Clinton Says Obama Wants to Stop Votes

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton accused rival Sen. Barack Obama and his allies of trying to stop people from voting as some of his backers have called on her to drop out of the presidential race.

The Obama campaign rejected the charge, dismissing Clinton's criticism as "completely laughable."

In a series of television interviews in states holding upcoming contests, Clinton vowed to press on with her campaign and suggested Obama and his supporters wanted to keep those states from playing a role in selecting the party's presidential nominee.

"My take on it is a lot of Senator Obama's supporters want to end this race because they don't want people to keep voting," she told CBS affiliate KTVQ in Billings, Mont. "That's just the opposite of what I believe. We want people to vote. I want the people of Montana to vote, don't you?"

Montana holds its primary June 3. The New York senator made similar comments in interviews with stations in Indiana and North Carolina, which hold primaries May 6.

Obama leads the overall race for the Democratic nomination with 1,631 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. He got the backing of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Monday. Clinton has 1,501, according to the latest AP tally.

Clinton almost certainly will end the primary season narrowly trailing Obama in the popular vote and among pledged delegates unless the nullified primaries in Florida and Michigan are counted _ an unlikely scenario at best. But Obama is unlikely to end the race with the 2,024 pledged delegates needed to win outright either, meaning the nominee will be determined by roughly 800 superdelegates.

Responding to Clinton, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said: "That is completely laughable from a campaign that thought the race would be over on February 5. We have encouraged our supporters to do no such thing and Senator Obama was very clear he supports her carrying on in this race."

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Campaigning in Pennsylvania, Obama called the continuing primary battle "a struggle" but said he believed it was a good process that would strengthen the party in the long run.

"It is a healthy thing that so many people are passionate," Obama said in Johnstown. "I think it is great that Senator Clinton's supporters are as passionate about her as my supporters are about me... I think that is making this historic race that much more compelling."

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy last week became the first leading Democrat to openly call on Clinton to step aside and cede the nomination to Obama. He said he worried the prolonged nominating battle was strengthening the chances of the Republican nominee in waiting, John McCain.

Since then, Obama and his supporters have said Clinton should stay in the race as long as she chooses while indicating a lengthy primary battle would not help the party's position in the general election.

Obama has been picking up superdelegates at a rapid clip while Clinton's success with that group has slowed considerably.

"I don't even keep track of it, I can't even tell you that figure," Clinton said when asked by Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA how many superdelegates had endorsed her in recent weeks.

As she spoke, her husband, former President Clinton, was in Oregon, lobbying uncommitted superdelegates.

___

Associated Press Writer Devlin Barrett in Johnstown, Pa., contributed to this report.

Comments

[speakingtruth2power]

If Barack wins the primary and looses the general, there is now way that I'll accept her

as our candidate in 2012. The Clintons have shown themselves to be neocon-lite and

I will be working to rid our would be liberal and populist Democratic Party, of their DLC.

Our two party system is a bad joke now that K Street & MIC moneys have corrupted US.

We should realign along the lines of liberal populism verses reactionary corporatism!!

ST2P.

[HumeSkeptic]

In a very nice and polite email, HuffPost tells me that we should expect big improvements in the commenting system in the near future.

Back on topic, I heard that Hillary is a boxer. She knocked out a few while dodging bullets in Bosnia and while accumulating foreign policy experience. A genuine multi-tasker.

I think I'm now beginning to lean toward Hillary.

[Plowboy]

Clinton says ---- OK, I got it! What's the lie this time?
This must be a new game, like Simon says, only in this case if it's "Clinton says" you don't necessarily have to belierve it ... ever!

[ROBOT8]

AMERICA WANTS SOMETHING NEW OBAMA IS NEW!!!!!!!! HILLARY AND BILLY BONER ARE LAST YEARS NEWS

[AnninCA]

He's just the same old good ole boy from Chicago politics with a tan.

[babar77]

You are so uninformed it's amazing.

[soot]

CLAP CLAP, POINT POINT, LIE LIE LIE

[jimchap]

speaking of Hillary lies, it would appear that they've been in the toolbox for a long time.

to me, this story is sensational.
http://www.northstarwriters.com/dc163.htm

[danceswithyids]

Give credit to Colbert for that...

[IHawk]

"That's just the opposite of what I believe. We want people to vote. I want the people of Montana to vote, don't you?"
"However, in the likely event I'm not ahead after the people of Montana vote, then I'll have to insist that the superdelegates have the power to overrule the will of the people and make me the nominee."

