Clinton, Obama Field Questions at the Compassion Forum

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Clinton, Obama Field Questions at the Compassion Forum

April 13, 2008 11:00 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper and Sunlen Miller report: The two Democratic candidates met on stage briefly in between solo segments at CNN’s Compassion Forum in Grantham, Pa.

From the body language between the opponents during their brief handshake on stage, it seemed the the events of the weekend had led to the icy reception between them.

Hillary Clinton was asked about the "shame on her" comments Barack Obama had made just a short while before the forum.

Clinton put the ball back in Obama's court, saying he will have to explain his comments about "bitter" Pennsylvanians -– but again compared Obama to Al Gore and John Kerry.

"Well, he will have to speak for himself and provide his own explanation," she said. "But I do think it raises a lot of concerns and we've seen that exhibited in the last several days by people here in Pennsylvania in Indiana.

"Someone goes to a closed door fundraiser in San Francisco and makes comments that do seem elitist, out of touch, and frankly patronizing," she said. "That has nothing to do with him being a good man or a man of faith. We had two very good men and men of faith run for president in 2000 and 2004, but large segments of the electorate concluded that they did not really understand or relate to or frankly respect their ways of life and I think that has been an issue for voters."

Clinton also said that this is a political issue being discussed.

"This is a legitimate political issue, and there are some issues and there are some issues that are not, but this one is and I do believe that Sen. Obama will have a chance to explain himself tonight and I am sure he will take that opportunity," she said.

Obama admitted his words were clumsy, but said he did not mean to demean faith and he defended his original comments, saying that "clinging" -– as he described Pennsylvanians clinging to religion -– is a good thing per the scripture.

"Scripture talks about clinging to what's good," he said. "And so it's very important -- my words may have been clumsy, which happens surprisingly often on a presidential campaign, but this is something that I've talked about before, I've talked about in my own life, which is that religion is a bulwark, a foundation when other things aren't going well. That's true in my own life, through trials and tribulations. And so what I was referring to was in no way demeaning a faith that I, myself, embrace. What I was saying is that when economic hardship hits in these communities, what people have is they've got family, they've got their faith, they've got the traditions that have been passed onto them from generation to generation. Those aren't bad things. That's what they have left."

Obama said it is unfortunate in a presidential campaign that people have been trying to misconstrue his words –- and that Clinton painting him as an elitist is "a good example of what happens on the presidential campaign, is that we try to tear each other down instead of lifting the country up."

The forum was intended for a discussion on faith in front of religious members of the community.

Obama was asked about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and Obama took issue with the way his former pastor has been portrayed amid the controversy.

"The most recent loop that's been playing -- Rev. Wright's greatest hits, so to speak -- are, I think, both a distortion of who he is and what the church has been about, but also express, you know, some comments that I think are deeply offensive and are contrary to what I believe. ... And, you know, pastors are imperfect. Certainly, the membership is imperfect. I, as somebody who is sitting in the pews as a sinner, is imperfect."

Clinton laughed when she was asked at the forum if she thought God thought she should be president.

"I could be glib and say we will find out," she said. "I don’t presume anything about God, I believe Abraham Lincoln was right that in admonishing us not to act as though we knew God was on our side. In fact, our mission should be on God's side. And I have tried to take my beliefs my faith and put it to work my entire life and it has been gratifying to view the little I’ve done to try and help other people, which is really what motivates me."

April 13, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (188)

User Comments

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Of course, the crowd was pro-Obama......CNN aired the show.

Posted by: catherine in nm | Apr 13, 2008 11:59:39 PM

I am awake and I am for Obama. Sometimes I am drunk and spew things favoring Hillary. Huge mistake! I apologize for that in advance. I am for Obama.

========================================
Hillary, the Witch of the West!
========================================

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Apr 14, 2008 12:00:02 AM

fake WCM returns...

have a good night everybody...

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 14, 2008 12:01:59 AM

MIguy

Insulting someone for disagreeing with you on who to support is not becoming.

Posted by: MM | Apr 14, 2008 12:03:49 AM

@MM:

Sorry - what was the insult?

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 14, 2008 12:05:02 AM

I'll say it one more time religion and politics don't mix.To many diffeent faiths in this country.As long as a person belives and goes to church that is all that matters.No one trys to push religion onto you.
Many of youin here should try church ,you have hate so bad it isn't funny anymore .........Your remarks are sicken

Posted by: h | Apr 14, 2008 12:05:48 AM

Hillary's responses were both compassionate and inspiring. I'm glad we (my family) had a chance to hear her religious views and how her faith has influenced her political career and decision-making. Her comments were thoughtful and spontaneous. She demonstrated a commitment to the underprivileged, and to all Americans. Obama’s comments sounded canned and rehearsed. There didn’t appear to be any real feeling behind his words.

Posted by: Mike in NC | Apr 14, 2008 12:06:31 AM

MIGuy

So calling someone, fake WCM is not condescending. Mine your words that was very condescending to West Coast Messenger.

