Clinton says Obama relies on 'words'

[Wabash]

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Wed Feb 20, 1:23 AM ET

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Ignoring her crushing loss in Wisconsin to rival Barack Obama, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton pressed her case Tuesday that the Illinois senator offers little more than talk.


"It's about picking a president who relies not just on words, but on work, hard work, to get America back to work," Clinton said at a labor rally here. "Someone who's not just in the speeches business."

After his victory speech, Clinton called Obama to congratulate him and the two spoke briefly.

The New York senator tried to battle back from her ninth straight loss to Obama since the Super Tuesday contests Feb. 5, vowing to fix trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement, which have disproportionally hurt working-class voters in places like Ohio.

The state holds its primary March 4, and Clinton is depending on victories here and in Texas to revive her fading candidacy.

But exit polls in Wisconsin offered ominous warnings for Clinton as she tries to reconstitute her political base in Ohio and elsewhere.

Obama defeated her among less educated voters and nearly tied her among white women — two groups that have formed the core of her candidacy. Young voters turned out in droves for Obama, more than offsetting Clinton's advantage among seniors. Wisconsin voters also said the need for change trumps experience 2-to-1.

Clinton did her best to push on, bluntly challenging Obama on his fitness to lead.

"Only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy, and ready to defeat the Republicans. Only one of us has spent 35 years being a doer, a fighter, and a champion for those who need a voice," she said to cheers.

She also addressed the issue of trade — a vulnerability for the former first lady, who championed NAFTA while it was being negotiated during her husband's presidency. She has since become a NAFTA critic and has advocated a "time out" from similar trade agreements.

"My opponent has taken to attacking me on NAFTA. I've long been a critic of the shortcomings of NAFTA," Clinton said, noting that she wasn't in the Senate when the agreement was negotiated.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080220/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_14

[Saguaro]

Grabbing at straws

[Wabash]

Grabbing at straws

Sometimes when you do that....the whole hay bale falls over!:LL

[Wabash]

Blitzer: Don't count Hillary Clinton out
February 20, 2008

Posted: 03:18 PM ET
The Clintons have bounced back before

(CNN) – The political momentum is clearly with Barack Obama. He has been impressive. But don’t count Hillary Clinton out yet — she has a formidable political machine and lots of ardent supporters.

Obama has won ten contests in a row — almost all of them by significant margins. But Clinton still has time to come back between now and March 4, when there are major contests in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. There is no doubt she is facing an uphill struggle, but it would be premature to say it’s over.

I say that as a reporter who has seen Bill and Hillary Clinton bounce back before. During the 1992 Democratic presidential campaign, he was considered politically dead after the Gennifer Flowers scandal erupted. But he overcame that and became “the comeback kid” in New Hampshire.

Her political viability was undermined dramatically when her disastrous health care initiative collapsed after he became president in 1993.

Some pundits began calling him a lame-duck in 1994 when the Democrats lost their majority in the House and Senate. But he came back to defeat Bob Dole in 1996 and won a second term.

Then, there were all the other scandals during his eight years in the White House, including Whitewater, Travelgate, Monica Lewinsky and impeachment. Some suggested he would have to resign. I was CNN’s Senior White House Correspondent then, and I remember those days vividly.

But Bill Clinton survived and even thrived. His job approval rating during his final year in the White House was in the mid-60s. President Bush’s right now is in the low-30s. And Hillary Clinton sailed to victory over Republican congressman Rick Lazio in 2000 in the New York Senate race — even though she had never really lived in New York, and many accused her of being a carpet-bagger.

In short, I think it’s fair to say she’s in serious political trouble right now. But given the Clintons’ history, it would be a mistake to say her quest for the presidency is over. If she manages to win in Texas and Ohio — and that still is possible — she will go on to Pennsylvania on April 22, and this roller coaster political season will continue.

–CNN Anchor Wolf Blitzer
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/20/blitzer-dont-count-hillary-clinton-out/