Clinton Says She Must Counterattack

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she must respond in kind to attacks from rival Barack Obama even though she'd rather keep the race for the Democratic presidential nomination focused on their differences on public policy issues.

"I try not to attack first, but I have to defend myself -- I do have to counterpunch," Clinton told NBC's "Today Show."

"I took a lot of incoming fire for many, many months and I was happy to absorb it because obviously, you know, I felt that was part of my responsibility. But toward the end of a campaign you have to set the record straight," the New York senator said.

Clinton, Obama and their campaigns have exchanged increasingly hard-hitting jabs in recent days over race, his relationship with a Chicago developer, her vote on the Iraq war, and other issues. Clinton stopped airing a South Carolina radio ad critical of Obama on Thursday and Obama took down his radio response in an attempt to cool the angry public spat.

"I have tried to make it clear that this election has to be about the future," Clinton said. "It is perfectly legitimate to draw comparisons and contrasts. I think both Senator Obama and I have made it clear we do want to focus on what we each would do for our country. It has been obviously an incredibly intense campaign. ... But I do want to make it clear that our campaigns have to stay focused on what you know the legitimate differences are so we can give voters information."

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Comments

[photochick]

Oh please!!!!! Give me a friggin break.

[Rubiconski]

Clinton: They criticized me because I am a woman. Waaaaaa

Obama: STFU.

Obama didn't even mention gender. He just said stop being a whiny bitch...

They criticized you cuz you're stupid, Hillary.

[ddlrid]

what a hypocritical crock of shit!!! hill & bill have been the ones to sling trash throughout this ordeal. and they do it with such ease! how rovian to say you are 'just defending yourself' when you started the mess you are decrying. their have no credibility left. some folks might be fooled, but a whole bunch of us aren't.

[GrouchoMarxist]

Why's Wolfie going on and on about water?

I thought he took his Scotch straight.

[FiddleDD2]

One of these morons will be the Repub nominee...­ANY Dem will be better. What a freakshow.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/still-crazy-after-all-these-years-by.html

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

YOU KNOW, I knew a cranky and very successful old Director of Sales in a big radio station cluster Back East that used to say, "I teach my guys to get out and GET EMOTION - any emotion. Just get emotion. If they think they're presentation's going great, but it feels flat, that's because it is flat. That perfect, point-by-point, number-by-number deal that ticks like a swiss pocket watch is a NO SALE. That's right - DOA. Ya' just gotta get 'em off balance with ANY emotion - even if they hate ya. They wasn't gonna buy from us, anyway."

His guys did that and it worked. Just like a bunch of used car salesmen saying, "Well, now, Mr. Watson, maybe the Camaro's got a bit much muscle for that wallet o' your's. What say we look at the Nova?"

And that's Bill and Hillary. They take turns in that little glass-enclosed semi-office in the corner. But it's mainly Bill out front - GETTING US TO EMOTION.

I mean, note the froth. There's so much rabid foam in the room from the fetid breath of insults that there's hardly any room for . . .

Ideas. Inspiration. America. The candidate that 2/3 (75%) of voters still call "the most likely to unite America: Barack Obama.

So, I had an idea, following upon this horrific emotional vastation (forgive the preceding archaic), I decided to utterly abandon the world in which they have - I assume - decided that they've decided my fate and that of my family.

I shut myself away and read some of "TR" and a little James. I worked on a musical composition I've been struggling with for a few months.

And I spent the remainder of the afternoon listening to Barack Obama's speeches.

[williamg]

Here is a smart piece on how the Democrats may be in danger of having the party torn apart.

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=01&year=2008&base_name=clinton_tries_to_reinstate_mic

[Rubiconski]

Hillary Clinton: Daughter of the Patriarch!

Will fiercely defend the values of all those good old white boys......­Just like her daddy taught her.

[THISTLE]

Yes, she does have to defend herself, she is
attacked non-stop 24/7, while Obama is given
a pass - non-stop, 24/7.

In the radio spots Obama is saying, what he
said, he isn't saying. I guess he has an
evil twin brother.

[semorg]

I do not know who is worst, Hillary fanatics or bush fanatics. They follow the person so blindly ignoring all the trouble signs, their criminal, unethical, or mendacious acts.

Maybe there is no difference and they are the same clans.

[Obama2008]

This photo of Hillary Clinton reminds me of Narcissus.

[EvoMan]

Boy I hope this wasn't Photoshopped:

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash1.htm

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

The fact that that loser Terry McAuliffe is running Hillary's campaign should be enough to make people not vote for her.

[Jonahson]

Hey, if you need your hubby to shore up your campaign so how capable can you be?

[newyorknewyork]

NEW YORK CITY - SPREAD THE WORD

NYC OBAMA SUPPORTERS!

HUGE EVENT TOMORROW (SATURDAY)

All of NYC unites for Obama- hundreds attending, all 5 boros represented. City-wide event will cover all of Manhattan from Harlem to downtown. Lots of press there.

You won't want to miss this!
downtown people: meet at union square at noon.
uptown people: meet at 130th st and lenox ave at 11 am.

The 2 groups will meet in the middle at columbus circle for a rally.

JOIN US!