[clearmind2008]

Let's face it, Clinton is doing whatever she can to win the nomination. The problem is, the things she is willing to do demonstrate some character flaws. I am not saying all has been well on the other side either. All this tells me is that we are seeing two candidtates who are imperfect and vying for the same position.

What has swayed me to Obama is the way he has handled himself. As I have said, his camp has had issues just as Clinton's has. The defining difference for me is that he appears more genuine and honest. much more trustworthy, all things considered. I realize not eveyone sees it that way and that is yoour right.

Some people have said if Obama gets the Presidency he will not do thus and so and he will do thus and so and "you all will get what you deserve".. I would say I look forward to getting what I deserve the next 4 years or so, and I would hope you all would as well, since we have all gotten so much less the last eight years.

[BlueStateMan]

While I'm no fan of Hillary, does ANYONE notice that their votes in the Senate are virtually IDENTICAL?

[rmetz74]

Yes. They're incredibly close on most of the issues, that's the funny thing about all this disagreement.

For me, it comes down to tactics, behavior, and organization. The stuff you can't put on paper.

[KimberlyKay]

With one fairly critical difference -- Senator Obama voted for an outside ethics board to monitor the Senate, Senator Clinton voted against this. Now, as an attorney I know that having our ethics reviewed by the State Bar is critical to the public's belief in our ethics -- why would the Senate not do the same?

[speakingtruth2power]

The Senate is like a grade school class that has been without a teacher

for so long, that they have institutionalized their bickering and corruption.

[BlueStateMan]

A hypothetical.....

Your State Bar Association is paneled by Attorneys, yes?

Who would you impanel to oversee the ethic of the U.S. Senate?

Again.... Hillary lost me way back when with that stupid, pandering Flag Amendment proposal... but when push comes to shove... they voted the same (& MISSED the same critical votes when they BOTH wanted to stay "off the record").

[HumeSkeptic]

"Virtually" is the operative word. You have to look at the most crucial ones:
1. Iraq war authorization.
2. Levin Amendment.
3. Kyl/Lieberman Amendment.

Hillary voted with the NeoCons on all three.

And she continues to promote the classic NeoCon approach of not talking to foreign leaders without pre-conditions.

Hillary has been pro-NeoCon. Consistently.

[ylpatriot]

Hmm can anyone tell me how many times obama and hillary voted present??? and on what issues ... for we all know a vote of present really means ...i didnt have the courage or cojones to vote ?

[BlueStateMan]

Obama wasn't in the Senate yet for the War Authorization.....

He MISSED Kyl / Lieberman....

They BOTH voted "yea" on the Levin Amendment

[justShareandbeNice]

Obama was not yet elected to the Senate when the vote to authorize the Iraq war was made. He was *running* for Senate at the time. He spoke out loud and clear against the war *while* he was running for Senate. This was the time period when millions of people were marching all over the world against the war. Essentially, so was Obama. His famous speech against the war was made at a anti-war rally.

He "voted" with his mouth and his feet so to speak. He "voted" against the war. Politically, this was almost suicide back then. Remember the patriotic pressure put on all of us? Well, Obama thought and spoke for himself. He still won the Senate seat.

Hillary heartily supported the war. While millions of people who DIDN"T trust George Bush marched in the streets. She claims she was bamboozled by Bush et al. CRAP! What a liar!

Yes, both have voted to keep money flowing to the troops since the war has begun. I personally have mixed feelings about this as far as Obama goes. But his votes on that matter pale in comparison to the LIES and CORRUPTION that Billary have been trying to hide for so many years. Do your research, people!

Just heading out now to help out at the Obama headquarters here in Salem, OR. In case you live in the Salem area, here is the address to go to: 335 Grove St NE -- near Pine St NE.

[Superbus]

Obama is playing by the rules both he and Hillary agreed to. Just like Al Gore did when he was losing, Hillary wants to change the rules until the votes go her way.

[Aleka]

Well at this point the votes cant help her. She wants to change the rules until she can get the nomination despite losing it.

[AnninCA]

Bull. The rules allow for compromise. He blocked.

We all know it.

He's skeered of MI and FL.

[ChiGuy]

Rules? RULES???

D you mean like the DNC RULES Hillary once agreed with but now wants to renege on?

[rmetz74]

The rules do allow for compromise. Unfortunately, part of the compromise is that the states have to bear the cost of a revote, and both legislatures balked. Neither candidate has the power to block anything.


