Obama: Clinton thinks more "conventionally"

[Colobo]

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said Saturday that he and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, differ on a "range of issues." Specifically, he said Clinton thinks "more conventionally" on the international scale.

"On foreign policy I think that she tends to think more conventionally, at a time when we're facing a series of unconventional threats," the Illinois senator said.

Speaking to reporters in Des Moines, Obama implied that Clinton may be more willing to "go along with Bush policies that could provide a rationale for keeping troops in Iraq longer or engaging in aggression towards Iran."

He also said the two differ in how aggressive they are in direct diplomacy and the kinds of messages they're sending to the world with respect Iraq, but he admitted that "there is overlap in terms of our positions on healthcare or some other issues."

When asked if he felt the campaign could be getting ugly, Obama responded by saying his campaign is not undergoing any fundamental transformation in their approach.

"We continue to offer a hopeful and optimistic message about where we want to take the country," Obama said. "Obviously there are going to be differences between the candidates…and the voters are going to need to know where those differences are."

"None of these differences I think rise to the level of personal attacks or gratuitous attacks, and that's the kind of politics I think people are tired of."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/10/13/obama-clinton-thinks-more-conventionally/

Long Live Our Next President: Barack Obama.

[cuke]

1. What is unconventional about Obama?

.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[ncabot22]

7. And certain Hillary supporters claim there is no bashing of Obama

Yet, they remain silent on the post above yours.

[cuke]

12. There's bashing from the supporters of every candidate

there is just no excuse for childish behavior.

[ncabot22]

15. Well, this Clinton supporter

had to make a dig at Obama's "African muslim father" and "Atheist mother" while trying to make a point. I would expect that of fascists and fundies but not democrats. We all know what the code words are and this poster has used them before.

[cuke]

16. Well, this Clinton supporter is sorry to hear that

Just as I'm sorry to hear it whenever any democrat is unfairly slimed, which is why I'll be happy to see you join me when I criticize non-Hillary supporters for taking the low road.

[ncabot22]

18. Not to nit pick

But I haven't seen you directly criticize the poster for the offensive ad. I hope you will join us who have. I think the post is beyond "childish" and enters bigoted territory, don't you?

[cuke]

19. I think I've made my position clear on such posts. Don't you?

There are many ways to say the same thing. Since I've managed to say it in a non-flaming way, I think I'll let my previous comments speak for themselves.

[TwilightGardener]

13. Boy, that's so Free Republic. Good for you!

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

22. Tellurian is a crafty Obama supporter... who but Obama could benefit from these posts?

[Tellurian]

27. an unconventional poster..

I'm not going to waste my breath arguing several of Obama's lies.

I prefer to believe he's desperate and just too much of a cartoon character to be in a presidential race.

[Inuca]

32. My first alert ever! DISGUSTING!

Shame on you.

[cuke]

6. Anyone?

.

[ncabot22]

8. Well, personally speaking

I find Obama's attitude to be a bit unconventional. Both he and Kucinich (who I would love to win) make some people feel less cynical about politics. Also, the way he is running his Iowa campaign is pretty interesting. He went door-to-door today campaigning. Not too many politicians on the national level do that anymore.

[cuke]

9. Making people feel less cynical is nice, but how is that unconventional?

Reagan campaigned on a platform of optimism. In 2004, Edwards was a very sunny campaigner. Bill Clinton campaigned as "The Candidate from Hope".

And plenty of candidates have gone door to door. Kerry did it in 2004 and he wasn't the first.

I'm not comparing Obama to Reagan, nor am I saying that there;s anything wrong with the things you mentioned. I'm just pointing out that there is nothing new or unconventional about this.

[ncabot22]

10. You asked

I answered. I just think people have a cynical attitude towards politics today.

edited for clarity

[cuke]

11. I was just asking too

No hard feelings. I just like to evaluate the claims a candidate makes.

[ncabot22]

14. No hard feelings at all

Every opinion is subjective. Obama makes some people feel more engaged and optimistic. He doesn't come off as business as usual.

If you really want an unconventional candidate, though, look to Kucinich! Universal health care, a Department of Peace. The man is unique. Unfortunately, he doesn't stand a chance. I think Americans are too afraid of too much change.

[cuke]

17. You see? Now *THAT'S* unconventional!

Obama has his good points, as you point out, but I don't see him as unconventional in any way. DK is unconventional.

[BootinUp]

20. Its not, but I don't think thats what Obama means

he is talking specifically about foreign policy, and taking a non-conventional approach. I have read some of his foreign policy position speeches and they are good. I don't think I would characterize it as unconventional, he seems to draw from the Wilsonian school of thought. If anything he has taken more aggressive stances on using US power and intervention than Hillary. It is Hillary who seems to be borrowing lines from the more cautious liberal foreign policy think tanks that are pushing the restore American values approach and less direct involvement.

[cuke]

21. I agree that there are differences between them

but I don't see anything that is "unconventional" about his approach. And I agree that he is more "Wilsonian" than Hillary, at the very least, in tone. However, I don't see how a Wilsonian approach is uncoventional when these ideas have been a part (to one extent or another) of our foreign policy for decades now.

[Colobo]

24. The "Wilsonian" approach is unconventional these days.

[cuke]

25. Only if you look no further back than *

.

[Colobo]

31. I was born in 83

So, I remember Bush I, Clinton and Bush Jr.

[cuke]

33. Then certainly you remember Clinton's efforts to build peace

through diplomacy in places like N. Ireland, Yugoslavia, and the Mid-East. And there were his efforts supporting the Kyoto agreement on global warming. Though you may not approve of it, NAFTA is well within the Wilsonian philosophy.

[Radical Activist]

26. You can see his community organizing background in his campaign style.

The kind that accepts people where they are yet asks them to go further, that builds consensus. It amazes me how much hostility the left is giving a candidate with such a liberal background and record. I guess some people need the read meat and theatrics.
His early opposition to the Iraq war and his support for nuclear non-proliferation both go against convention.

[cuke]

28. I don't see anything unconventional in there

All of those are things I have seen before. Many times.

[Radical Activist]

29. I guess you'll see what you want to see.

I didn't see "many" Democratic leaders running for President speak out against the Iraq war before it began at a public rally. I don't see many making Obama's statements about nuclear non-proliferation. I don't see many candidates who have worked as a community organizer and civil rights attorney.

[cuke]

30. More than half of all Dems in Congress voted against IWR

I don't think anything the mahority of Dem have done is "unconventional"

Clinton, Gore, and many other dem congressmembers have advocated for nuclear non-proliferation

And Hillary was doing public service years before Obama did.

Hillary was, unconventionally, the FIRST commencement speaker EVER at Wellesley.

Hillary, unconventionally, garnered national attention as a college student for that speech in which she spontaneously spoke out about the Viet Nam War after she threw her intended speech away in order to respond to the previous speaker who spoke in favor of the war

Hillary was the first First Lady to set up a policy-making office in the West Wing. This was unconventional.

[Tellurian]

2. and....

[Name removed]

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[Nimrod2005]

23. Obama is doing really well articulating his message, fun to watch!