Obama Ties Clinton to Past - "starts off with 47 percent of the country against her"

[jefferson_dem]

Obama Ties Clinton to Past
By CHARLES BABINGTON

Associated Press Writer

Democrat Barack Obama said Sunday it is difficult for Hillary Rodham Clinton "to break out of the politics of the past," when the country was badly divided and Democrats lost control of Congress while her husband was president.

Responding to two Virginia voters who asked why they should choose him over Clinton, Obama at first praised her as "a capable person" and a "vast improvement" over President Bush. But he quickly pivoted to a forceful argument against the New York senator, saying the public sees her as part of a divisive political era when the government was gridlocked and Republicans prospered.

"I think it's very hard for Senator Clinton to break out of the politics of the past 15 years," Obama said.

"Senator Clinton starts off with 47 percent of the country against her," the Illinois senator told 3,000 people at a high school gym in Alexandria, Va., just outside Washington. "That's a hard place to start."

"Hillary and I both want universal health care," he said. "But unless we can put a working majority together, it doesn't matter what plan is adopted" because Congress will not pass it.

Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia hold Democratic primaries Tuesday.

Obama was buoyant after winning three more state contests Saturday, and hoping for another win in Maine on Sunday. Taking audience questions for the first time in several days, he used similar queries from two women to remind voters of the former first lady's ties to an administration and an era that many independents and Republicans remember with distaste.

"I have the ability to bring people together," he said. Because of that, he said, "I think I can beat John McCain more effectively," referring to the Arizona senator closing in on the Republican presidential nomination.

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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004175458_apobama10.html?syndication=rss

[KittyWampus]

1. Good, Obama is bringing it to the Clintons. They deserve to have their narrative challenged.

We've been stuck in this country being split in half for so long, too many think it's the only alternative.

FUCK the status quo DLC Clinton Machine.

[jefferson_dem]

3. "Ready from day one"?

Half the country would be ready ... to oppose anything and everything she hopes to conjure up.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

2. Obama's negatives are around 44 and about to get worse

[K Gardner]

4. That should have been an OP.

[Alexander]

6. As usual, you cite no evidence or source.

[jackson_dem]

15. You guys are right. Proud2BA is wrong

Obama's negatives aren't 44%. They're 45%. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/favorables/election_2008_democratic_candidates_running_in_2008_presidential_election

[KAZ]

17. You subscribe? Post it asshole.

[jackson_dem]

18. Click the link. It won't kill you

Cognitive dissonance isn't life threatening.

[KAZ]

20. Umm, I did. Several times. trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Couldn't get any details without the subscription. But if you're hawking the link text, Hill is at 51% negative.

[jackson_dem]

21. The link text

Hillary is at 51% and Obama at 45%. Hillary has been attacked by rethugs since 1992 and is at 51%. Obama has not been touched by the rethugs and he is already at 45%...

What were Bush's negatives at this time when he led Gore by 11% in 2000? What about Kerry's when he led Bush by 11% at this stage in 2004? What were their negatives by November when both lost the popular vote after seeing an 11 point swing in favor of the "known" candidate?

Some context: Edwards 41%, Giuliani 61%, McCain 43%, Hucakbee 50%, Kucinich 47% (only 24% favorable).

[KAZ]

24. OK, if Hillary gets the nod, then I'll fight like hell for her.

I'm a Dem kind of guy.

[jackson_dem]

26. I am an Edwardian but I will fight for the nominee, regardless of who it is

:toast:

[BayouBengal07]

7. According to a CNN poll last week

it's 31%.

"Clinton does have higher negatives than Obama -- and McCain. Forty-four percent of the public say they don't like Clinton, compared with 36 percent who don't like McCain and 31 percent who don't like Obama, according to the CNN poll conducted February 1-3."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/08/20008.matchups.schneider/index.html

[scheming daemons]

13. Post a link, Murky.... oh yeah.... you can't.... because it is FALSE

[jackson_dem]

14. Kerry 04' and Bush 00' both lost 11 points from February/March to Election Day

If the same thing happens to obama we are fucked if he is the nominee...

Bush vs. Gore

March 13, 2000: Bush 49, Gore 43 (Bush at 52 among likely voters, down from 57 the month before)
July 27, 2000: Bush 50, Gore 39, Nader 4
Election Day: Gore 48, Bush 48 (Gore wins by half a million)

Bush vs. Kerry

February 3, 2004: Kerry 53, Bush 46
April 27, 2004: Kerry 52, Bush 44
August 3, 2004: Kerry 50, Bush 44
Election Day: Bush 51, Kerry 48 (Bush wins by three million)

What happened? In both cases the "new" candidate was attacked for months by the other party and his negatives inevitably rose. Anyone who thinks Obama is immune from this is insane. He may still ultimately end with lower negatives than Hillary but the idea that his current poll positions will not change after the rethugs go after him and the media stops promoting him is absurd.

Hillary is an exception to this. The rethugs have already thrown the kitchen sink at her for sixteen years. Her poll numbers will remain stable. Almost everyone already has a strong opinion about her.

[cali]

16. They are not.

as usual you just pull crap out of a certain orifice.

[jackson_dem]

19. They are. Check the numbers instead of buying the Obamite talking points

St. Obama's negatives have risen and will continue to rise like Kerry's did in 2004 and Bush's did in 2000.

[cali]

22. I just saw the numbers a day or two ago

stop using hillbot talking points. Obama's negatives are significantly lower than Clinton's and lower than McCain's. Of course they'll rise but he doesn't start out with a large chunk of the country dead set against him.

[jackson_dem]

23. They are in the 40's as P2BA said

He didn't make that up as several Obamites suggested. They are significantly lower than Clinton's and in some polls lower than McCain's but that means nothing. Hillary is a known quantity and McCain is much better known than Obama. Obama is more similar to Bush 00' and Kerry 04' than he is to Hillary 08' or McCain 08'. It is surprising he doesn't have a comfortable lead against McCain like the "new" Bush did with Gore in 00' and the "new" Kerry did with Bush in 04'. If he suffers the 11 point swing they suffered and he is the nominee we are doomed...

[John Q. Citizen]

5. I think he has a winning message. He certainly is giving people a reason to vote for him.

[AtomicKitten]

8. He's making his strong and legitimate case that he is the stronger candidate.

[Tatiana]

9. I saw that exchange and I thought Obama handled it really well.

Actually the whole Q&A session (w/ the exception of one minor gaffe that he will need to correct for later forums) was wonderful.

He highlighted the differences between the two candidates and made it clear that no matter who the president is, if we can't get bills passed in Congress, we haven't accomplished much. He also identified himself as a progressive and listed some of the values that make him progressive. He reminded everyone of how we lost the House and Senate and why we did. Obama is committed to getting progressive legislation passed without compromising on our principles or core values.

[gravity]

10. "w/ the exception of one minor gaffe"

Can you elaborate

[Tatiana]

25. A gay veteran got up to ask a question.

He asked Obama what he would do about DADT.

When he said that he was gay, there was a HUGE applause in the room. Obama thanked him for his service. He said that he was going to repeal DADT. That people who were willing to put their lives on the line for us; we should never force them to deny who they are or turn away needed people because of something as stupid as sexual orientation. He gave an example of one of the arabic translators who was working on anti-terrorism that was fired when they found out he way gay (this happened to SEVERAL agents who were fluent in multiple middle eastern languages). The veteran then asked Obama to tell him (and others like him) how he would go about getting it repealed.

Obama was detailing the task force he would convene of military leaders and stumbled (very obviously) over one of guy's names. He said he always had trouble pronouncing the name, but it sounded to me like he simply forgot. And he stumbled and ummmed and ahhhhed for quite a bit before moving on. In a debate w/ Clinton, he cannot afford to make mistakes like this because she will paint him as weak on foreign policy and military affairs.

[psychopomp]

11. Stick and move

I like the way that he is not making his argument about anything personal regarding Sen. Clinton, but rather highlighting his better likelihood of being able to get items on the agenda through Congress.

[sloppyjoe25s]

12. Obama people -- Sign off of DU

I know this site is addictive, but PLEASE do NOT get over-confident. Please sign off of DU - and donate some $$ to Obama, or do some calling.

Hillary has a HUGE advantage in Texas and Ohio where the Machinery is very strong.

I have seen this Machinery work up close - it was locked up VERY early by Bill and friends - long before Obama made this a race - and now these dozens and dozens of local party bosses and leaders -- who actually DO deliver votes on primary day - can't switch to Obama.

Young Latinos who like Obama alot are MOSTLY NOT REGISTERED. They have already missed the deadlines in most cases. In NM it was over a month before the primary - so young Latinos could not register - and Obama was not even on the air till after the registration deadline. Many students and others who really wanted Obama also missed the registration deadline.

She also has HUGE Name Recogntion - and BIG BRAND comfort and loyalty.

If you REALLY support Obama - get on his site and give $$ - or if you speak Spanish like I do - get on his calling program to reach
latino voters.

PLEASE DON'T GET OVER-CONFIDENT - Hillary is still ahead at ground level in Texas and Ohio and probably Pennsylvania too!

VIVA OBAMA - but get to work gente!!!

[cloudythescribbler]

27. I haven't seen any REALLY challenging, let alone convincing cases made that Obama is NOT stronger ..

as a candidate. The argument that he just has lower negatives than Hillary because she has faced the music and he hasn't just isn't plausible. Not EVERY Democrat has the same negatives. Would this argument be put forward if it were Clinton v Edwards? Why assume that SHE is less likely to decline than he.

I suppose that with the upcoming Rezko trial, at least some of this reasoning will face a crucial test. I myself doubt that the Rezko thing will have any big impact, though it might have SOME impact.

"I have the ability to bring people together," he said. Because of that, he said, "I think I can beat John McCain more effectively," referring to the Arizona senator closing in on the Republican presidential nomination.

I think one key reason Barack Obama is winning in so many red states (the object of much sneering on DU -- how PERVERSE!) such as Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, etc. is that Democrats there are so much more painfully aware of what poison Hillary Clinton is downticket, something of enormous importance even in states like Nebraska which are virtually certain to go Repuke in November. (The impact in states like MA, also pretty uncontested, of Hillary Clinton is obviously not the same kind of problem, hence Democrats don't go into the polling booth or caucus thinking about what it would mean to have Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket in an area where she is possibly the most hated American alive.)