An off-the-cuff Barack Obama comment spurs a new Hillary Clinton jab

A long-standing and significant disagreement between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on healthcare coverage is playing out on Pennsylvania airwaves as the state's Tuesday primary approaches (see his ad here; her response spot here).

But it's never too late for one more minor tiff to erupt between the two Democratic presidential rivals.

Campaigning Sunday in Reading, Pa., Obama looked ahead to the fall faceoff and -- in a nod toward party unity -- told his audience, "You have a real choice in this election, you know. Either Democrat would be better than John McCain."

Then, feeling the need to bash the current administration, he added, "And all three of us would be better than George Bush."

That assertion is slightly surprising -- given that he routinely says a McCain win in November would give the nation, in essence, a third Bush term -- but hardly eye-popping. But as the Democratic battle drags on, it seems every molehill becomes a mountain.

So it was that Clinton, at a rally later Sunday in Johnstown, Pa., took Obama to task for his remark -- and utterly exaggerated it.

"We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain," she said.

Funny, but it wasn't so long ago (like, right before the Ohio and Texas primaries in early March) that Clinton was giving McCain credit for having the credentials to serve as commander in chief -- a way to imply that Obama did not.

And in terms of the matter at hand, is this something that is going to sway a single undecided Democrat in Pennsylvania?

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Leanza Cornett]

Im still not over Ayers. If the relationship between the possible next president and a terrorist wont worry this country—what will? Obama should be questioned about his relationship with Ayers. Its essential. Obama worked for terrorist William Ayers. He said he was 8 when Ayers bombed New York. Nice try. But he was 30something when he served on a board with Mr. Ayers in the 1990’s, the Woods Foundation, which was a paid, underlined PAID directorship position. They worked together, attended fundraisers together, Ayers held fundraisers and was a contributor to Obama’s Chicago’s campaign, plus they are neighbors and visited each other quite often. Enough said. This relationship deserves being vetted. As an adult Obama made the decision to work with a terrorist. This is a legitimate issue, the judgment and associations of the possible nominee. Its goes straight to the reason why democrats have lost the last two elections. It goes directly to his associations with Farrahkan, Wright, Ayers, Auchi and Refko. This needs to be fully vetted.

[Craig]

GO HILLARY!

[GromytTheDog]

"'We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain,' she said."

Thta's funny, Hillary, because I could've sworn you were McCain's VP with some of the things you've said about him.

When is Clinton going to start acting like a Democrat and the presumptive nominee she believes she is (in her own mind), and take some shots at the real opponent, John McCain?

[Betty]

Seems that BO has done nothing but go negative since the debate he so blatently fumbled, yet so many articles are about Clinton going negative
All the clips over the weekend showed her talking issues and him bashing her
So why does the media reefuse to say he is all about negatives and always has been
He usually just gets his grunts to do it and then hides and says he knows nothing about it
HE has been slithering around like a snake for months with a mask on pretending to be something he is not
I have never witnessed a candidate that is such a baby
To play on the race thing the way he has is disgusting
No doubt he and MO fully intended to use race as a way to shield him from scrutiny
I dont care what color he is he is a poor excuse for a candidate and for a man
HE isnt funny he isnt impressive he is not inspiring.
He is a con man who seems to be quite good at what he does
George Bush is more grown up than this wanna be
The democratic party deserves to now lose the election as they Are as much to blame as the people who voted for BO
They may now be stuck with him and will have to suffer the embarrassment of running him
Should he be the nominee who could blame the Clintons if they left him and the party out there on their own
Why should they have to go around talking up a guy that they as well as we know is not good for our country

[laurenR1]

Obama's ties with Ayers, Wright, Farrahkan, Resko, Auchi are not the associations that a President of the US should have! Everyone including the media has blinders on! As a Democrat, there is no way I could vote for this man..He has lifted his speeches for MLK, JFK, ..Deval Patrick and copied most of Hillary's positions, he has a light resume. Voting "present"is not a voting record! Honestly, he is a liberal elitist. The race speech he gave seemed to negate all the progress that has been made in 40 yrs..much too scary all the way around!

[Anee]

Obama is an IDIOT!

