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Clinton Says Choice Between 'Speeches' and 'Solutions'

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February 20, 2008 11:07 AM

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: A day after she lost another round of primaries, Sen. Hillary Clinton drew sharper contrasts with her Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, at a morning fundraiser in New York City, and to a lesser extent, she attempted to wedge herself into a fresh battle with the presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

"It's time we move from good words to good works, from sound bites to sound solutions … We need to make a choice between speeches and solutions," Clinton said, referring to Obama, D-Ill. "The best words in the world aren't enough unless you match them with action."

The New York senator propped herself as the presidential candidate who could push change through "solutions," citing her experience with international and domestic issues and continue to hail herself "ready from day one."

Clinton referred to Obama several times, but mostly stayed away from mentioning him by name, painting him as a "personality" and his followers as part of a "movement" and tried to position her intentions are more concrete.

"While others are joining a 'movement,' I am joining you on the nightshift and the day shift. I am asking you to join me to shift America into high gear again," Clinton said.

She touted her commitment to accomplishing her healthcare plan, accusing her "opponent" of out at excluding "at least 15 million Americans."

"The question is, who would you leave out?" Clinton asked. "I don't want to leave anyone out. I am not running for President to put band-aids on our problems, I’m going to solve them."

The former First Lady also argued her past experience makes her the stronger candidate to beat the Republicans in November. Clinton proclaimed that "one of us has faced serious Republican opposition in the past and one of us is ready to do it again."

She brought out one of her stronger lines of attacks against Obama towards the end of the speech, asking voters "to get real."

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"We cannot achieve the kind of changes we want by voting 'present' on controversial issues, or by meetings behind closed doors with corporate interests to water down legislation … The American people deserve better than that. So, yes, let's get real, let's get real about this election, let's get real about our future," Clinton said.

She also lobbed criticism at McCain, categorizing him with the current Republican administration and President George Bush.

She stressed that the importance of winning the election in November to beat both McCain and Bush, going after the Arizona senator on the economy, saying she plans to "create 5 million more jobs" while he wants "more of the same."

"I will deliver 21st century solutions so that we can get off the track toward nowhere," Clinton said.

Local Clinton supporters, Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Charles Rangel, also attended the fundraiser event Manhattan's Hunter College.

February 20, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (31)

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HILLARY CLINTON SAYS SHE IS FOR SOLUTIONS.
FOR SURE, THE BEST SOLUTION IS COLD-SHOULDERING OLD POLITICAL TACTICS.

Posted by: Mark | Feb 20, 2008 2:42:35 PM

This aught to be easy for Clinton. After all, she has a lot of plans; she should just use one of those plans to come up with a winning strategy for her failed campaign. I mean, the "empty suit" and "empty words" seem to be kicking butt. Or maybe she should steal someone else's campaign. Her negative strategy is not working.

Posted by: Randle Bate | Feb 20, 2008 4:01:53 PM

Can't she find a solution for her failed campaign? It aought to be easy, all she has to do is grab one of the solutions she has and apply it to her campaign. If she's able to do that, I'll vote for her. In the meantime, GO OBAMA!

Posted by: Randle Bate | Feb 20, 2008 4:16:02 PM

Kevin: It is my point. It means that those are not real works. It doesn’t count much. The real work is what you have to spend a lot of your own times to on work on it. I don’t care of how may bills that they authored or co-authored. What I care is that Hillary or Obama coming up with their own plan such as healthcare plan, plan of how to pull out of Iraq, plan of how to create jobs in US, etc…

Posted by: ironroof | Feb 20, 2008 4:16:08 PM

Hillary did not play negative campaign. Hillary brings up the facts about Obama and I encourage Obama to do the same. I want to see each other weaknesses. Otherwise, there is no campaign. The candidate can say whatever he/she wants to say and no one allowing questioning them or bringing up the facts. The debates will show how fast the candidate reacts to the questions, how smart their answers are. His/Her real character may show, etc... Speeches won’t prove a thing, just bunch of people, supporters chanting, screaming following whatever the speaker say. Then going home, dreaming and hoping about the sketchy wonderful future. To make that future to happen, we must solve the present issues, plan for that future. Obama promised of uniting people, changing Washington, but he hasn’t showed people how he would do that. Maybe he did not have much idea of them. Hillary has a much clearer plan and strategy and she showed it over the debates.

Posted by: ironroof | Feb 20, 2008 4:52:53 PM

If the last 8 years of SOLUTIONS is any indication of progress, we need 8 years of SPEECHES, and hope nothing gets done...

Posted by: thin gruel | Feb 20, 2008 5:19:59 PM

I love the way Obama keeps taking credit for being against the war. Hillary didn’t wage war on Iraq, Bush did. Hillary authorized the President to take the necessary action to protect America based on the intelligence that was provided. Remember how they trotted out Colin Powell, someone we trusted to tell us the truth? Hillary was a Senator from New York; you remember that place that was attacked on 9/11? Obama has even admitted that he doesn’t know what he would have done had he been in the position of actually voting. I am guessing he would have voted “present”. Yes, he gave a speech against the war, but did he take any action? Did he stage protests or call on people to rise up against this war? If he felt that strongly, why not? It’s easy to give speeches, but harder to take action. Words are only words if there is no action to back them up.

Posted by: Firefighter | Feb 20, 2008 11:41:33 PM

A deeply divided Democratic party. Can we stop bickering? Neither Obama, who excited me in the beginning, or Hillary, who is so LACK of experience and integrity, impress me. I am sure there is better candidate than these two. I am very sorry to say. Those better politicians should have had a chance. We didn't look at them. We dismissed them. Now these two are further dividing us, especially Hillary and her Bill.

Posted by: Jen | Feb 21, 2008 2:07:33 AM

Robert, she did so much more than just her JOB as a Senator. Since you are into looking things up. Find out about her young adulthood working with abused children. Find out about her being one of the attorneys in Water Gate. There is so much more to her than just her First Lady in Governorship and Presidential times,as well as Senator experiences.

Posted by: irma | Feb 21, 2008 2:16:28 PM

Great speech! Right to the point!
Jen, explain exactly how it is that Hillary is dividing us. Because Hillary supporters were the only ones continuously attacked on the news. We were lunch bucket democrats, uneducated, women who felt sorry when she cried. I mean the list goes on. While BO supporters were said to be highly educated, young, wealthy, optomistic etc. The media did this. Meanwhile they were the ones also stating BO's negative attacks as "Questioning Clinton" etc. They attack her and her supporters, build him up, make his attacks sound legit and hers are "negative". They are also the ones who played one comment; Fairytale, over and over. I am half black. I saw Clinton's speech and what the media translated that into was no where near what I thought. I thought Cinderella, the media turned it into a race issue. The Clintons don't have the media power to divide, they are campaigning against a media for BO. I wonder why? Especially since media were the ones who knocked Al Gore down and pushed Bush just as they are doing with BO. That is the scary part.

Posted by: irma | Feb 21, 2008 2:28:54 PM

This primary will to analyzed for years to come. How could a "chosen one" screw up so badly and totally blow an election.
1. The people they thought were behind them, were not;
2. The candidate was so arrogant that there was no Plan B;
3. Desperate people will follow anyone away from a trainwreck.

Posted by: MCCEE | Feb 21, 2008 7:43:01 PM

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