Oh-eight (D): A 'world-class genius'
Posted: Friday, December 21, 2007 9:12 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:
Democrats
A national FOX News/Opinion Dynamics poll shows Clinton with solid a 49%-20% lead over Obama.
CLINTON: The candidate lobbed this her rivals’ way. Clinton “said choosing a candidate simply because they are more likable - a thinly veiled reference to Obama and Edwards - would repeat the 2000 mistake of electing George W. Bush, a then-Texas governor with a regular guy reputation and little foreign policy chops.”
NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli was with Bill Clinton last night in New Hampshire, where Clinton -- again -- tried to beat back this notion that Obama's run in '08 is similar to Bill's in '92. “There’s a slight oversimplification there,” Clinton said. “I also gave you a real plan for what I would do. And when I came here I was 46, but I was the most senior governor in America, I had worked hard on the very economic issues that I said I would work on as president for years and years and years.”
And, Clinton said, he thought he won then in part because people thought he “was more tuned in” to the day’s challenges. “There’s no question that Hillary is not out of touch,” he continued. “She has spent a lifetime making these changes.”
In the end, Clinton said his wife is “always making something good happen.” “She’s got the right vision, big plans, and a proven ability to change life for the better,” he said. “So experience and change are only opposed in values if you’re so experienced you don’t have any energy left and you can’t cut it, or if your experience is in fighting change. But if you know how to do things and you’ve proven over a lifetime that you can make change in other people’s lives, I think that’s a pretty strong recommendation. “
Bill also said “his wife is a ‘world-class genius’ when it comes to improving the lives of others.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times' Z. Barabak delves into the Bill question. He gets one Bill/Hill friend to say on the record that Bill's gone too far in attacking Obama. Reed Hundt, who went to law school with both Clintons, is supporting Obama. Hundt was appointed to the FCC in Bill's first term. “‘President Clinton is going way too far -- too far into the politics of personal attack, which he knows is bad for the country,’ Hundt said. ‘It's not right for a former president to get out there and be demeaning any of our candidates.”
“‘Calling Barack Obama “a symbol” is not acceptable discourse,’ Hundt went on, referring to Clinton's comments in a recent interview with PBS' Charlie Rose. ‘Likening him to a TV commentator is an insult.’”
Playing the victim card? Bill Clinton in his conversation with the Concord Monitor editorial board: “‘If people think she's a little too edgy, I'd ask them to just remember what she's been through in the last 15 years,’ Bill Clinton said. ‘Many people would have been broken by what they did to her. Everything that Kenneth Starr and that crowd charged her with, every single thing has proved to be baseless.’”
By the way, is Clinton the only campaign that's gotten its congressional surrogates to attack a fellow colleague? That's what happened yesterday on a conference call as three Clinton House supporters hit Obama over the "present" vote deal.
Nothing like Tony Rodham in the news... shockingly for something negative. The New York Post reports he may be a deadbeat dad, owing more than $150K in child support.
EDWARDS: There was a long, awkward pause in the Woodbury County Courthouse in Iowa last night when an African-American man in the audience stood up and said he had something to say, NBC/NJ’s Tricia Miller reports. “My statement is that I've watched John Edwards for a long time, and I've come to some conclusions. And the best conclusion I can come to is that John Edwards loves white people,” he said, and eyed the almost entirely white crowd sternly. At the front of the room Edwards stood firm but had to be worried. “You hear that? John Edwards loves white Americans. Any black Americans here?” he asked, and the young staffer running the mic through the audience reluctantly raised his hand.
“John Edwards loves you too,” the man said. Relieved, the audience began to clap and Edwards laughed uproariously. The man continued: “Native Americans, John Edwards loves you. I want to make absolutely sure Asian-Americans know that John Edwards -- that John Edwards -- loves you.”
Declaring John Edwards’ love for several more people groups, the man finally handed the mic back The audience gave him a standing ovation, and Edwards, beaming his famous megawatt smile, quipped, “I’m John Edwards, and I approve that message.”
OBAMA: “Obama, touting his message to change Washington, told a round-table of [New Hampshire] independent voters he would not let his administration's aides lobby him once they leave, would make government transparent and cut out lobbyists' influence.”
On TODAY this morning, NBC’s David Gregory asked Obama several tough questions. About concerns over his lack of experience, the candidate replied that what voters see in his entire career “is someone who can bring people together.” On what he has done in the Senate, Obama cited his work to rein in lobbyists and special interests. And on his “present” votes while in the Illinois legislature, Obama said it’s now the “silly season” in the campaign, and that he has led on important issues like Iraq.
Here's a little nugget NBC/NJ's Erin McPike noted while following Obama around in New Hampshire last night. Obama: "I talk to Al Gore about every three weeks." Obama made this claim in a remark to the global warming Santa activists. Still, very interesting that they talk every three weeks or so... Wonder how often Gore and Clinton talk?
RICHARDSON: The New York Times profiles Richardson, focusing on his years as a negotiator.
