Obama, Oprah and Nightline

Barack Obama began the day with a bang -- playing the long-awaited Oprah Winfrey card. And he ends it with a shot at Hillary Clinton -- taking dead aim tonight at the resume she touts in her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Early this morning, Obama's presidential campaign confirmed that, in a followup to the much-publicized fundraiser for him at her Santa Barbara-area estate in early September, Winfrey would join the Illinois senator on the stump in key early-voting states. She'll make two stops in Iowa on Dec. 8 (a Saturday), and one in New Hampshire and South Carolina (both on Dec. 9).

The campaign's release proclaims: "All events will be free and open to the public." But a blog item by the Chicago Tribune reports it's not quite that egalitarian. To get a good seat at the Iowa events, for instance, one must either "commit four hours to volunteering for Barack's campaign" or "attend a caucus training with your local organizer or precinct captain."

Winfrey's campaign swing will attract a crush of media. But how many votes she will win for Obama is problematic. More important to the outcome of the Iowa caucuses and the ensuing contests may be how persuasive he is in chipping away at Clinton's intensifying arguments that she possesses -- and that he lacks -- the experience Americans should expect in a president.

Late this evening, in an interview on ABC's "Nightline," Obama confronts the experience question by deriding the way the New York senator draws on her years as first lady in pursuing the presidency.

"I think the fact of the matter is that Sen. Clinton is claiming basically the entire eight years of the [Bill] Clinton presidency as her own, except for the stuff that didn't work out, in which case she says she has nothing to do with it," he said. A transcript of the interview is available here.

Referring to his own wife, he continued: "There is no doubt that Bill Clinton had faith in her and consulted with her on issues, in the same way that I would consult with Michelle, if there were issues. On the other had, I don't think Michelle would claim that she is the best qualified person to be a United States senator by virtue of me talking to her on occasion about the work I've done."

One caveat that strikes us: Obama may only discuss his vocation "on occasion" with his wife; we think it's safe to assume Bill and Hillary focus on politics a bit more frequently.

You can read more about Obama's Nightline interview here.

-- Don Frederick 

 

Comments

[Marks]

The press has to stop repeating Hillary off putting concerns about Obama's experience to be President.

A guy with prior experience such as President Bush, he has a made monumental mistakes in judgment and poorly aligned the White House to cover up things. From Enron to WMD's.

How he sold out America's dollar to the Chinese and now its devalued lower than a Euro. To pay for his war of choice in Iraq.

Hillary agreed with his goals completely, using her experience.

I'm glad Obama isn't experienced, he never went along with the war in Iraq.

We all wanted Saddam brought to task, but this is a military attempt to influence Iraq's oil. Vice President Cheney thought it would be pretty easy, since he said, our soldiers will be hailed as heroes. They are heroes yet being led by fools in the White House. The goals of Iraq are lies and half
truths. Remember Bush claiming Mission Accomplished when the war in Iraq wasn't over and only got worse.

America will believe in candidates more when they win nominations. Hillary is equal with Obama and all other challengers.

Why is Hillary given credit talking to President Clinton about politics, when that conversation most important, Monica Lewinsky and Billy's sneaky actions in the Oval Office should have been found out. She let the President nearly get blackmailed and impeached in House of Representives for lying about it.

It caused sneaky Republicans to be voted in Congress, let the Tom Delay kind of schemers get powerful.

Hillary failed as a First Lady, all that happened in her house. That was before that mass of Pardons and her brother part of it. Hillary has to be given credit for being part of pardoning some people that shouldn't have received one. She made mistakes in judgment before.

Billy had the heart attack and now doing charitable work but he shouldn't be in the Oval Office ever again. Why would we want him back in the White House? That is Hillary's real problem being elected.

The GOP really doesn't want Billy in the White House again. They shouldn't want a Bush ever again in the White House either. He has lowest polls ever as President right now.

Legacy Presidents have to stop. It's time for new blood lines in White House without political debts.

[chris]

I hope someone also asks Oprah if she supports his campaign bribing politicians for endorsements. here is an independent source writeup.

http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Barack_Obama%27s_contributions_to_campaign_endorsers

[eSPO]

There is nothing underhanded about this . It is a common practice and is not illegal. I find it refreshing the contributions are so well documented and above board. Hopefully they have benefitted less popular democratic candidates. This is an example how Hillary Clinton supporters are now forced to go negative and attack with meaningless non issues in an attempt to sway the feable minded.

[Larry from Purdue]

The more people see Barack, the more they like him.

That's why his best states are Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, all the places where they've seen him and Hillary so much this year.

[Carolyn Grace]

The more people see and hear Hillary, they don't like her and they don't trust her. Didn't she bring up the mudslinging in the last debate? Now who's throwing the mud? Hillary is getting desperate. Her campaign has seen the polls and they aren't looking too good.

New Zogby poll out today shows her losing to all of the republicans, but Obama and Edwards leading all of them. Finally this country may be waking up. No more Clintons, no more Bushs.

[jdiane]

I don't think you can "assume Bill and Hillary focus on politics a bit more frequently".

Without coming across as crass, Bill Clinton obviously spent alot of his time with someone ELSE in the oval office. Sorry, but when a couple has severe marital problems, you can't assume there's a whole lot of pillowtalk going on.

[Maxine Jefferson NH]

Its a major mistake for Oprah and Obama to think woman in this great country are not smart enough to know the differences in experience and leadership of a presidental candidate. That we will vote for him because oprah says so... WAKE UP oprah...your not that powerful, just wealthy....

Where was Oprah in 2004? why did she sit back and let bush destroy this country for addtl 4 years, why not speak out then Oprah or support ANY candidate?, why? because " There were no black candidates" shame on you oprah, this great country has given you the world...
I no longer will support HARPO/OPRAH...

VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON....

BOYCOTT HARPO/OPRAH

[Gina]

OPRAH ... from spending several years in Jeremiah Wright's anti-American racist church, listening to sermons like "God Damn America", and giving life time achievement awards to the likes of Louis Farrakhan ... to her newest opportunistic religious beliefs ... who could possibly take Oprah seriously? This woman's ego is soooo big, being a billionaire celebrity isn't enough, she has to start her own religion ... not to mention all the additional money she is going to make selling all those books, tapes, CD's, etc. to her poor followers. Oprah's new power hungry ambitions include efforts to replace traditional America with Obama ... and access to a President she puts into office ... to her efforts at replacing Christianity with a new religion she controls. I think it's time for America to deny Oprah access to our television sets.