Obama says Clinton campaign getting 'depressing'
Obama is taking issue with comments Clinton made at a recent Democratic debate. (Photo Credit: AP)
(CNN) - With only a day until the New Hampshire Democratic Primary, Barack Obama says the manner in which rival Hillary Clinton's campaign is being run is getting 'depressing."
In an interview that aired on ABC Monday morning, Obama said Clinton does not make him angry, but the Illinois senator took issue with how her campaign is being run.
"I find the manner in which they’ve been running their campaign sort of depressing lately," he said.
Obama specifically took issue with a comment Clinton made at a debate Saturday, when she suggested Obama and John Edwards were raising "false hopes."
"We don't need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered," she said. "The best way to know what change I will produce is to look at the changes that I've already made."
Obama has derided Clinton on the campaign trail for the statement, and in the ABC interview, suggested it runs against the American "tradition."
"Sen. Clinton saying, 'don’t feed the American people false hopes. Get a reality check.' You know? I mean, you can picture JFK saying, 'We can’t go to the moon. It’s a false hope. Let’s get a reality check.' It’s not, sort of, I think what our tradition has been," he said.
Meanwhile, Clinton maintains she has a record of change, and said repeatedly over the weekend that she is a "doer" compared to Obama and Edwards who are "talkers."
The back and forth comes as several recent polls indicate Obama's win in the Iowa caucuses last Thursday has given him a bounce in the Granite State. A new CNN/WMUR poll released Sunday night shows Obama 10 points ahead of Clinton, 39 percent to 29 percent.
Related video: Clinton: 'I am a change agent'
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Do we want to elect another likable guy who may not have the experience or grasp of policy detail? And why not. He will have advisers to help him, right? Sounds alarmingly familiar. Well, Obama is certainly more polished.
But lets compare his record to Hillary's where it bears comparison. She was re-elected to Senate in landslide. The New Yorkers like her including the Republicans in upstate New York because of her work re-vitalizing the state economy. Fellow senators, including Republican ones speak highly of her.
I don't think I saw Obama ONCE speaking in Senate on CSPAN.
Since all three leading candidates are senators, the press should stop and examine their track record in some depth instead of focusing on the horse race.
"Senior-level leadership is the art of direct and indirect influence and the skill of creating the conditions for sustained organizational success to achieve the desired result. But, above all, it is the art of taking a vision of what must be done, communicating it in a way that the intent is clearly understood, and then being tough enough to ensure its execution."
FM 22-103, Leadership and Command at Senior Levels, 21 Jun 1987, p. 6, signed by Gen John A. Wickham, Jr., Chief of Staff
Go Obama!
I was an American Fighting Man, I am an American Fighting Man, I will always be an American Fighting Man and I support Barack Hussein Obama for President of the United States of America.
Obama is Americas version of American Idols Taylor Hicks! Ok all joking aside I like Obama im just starting to worry that he's getting all this attention because he has "star quality" all smoke and mirrors and I really dont want to have to spend another 4 or 8 more years with a crappy president dont get me wrong if Obama proves to be intelligent and smart and not winning states because to the young crowd he's "cool" then im all for it. I just really want the democratic canidate that is the best and most intelligent right now Im voting for Hiliary until i've seen in a debate that he deserves my vote instead.
I don't know what is happening with our country. You think we would have had enough BS from our leaders over the last 8 yrs. to really look closely at the debates and really hear what the candidates are saying and how scary some of them are. Clinton is soooo educated and experienced and an excellent speaker and it is too bad the other dem. apponents are teaming up on her. I am glad that she is staying strong and telling it like it truly is. I think people need to go to these candidates' individual sights and track their records and really see who is the best candidate. PLEASE do not make a terrible mistake because you think these other candidates like obama will make the necessary changes. Where will we be in the next 4 yrs????? If we are here in the next 4 yrs...........
After what Hillary said about MLK she has no place in this country!
