Obama Rips Off Clinton's Econ Plan and Claims It For His Own

[Tellurian]

Obama takes hit on economic policy

Campaign's a ripoff of Clinton's, her supporters-

February 14, 2008

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political

White House hopeful Barack Obama's economic platform set off a three-way fight Wednesday as aides to Republican John McCain and Democrat Hillary Clinton accused Obama of stealing Clinton's ideas.

Obama fired back that McCain lacks economic know-how.

"Obama's plan today is the most shameless piece of potential plagiarism that I have ever seen," McCain economic advisor Kevin Hassett said. The Clinton campaign helpfully e-mailed his comments to reporters.

"He basically took Clinton's words and Clinton's policies and called them his own," Hassett said. "If I were a professor I'd give him an F and try to get him kicked out of school for something this terrible ... I remember Mrs. Clinton saying shared prosperity and I remember the bill that she introduced in August for infrastructure. The fact is these are things Obama has taken as his own without crediting the source of the ideas which was Mrs. Clinton."

Clinton herself said, "A plan that fails to provide universal health care, fails to address the housing crisis, and fails to immediately start creating good paying jobs in America again will not turn the economy around and provide the real relief that our people need. We need real results not more rhetoric."

The New York senator's campaign said she proposed a national infrastructure bank in August and that Obama's energy plan is a rehash of hers. The Obama campaign responded that his bank proposal is better than hers and that he introduced his energy plan before hers.

"John McCain started attacking me on economic policy, which I thought was flattering. It makes clear that he knows who his opponent is going to be, and I am looking forward to a great debate on the issues with John McCain," Obama told a crowd at the Waukeshaw County fairgrounds in Wisconsin.

"I have to say though that I was surprised that he took me on on economics because he has admitted ... economics is not his strong suit," Obama said. "I mean he said 'I don't understand economics very well' and after what he said it shows because his main economic philosophy is to continue the same tax breaks that George Bush has been perpetuating over the last seven years. If John McCain wants to debate the specifics of how well the economy has worked for ordinary families over the last seven years that is a debate that I am happy to have."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/794128,CST-NWS-campweb14.article

....Obama is starting to behave like the back end of a horse...People are starting to see the true magnitude of this shamful excuse for a candidate..

[Avalux]

1. So McCain is accusing Obama of ripping off Clinton? HA HA HA!

Now I've seen it all; the Republican candidate defending a Democratic candidate. He must really be afraid to run against Obama.

:rofl:

[Lerkfish]

3. they really, really want to have Clinton as the nominee

its their GOTV strategy.

but, beyond that, As I understand it, Both Clinton and Obama's plans are remarkably similar in that they rely on insurance companies to do the right thing, which is naive beyond belief. The only candidate that had a decent health plan was Kucinich, and IMHO

the only truly universal health plan would be socialized medicine, and we're the only country in our status without one. Everything else falls woefully short.

[jackson_dem]

8. McCain wants Obama. That is why he is already acting as if Obama is the nominee

He wants to create that impression so Obama wins and then he can take him apart on security in the general.

[Lerkfish]

21. I don't think you and I are on the same planet.

on MY planet, he's pushing to make Clinton the nominee. In what way, on YOUR planet is it the bizarro opposite?

[LSK]

31. yes because saying you should be in Iraq for 100 years is what 30% want to hear

Nevermind the 70% who want out now.

[Thrill]

41. HUH? Are you kidding?

If he wanted Obama. Why the hell would he say Obama is stealing from Clinton? Come on now.

[DJ13]

2. Its a sad day when the politically savvy Clintons need McCain's help

Yep, she's "ready on day one"........

[Thrill]

37. At this point she will take help anywhere she can get it

[Clovis Sangrail]

4. Obama isnt' the one behaving like a horse's ass

Candidates will always accuse each other of stealing their good ideas... which can largely be ignored.

It takes a true believer, however, to pick up the torch from the opposing party

:eyes:

[Rock_Garden]

5. I think we're in a new paradigm of campaign intensity, now.

[TwilightGardener]

6. She didn't "propose" an infrastructure bank. She signed on

to Dodd-Hagel as a cosponsor after it was introduced--and after Dodd and Hagel had worked for more than two years on it. If she's trying to take credit for it, other than adding her name as a cosponsor, then she's not really in a position to point fingers.