[Lydia]

GO OBAMA THE NEXT PRES OF THE US. HE IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB. ALL OF THESE SCARE TACTICS WON'T WORK. OBAMA IS GOING TO STAY IN. HE IS VERY DURABLE AND YOU WILL HAVE TO TRY HARDER THAN THAT TO GET HIM OUT. AYERS WAS ON THE SAME BOARD. SO WHAT? OBAMA WASN'T THE ONLY ONE ON THAT BOARD EITHER. EVERYONE IN POLITICS KNOWS SOMEONE WHO IS A CRIMINAL. REV. WRIGHT ISN'T A TERRORIST. SO WHAT IF HE FEELS HOW HE DOES. HE IS SAYING THAT AMERICA ISN'T ABOVE THE LORD. HE ALSO WAS STATING THE RACIAL DIVISIONS THAT ARE VERY REAL IN OUR SOCIETY. PEOPLE CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. AMERICA IS SOOOOO UPTIGHT. NOT ME, YOU. OBAMA IS A GOOD HONEST POLITICIAN, BUT PEOPLE AREN'T READY TO BELIEVE THAT. THEY BELIEVE THE WORST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE FAITH IN PEOPLE ANYMORE. ITS NOT OBAMA'S FAULT YOU PEOPLE ONLY SEE BAD IN OTHERS. OBAMA SEES GOOD, SO HE WILL RECIEVE GOOD IN RETURN. VOTE OBAMA 08!!!!

[stuart]

Correction, Craig:

As an adult, Obama made the decision to serve on the board of a progressive foundation that fights poverty and works to increase civic participation among the disadvantaged and minorities.

If Obama had refused to sit on the board of the foundation because of Ayers, that would offend me much more than the fact that he served with a former terrorist. The connection is even more tenuous than Obama's blood relation to Dick Cheney.

And it's almost as flimsy as the idea that Obama was "cheering" John McCain by saying he would be better than Bush. At best, it's an extremely backhanded compliment. Calling "Better than Bush" an endorsement is like saying "Prettier than a Platypus" is a compliment.

[SMS]

What a ridiculous distraction. I am on the Board of a local nonprofit that builds afterschool centers. There are 10 people on the Board all of whom I am friendly with. There are several on the Board who have views that are vastly different from mine (several are pro-life, etc.) and I am very friendly with them in the context of our Board work and related activities. Stop letting Rush and Sean dictate your level of intelligence and think for yourself. Do you honestly believe there is ANYTHING to this Ayers thing? Incredible.

[SMS]

Vet all you want. Does Obama look concerned (picture of him "brushing his shoulder off"). He will end up being the most VETTED candidate in history, truly because people are looking for reasons to NOT vote for him...keep looking and the only want you'll find anything is if you manufacture something, and the American people are smarter than that...I hope.

[mariann]

Wny don't we VET all of Chicago, 'cause that seems to be where all these 'guilt by associations' are coming from. When you agree with a candidate, the opposing side are throwing up more red herrings. If you disagree with a candidate, you look for anything and everything to valid your version of the truth. So, let's find ever person that has ever known and/or met Obama (even if it is only for a few seconds at a political rally or coffee shop or bowling ally) and grill them unmercifully on the evening news with Charley and George, and ask them when was the last time you beat your wife/husband?

[Jenny]

What of the alleged "Ayers" connection? He contributed a measly $200 many years ago, that hardly shows a person who exercises influence. And they are neighbors -- Obama hardly has a say in who lives in his neighborhood -- likewise, he's not able to determine the membership of every single member of committees he is on.

If you are so concerned about Obama's flimsy connection to Ayers, why aren't you concerned Bill Clinton PARDONED two members of the same domestic terrorist organization?

[Alex]

Obama has been far from silent in lashing out at the Clintons; he even told audiences that the Clinton years and the Bush years were alike in their neglect of small one-industry towns. There is enough information available for you to know that such equivalence is a lie. http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/Accomplishments/states/Pennsylvania.html

The hard times in America's small one-industry towns (such as the Pennsylvania coal-mining and steel towns) started LONG BEFORE the Clinton years, but President Clinton did many important things to help those towns and the people in them.

I strongly urge everyone to read the list of Clinton accomplishments regarding just Pennsylvania: http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/Accomplishments/states/Pennsylvania.html

I would like to see a link to data that supports any claim that President Clinton did not do everything possible to help those hard-hit areas (given Clinton had to work with a Republican-controlled Congress for six of his eight years as president).

President Clinton is the only Democrat to win two terms as president since the FDR days, yet Obama would take him down to advance his own cause. Shame on Obama.

[julescator]

Well if Ayers bothers you then you should see the new video on Utube showing Rendall PRAISING LOUIS FARRAKAN. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT. WHAT HYPOCRISY!!!!!!!!!!! The Clintons know Farrakkan, they have been friendly with him. They are such liars.

