Hillary to fire back

Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:20 AM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
A day after Obama hit Clinton hard in Mississippi, she is going to return the favor in Pennsylvania. Clinton is going to hammer Obama this afternoon in Harrisburg, Pa., according to prepared speech excerpts released by her campaign.

She will go after him on issues that started to work for her in Ohio, and the campaign thinks could have similar impact on voters in Pennsylvania -- NAFTA, Iraq, Energy and being true to his promises.

Examples show she's following up on the Goolsbee-Canadian government issue and on Samantha Power. See below:

"The true test comes when it's time to match rhetoric with results,” Clinton will say. “And unfortunately, we've seen that Senator Obama's promises and speeches are often just words." …

"On the campaign trail, Sen. Obama talks about clean energy. But in the Senate, he voted for Dick Cheney's energy bill loaded with new tax breaks for oil companies. When he faced a tough choice, his support for a clean energy future turned out to be just words." …

"It's like how he talks about fixing NAFTA. But his top economic adviser assured the Canadian government that he wouldn't really follow through. His position? Just words." …

"Senator Obama promises to withdraw from Iraq within 16 months. But his top foreign policy adviser said he's not really going to rely on that plan. I guess that plan is just words, too." …

"We need a president who will solve problems, who will fight for our families long after the speeches are over and the cameras are gone. That's the choice in this campaign: Solutions you can rely on -- versus words you can't."

*** UPDATE *** The Obama campaign responds this way: “Proving once again that she will say and do anything to win this election, Senator Clinton today has unleashed a kitchen sink of distorted and discredited attacks that she knows aren't true. Barack Obama isn't about to be lectured on words from someone who's actions spoke much louder when she voted against renewable fuels and higher CAFÉ standards until she started running for President, championed NAFTA as good for America until she started running for President, and supported George Bush's disastrous war in Iraq until she started running for President.

“The fact is, the energy bill that Senator Clinton is using to score cheap political points actually raised taxes on oil companies and made the largest investment in renewable energy in our nation's history, including the tax credit that's kept the wind industry afloat and helped create jobs like the ones at the plant Barack Obama is visiting today. If Senator Clinton wants to have an honest debate about why she voted against that bill, we're happy to have it, but she owes the voters of Pennsylvania more than same old attack politics that Americans have already rejected across the country.”

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Comments

Her lies never cease. And as far as what Samantha Power said about the Iraq war, it made sense. What is the purpose of having a cabinet/advisors in during your presidency if you do not listen to them. I guess she's never heard of planning. Whenever you make a plan, you take into account that things happen that may cause your original plan to change. That's common sense! Only an arrogant, self-centered, egotiscal presidential candidate would think that he/she would have all of the answers before getting the advice of the people who advise him/her, in other words, a know it all. Oops! I just described Hillary.

Food for thought, IL (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:31 AM)

Let the negative games begin.

Of course she will fire...of course I'm not sure its firing back. I'd say pretty much that she started it in Ohio and Texas. And when I say she started it, I'm talking the nasty attack ads. Of course she really started it (as in "it" being, I'm in it to win it at any cost even if the party is destroyed) when she started with all the changing of the rules ploys.

This is why it will get so nasty so fast. But I will still predict Obama is able to respond in a more presidential "manner" (shall we say) then Team Clinton.

Let the games begin, the bumpy ride is getting bumpier. It will be interesting to see how this all plays. Of course, we will see all the biases out in rare form (and I'm thinking the media here.)

This race is really a money-maker for the news outlets, huh? Seems to be a lot of interests in prolonging this race.

Lisa in New Britain, CT (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:31 AM)

Wow, Hillary really wants to be President of the big states, not the 50 states. Only big states she wins, not any other state Obama won. Instead of firing back in Miss., she is doing that in PA even though the state won't vote until April 22.
This shows how selfish Hillary is. Remember Kerry won big states but lost to Bush's small state winning streak. So, Hillary is simply not trying to be president of America to lead the country, but o fulfill her personal ambitions, and that is why she is pitting small states against big states rather than uniting them all under one America.

