Obama on the planted questioners

Posted: Monday, November 12, 2007 4:55 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Andy Merten
Although Obama was meeting with veterans and touting a new policy proposal aimed at reducing homelessness among vets while campaigning today in New Hampshire, reporters' questions centered almost entirely on Hillary Clinton -- from her campaign’s planted questioners, to the Illinois senator’s bump in New Hampshire polls.

On this weekend’s revelation that the Clinton campaign has at least twice used planted questioners at town hall events, Obama said that he would never engage in such a practice. “When I go into a town hall meeting, I never know what questions to expect -- and that’s a good thing,” he said.

But when asked a follow-up question about what the practice says about Clinton as a candidate, Obama resisted slamming his opponent too hard. “I think you’ll have to ask her to defend the practices that they’re engaged in. I know that it’s not something we do, and I think the voters of New Hampshire have the right to find out what exactly if on the minds of candidates –- in a way that’s not scripted.”

The presidential hopeful also backed a bit off of the implicit Clinton criticisms he voiced Saturday night, at the Jefferson Jackson Democratic dinner in Iowa. While he decried the practice of not fully answering questions out of fear of partisan reprisal and “triangulating and poll-driven positions” over the weekend, Obama today opted to soften his message a bit. “Part of what I think the country needs right now -- in fact, I’m sure of it -- is an honest conversation about the challenges we face and how we’re going to solve problems." He added, “That doesn’t just apply to one single candidate; I think it’s a change in the political culture that’s necessary for us to move forward.”

And asked about his recent bump in New Hampshire polling, Obama simply chalked it up to his articulation of actual policy proposals: “We’ve always felt that if I am talking about health care and education and Social Security and veterans and the war in Iraq in an honest way and offering real solutions, then people would respond.”

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Comments

William Jefferson Clinton we can not wait for you and Hillary to lead our country back to a better World!

From HPs perspective,that would be another world other then this one.

The Mother Ship is coming for you HP. Have your ticket ready.

Lenny Waldren, Dallas Texas (Sent Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:55 PM)

I've watched the debates with out fail and I have yet to see any candadate that hasn't planted questions in an attempt to put the other candadates on the defence. What's the big deal?

Bob LeHew

That's interesting. The Hillary problem was with a rigged question at a town hall meeting. But Bob here says that he sees this at debates now too. So, which moderator or panel member on these debates is feed what candidate the staged questions? Matthews, Oberlmann, Blitzer, Donner, Cupid? Who? Certainly some interesting journalism going on if this is the case.

Eng Wang (Sent Tuesday, November 13, 2007 2:00 PM)

William Jefferson Clinton we can not wait for you and Hillary to lead our country back to a better World!
Keep up your campaign support, we love you both and the world is waiting for America to have strong, competent, intelligent leadership again.

Hp Boston
-----------------------------------------------

I don't think I want another scandal in the white house. "I did not have sex with that woman"...William J. Clinton.

Here is the real question, if you want more of white house scandals Hillary Clinton is your girl. If you want change from dynasty and someone with better credibility Barack Obama and Edward is your guy.

Bee, NH (Sent Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:58 PM)

"I bet he has never read the US constitution"

Actually, Obama was a professor of constitutional law. Say what you will about his experience in public policy, I happen to think a complete academic respect and familiarity with constitutional law is a type of experience that is deeply lacking in the current administration...

"William Jefferson Clinton we can not wait for you and Hillary to lead our country back to a better World! "

i loved Bill, but I only want him once. I don't want to turn on the TV four years from now, and hear more partisan division pouring from the mouth Dick Morris. It's time for the landscape to change. The Clinton years were a decade of deadlock, and deadlock is not what we need: We have a constitutional limit on presidential terms for a reason. Seriously, no matter how much you may have enjoyed Clinton, as did I, what a waste of perfectly great democratic party talent... what, in eight years are you going to beg Chelsea to come out of the shadows and lead America to the light, too?

Wake up Democratic party, and take in some of the talent on that stage: Obama, Edwards, Biden, I'll even give Dodd point for being experienced, if not particularly telegenic. Every one of those candidates deserves to be considered seriously by us as voters, instead we are settling for the name we know, the name we foolishly and nervously pray will bring us back into office.

This is no way to run a party, and deep inside, you have to know it.

Drewb Georgia Georgia (Sent Wednesday, November 14, 2007 12:34 AM)

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