[eleny]

7. Maybe Hillary wants McCain for a running mate

He's so helpful.

[TwilightGardener]

9. They make a really great team, don't they?

[eleny]

19. ...

[NYCGirl]

35. And they'll have 85 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE!

:rofl:

[TwilightGardener]

38. ...

:rofl:

[jackson_dem]

12. He's helping Obama by acting as if Obama is the presumptive nominee

Maybe Kerry will propose Obama choose McCain. We know Kerry wanted McCain and Obama does talkabout unity. Maybe Obama, the agent of change who rammed through a post office renaming bill, can cause the rethugs to disband? Obama-McCain: because one media saint isn't enough!

[No Blood for Hubris]

29. McCain is attacking Obama for his inexperience. What a shock.

Did you think only the Faux-liberal Manicheaean Cadre would fail to notice his obvious flaws?

Yikes.

Sharp Wonkette Progressive versus Inexperienced Timid Centrist.

You do the math.

[desi]

10. He's all smoke and mirrors...

an empty suit if you will. :hi:

K&R

[NMMatt]

17. As opposed to a pants suit full of it? -nt

[blm]

11. Baloney - Obama's plan is very much like the 2004 plan of Kerry's which he supported

then and it is no surprise that he would continue to support many of those policies in his own plan now.

Did you attack Hillary for adopting many of Kerry's positions?

[LatinManNH]

13. Remember that episode of Seinfeld?

When Elaine would outdo herself on projects and proposals, and when it came time to get the boss's praise, he'd say, "Good work, you two." Elaine turns around and there's the new guy standing behind her, taking credit for the work she had done. Life imitates art.

[TwilightGardener]

16. But she's lying herself.

[NMMatt]

14. Thats not what the votes say in increasing numbers...

But at least you can say when Obama is president, that you Hillary supporters helped set the agenda :).

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. he's not black enough!!!

:sarcasm:

[Barack_America]

18. And Clinton supporters STILL say it sucks!

:eyes:

Hey, a McCain operative attacking Obama! We should believe that word-for-word, right?

This one is almost as bad as the thread a week ago that used Bush as a reference for an Obama smear.

[NJmaverick]

20. More like Hillary's supporters are behaving like

the back end of a horse.

[Yael]

22. I think McCain must have also helped Hillary with her latest

attack ad that she is running in Wisconsin.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=93907&mesg_id=93907

[mkultra]

23. weeeeee

[elixir]

24. Nicely done. Notice the trademark "Mrs. Clinton" used by McCain's aide. Just to keep her down.

[Yael]

25. She's not Mrs. Clinton?

[mkultra]

26. yeah, its sexist

Like when they call her Hillary instead of Clinton!

[No Blood for Hubris]

30. Media does that all the time to her. "Mrs." Clinton. Not Senator

Clinton, "Mrs."

It's not an accident. Part of the propaganda plan. Ask Karl.

[AX10]

27. He has nothing to run on except this mantra of "hope and change".

He wants all of us to hope and change, but does not say why or for what.

[intaglio]

28. But, but, but ...

He's go no specific plans!:sarcasm:

[Freida5]

32. BO is always stealing ideas. I have never seen a campaign with so little originality.

[Barack_America]

39. Lol!

Like:

"Yes We Can!", later "Yes She Can!"
"Gobama", later "Gomama"

"Obama speaks in platitudes", later "Talk is cheap".

[TwilightGardener]

42. You left off my favorite: "Change-sperience!"

[andym]

33. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

Now if both Clinton and Obama decided to "steal" Kucinich's health care plan, I for one would be most happy.

[DrFunkenstein]

34. Why Don't You Provide Details Instead of Quoting a McCain Aide?

You could, for example, look at Obama's environmental/energy platform and find the date of its unveiling, then go to the Clinton website and find a watered down version of almost the same exact thing and check the date.

Do your homework. Don't let Republicans do it for you. You might not like your grade.

[ProSense]

36. Does Paul Krugman know that? n/t

[Thrill]

40. Don't you find it interesting that McCain's people would say this?

Goes to show that they would rather face Hillary.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

43. This is WHY Obama is AFRAID to DEBATE ...the emperor's clothes

[shenmue]

44. Yep! Right on target.

More facts. :patriot:

Obama can't come up with anything original or anything that is not an attack piece.

[Freida5]

45. And this is from a Chicago paper who presumably knows BO best.