Bull the Dog (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:32 AM)

Obama all talk all the time.
Obama never has walked the walk, all talk all the time.
Obama can't walk and talk at the same time.
Obama is a WASTE of time!

DON'T waste your VOTE on OBAMA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:33 AM)

"Solutions you can rely on..." like her health care plan in the 90s?

KidFromVegas (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:33 AM)

HRC, your just jealous and stupid for not coming out with anything to understand!! Little black boy is giving the lunatic a run to defeat ""I would say""" Momma Monster is getting bitch slapped.

Straight Fact / AZ (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:33 AM)

The sad thing is that she doesn't seem to care that her lies and political posturing are doing nothing but paving the way for McCain to win the election. I'm starting to see why Bill has a wandering eye...

ETSJ (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:36 AM)

don't you go to jail if you lie too much. confused in ohio.

dayton ohio (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:37 AM)

Did she forget to mention that her camp contacted Canada?

LJ Kansas (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:38 AM)

I want to know if Hillary is going to "denounce and reject" the support of her friend and super delegate Spitzer? His problem isn't "just sex", but is about committing multiple felonies. Of course the Clinton's are masters at throwing friends and supporters under the bus once they get caught. I for one don't want the Clinton Drama Team back in the White House and all New Yorkers are right now being reminding of what that is like.

If Hillary thinks so little of Barack, why does she keep saying that he would make a fine Vice Presidential running mate for her? That is what she and Bill have been saying, right?

John, Morgan Hill, California (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:41 AM)

Let the negative games end.

Obama/Webb 08

Amy Andersen, Eden Prairie MN (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:41 AM)

Obama was saying in Wyoming on Friday that he voted against the war in 2002, 2003. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. (He called out the year literally one by one.) The truth is that 2002 was a speech. He didn't have to vote for the war in 2003. When he got in the Senate, he voted for funding the war in 2004, 2005 & 2006.

What he has been saying doesn't appear to be what you really mean from NFTA to end the war. His voting records might have suggested that he might not had voted against the war if he had to vote. He would prefer to vote "present" if there is an option.

V,CA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:43 AM)

To the Obama Campaign:

I'm a Barack Obama supporter, however, something isn't sitting well with me. This election is going to be about the economy.

I'm not sure, but I believe Hillary Clinton is getting the working class vote, the people who are hurting the most.

I wish Senator Obama would do a better job of reaching out to them. It's all well and good to be an inspirational candidate. We surely need it. But there are millions of families all across this country who need an economy that will work for them as they raise their children, pay their mortgage and monthly bills, as well as figure out how they can send their children to college. I don't think this part of Obama's message is getting across. And he won't win PA unless he succeeds in this area.

People are hurting. That's the bottom line.

Barack Obama/Jim Webb 2008

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:44 AM)

The Energy Bill - "We’ve called Clinton on this once before. It’s true that the Energy Policy Act of 2005 contained $14.3 billion in tax breaks, but most of those breaks were for electric utilities, nuclear power plants, alternative fuels research and subsidies for energy efficient cars and homes. In fact, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the $2.6 billion in tax breaks for oil companies was offset by $2.9 billion in tax increases. The net was a $300 million tax increase over 11 years." - Source: factcheck.org

NAFTA - Nobody can prove anything about what was or wasn't said. http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_facts_about_nafta-gate.html

Iraq - She voted for the President's authorization to use force. Try denying that!

Pete "Hussein" - Albany, NY (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:45 AM)

hillary monster clinton has proved once again that she is a miserable vomitous mass. To actually continue the lie that the Obama campaign contacted the Canadien Embassy when it was hillary monster clinton's campaign that did so is just utterly rediculous. I also find it interesting that hillary moster clinton was talking over the weekend of how great it would be to have Obama as her running mate and now hillary monster clinton is lying about Obama's record. hillary monster clinton is an absolute embarassment to the human race. I have never in my life hated a candidate for president as much as I hate hillary monster clinton. hillary monster clinton truly is a miserable vomitous mass.

