posted by: wiseone | Jan 11, 2008 1:51:54 AM
obama is just too nice.If I was him I could bring all the dirty of the clintons.hes never taken them in any.
Posted by: Philip | Jan 11, 2008 1:54:46 AM
If any of you are republicans, you should really check yourselves! how could you support impeachment of a Clinton for adultery(which he 'fairytaled' about afterwards), but sit back and ignore Bush as he commits mass murder!
Posted by: wiseone | Jan 11, 2008 2:06:28 AM
Another Clinton is too much.
We need a new face and new ideas, and OBAMA is just out there. But, watch out this type of clinton, it may stop your progressive agenda. Watch out buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: bol | Jan 11, 2008 3:02:30 AM
Obama's candidacy reminds me a whole lot of Bush 2000, the only difference is that Obama is a better speaker... but that's all I think he is. It's all talk. I am sick of the word "change" already. What exactly is he gonna do to make this change happen? I've never heard of the guy until he announced his candidacy. And this Rezko connection is not good at all (plus his past cocaine use). If Obama gets nominated am pretty sure we'll have another Republican in the White House.
Posted by: cath | Jan 11, 2008 3:20:05 AM
I have seen lots of white men and women who ran for president before who had no expirence nothing was said now a african american who is running for president and has a chance of winning you see all the racist pigs coming out talking about his expirence in reality what they are sayin is they do not want one running the country.
Posted by: kj | Jan 11, 2008 4:29:52 AM
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