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Clinton Heckled For Obama Slam

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April 14, 2008 1:01 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper Reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke to the American Manufacturing forum in Pittsburgh, Pa., Monday, saying she wanted to focus on solutions and the problems Americans are facing -- but the New York senator did manage to squeeze in a slam towards her Democratic opponent Sen. Barack Obama.

Her remarks were received poorly by the audience and instead of eliciting applause, Clinton was jeered when she brought up the subject.

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

"I understand my opponent came this morning and spent a lot of his time attacking me," Clinton said to jeers from the crowd. "I know that many of you, like me, were disappointed, by recent remarks he made."

"No, no!" shouted some in the crowd, mildly heckling Clinton.

"I think it’s important that we give people the chance to really compare and contrast us you know, I am well aware that at a fundraiser in San Francisco he said some things that many people in Pennsylvania and beyond Pennsylvania have found offensive," Clinton said.

"He was explaining to a small group of his donors what people who live in small towns here in Pennsylvania are like. And why some of you aren’t voting for him. And instead of looking at himself, he blamed them. He said that they cling to religion and guns and dislike people who are different from them. Well I don’t believe that. I believe that people don’t cling to religion, they value their faith. You don’t cling to guns, you enjoy hunting or collecting or sports shooting. I don’t think he really gets it that people are looking for a president that stands up for you. And not looks down on you. And after seven years of Americans feeling invisible to this president, President Bush, it's time that we level the playing field and begin acting like Americans again,” Clinton said to applause.

The rest of Clinton’s speech focused on jobs and the economy and China – which was very well received from this audience. Clinton unveiled her new name for what she calls the policies and practices of President Bush and John McCain – saying she has been “taking to calling them McBush.”

Clinton was challenged about her husband’s role in signing NAFTA into law by an audience member who said Bill Clinton promised he wouldn’t sign it and then he did. The man asked the senator how she could guarantee that they wouldn’t get "tricked again."

"Well as smart as my husband is, he does make mistakes,” Clinton responded, "what I will do is to tell our neighbors Canada and Mexico that we have to renegotiate NAFTA or we will pull out of NAFTA and I am on record having said that."

Clinton also offered a new attack against Obama, arguing he hasn't made a decision on whether Bush should boycott the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and that is an indication that he will not be able to stand up to China when it comes to other issues.

“Now, I’m still waiting for my Democratic opponent to give us a clear answer on the Olympics, he says he is of two minds," Clinton argued. "Well, as a president you’ve got to be able to make up your mind and you’ve got to be able to stick with your decisions. And if you can’t stand up to China over an opening ceremony, how are you going to stand up to China when it comes to trade?”

April 14, 2008 in Bush, George W., Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (271)

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If the latest poll is an indicator of more to come, Obama is in trouble. ARG poll for PA now predicts Clinton 57% Obama 37% per RCP latest polls.

Posted by: mixed-american | Apr 14, 2008 1:07:17 PM

Frankly, she deserves to be heckled on this issue. She is twisting words to try and attack Obama because it is do or die for this lady.

Her own husband has said the same thing on numerous occasions.

Posted by: Keith | Apr 14, 2008 1:08:39 PM

I am so sick of Obama's demeaning, personal attacks on Senator Clinton, which are obviously misogynistic in origin. If he thinks she is acting like "Annie Oakley" what the hey-hey does he think HE is acting like? He is so sexist in some of his remarks that the Democratic Party should beware of pushing him on the voters of America. A lot of us are females.

Posted by: Janbitt | Apr 14, 2008 1:13:27 PM

I am so sick of Obama's demeaning, personal attacks on Senator Clinton, which are obviously misogynistic in origin. If he thinks she is acting like "Annie Oakley" what the hey-hey does he think HE is acting like? He is so sexist in some of his remarks that the Democratic Party should beware of pushing him on the voters of America. A lot of us are females.

Posted by: Janbitt | Apr 14, 2008 1:13:32 PM

Were they blakc hecklers by any chance?

Posted by: geevill | Apr 14, 2008 1:13:36 PM

Were they black hecklers by any chance?

Posted by: geevill | Apr 14, 2008 1:13:42 PM

They weren't heckling her, they were booing Obama. He made the remarks...she didn't.

Posted by: John | Apr 14, 2008 1:15:52 PM

Obama up 10 points in today's Gallup poll, equaling his largest lead ever.

Posted by: Bill | Apr 14, 2008 1:16:56 PM

On heckler versus a 20 point swing in a poll from last week by the same company out today.

I think most Pennsylvanians agree with her.

Posted by: s.b. | Apr 14, 2008 1:17:06 PM

Clinton also offered a new attack against Obama, arguing he hasn't made a decision on whether Bush should boycott the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and that is an indication that he will not be able to stand up to China when it comes to other issues.

“Now, I’m still waiting for my Democratic opponent to give us a clear answer on the Olympics, he says he is of two minds," Clinton argued. "Well, as a president you’ve got to be able to make up your mind and you’ve got to be able to stick with your decisions. And if you can’t stand up to China over an opening ceremony, how are you going to stand up to China when it comes to trade?”

Another Clinton lie.

3 days ago:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gFoMtSF-HqsXYoZqN41MK-mHtKPAD8VV5BL00
"If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the president should boycott the opening ceremonies," he said. "As I have communicated in public and to the president, it is past time for China to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people, to allow foreign journalists and diplomats access to the region, and to engage the Dalai Lama in meaningful talks about the future of Tibet."

