Clinton still has not clinched the Democratic nomination according to former President Bush.
(CNN)–Although some are ready to predict that Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, will be the 2008 Democratic nominee, former president George H.W. Bush says not so fast.
"I had thought a few weeks ago that she was almost a gimme, as we say in golf, for the nomination. I'm not sure I feel that way now." Bush made the comments in an interview with Chris Wallace aired on 'Fox News Sunday.'
"There seems to be more kind of internal, in her own party–seems to be more willingness to take her on and argue about stuff," he said.
When Wallace asked Bush whether his friendship with former president Bill Clinton, would make it more likely for him to be less critical of Clinton's wife, Bush disagreed. "I do have a good relationship with Bill Clinton, and I've enjoyed working with him on charitable causes, Katrina and tsunami and all fo this. And I might say I even enjoying playing golf with the guy," he said. "But just as he's not going to tiptoe about his differences with [President George W. Bush], I wouldn't tiptoe with my differences with him."
Former Presidents Clinton and Bush both traveled together extensively in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Asia, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, to raise money and awareness for recovery efforts.
Bush, the father of President George W. Bush, and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, taped the interview at his presidential library on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
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MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) –Secretary of State, William Gardner, is waiting on Michigan to cement a primary date before picking one for New Hampshire. Michigan has until November 14 to make its decision.
Did you notice if anyone was absent at the Democratic debate in Philadelphia? Click here to see former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel’s interview with the Nashua Telegraph. He talks about the need for a different debate format.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, spent time in the North country over the weekend, taking shots at the Democratic frontrunner, Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Last week, Mitt Romney followed in the path of his father, former Michigan Gov. George Romney, by signing his name on the New Hampshire primary. AP’s Steve LeBlanc takes a look at Romney’s family ties.
And he’s baaack. Fred Thompson said he’d spend more time in the Granite state—and he’s sticking to his word. He’ll be in Bedford bright and early Monday morning for Politics and Eggs.
–CNN New Hampshire Producer Sareena Dalla
Clinton spoke in Des Moines Saturday.
DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - At least two people spoke up in front of Hillary Clinton on Saturday in support of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, an issue Clinton said relates to a larger problem "we have to solve."
The senator from New York had just finished speaking to a group of Polk County, Iowa, field staff in Des Moines and was getting ready to leave the room when Clinton supporter Lee Jolliffe started yelling over the crowd noise.
"There are two of us here," Jolliffe said, "who have been hit by those unlicensed drivers. It's not a privilege, it’s a protection."
Jolliffe was pointing out that drivers who can have licenses are more likely to have insurance.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Clinton responded. "I appreciate you raising that because, you know, the federal government has failed. The federal government has failed, and states are trying to figure out what to do."
She continued, "But two people right in this room have been hit, have been hit by people who are here and undocumented."
That prompted one man to shout, "More than two!"
"More than two," Clinton replied. "So, you know, at some point we have to solve this problem because we're seeing all sorts of consequences. So thank you for being a witness to that. Thank you."
Jolliffe later told CNN she wanted to give Clinton an opportunity to defend herself on the issue, one that created some heat at Tuesday night's debate.
Asked about New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's controversial plan to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, Clinton said it "makes a lot of sense" but stopped short of endorsing the plan.
"We want to know who's in New York," she said. "We want people to come out of the shadows."
Former Sen. John Edwards, D-North Carolina, claimed Clinton's answer was inconsistent. And Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, called the plan "troublesome," adding that "a license is a privilege, and that ought not to be extended, in my view."
Sen. Barack Obama later said, "Senator Clinton left us wondering where she stood on every single hard question from Iran to Social Security to drivers' licenses for undocumented workers."
-CNN's Chris Welch and Steve Brusk
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Dodd spoke about the environment Saturday.
CONCORD, New Hampshire (CNN) Climate change advocates withstood heavy rains and crisp winds to hear Sen. Chris Dodd call for "Earth Day" year round.
"It takes leadership that can truly make this an issue not just on 'Earth Day' but every single day that you're in the White House," the Connecticut senator said.
Top on Dodd's environment agenda are a corporate carbon tax and reduced dependency on foreign oil. Dodd called U.S. dependence on oil "dangerous," and said a carbon tax was a step towards independence.
"We don't want to borrow a billion dollars every day as we do to buy foreign energy," Dodd said. "Politics is always about choices."
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–CNN New Hampshire Producer Sareena Dalla
Sen. Barack Obama criticized Clinton Saturday morning in South Carolina.
SPARTANBURG, South Carolina (CNN) – In what was billed as a definitional speech by his campaign, Sen. Barack Obama Saturday accused Sen. Hillary Clinton of "vague, calculated answers" in the most recent Democratic presidential debate and vowed that he will "turn the page" in Washington.
"Much has been said about the exchanges between Senator Clinton and myself this week," Obama said. "Now, understand that Hillary Clinton is a colleague and a friend. She's also a skilled politician, and she’s run what Washington would call a 'textbook' campaign. But the problem is the textbook itself."
Obama, who was interrupted several times by applause and standing ovations in an auditorium at Converse College in Spartanburg, displayed an energy he sometimes lacks on the stump while playing to the enthusiasm of the audience.
"It's a textbook that's all about winning elections, but says nothing about how to bring the country together to solve problems," Obama said. "As we saw in the debate last week, it encourages vague, calculated answers to suit the politics of the moment, instead of clear, consistent principles about how you would lead America."
Though much of the speech was devoted to issues like climate change, Iraq, social security and torture, Obama's speech today was crafted as a follow-up to the much-discussed debate, in which Clinton was assailed by the other Democrats for what they said was her inability to give a definitive answer to questions.
Obama finalized the speech with his aides shortly before appearing on stage.
"I don't believe we can bring about real change if all we do is change our positions based on what's popular or politically convenient," Obama said, in a clear reference to Clinton.
Obama's criticisms, while forceful, were less direct than those of fellow candidate John Edwards, who blasted Clinton on Friday morning for "double talk" in the debate. Edwards said Clinton was not being "straight and honest" with viewers of the debate.
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– CNN South Carolina Producer Peter Hamby
From CNN Politics
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