[Alex]

The Obama people seem to wish to make an issue of the fact that during the President Clinton years, the Rev. Wright had been invited (along with a group of 30 or more ministers) to the White House and had his picture taken with the president.

Well, I would remind everyone that Presidents and First Ladies routinely have their pictures taken with tens of thousands of people to whom they have been introduced moments before the picture was taken. (There is even a photo of President or Mrs. Carter with the serial killer John Wayne Gacy.)

Obama had sent the photo of Rev. Wright with President Clinton around to the media to take the focus off himself; but if Obama thinks a casual introduction to a president bears any resemblance to his own 20-year friendship with the Rev. Wright, then he lacks common sense.

There is no equivalence between Obama's 20-year close relationship with Rev. Wright and the fact that Rev. Wright was one of (as I recall) 30 or more ministers invited to the White House to help Bill Clinton through his period of contrition. The name of Wright had been given to Clinton as a preacher who had a large and important church in Chicago, so Wright was invited along with a whole bunch of other ministers, most of whom President Clinton did not know until then. The fact that President Clinton had his picture taken with Wright is silly at best; presidents have their pictures taken with thousands of people they have been introduced to only moments before.

The Clintons did not sit in a church Sunday after Sunday listening to the Rev. "God damn America" Wright talk about his hate for America, for whites, for gays, for Jews, maybe for the Italians he ridiculed as "garlic noses" -- but Obama did sit there listening to that sort of bile Sunday after Sunday.

Even more disgusting is that it was the Obama campaign that sent the photo of President Clinton and Rev. Wright around to the media as if to say, "Look, Clinton knew him too." That's awful.

Obama is not the nice person his followers think he is.

[Ellie]

Yea I think Obama is probably one of the most disrespectful, arrogant, jerks out there. Most politicians are like that, but this one is particularly bad. The Ayers thing doesn't bother me so much as the sitting in the racist church for 20 years bothers me. Im with Hillary in that my butt would have been out of that church the moment that man came out after Sept 11th and blamed America for the 9/11 attacks. Anyone (let along a politician) with any common sense would have left the church. I realize African American people have been discriminated against, and horrid things have happened, but preaching hate sermons and blaming American for such a tragedy is blasphemous and doesn't do anyone (especially African Americans) any justice nor does it help. The rest of the baggage Obama has is just the icing on the cake. I think he mislead everyone. Big time. Admit it.

[Joseph]

Hillary has lost. Plain and simple. She cannot win but she persists out of pride and arrogance.

Sound familiar?

Why would we elect a person as president who cannot stay out of an unwinnable conflict that is not in the best interests of this country?

We already have a president who is willing to sacrifice the best interests of his party and his nation for his own agenda.

[Alex]

April 19, 2008, marked the 13th "anniversary" of the infamous bombing (April 19, 1995) of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, in which 168 people -- from babies to grown-ups -- were killed, and another 800 injured, by a person who felt America was not doing things the "right" way. That person, Timothy McVeigh, was someone not unlike the Weather Underground members of the 1970s who set 30 bombs around government buildings in America because they also did not like the way things were going in America.

Yet, even though this Oklahoma City slaughter was viewed on television for days, weeks, and months ... with all its grief and horror clearly visible to all ... former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers said ... when interviewed six years later, in 2001 ... that he did not regret the bombing of American public buildings his Weather Underground group had been involved in, and only regretted he hadn't done more: "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."

On Sept. 16, 2001 (after 9/11 had already happened), Ayers also said, "What a country. It makes me want to puke."

It is hard if not impossible to believe that when Barack Obama went to the home of Bill Ayers and Ayers' terrorist wife Bernardine Dohrn, in the 1990s -- when he (Obama) was looking for people who could (and would) help him in his quest to get elected to the Illinois state legislature -- Obama had no idea this man Bill Ayers and wife Bernardine Dohrn were still UN-apologetic, UN-remorseful and UN-repentant about setting those 1970s bombs.

In his 2001 book "Fugitive Days" (written six years after the Oklahoma City bombing), Ayers reflected on whether or not he might use bombs against the U.S. some time in the future, and wrote: "I can't imagine entirely dismissing the possibility."

Either Obama is dense, or he is opportunistic and closes his eyes to the deeds and sayings of people he wants to get support from (Tony Rezko, Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers).

Either Obama was too lazy to find out who was giving him help and money, or Obama DID know Bill Ayers' group had bombed American government buildings in the 1970s and that he (Ayers) would not rule out bombing American public buildings again -- but Obama did NOT care.