Posted by: MM | Apr 14, 2008 12:07:37 AM

It is the content not the wording of OBAMA's inflamatory message that causes him trouble. People go to church, and holds gun because it is part of the American culture in small town.
A) OBAMA fabricate the reasons for rural Americans going to church and holding on guns. He quotes the Scripture in English for the definition of 'cling' not in the same context as he uses it. He virtually throws the whole town under the bus to please the billionaires for money.
B) Hillary made an over-statement about Bosnia trip, in the war zone.
Look at the lies that OBAMA made:
1) He filled up a survey form with his own handwriting on it and yet he denies it and the media caught up on him with evidence.
2) Go to Factcheck to see his oil spill.
3) The fundraising with the billionaires contradicts his ad of taking money from grass roots.
4) The false ad he put up in order to show NAFTA takes away jobs for a guy who is later found to get a huge compensation from the closing of the company.
5) He claims that Kennedy has anything to do with his father's sponsorship to this country and he use the Kennedy's connection to boost his campaign. (not true; go to www.Factcheck.org)
6) Staying in a church for 20 years that preach hatred and racism to his children, he claims that it is the black culture. The 20 years of venom could be seen from his outbursts at times.
7) His voting record shows that he frequently wants to go back on his ballots. He frequently claims to be misinterpreted.

Posted by: John_Lai | Apr 14, 2008 12:09:26 AM

h.....
this was a [compassion]forum, not religious. The issues do overlap, but separate are: denomination, prophets, various names of god, even nationality and hopefully, political party.
you probably have thought out some good stuff, but take more time writing it out so people can understand your point better.

Posted by: ameliaus | Apr 14, 2008 12:10:37 AM

@MM:

No disrespect, but you misunderstood me. The 'real' West Coast Messenger on the blogs is an avid supporter of Senator Clinton. Lately, there have been some 'fake' messages from West Coast Messenger (as well as others) that purport to support Senator Obama. In actuality, I was standing up for West Coast Messenger against the person impersonating him/her.

I can understand your confusion - I hope you understand my intent now.

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 14, 2008 12:11:21 AM

The only way to settle this is for West Coast Manager to reveal his of herself.

Posted by: MM | Apr 14, 2008 12:12:51 AM

Here we go again ...

Obama's words were "clumsy," to be sure, but I find it curious that two of the most affluent members of the Senate would describe a former community organizer as out of touch. Sounds politically motivated to me—nothing more than tired old identity politics, yet another desperate attempt to distract us from the real issues of this campaign.

Let's not be duped, folks. We need to move beyond the politics of division. We need a leader who has the vision, character, and ability to bring positive change to the White House and to our nation—change that neither Clinton nor McCain can deliver.

Posted by: Jim | Apr 14, 2008 12:14:55 AM

@MM:

Not really necessary methinks. For the past month, including today and tonight on the blogs, WCM has been pretty fervently pro-Clinton.

Whether I agree with WCM or not, taking over someone's nickname as a joke or out of pettiness doesn't play well. But then again, I guess some people need to have some fun...

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 14, 2008 12:16:52 AM

For better or worse, McCain is no Reagan...

Posted by: MIguy | Apr 14, 2008 12:19:31 AM

People ARE bitter and angry. I think Obama gets punished every time he speaks the truth. Guns and faith are important to certain sections of the population, and when they have lost everything else, they turn to what they have.. I really don't understand what this whole uproar is about. The media, especially CNN and Fox News, is stoking this current "controversy". We must be terribly ignorant, or immature as a nation, if we cannot differentiate between reality, and the lies spoken by the likes of Bush, Cheney, and the Clintons. Look at what is happening to our country. People are losing jobs, homes, and are fighting the rising cost of gas and food, health care and essential items. The war in Iraq, which should never have taken place, seems to be going on for ever and ever. Bitterness exists, not only in the small towns but also in the big cities, and if we don't change things now, I am afraid our nation will end up in chaos. Obama has been touring the small towns and is keeping a finger on the pulse of those people.
Clinton is the one who does not understand the true state of our country. She is desperate and is using GOP tactics in attacking Barack. We need to question her loyalty to the Democratic party. Ever since she lost Super Tuesday, she has shown her true nature. I used to be very supportive of the Clintons. But she lost my vote a long time ago. She is the one who should apologize to the people in the small towns, for her support of the war, NAFTA, and for her lies about her foreign endeavors!

Posted by: Ann | Apr 14, 2008 12:21:39 AM

Posted by: Ann | Apr 14, 2008 12:21:47 AM

Hillary is the Better Candidate and would make the best Nominee for the Democrats.

Obama seems fake even on something he says he beleives in.

Of course Obama will come back tomorrow, Putting someone down to make himself look better,Casting blame for something upon someone to take the eyes off him.

Maybe some day Obama will grow up and be a responsible Adult.

Posted by: seah | Apr 14, 2008 12:22:52 AM

How could this phony hypocrit get to where he is? BHO has been criticizing both HRC and WJC whenever he opens his big mouth. He calls the Clinton administration the same as Bush's. Now he is the crying baby again for being criticized calling middle class American names. Isn't it the same strategy of crying to have been slaved for 300 years as an excuse for reason to condemn the country that brought him all his opportunities.

BHO is inspired by a person of hatred, isn't that the real shame?

Posted by: boneheaded | Apr 14, 2008 12:23:54 AM

Tonight I think Clinton made a MUCH bigger gaffe than Obama's "bitter" comment: She insulted Al Gore! Is she trying to push him into endorsing Obama the same way she pushed Ted Kennedy into Obama's camp (after implying that Ted's brother, John, had nothing to do with the passage of the civil rights laws)?

Posted by: MikeL | Apr 14, 2008 12:25:48 AM

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