Patrick, Indianapolis (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:45 AM)

Obama promised ethics reform. He delivered *twice*.

Hillary promised healthcare in '93 and failed.

Obama promised to not take money from PAC's and Federal lobbyists. He has delivered.

Hillary promised to add jobs to New York state, but failed, and now blames someone else.

Obama promised to expand Nuclear Weapons reductions to conventional weapons, and delivered.

Mrs. Clinton, you are the one that is all speeches, no solutions.

Andrew, MO (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:46 AM)

"Examples show she's following up on the Goolsbee-Canadian government issue and on Samantha Power. See below:"
1) I hope Clinton is completely cleared of NAFTA-wrongdoing. It seems to me a phone call was made.
2) I hope Clinton figures out the Geraldine Ferraro situation first. I could care less, but if she is going after Samantha Powers, it would be hypocritical not to fire Ferraro. Or is there some other double standard, the Clinton's will explain away. As the uniquely biased-against-Clinton media too often lets them do.
3) Is she really going to pick apart Senate voting records? Ha! Three Senators in the race.

--Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:46 AM)

To V, CA-

He did vote to fund the war, the war had already been started it would be irresponsible not to fund it. Funding it doesn't suggest that he supported it.

LJ Kansas (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:46 AM)

HRC, "Solutions you can rely on -- versus words you can't."

Solutions like going along with the Washington group-think that has plunged this country into a war that has killed our children, bankrupt our economy, and betrayed our international reputation.

If that's an example of her solutions, she can keep them.

Judgement_On_Day_1 (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:46 AM)

Does she expect that we will not actually researh the junk she shouts at us?

Cheney's Energy Bill:
Measure: H.R. 6 (Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007)
Senate Vote: 53-42
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Yea

If this was such a bad thing... why did you vote for it too, eh?

...Hypocracy.

Matt for Obama , Boise, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:47 AM)

Don't waste your vote.... So, you condone lies over Obama's large crowd rallies? How can he walk and talk in a large crowd? Do you mean talk and dance?
And I am asking if you condone lies because you are complaining about Obama being all talk (if he is, then only a very small crowd would show up) and overlooking Hillary's pathological lies.

Ron Hussein Allen (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:47 AM)

She's COUNTING on the 'down-scale' voters to do as they have always done... NOT research to find out if what they are being told is actually the truth.

k bolden, Columbus, OH (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:47 AM)

[Did she forget to mention that her camp contacted Canada?
LJ Kansas]
--I don't understand why that is not worse. It appears like in that case, her campaign actually reached out to Canada. In his case, Canada reached out to him.

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:47 AM)

GAME OVER.

Hillary Clinton has proven she can win big in the big states that are the must wins for the Dems in November.

Obama failed to close the deal. If you can't win in states like Ohio, where Obama outspent Hillary 3 to 1 yet still won ONLY 5 out of 88 counties, you can't win the Presidency. NO amount of money is going to get Obama over 50% in the general election.

Obama is UNQUALIFIED & UNELECTABLE.

Obama is unqualified to be President, Vice-President, or U.S. Senator. After the Rezko trial is over in Chicago, I'll bet Obama won't be re-elected to the Senate from Illinois.

John (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:48 AM)

spitzer is a hypocrit...Obama is like him...Spitzer said one thing but did another...Obama is the same way...and when we find out exactly how much like Spitzer Obama really is, we are all going to pay the price...and the price should be paid by the Obamamorons who are following him like sheep off a cliff.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:49 AM)

She's COUNTING on the 'down-scale' voters to do as they have always done... NOT research to find out if what they are being told is actually the truth.
k bolden, Columbus, OH (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:47 AM)
----------------------------------------
IT WORKS WELL FOR OBAMA!

