Obama responds on mailers, and hits Clinton's experience

[Perky]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/


Jonathan Martin, with Obama in Akron (GOP primary being pretty over) emails:

Firing back at Hillary's criticism of his NAFTA mailers here, Obama said tonight that she can't pick and choose from her husband's administration.

"You can’t be for something or take credit for an administration and 35 years of experience and then when you run for president suggest somehow you didn’t really mean what you said back then," Obama said to applause at a rally of about 5,000. "It doesn't work that way."

He said Clinton had in fact supported the trade deal that is blamed for thousands of job losses in the industrial hub of this state and that is viewed as something akin to cancer by Ohio Democrats.

"The truth is that Sen. Clinton supported NAFTA before she ran for president. That is indisupatable. She called it 'a victory' in her book. She told people it has proved its worth. T hose are facts."

Obama struck a defensive tone in bringing up another matter on which he and Clinton have battled.

"Sen. Clinton also said today, 'Since when do Democrats attack one another on universal health care?'" he quoted her as asking.

"Well, since she started saying that I’m against universal health care, that’s when it started," he answered. "Something that she repeats every single day."

And seeking to portray Clinton as being the negative one in the race, Obama took special note to remind the crowd one of the Democrats' favorite bogeymen.

"She actually compared our campaign to Karl Rove's," Obama said to boos. "That's one I had not heard before."

[beachmom]

1. Glad he's hitting her on NAFTA. I mean NAFTA was one of the crown

achievements of the Clinton administration.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

18. Hillary didn't vote on NAFTA and she told Bill it was a bad bill..OBAMA VOTED TO EXPAND IT!

[Thrill]

2. We're finding out. Obama isn't going to take any BS

He's a fighter. Those Repukes better watch out

[Pirate Smile]

4. It will be a lot easier for him to fight McCain.

[thunder rising]

6. But it's the delivery of the strike that is what makes him so successful

He does it without putting himself up as negative. And he does it naturally, it's who he is.

[samdogmom]

17. And, I'm also glad to see that he's not starting any of the fights...so he's staying true to his

attempt to run a positive campaign.

He gets accused of being negative when he's simply correcting a Hillary attack.

I'm very glad he hasn't launched any unfair attacks!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. they underestimated the wrong guy - Pres of Harvard Law Review, JD Magna Cum Laude

People underestimated Obama, and he deliberately allowed them to do so.
Now they are surprised when he pummels them. Look at his legal background, the guy is sharp!

After high school, Obama moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at Occidental College for two years.<24>

He then transferred to Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in political science with a specialization in international relations.<25>

Obama received his B.A. degree in 1983, then worked at Business International Corporation and New York Public Interest Research Group before moving to Chicago to take a job as a community organizer.<26>

As Director of the Developing Communities Project, he worked with low-income residents in Chicago's Roseland community and the Altgeld Gardens public housing development.<27>

He entered Harvard Law School in 1988.<28>

In 1990, The New York Times reported his election as the Harvard Law Review's "first black president in its 104-year history".<29>

He completed his J.D. degree magna cum laude in 1991.<30>

On returning to Chicago, Obama directed a voter registration drive.<30> As an associate attorney with Miner, Barnhill & Galland from 1993 to 1996, he represented community organizers, discrimination claims, and voting rights cases.<31>

He was a lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1993 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004.<32>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#Early_life_and_career

[MoJoWorkin]

11. Yes, indeed.

I remember one of the talking heads, after the TX debate, saying that Obama hadn't really shown himself to be all that good in the earlier debates, but that Obama had commented that he would bring it when it was time. (these are my words, but that was the gist of it)

Evidently, it is time.

[ClassWarrior]

14. He came up in Chicago politics. Can't get there without...

...having some fight in you.

NGU.

[MoJoWorkin]

5. Ouch! Smack down time!

He really meant what he said at his presser today about him having to throw a "knock-out."

[Perky]

20. yep

[NJSecularist]

7. 5,000 people?!!!

What the fuck is wrong with you, Barack!? You're losing it!

;)

[DUyellow]

8. I love it!

[johnnydrama]

9. Hillary's the anti John Wooden

Just heard a quote from legendaru UCLA basketball coach John Wooden today.

He said he didn't want his players to get too far up, or too far down, to always play with an even kiel.

That's Obama.

Hillary's all over the place, up, down, left, right. She's screaming one second, choked up the next.

[hisownpetard]

10. I LOVE the way Obama immediately addresses any falsehoods/distortions that are put out there

and calmly, and in a non-dramatic way, sets the record straight.

This is awesome. I can't think of any better possible way to deal with this kind of hitting-below-the-belt.
Call it out for what it is, address it, and move on.

This is what Kerry never did, which is why he allowed himself to get swift-boated out of business.

Hillary is losing all the good-will she had built up with people who, like me, once disliked her but had come around
to accepting and actually admiring her ability and diligence.

Now, the Hillary I had disliked and distrusted, is back in full force.

[ellisonz]

12. That's high praise!

:D

[hisownpetard]

13. And well-earned. Can you think of a single "politician" who does that?

I just get such a sense of peace from him: I honestly don't believe his conscience would allow him
to lie to the American people.

What a concept!

[madrchsod]

15. he deflects her anger and turns it against her..

she can not win by using anger against him.....

[ClassWarrior]

16. Political judo.

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

22. .

[Scurrilous]

19. K & R

:thumbsup:

[rucky]

21. The real "Rove Tactic" here is...

Attacking someone, then acting outraged when they fire one back.