Posted by: CWatson | Apr 14, 2008 1:17:56 PM

Keith: You must be dense. The heckler's are from the Obama camp who came there to heckle Hillary when she spoke about Obama. I am glad that Hillary ignored the fact that these kind of people are a dime a dozen. They don't count. And that's what the Obama camp has working for them. Idiot's. Mostly young punks with no common sense at all. No doubt in the same league as he use to be, drugs and booze. Is that what college is all about today?

Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | Apr 14, 2008 1:19:01 PM

Yeah this is a desperate person who knows her time is short. She will twist words and say or do anything to keep Barry out of the WH. Its so cool that people are heckling her. Its strange that they dont heckle Barry. I guess she just isnt as believable. Stick a fork in Hillary, shes done.

Posted by: Mitch | Apr 14, 2008 1:19:02 PM

Its a shame that one of the three choices we have for Prez is a straight faced pathological lier...and her spouse can match her in that skill as well. Her arguments and claims are as shaky as:

1. her lie about about opposition to NAFTA.

2. her imaginary sniper fire story

3. Her lie about her opposition to Iraq war.

Posted by: moeen | Apr 14, 2008 1:19:09 PM

She's not allowed to say anything Obama and the Obamedia don't like. Didn't you know that?

This "bitter" gaffe story is pretty typical of how things are playing out in this primary. I see few articles denouncing Obama's statement, and tons blaming Clinton for his troubles. You would think she said it - no if she had said it the media would crucify her and start demanding she quit again - is there any part of democracy the media plans to leave us?

Spin, spin, spin. Wish us good luck with this nominee the media is choosing for us. I sincerely hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt like their sorry reporting leading up to the Iraq war. I guess democracy is over and we've got information filtered by a corrupt media, just like in N. Korea. Yippee!

I know ratings are all important, and there is an influx of Obama followers who just discovered politics who are boosting ratings and readership, but they media needs to remember that when they all move on to their next hobby, the majority of lifelong democrats who supported Clinton or Edwards will not tune in anymore. I'm close to going PBS and NPR exclusively for my "news."

It's also pretty glaring that if Clinton mentions anything Obama or the Obamedia doesn't like, even though every pundit with two brain cells to rub together is harping on it ad nauseum, she gets hammered for it. Is "attack" the new word for "unpatriotic"?

True freedom and democracy are looking farther and farther off in the distance these days.

Posted by: Teri B. | Apr 14, 2008 1:21:12 PM

Of course she as heckled. This is not getting the play she expected. You can't manufacture outrage and if you do, you better not be so obvious about it. You can't go around telling people how to feel. That's not the way it works.

Posted by: Dann | Apr 14, 2008 1:23:11 PM

This is typical Obama supporters. Instead of bringing their canidate up they choose to tear down their opponents, so much for politics of hope.

Posted by: Kardasia_Prime | Apr 14, 2008 1:23:19 PM


WHY DOESN’T THE BIASED MEDIA REPORT WHERE OBAMA MADE HIS “BITTER” REMARKS! IT WAS IN THE HOME OF A PAKISTANI NATIVE-MUSLIM MILLIONAIRE! WATCH OUT WHAT WILL GO ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IF OBAMA IS ELECTED PRESIDENT.

San Francisco is an American city where all illegal immigrants are welcomed and protected. The wealthy, elite hire them and make sure they get free medical care, free food, free education, etc. They work (don’t pay taxes) and send their money to their homeland. Obama supports this! He is an arrogant snob.

His comments in San Fran about “bitter” rural Americans living in small towns remind me of Kerry’s famous comment: “if you don’t get an education you could end up in Iraq.” It’s like his “typical white grandmother comment”. Remember how he compared his “white grandmother” to “Jeremiah Wright”, so he didn’t have to apologize for Wright’s radical "God Damn America" remarks in a church of God?

Hillary shows strength and a knowledge to fight for ALL Americans.

NO OBAMA --- HILLARY 2008!

Posted by: 1ProudAmerican | Apr 14, 2008 1:23:38 PM

I'm bitter because you're bitter. You're bitter because Obama says you're bitter. You weren't bitter before you were bitter. It's only after you first became bitter that you're bitter.

So, put away your six-shooter and stop your anti-immigrant nonsense.

Posted by: S | Apr 14, 2008 1:24:21 PM

Bill: That poll is pro-Obama and inflated the poll to make the public believe Obama is more electable. I don't believe that poll because she is winning in PA and IN and I hope it stays that way. Hillary has a chance to win Puerto Rico because of the Latino vote. NC will be for Obama because of the black race there but the trouble with the white race they should vote for their own people. The blacks do it we should do the same. I don't know what is wrong with the white people today. Obama states he has more experience than McCain or Clinton. Where? He's still wet behind the ears.

Posted by: Mariann Pepitone | Apr 14, 2008 1:24:49 PM

I agree Fred... the polling trends are the best indicators and we need about a week to really have a good gauge. I just thought I would mention it since it was really the first one completed since the fiasco. We shall see whether ARG is on the mark or not once other pollsters complete their polling.

Posted by: mixed-american | Apr 14, 2008 1:26:10 PM

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