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Obama Says McCain Better than Bush, Clinton Responds

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April 20, 2008 7:08 PM

ABC News' Eloise Harper and Sunlen Miller report: Sen. Barack Obama, speaking in Reading, Pa., said that John McCain would be better than President Bush, and Hillary Clinton used the line as an opening to attack both Obama and McCain.

"You have a real choice in this election. You know, either Democrat would be better than John McCain, but, and all three of us would be better than George Bush," Obama said. "What you have to ask yourself is who has the chance to actually really change things in a fundamental way? So that 10 years from now or 20 years from now you can look back say, 'Boy, we really moved in a new direction and we've put the country on a better path.'"

Clinton pounced on the comments immediately in Johnstown, Pa.

"Sen. Obama said today that John McCain would be better for the country than George Bush. Now Sen. McCain is a real American patriot who has served our country with distinction. Sen. McCain would follow the same fatal policies that have been so wrong for our country the last seven years. Sen. McCain thinks its OK to keep our troops in Iraq for the next 100 years. Is that better than George Bush?"

But Clinton didn't stop there. She continued the line of questioning.

"Sen. McCain will continue the failed economic policies of George Bush that have brought us deficit and increasing debt. Is that better than George Bush? Sen. McCain does not have a health care plan that will cover every American. In fact, we will have more and more uninsured Americans. Is that better than George Bush? Sen. McCain has no plans to end the housing foreclosure crisis or cut the cost of gas at the pump. Is that better than George Bush? We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain, and I will be that nominee," Clinton said.

This is the latest in the back and forth between the two candidates leading up to the Pennsylvania primary. Clinton and Obama have been trading barbs over a range of issues including health care and the oil companies.

April 20, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (78)

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Same thing, different day.

Posted by: Surelock Homes | Apr 20, 2008 7:17:03 PM

Well I don't think it is rocket science to figure out that a whole host of people would be a better president than the one we got.

What did Rumsfeld say about trained apes again....?

Posted by: The Commander Guy | Apr 20, 2008 7:21:23 PM

Congratulations Obama, you just gave up the McCain = Bush meme. Not that anyone much bought it anyway.

Obama Lied and Hope Died!

Posted by: John in VA | Apr 20, 2008 7:22:00 PM

I think Obama meant that McCain is likely to be able to string enough words together to actually speak a whole sentence. That alone makes him better than Bush.

Why doesn't ABC News remind Americans why Republicans tossed McCain under the bus in 2000 and gave us Bush. . .

Posted by: kevinbgoode | Apr 20, 2008 7:29:59 PM

Obama will best John McCain in November! Let's rally behind him and put a Democrat in office! Obama 08!

Posted by: Susan | Apr 20, 2008 7:43:35 PM

most modern republicans are ok... most modern democrats?? socialists. keep beating each other up, as a conservative, its kind of fun to sit back and watch right now.

Posted by: tim | Apr 20, 2008 7:49:57 PM

I saw the whole speech and it is really unfair/misleading/dishonest to take a single line out of context. Obama made it clear that he would end this type of game being played. America is tired of the political parsing played by Hillary. She needs to be unselfish for the first time in her life and concede.

Posted by: True Believer | Apr 20, 2008 7:50:28 PM

OMG!!!

SHE and BILL have been PRAISING McCain for MONTHS!!!


Seriously, does that Campaign have Alzheimer's? They have NO MEMORY!!

Saying she never whined about the media, Bosnia, NAFTA, now THIS?

Are they TRYING to LOSE??

WILD!!

Posted by: sue | Apr 20, 2008 7:51:34 PM

BTW....He was being HONEST!

McCain IS better than Bush...not MUCH better...but BETTER.

THIS is the NEW POLITICS....HONESTY....not demonizing your opponent.

Sorta refreshing and civil, huh?

That is, if Clinton wasn't around.

Posted by: Sam | Apr 20, 2008 7:54:40 PM

This woman's entire campaign is tracking down every little word Obama says in order to contradict him! This is ridiculous! This is so typical of a woman(sorry ladies). Damn! I'm so tired of her and her minions. Then they feel as if no one should sling mud, eventhough they have slung mud from day one. Now they're putting ricks in their mud! I'm sorry she just can't win. She not presidential...AT ALL!