HP Boston (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:49 AM)

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:50 AM)

I'm waiting for lame patty SD to throw out some dumb comment...wait for it....

steve h. Mpls (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:50 AM)

Hillary must be nuts; she hints that the front runner, Obama, may be her vice President while she continues to attack him in her speechs. Truly, she has lost all sense of reality. This is a dangerous person who must win whatever the costs to the Party or Country.

Shirley, San Jose, CA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:51 AM)

Obama started the attacks way back in October 2007 when his advisors told him to go on the attack against Hillary and he's been lying about her ever since.

How about the NAFTA brochure he mailed in Ohio that quoted her saying something that she NEVER said? That's an attack and it's low and dirty. Too bad he LOST the states of OH and TX - after spending all that time and money there, poor thing.

So now his bitter supporters are whining about Hillary and her "attacks"? Get real.

Obama has much to answer for - the NAFTA debacle, how (and why) he bought property at well below market value from someone under inditment at the time, his "I pushed the wrong button" votes and his stuttering, stammering performances at the debates whenever he's forced to answer a tough question.

How about his "C'mon guys, Ive already answered like 8 questions" line at the press conference last week"

Give me a break - there are a lot more than 8 questions about Barack Obama and her better get used to answering them and stop his pathetic whining.

Obama supporters - stop blaming Hillary because your candidate is flawed and weak and can't take the heat - the GOP will crucify him in the general election.

csh, IL (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:51 AM)

Obama Edwards 08 There is your dream ticket Oh by the way you noticed i dident mention Hillary either of her

steve h. Mpls (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:52 AM)

Shirley, San Jose, CA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:52 AM)

Hillary's supporters are kind of funny. Their candidate is the one who is exaggerating excessively and lying incessantly as if the only way to win eections is to lie. Now, they are calling Obama all lies, all talk, etc. Unable to say something sensible, they resort to ranting about nonsense. They are very much like Hillary

Jon, TX (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:54 AM)

Of course Hillary is going to campaign in PA. She doesn't care about the little states and those living in the little states. Hillary wants to be the President of the BIG United States of America!!

Doug, DC (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:54 AM)

Has anyone in her campaign bothered to remind her that it was HER campaign that said there would be no follow through on NAFTA? Is she that detached or is she just lying and hoping no one notices?

Adam, Green Bay, WI (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:55 AM)

Hillary lied to Tim Russert right into his face saying she was always against NAFTA.

NOT TRUE!

She said: "On balance, NAFTA was good for NY and America!"

WTF? So all this Canada crap of some stooge writing a lie in a memo getting all the attention but not her outright lie to Russert in a debate?

The MSM has it out for Obama.

RobK, Seattle, Wash. (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:55 AM)

dumbass matt in idaho. cheney's bill was the 2005 Energy Bill that was written by the oil companies. HRC voted no, Obama yes. Get your facts straight loser.

just words, no solutions = obama

SM, San Antonio (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:55 AM)

I would like to know, please, who "thoroughly briefed" Hillary Clinton on the contents of the 2002 Iraq National Security Estimate.

That's the document that Hillary didn't read, but then Senate Intelligence Committee Chair, Bob Graham, had urged everyone in Congress to read. His decision to vote *against* the Iraq war authorization was made, in part, based on what he read in that document.

That’s not the kind of document that lends itself to a "briefing", anyway. Our elected officials should have taken the time to read this document prior to making the most important vote of their careers. And, shame on those who did not. You don't authorize sending young people to go off to die in war without having done your homework first.

George John, Houston, TX (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:56 AM)

Why is the monster going negative news?

Isn't news supposed to be something new?

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:56 AM)

OK. So this explains the spin on the NAFTA story in that article. Apparently the Clinton campaign wants to repeat the Ohio trick.

So lets clarify.
There were two communications:
1)A phone call from the CLINTON campaign that said take her words with a "grain of salt"
2) A memo on that someone wrote after a discussion with Goolsbee.
The memo says the Obama campaign wants to change NAFTA. This is entirely consistent with their stance.

If you take parts of the memo out of context, then you are distorting the truth. If people want to hash this out then lets do it honestly.