I'll give you this, Ann... You have an amazing ability to talk yourself into an alternate reality.

[WhoGetsYourVote]

So Hillary and Penn and Wolfson created this thing called "the kitchen sink" where they attacked Obama from every angle from political positions to personal attacks on him, his wife, his family, etc.

Then, surprisingly, two days ago Wolfson was being interviewed on TV and kept saying, "Instead of talking about the issues, all Obama keeps doing is making personal attacks on Hillary."

This is one of the reasons Hillary should get out of the race. She is a liar, a misleader and has genuinely despicable people working as her chief advisors.

[AnninCA]

That's because Obama has been on a non-stop personal attack since he lost Texas and Ohio.

[WhoGetsYourVote]

Gutter-Bama actually won Texas. The final tally is in today.

[ChiGuy]

How about posting some of the supposed personal attacks attributed to Obama...

(I won't hold my breath.)

[KimberlyKay]

Really? I guess I missed this -- has Senator Obama mentioned Chinese donors, questionable campaign fundraising techniques, Norman Hsu, Whitewater, the pardons, travelgate, & etc.? I haven't heard it. You folks do live in a bubble. If Senator Obama wanted to go negative, he wouldn't simply have two names, he would have whole galaxies. Whether you think the Clintons are culpable or not, the list of scandals, past and present, truly is longer than anyone could possibly post. What is most interesting to me, is that Senator Clinton is now trying to use the fan-flamer of many of these scandals (Richard Mellon Scaiffe) against Senator Obama. I still cannot fathom how desperate someone would have to be to sit down and seek the support of someone who tried to destroy you, your family and your political party and largely without any merit.

[gotalife]

http://www.stop-obama.org/?p=105

Nuff said.

[stepintothelight]

Just proves an idiot can build a commerce sight and collect money off of the mass of goofs flocking to it's lack of credibility.

[milurOH]

wow what an impressive list of RNC talking points. DaddyRove must be very proud of you. I am truly impressed with your ability to spew FoxFacts (tm).

[BlueStateMan]

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/black_guy_asks_nation_for_change

[alaintex]

This is just another misleading Huff Po Headline

Remember this one from two weeks ago?

"Britney Spears Gets Hospital Workers Fired"

UCLA Medical Center will fire some employees and discipline others for snooping at the confidential medical records of Britney Spears,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/15/britney-spears-gets-hospi_n_91671.html

But when passport workers got fired for snooping in Obamas files did we see:

“Obama Gets Passport Workers Fired”

I don’t think so.



Huff Po Headline Writers are Liars!!!

There’s a headline for you.

[ChiGuy]

And here's a newsflash for you:

HuffPo didn't write the headline. The Associated Press did.

Had you clicked the link so that you could read the full article, rather than skimming headlines, you'd have known that.

[nikto]

In the midst of this fight between the 2 top Dems,
let's not ever forget THE INESCAPABLE TRUTH:

Either HILLARY'S SPIT or OBAMA'S PEE would BOTH make a far better, smarter and more
ethical and honest President than ANY REPUGNICAN or KKKONSERVATIVE.

This is simply true, folks.

Excrement=better governance than the GOP can offer.

No GOPer is even a pimple on the ass of either Dem candidate.

Let's not forget that.

And everyone who has been paying attention over the last 8 years can see that
very, very clearly.

Either Dem=HOPE
GOP=DOOM

That's all there is to it.

[ColoradoDan]

Not so.

Hillary supported the Iraq Invasion, is backed by NeoCons heavily (listen to Rush ever?) and is basically a Bush backer. Bill and bush senior even do commercials together so please keep it real.

Hillary is Bush lite .... she's W in bad pants suits. She appears now to have about the same ethical standards.

Lying comes easily to her as we witnessed recently with the Bosnia lie told over and over.

She is an insult to Democrats

There's a huge difference.

[ylpatriot]

While you coninue to ignore the obamba lies eh ? get real !

[JDS]

The woman is truly, deeply insane. From serially lying (NOT "misspeaking") about Tusla, whining about anything any everything (does anyone actually believe she'd give a shit about revotes in Florida and Michigan so "everyone's vote should count" if Obama had won - or been favored - in each state?).

And what's with the disgusting, smug, self-satisfied expression she always wears - aren't I just too wonderful for words - in all of her pathetic speeches. The phony tears in NH. Too f'n much.

My HDS is much worse these days than my BDS. Who'd ever have thought that!!!