Obama 08
I am not sure if Change is action because he keeps on said change over and over. We will never know for sure if he will keep that words about what he wants to change America. Also it will be test for him if he win the office. Look at debate last Sat night. He not that strong talker. he just laid back while Edward, Richardson, and Clinton spoke up with fire and passion. Obama not that strong talker and he knows the words that all of us want to hear then when he enter the White house and never do anything then we are screw.
To Obama supporters, how would you all feel if Obama never keep the promise or show some change that he has say over and over in the champaing?? THen we will have to stuck with him for 4 yrears alike we are stuck with Bush for 8 years because we liked what he said and look at us today, We are in bad position as his father. So I enouraged you all please to think pros and cons among all of candicates before you make the final decision. We need to think careful about who is right person for office
Can Barack supporters spell? Our education system is down the tubes.
It's ironic that the country is ready to elect an African American president before they elect a woman.
While Obama is judged however leniently on the content of his character and his biography, a different standard applies to Hillary Clinton. If she is assertive and fights back, then she is a witch, if her eyes are teary she is surely falling apart. Did she break down in uncontrollable sobs and ran off stage or launched an emotional tirade? Not really.
Both Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush had shown as teared up on occasion in public without it becoming an issue. If a man cries in public he is sensitive if a woman does, she is a flake.
We have indeed come a long way..
Hillary shouldn't be talking about 'false hopes'. She came to New York and promised she only wanted to serve us, nice people. We, well not me, voted her twice for senate, cause we thought she simply wanted to serve us.
Then just as our hopes were being solidified, she dumped us to run for the White House. She already been there for 8 years, for crying out loud!
What did she hide or forgot in the White House that she must go back to retrieve? Can't be the Rose Law Firm book that she couldn't find for two years as investigators were waiting for her to hand it to them! What is it?
And she keeps saying she has delivered CHANGE! What change has she delivered in 35 years? Can she be more specific? Is she saying that she ran the country for 8 years vicariously through Bill? She's either lying or she is lying?
His name is Barak Houssain Obama- dont forget that.
It is interesting that the so called inspirational rhetoric of barack Obama influences his supporters to comment in such a mean, negative style. Is this the change we can look forward to? I find this very depressing!
It is also interesting how much a win can evaporate the veneer of humility and reveal the arrogance in a candidate.
As far as Senator Obama's Hope and Change Campaign: It's all smoke and mirrors and Politics as usual.
Senator Obama was not in office when the vote was made to go to war. So it's easy for him to say that he was against it before it began. But he voted to fund the war he wants to end up until he announced his run for president.
Obama did not vote for or against the recent pork filled energy bill.
He did that 36 out of 50 times when a vote came up that could haunt him he held the Illinois state office. Unlike the 80% of US Senate votes he missed because of campaigning, he was present each time and voted "present" not "yea" or "nea".
He does not walk the walk.
He touts his non-lobbyist agenda but has a Pfizer Lobbyist Chairing his campaign. He arguement was that he was a state, not federal lobbyist. So it's okay, right? A lobbyist is a lobbyist. Smoke and mirrors.
He touts that he " prohibited lobbyists from buying meals for members of Congress". He did do that. But it only for sit down meals. It's still okay as long as you stand. Smoke and Mirrors.
Your not really getting change. Your getting another charismatic, inexperienced POLITICIAN.
It's not the Clinton Machine, it's a brand new one.
The only difference is that Obama's black and black is cool and hip.
And sadly thats all that matters nowadays. Experience and capability is no longer desired by the American People.
That is why America will fail.
Hilary you are ridiculous! Trying to be uber confident and tough isnt really getting you no where, except for having less supporters. Good luck! (not really)
A positive note: The negative comments on The Ticker are not as ugly as the ones on First Read. Does that say something about the media?