Dan, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:01 AM)

Go HILLARY! Someone needs to "question" Obama, especially since the news media turns the other way and gives him a free ride each and every day! They (the media) only know how to attack Hillary. Obama is nothing but lofty rhetoric!

w., Altadena, CA. (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:02 AM)

Bill and Hillary Clinton spent the past weekend diminishing Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy. The tactics are a ploy; they don’t intend to offer Senator Obama the VP given their position that Senator Obama cannot pass the “Commander-in-Chief threshold.” It is not an accident that the tactic was the set-up for Geraldine Ferraro’s racist statement reported today. Ferraro, a teacher, lawyer, former Congresswoman, and VP candidate did not misspeak. The Clintons’ planted the seed that the uppity Barack Obama needed to return to the back of the bus, despite his first place status, and Ferraro started the germination of that seed by stating, without reservation, that Senator Obama is only a black man and nothing else. Howard Wolfson, usually a man of many, many words, could only say of Ferraro’s statement….We don’t agree with her. Shame on Senator Clinton, her campaign and her supporters. I’m sorry I changed my voter registration from non-affiliated to Democrat. BTW, I’m a 61 year old retired white woman but I do not embrace racism of any kind.

Denise Savage (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:02 AM)

HP in Boston,
Would you like some prescription meds to help you calm down? You are such a nonsense. You cannot even throw in much facts to back your candidate and all you do is rant about nothing. Either you are a closet Nazi or you simply refuse to acknowledge reality -- the reality that Hillary is a very divisive, lying, cheating politician. Obama does twist facts a bit, but the overwhelming liar is Hillary.
Anyone supporting Hillary is desperately wanting another Bush presidency, no denying about that.

Ron Allen (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:02 AM)

The media will make sure no dirt comes out on Obama. The mass is so hyped up on his clean noncorrupt image and how he will save the world, they are too dense to check out what they are being told.

Sharon stone (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:02 AM)

All this and yet she wants him for VP? Doesn't make sense, does it. Send in the flying monkeys. She's melting.

the Good Witch, IA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:03 AM)

She doesn't offer any solutions. She doesn't state any plan. She simply bashes and bashes Obama. Who needs change when you can HAVE THIS?

dR.sTRANGEDOG, mi (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:03 AM)

What I can't believe is that NBC has given Andrea Mitchell a show on MSNBC. She and her husband have donated to Hillary back last fall and attended a fund raiser. She should be required to state this and she has not. People should protest Andrea acting as a impartial pundit. This is an outrage!!!!

Grace (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:04 AM)

In response to
V,CA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 10:43 AM)

He didn't say he voted against the war in all those years. After HRC accused him of changing his stance on Iraq, he said he has been against this war from the beginning, in all those years. Voting to keep our soldiers funded and protected is not voting for the war - that's common sense until we can get Bush out. And let me be clear, he didn't change his stance on Iraq. One of his foreign policy advisors was asked if there was any situation that would keep us from being out of Iraq in 18 months, and she said yes. Of course there's always going to be an incredible scenario that is going to change any plan, no matter how well thought-out. Just as an example, if Iran invades Iraq, that should keep us there - that's just common sense to keep our foreign aide workers and the Iraqi people from being slaughtered. So go ahead and play politics with common sense. At least we finally have a campaign that answers questions honestly, even if it gives her ammo.

Anne, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:05 AM)

In case no one rememebers the 90's, it was equally as divisive as the last 7. Obama '08

get inspired:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONKKYnFFemY

daniel powers (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:05 AM)

Obama is going to win on delegate count, before the convention.
Clinton lost Texas, by 98-95 on delegate count, including the caucus, which counts even though Clinton ignores it.
Didnt Bill say she should quit the whole contest if she lost Texas?
She lost Texas. Yes, she won the primary 66-61 and Obama won the caucus, 37-30. That adds up to a loss for Clinton since her 96 delegates are fewer than 98 for Obama.

bruce Becker lincoln, ca (Sent Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:06 AM)

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