Bill Ayers, in 2001: "I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough."
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8630_Page2.html

The 1970 explosion in a Greenwich Village townhouse that killed three Weathermen occurred when they were trying to manufacture an anti-personnel bomb they would plant at a U.S. military non-commissioned officers' dance at Fort Dix, N.J., in what Brian Flanagan said had been intended to be "the most horrific hit the United States government had ever suffered on its territory"

The bomb was packed with nails to inflict maximum casualties upon detonation.

Yes, I have read that the Weathermen would phone in a warning to vacate the building where they had set a bomb, but the very FACT that these bomb-makers blew themselves up while making a bomb demonstrates that they were not very precise bomb-makers -- and innocent people could have been killed wherever the Weather Underground members planted their bombs.

On June 6, 1970, the Weather Underground Organization sent a letter claiming credit for bombing of the San Francisco Hall of Justice; however, no explosion actually took place.

Months later, workmen in this building located an unexploded device which had apparently been dormant for some time. Those workmen could have been killed.

~ ~ ~
More at:
http://tinyurl.com/6ct8lk
http://www.slate.com/id/1008323
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weatherman_(organization)

[eSPO]

A desperate, broken, unorganized, broke, campaign is lashing out at any trivial tidbit they can. Her negatives are growing and her time is short.

[Frank]

What can we say about Bill and Hillary that hasn't been said before? Clinton's scandals are covered in such loving detail by his enemies that we are providing you with links to various Clinton scandal pages. At one point I thought I would have time to sift through ALL of the stuff on Clinton and scandals and sort out the solid stuff from partisan attacks. HA! It would take years. So enjoy the links, take them with a grain of salt, and email us any better links you know of.

Mena, Arkansas: Contra & Drug Smuggling Center?
Even though this issue has been adopted by the conspiracy nuts, there does really seem to be something behind it. Unlike almost every other Clinton scandal, this one in non-partisan -- it actually began with Bush and Oliver North, and still seems to implicate them much more than the President.
In a nutshell, it's pretty well established that both weapons for the Contras and cocaine were smuggled through the small, obscure airport in Mena, Arkansas during the 1980s and late 1970s. But other than the fact that Clinton was governor during part of this time, there really isn't much of a link to him. There is a lot of drug smuggling in Florida, but no one assumes that Florida Governor Jeb Bush is connected to it. The Contra operation of course was run by the Reagan/Bush White House.

So when you read about Barry Seal or Kevin Ives and Don Henry (two teens apparently killed because they knew about drug deals), the charges are partly true but mostly unconnected. Yes, these guys all were killed because they got too close to drug smugglers, but there is no evidence connecting any of it to Clinton. Clinton-haters try to make hay out of his brother's personal cocaine habit, or Bill's admitted pot smoking, but that's ridiculous.

We sure haven't unraveled the whole mess, and I don't think anyone really has. Smugglers don't keep very good records. The best we can do is give you links to as many of the respectable sources (ie newspaper articles) on the subject as possible.

Dave Feustel used to provide a great resource of newspaper article reprints, many from the Arkansas Gazette which is not in that many libraries around the country. Unfortunately, he has removed them from his web site, which also moved to Netcom; not because of the CIA or whatever your favorite conspirator is, according to email he sent us, but because of copyright problems. It's a shame. Here is the list of articles anyway, in case you can look them up:

First Wall Street Journal article on Mena, April 22, 1987
Hasenfus plane once owned by Seal, Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, October 10, 1986
Overview, Arkansas Gazette, June 26, 1987
Lots of Barry Seal details, Baton Rouge Sunday Advocate, April 10, 1988
Jack Anderson's first column, SF Chronicle, 2/2/89
Jack Anderson - changes after Seal's death, SF Chronicle, 3/1/89
SF Chronicle, IRS involvement, July 28, 1989
House hearings, Arkansas Gazette, July 25, 1991
Washington Post article, October 22, 1994
Clinton's statement on Mena, Arkansas Gazette, September 11, 1991
Sally Denton and Roger Morris story, spiked at the Washington Post, ran in Penthouse, July 1995
Mena & Bobby Seal: Arkansas Gazette, December 22, 1990
Demo Congressman vows to find answers, Arkansas Gazette, December 22, 1990
Mena overview, Associated Press, September 24, 1991
Arkansas Times update, August 25, 1995
Column by lefty Alexander Cockburn, February 24, 1992
The San Jose Mercury News' series on CIA involvement in drug smuggling
Progressive Review on CIA/Cocaine story, October 12, 1996
The Nation on CIA/Cocaine story, October 25, 1996
Cockburn on the CIA/Cocaine story, November 11, 1996
FAIR analysis of CIA/Cocaine coverage, December 19, 1996

[Robson]

Stop reading nonssensical gossip about the Clintons. If you really need information about their corrupted activities check out this official site.
Hillary and Bill are waiting for their trial date to be set for fraud and possible purgery! Media doesn't talk about it because these criminals still have many powerful contacts.