Posted by: Marlon | Apr 20, 2008 8:05:11 PM

Hillary Clinton: "I have passed the commander-in-chief test. Senator McCain has passed the commander-in-chief test. Senator Obama has not."

Barack Obama: "Either [I or Clinton] would be a better President than John McCain. And any of use would be a better President than President Bush."

Let's see. Who's the Democrat, and who's the Republican?

Posted by: BMR, Pittsburgh PA | Apr 20, 2008 8:06:33 PM

True believer, yes, Obama verbally say that he would not employ dirty political games. But his actions are contrary to his words as he has always been. He and his campaign has aggressively launched personal attacks at Hillary over and over. In fact, even in November 2007, in an interview with Newsweek, Obama said Hillary's untruthful. Also, you watch how much money Obama has spent in putting so negative ads in Pennsylvania and called new media attacking Hillary personally. How disgusting this is. There are many examples to show how hypocritical Obama is. I will never vote for him. Never, ever!

Posted by: Candy | Apr 20, 2008 8:08:21 PM

Obama fans.

I hope you realize that the republicans will play that tape over and over in the general election.

Mc Cain better than Bush.

WHY ????

WHY????

WHY DOES OBAMA DO STUFF LIKE THIS. HE CANT STOP STICKING HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH.

My god man.

SHUT UP IF YOU HONESTLY EXPECT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

YOU ARE ALREADY ON THIS ICE AS IT IS.

By time June rolls around, Clinton is going to have a TWO HOUR full length movie to show the super delegates of OBAMA GAFFES .

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 20, 2008 8:15:36 PM

Obama is the only candidate that can make a real difference for this country. He will be able to bring this country together. He will be able to start cleaning up the mess caused by the bush-league during the last 7.5 years. I predict thet PA will surprise a lot of people on Tuesday. Obama will defeat Hillary and then go on to defeat mc-more-war in the fall. We'll be able to tell our kids and grandkids that we voted for a true leader, a guy that turned this country around. Obama 2008!

Posted by: pt | Apr 20, 2008 8:17:59 PM

It was a well calculated statement on Obama's part. It was a trap for Hillary and she fell into it.

We are all aware of the speech she gave not too long ago in which she praised herself and McCain for passing the "experienc and C-in-C" test. Her criticism of Obama's statement on McCain makes her look stupid.

Posted by: Teejay | Apr 20, 2008 8:19:42 PM

A Third Bush Term (led by McCain) could possibly be better than the first or second Bush terms.

But a Third Clinton term (led by Hillary) would likely be worse than the first or second Clinton terms.

Don't act surprised like you don't know Republicans were going to counter McCain-3rd-Bush term with Hillary-3rd-Clinton term? That was always going to be a winning counterpunch for them. First the thought of a 3rd Clinton term unites the Republican Party like you've never seen before. Second, many Democrats support Obama because they're sick and tired of the Clintons and the Bush's.

Posted by: Diamond | Apr 20, 2008 8:22:01 PM

She has been pandering to the republican base for sometime now. Her John is all I have heard for a couple of months. Typical of Hillary.

Hillary who are you?

Obama08

Posted by: Thinking | Apr 20, 2008 8:24:10 PM

what part of the country are we talking about him bringing together. In Ga. there seems to be a split we have not seen flags for about 5 years this week end they are back. I am from Pa so I have no problem with Obama but he is not who I am for I'm just wondering how this after math is going to work if he does or doesn't gein.

Posted by: Bishop | Apr 20, 2008 8:24:18 PM

oops! Her and John is what I meant, sorry for the mispeak folks.

Posted by: Thinking | Apr 20, 2008 8:26:23 PM

to tomdavie

In the end, I'm sure a good democrat like yourself will fold and vote for Obama. It will be the thinking middle who determine the outcome of the election as usual.

Posted by: Surelock Homes | Apr 20, 2008 8:30:27 PM

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