Opinion: Clinton mailer attacks Obama

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

As Democrat Hillary Clinton attempts to live up to family tradition and become a ‘comeback kid’ in New Hampshire, she’s accentuated the positive in her public appearances so far. But mailers from her campaign arriving at Granite State homes are taking on rival Barack Obama, questioning his commitment to abortion rights.

‘A woman’s right to choose ... demands a leader who will stand up and protect it’ reads the mailer’s headline, complete with the bold-faced ‘stand up.’

One segment of the mailer, with a thumbnail picture of Clinton, touts her well-established commitment to that principle; the other segment, with a head shot of Obama, charges that he is ‘unwilling to take a stand on choice.’ It then cites his record of voting ‘present’ seven times on abortion-related legislation as an Illinois state senator.

The New York Times recently wrote about Obama’s votes as a state legislator and focused on the abortion issue in the last half of the story. It explained that he did cast those ‘present’ votes, but added he ‘voted that way as part of a broad strategy devised by abortion rights advocates to counter anti-abortion bills.’

And in the article, Pam Sutherland, president of Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, praises Obama’s record on abortion rights. You can read the piece here.

It’s a good bet the topic will arise in tonight’s debate among the Democratic presidential contenders, with Clinton defending the mailer’s assertion and Obama taking great umbrage to it. It also will be intriguing to see if Obama’s campaign counters through the mail.

-- Don Frederick