Check out the website WWW.LASUPERIORCOURT.ORG.
In the Civil Column, click on CASE SUMMARIES
Then enter this case number: BC304174

PETER F PAUL VS WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTO

[Libraman]

THE LAST DEBATE WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA TO CLEAR THE AIR ON SOME OF HIS BAGGAGE. BUT HE STAMMERED AND STUMBLED AND OFFERED NOTHING BUT EXCUSES FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE WAS QUESTIONED ON AND ACCUSED OF. NEVER HAS HE APPOLOGIZED FOR HIS PAST CHOICES OF ASSOCIATES AND HIS AFFILIATION WITH SOME OF OUR MOST NOTORIOUS AND UNAMERICAN CITIZENS, OR SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED ANY OF IT. OBAMA HAS AN OBLIGATION AS A UNITED STTES SENATOR TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED AND EXPECTED HIM TO REPRESENT THE USA WITH DIGNITY AND LOYALTY. OBAMA HAS MADE SOME TERRIBLE PERSONAL DECISIONS IN HIS LIFE THAT NO CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT SHOULD BE SADDLED WITH. VOTE FOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, OUR NEXT PRESIDENT.

[Obamanation]

Obama is just one big windbag that spews empty promises of change and hope. Anyone who is a realist and doesn't believe fairytales knows Hillary is the one to vote for. Those who vote obama are the same idiots that voted for nader and got us stuck with Bush!

[Brad]

Please drop this stupid Ayers "controversy." Ayers is practically mainstream in Chicago. He advises the VERY longstanding and decidedly non-radical Mayor Richard Daley. He wins bipartisan trade for his charitable and educational contributions. He's a tenured professor, not a terrorist.

Calling Ayers a terrorist in 2008 is like calling John McCain war criminal. Just to be clear, for Ayers, it's former anti-property "terrorist" and for McCain, it's "former war criminal" and current war monger.

[Jkan]

"Seems that BO has done nothing but go negative since the debate he so blatently fumbled, yet so many articles are about Clinton going negative!"

I really don't know what the Press and that class-less Obama are talking about.

Really people - if you have so much personal hatred toward Hillary, don't elect the DUMB/LIER/CHILD-LIKE/CLASS-LESS Obama.

You have a choice : vote for mcCain.

[jodi]

GO Hillary Save the Obama fools from themselves!!!

Obama should drop out at this point despite the fairy tales told on msnbc and cnn. The reality is that neither of the candidates can get the required 2024 deligates needed. There is no rule requiring that super deligates vote for the candidate with the most pledged deligates. In fact it is a rule that super deligates vote for the candidate most electable in the generaal election and that is clearly Hillary Clinton. We have a choice here as democrats. We can nominate Obama and we will certainly lose to McCain in November.....or we can nominate Hillary Clinton and insure a win in November. It really is that simple. If black voters as a group either stay home or vote McCain then they will be responsible for the next war in Iran and the continueing war in Iraq......they will be drafted for the McCain wars.......and they will be responsible for the lack of abortion rights once McCain replaces the next Supreme court Justice......they the young Obamaites will be responsible for losing abortion rights and they will be responsible for everything McCain fails to do. But even I a lifetime democrat will vote McCain if dems are foolish enough to nominate Obama. I am over 40 and will not be drafted and will not need abortion rights........it is the young fools that want Obama and will get McCain for their foolishness.....they are responsible.

Next Obama's donations need to be investigated as it makes no sense that he could be legally collecting this much money from about the same number of voters......something stinks of fruad.

Negativity.....Obama talks and talks but dose not speak the truth. He claims there will be no negativity but has envoked the race card constantly through out this campaign....he is racist and needs to get out of the race. Next time run a proven person (like Colin Powell) of any color and if you do not play the race card I think we will find that this country is not racist....Obama is.

[Fred L.]

Jodi,
Funny you finish your anti-obama rant with a reference to Colin Powell, He doesn't seem to share your views on Sen. Obama. Oh, and you're a lifelong Dem, but you'll be voting McCain this time, what the heck are you thinking?