Hillary piles on Obama experience
Posted: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 3:55 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
2008, Clinton, Obama
From NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones and Domenico Montanaro
SHENANDOAH, IA -- For the second straight day, Clinton has questioned Obama’s experience. Yesterday it was on the economy, today on foreign affairs.
"Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face,” Clinton said, calling in to a waiting audience at a fire house here this morning to apologize for missing the event due to her plane being diverted because of foggy weather.
“I think we need a president with more experience than that. Someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to and has confidence in."
The Clinton campaign then adopted the language in a press release e-mailed statement, italicizing the above statement to make sure reporters didn’t miss it.
Ten minutes after the e-mail went out, the Obama campaign responded.
"Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld have spent time in the White House and traveled to many countries as well, but along with Hillary Clinton they led us into the worst foreign policy disaster in a generation and are now giving George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton wrote. “The real choice in this election is between conventional Washington thinking that prizes posture and positioning, or real change that puts judgment and honesty first.”
*** UPDATE *** Clinton questions Obama's foreign policy credentials on camera
From NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones and NBC’s Lauren Appelbaum
CRESTON, IA, Nov. 20 -- Clinton again challenged the experience of her chief rival Barack Obama Tuesday afternoon, without mentioning his name.
"With all due respect, I don't think living in a foreign country between the ages of 6 and 10 is foreign policy experience," she said at the Chicken Inn. "I think having the first hand experience with so many leaders that I have had over the last 15 years equips me to be a President who can start on day one."
The statement, made after the senator spoke for several minutes about the challenges America faced around the world and her own foreign policy bonafides, was yet another sign that the gloves have come off in the final stretch of the close race leading up to the Iowa caucuses.
Clinton said dealing with these challenges would take more experience than Obama has.
"It takes an understanding of what to do and then being able to implement a plan. And with all due respect, I don't think living in a foreign country between the ages of 6 and 10 is foreign policy experience," Clinton said, highlighting her own first-hand experience with world leaders as First Lady and afterwards. The senator made similar comments by phone to an audience in Shenandoah who were there to hear her speak. She was forced to reschedule the event due to weather delays.
"This campaign is kinda getting heated up now," the New York Senator continued. "We're getting a little more excited and intense. But now, we're leaving you all alone for Thanksgiving, however. So that should be one of the blessings (you count on Thanksgiving)."
