Obama confronts Clinton on Social Security

[BeyondGeography]

by John McCormick, updated at 4:19 p.m. Eastern

DES MOINES – Sen. Barack Obama on Saturday charged that Sen. Hillary Clinton has dodged tough questions about the future of Social Security, a program of great importance to many Iowa caucus participants.

...As he focused on Social Security, Obama pointed to recent moments where Clinton has been less than straightforward in her responses to how she would alter long-term funding for the massive federal program.

“You might remember that this came up in the last presidential debate,” Obama said at a senior center in Iowa's capital. “When Senator Clinton was asked about it, she wouldn’t say what she thought needed to be done. The other day, here in Iowa, she skipped another chance to give a direct answer on this.”

He also poked at Clinton by using a phase, "ready to lead," that she often uses on the campaign trail. "You're not ready to lead if you can't tell us where you're going," he said.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/10/obama_directly_confronts_clint.html

Note: The substantive issue here is whether to raise or eliminate the cap on income subject to the Social Security tax. Obama has proposed getting rid of the cap as a way to eliminate the Social Security funding shortfall and, when directly questioned, Clinton has refused to say what her plans are regarding the cap.

[Yael]

1. "You're not ready to lead if you can't tell us where you're going"

Ouch

[BeyondGeography]

2. It's a great line; one that HRC ignores at her peril

And this is what primary season is for. Clinton will have to get more specific at some point; might as well be now.

[tokenlib]

18. Devastating Line--Can he back it up?

Instead of this "all options on the table" crap.. Drawing a few lines in the sand... reassuring the masses that they will not get benefits cut,and standing firm on raising the income ceiling for FICA to secure the financial stability of the system...and then Obama could do serious damage to Clinton in the primaries.

Hillary is often weak on specifics--and although that may serve a general election candidate well--it is her major weakness right now. If only someone gets the guts to exploit it.

[Bitwit1234]

3. It's Halloween....lets scare the pants off the Seniors along with the bashing.

[ncabot22]

4. He's not bashing

Criticizing any, repeat any, politician's policy is not bashing. If he took after her personally, that is bashing (and uncalled for). If she or any politician doesn't make clear what their policies are, others can rightfully point that out and criticize it.

[Tellurian]

5. The last thing Obama said about SS ... is all options are on the table!

Boo!

[cuke]

7. Raising the retirement - On the table

Privatizing - On the table
Cutting benefits - On the table

Go ahead Obama; Tell us what YOU are going to

[BeyondGeography]

8. Wrong on privatization...it is off the table

==As president, Barack Obama will:

Protect and Strengthen Social Security.

Social Security is indispensable to our workers and our seniors. It is a great reflection of our values as a country. Barack Obama will make sure Social Security is solvent and viable for the American people, now and in the future. Two-thirds of beneficiaries depend on Social Security for more than half of their monthly income. Barack Obama fought against President Bush's efforts to privatize Social Security. As president, Obama will preserve Social Security by stopping any efforts to privatize it. Obama will work in a bipartisan way to maintain Social Security's solvency for future generations.==

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/seniors/

[Tellurian]

11. Too Bad Obama was afraid to attend the AARP Debate..

Here is an overview of his prliminery outlook:

On Social Security - Obama actually has a proponent of a cut back in Social Security, with a replacement of income cut via individual account advisor in Jeffrey Liebman - who calls this "partial privatization". Is Obama as open to private accounts as his advisor who recommended in the past, along with an aid to McCain, a mix of benefit cuts, tax increases and mandatory personal accounts to shore up the system? Will Obama reject the "no payroll tax wage cap progressive liberal position" as "too big a step to take"? Indeed, will Obama, who promised to preserve what he's called the "essential character" of our old age retirement system, listen to the advisor he has chosen to help with policy in this area?

[BeyondGeography]

12. When you add the link to that bullshit

it will still be bullshit.

Obama categorically opposes privatizing social security, per the post above.

[Tellurian]

14. Wow...afraid to debate it where he could have made his position clear..

now we have to deal with a muddled proposal..

[cuke]

15. My mistake

BTW, that's pretty vague itself

[ncabot22]

9. Your post has nothing to do with mine

All I said was discussing and criticizing a politian's agenda wasn't bashing.

[cuke]

16. Dammit

I swallowed tellurian's bait

[phen43]

6. I agree!!

When you stick to the issues, it's just a heated comparison, in no way bashing!!:patriot:

[eweaver155]

10. Obama is not bashing anyone.

[tokenlib]

19. It isn't only Seniors who get scared about SS

Many of us see too much of an eagerness to cut benefits than to raise taxes. "All options on the table" is rather scary for millions of Americans.

[Colobo]

13. Good stuff!

[BenDavid]

17. I would love to play poker with Obama. Hell, this

man wants to go all in without having a damn hand...HRC has already called his hand twice and Obama had to drop back..This is one reason why he is not the most experienced person.

HRC is holding her cards close to the vest cause HRC knows you cannot go all in during the early rounds. You wait and see once her opponent is named on the repub side then you will see her do the following against her opponent: raise....call....Bluff.....Check-raise......Sometimes HRC will make Aggressive/passive plays....and from time to time HRC will employ Deception in hopes to induce her opponent to act differently and if HRC sees that her opponent tries to slow play she will bounce at his first sign of weakness.....

Yep!

Ben David

[Evergreen Emerald]

20. Poor Obama--he is getting bad advice.

More evidence of his inexperience.

[Colobo]

22. Typical answer from a Hillary supporter.

I guess you guys want him to drop out the race and campaign for Hillary right now...

[Evergreen Emerald]

23. no..but I'd rather he told the truth instead of the spinning/twisting/distortions

That is more of the same. So much for attempting to be a different kind of politician.

[phen43]

24. in your opinion, that is

nothing wrong with debating the issues!!

[Evergreen Emerald]

25. I agree--debate the issues

but suggesting the she has secret alterer motives that she will not expose is--a lie. It is as if he is reading DU and picking the paranoid suggestions that she is in a conspiracy with Bush-et-al. and attempting to use those lies as a reason not to vote for her.

It is a shame. Why do we (democrats) do that to each other?

[phen43]

21. GO OBAMA GO!!!

Can't wait for Tues. debate!!!:popcorn: