Watch CNN's Candy Crowley interview Barack Obama Tuesday.
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) - White House hopeful Barack Obama told CNN Tuesday his early opposition to the Iraq war proves he has the judgment to lead the country out of the conflict, and said the reason polls show voters think rival Hillary Clinton would better handle the issue is because the New York Democrat has successfully blurred the distinctions between the two candidates.
"Everybody had difficult choices to make and these were difficult choices, I made the right choice, and I think that's relevant not to the past, but to the future," Obama said in an interview with CNN's Candy Crowley of his decision as an Illinois state senator to come out against the war in 2002.
Back then, five months before the U.S. invaded Iraq, Obama said publicly that Saddam Hussein “poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors,” that he could be contained, and that “even a successful war against Iraq will require US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.” Obama added that such a war would “strengthen the recruitment arm of Al Qaeda.”
Related: Obama raises at least $20 million in third quarter
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
NEW YORK (CNN) - Two men have been accused of stealing money from the personal bank account of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced Tuesday.
Charles Nelson, 31, was charged with grand larceny and identity theft after stealing $10,000 from the billionaire in an online transaction on May 11, the district attorney's office said in a news release. The defendant allegedly transferred the money into an e-trade account and then withdrew it using a debit card.
The release said Nelson was arrested in Newark, N.J., after authorities discovered a computer, documents and two guns linking him to the crime. He was to be arraigned in New Jersey on weapons charges and then transferred to the district attorney's office.
Authorities discovered the withdrawal after being alerted to a different transfer from Bloomberg's account allegedly attempted by Odalis Bostic, 24, of Elizabeth, N.J.
Watch Anita Hill respond to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in an interview with CNN.
NEW YORK (CNN) - Anita Hill, the woman who significantly jeopardized the 1991 Supreme Court nomination of Clarence Thomas with allegations of sexual harassment, told CNN Tuesday she feels the need to "speak out" in the face of Thomas' latest allegations that the case was fabricated.
"In many ways I have made peace with what has happened in 1991, even what happened in the years I was working with Thomas," Hill told CNN. "I've moved on, but when comments like those made by Judge Thomas are made again, completely unsubstantiated comments, then I have to speak out."
In his new autobiography, "My Grandfather's Son," Thomas calls Hill his "most traitorous adversary" and describes her as a second-rate worker who was likely to overreact to "slights."
Thomas also denies any inappropriate contact with Hill and, in an interview Sunday with CBS's "60 Minutes," alleges her testimony during the confirmation hearing was politically driven and used as "a weapon to destroy me, clear and simple."
Hill strongly denied the claims Tuesday in an interview with CNN.
"There have been several books written since then by independent journalists. They have all investigated those charges that were raised in 1991 and that he raises now, and they have all found them to be false," she said. "They haven't found one connection between me and someone who was politically motivated to keep him off the court."
"What happened was that I was contacted by the Senate, and the Senate contacted me and asked me a direct question about what happened to me in the workplace, and I responded truthfully," she added. "And there was no intermediary group that put me up to anything."
For the full interview with Hill, tune into the Situation Room today, 4, 5, and 7 p.m. ET.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Clinton outpaced Obama in third quarter fundraising.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Hillary Clinton raised $27 million in the third quarter for her White House bid - all but $5 million can be spent on trying to win the Democratic presidential nomination, a Clinton aide tells CNN.
The aide also said that over 100,000 new donors contributed to the New York Democrat.
The haul is about $7 million more than Sen. Barack Obama brought in during the same period. Though when broken to dollars that can be spent in the primary race, the New York Democrat only outpaced Obama by $3 million.
On Clinton's Web site, Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle thanked supporters for the successful quarter and said their "dedication defied the skeptics."
"This is all thanks to you and your hard work," she wrote. "You - and over a million supporters like you - are working together with Hillary to create real momentum that will take us to victory."
Monday, the campaigns for Obama and former Sen. John Edwards announced their candidates had pulled in $20 million and $7 million, respectively.
Related: Obama raises at least $20 million in third quarter
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
– CNN's Mark Preston and Alexander Mooney
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign announced Tuesday that college students across the Hawkeye State have joined what it is calling "Hill Yea!" - a group of Iowa students supporting the New York Democrat.
About 30 people at college campuses across the state have been named
"student leaders" of the group.
In a release–headlined "Ready for Change? Hill Yea!" - the campaign says these students will work "to increase student participation in the caucuses for Hillary Clinton."
-CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch
Watch a clip of Sen. Obama's foreign policy address.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - In a speech Tuesday marking the fifth anniversary of the first time he spoke out against the Iraq war, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, emphasized that he had opposed combat from the beginning and said Congress "failed" the American people for voting to authorize it in the first place.
"This was a vote about whether or not to go to war," the Democratic presidential candidate said in Chicago. "That’s the truth as we all understood it then, and as we need to understand it now. And we need to ask those who voted for the war: how can you give the President a blank check and then act surprised when he cashes it?"
In his speech five years ago, Obama first publicly voiced his opposition to the war just a week before Congress voted to give President Bush the authority to send troops to Iraq. At the time, he was running for the U.S. Senate. (Related: Obama: Clinton blurring distinctions between us)
"I don't oppose all wars,” Obama said in 2002. “What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. A war based not on reason, but on passion. Not on principle, but on politics."
President Bush "will veto" legislation expanding a children's health insurance program by $35 billion over five years, the White House reiterated Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Bush "will veto" legislation expanding a children's health insurance program by $35 billion over five years despite Democratic pressure lobbying him to change his mind, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino reiterated Tuesday.
Even though Democrats are expected to officially send the legislation to the White House Tuesday afternoon, Perino said Bush will not veto the bill on Tuesday.
"Not today," Perino said, adding that Wednesday is likely for the veto. The president will be traveling Wednesday to Lancaster, Pa. to discuss the federal budget and taxes.
This will be just the fourth veto of Bush's presidency. After not using his veto power at all during his first four-year term, the president has vetoed three bills in his second term, one on Iraq war funding and two on stem cell legislation.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
– CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry
Jeanne Moos reports Sen. Clinton has been all smiles lately.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - CNN's Jeanne Moos reports Hillary Clinton's "cackle" is the latest talk of the town.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
Reid had some harsh words for Rush Limbaugh Monday.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid slammed Rush Limbaugh Monday over his recent controversial "phony soldiers" remark, despite the conservative talk-radio host's protests that his words have been taken out of context.
Limbaugh's comments in question came last Wednesday when he and a caller were discussing critics of the Iraq war:
"What's really funny is, they [Iraq war critics] never talk to real soldiers," the caller said. "They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and talk to the media."
"The phony soldiers," Limbaugh then said.
Several Democrats released statements late last week condemning the remarks and in a speech on the Senate floor Monday, Reid called the comments "so beyond the pale of decency that it cannot be left alone."
"Just as patriotism is the exclusive realm of neither party, taking a stand against those who spew hate and impugn the integrity of our troops is a job that belongs to all of us," Reid said.
"I can’t help but wonder how my Republican colleagues would have reacted if the tables were turned – if a well-known Democratic radio personality had used the same insulting line of attack against troops who support the war," the Nevada Democrat added.
Responding to his critics on Friday's show, Limbaugh said he was "taken out of context," adding his remark was referring to one soldier specifically - Jesse MacBeth, a vocal war critic who falsely claimed to have served in Iraq.
"The effort here is simply to discredit people that they consider effective and powerful on the right ginning up, leading up into the '08 elections," Limbaugh said Friday.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Watch the latest edition of Raw Politics.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - CNN's Tom Foreman has the latest news on the '08 money chase in the latest Raw Politics.
Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com
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