For all of you Obama haters you are funny as heck..Hillary is breaking down under pressure crying ect...thats not the type of president i want..when the oven gets hot her hormones act up what a joke...You Obama haters can say negative things all you want you are going to lose so get use to it...people are tired of the same old crap bush, clinton, bush, and clinton again i dont think so...Obama is just as qualified as everyone else that is running...im sorry Hillary but being the wife of a Arkansas governor and the presidents mistress doesn't qualify as experience...excuse me what political decisions did she make or policy changes did she make in these 2 positions??? ... im sorry i cant find anything until she became a senator and thanks to bill for that...im sorry but fear is not going to work this time...its what the republicans have used for years remember Willie Horton...and the clinton machine is trying to use a bunch of red-neck folks trying to spread false information again ha ha...it is not going to work folks so grow up and get over it...sound like a bunch of cry babies...
I've been watching some of Barak's coverage on CNN and it appears he is even tired of the same old song and dance. Did he fire his speech writer? Why is he repeating the same stuff over and over in which he is even tired of. He sounds STALE!
The criticality of the present International condition and the deplorable economical condition of our country, we need some one with experience and dept of understandng. Bush has done so much harm to this country that we really would have to struggle for years to survive and to claim back our economy from the corporate greed.
Obama is too young and too green for dealing with such complex situation in both home and international front.
We Need the experience of CLINTON. Obama is good but he should prepare himself and learn the ways of politics before he takes the helm.
That's a somewhat inflammatory picture. I don't think Hillary is excluded because she is a woman, but rather because she is demanded acceptance of her inevitability and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including yours truly. It has nothing to do with her gender.
Barack for President on 08.
I was reading some of the comments posted and some of the negative comments did not make sense to me.
First of all so what if Barack grew up a muslim..does that make him a criminal/terrorist?...what if you grew up a catholic, does that make you a child molester..give me a break....he was born in HAWAII..I think that makes him an american with rights to run for president.
Then I read about his qualifications..how about Bush..his application was denied when he applied for some college in Texas..but he gets into Harvard..ok..figure that one out.
I just hope that everyone realizes that no other candidates mentioned anything about CHANGE until Barack Obama won in Iowa. Beside John McKain, all the others are abunch of copy cat fakes who can't hold their own. Barack Obama is an ORIGINAL – HE"S NOT RIDING SOMEONE ELSE'S CAMAPIGN TO GET VOTES. WHAT A BUNCH OF FAKES.
Hillary Clinton has the intelligence, strategies, experience and passion to change this great country to a great DIRECTION!!! She has the power and will achieve what she said! Not only an excellent orator who promises anything only for cheating voters to support for him. Unfortunately, he never considered whether he can keep his promise or how to realize what’s he said. If a person says he can do anything, we should doubt his honesty, such as Obama! Change is good, but can change to a positive or negative direction! We should reminder 8 years ago, Bush also said changes. Let’s support Hillary, because we love this country! We will not allow this country suffer another disaster presidential term!
If Obama wins the nomination- Republicans will be in the White house another 4 years-
The people who keep insisting that Obama is a Muslim because his father and stepfather were Muslim are the same people who insist I must be Protestant because my mother was born a Lutheran. Nevermind that she converted to Catholicism when she was 15, and I was raised Catholic and then went agnostic in the end. Nope, nothing that happened in two generations changed that at all. I'm Lutheran through and through.
If his father had been Jewish, then everybody would be singing a different tune.
Obama is certainly charismatic and likable. And while he was right when, at Saturday's debate, he emphasized the power of charisma and words to inspire, it is not what he mentioned, but that which he failed to mention, that is most important. The point America seems to be missing is that charisma does not necessarily translate into good leadership skill or ability. All of the words, hope, and inspiration in the world will not translate into change and a better America without a well-considered plan to move forward – one in which all angles and consequences have been considered. America has elected charismatic inexperience – and it failed. Now, more than ever, we need a leader with commanding presence, experience, and a plan. Clinton has a record which proves she delivers on campaign promises. When are we going to wake up and realize that no amount of charisma and potential for leadership can replace true leadership experience and get America out of what Bush put us in? Clinton is the only candidate with the foresight, experience, and savvy to move America beyond empty campaign rhetoric to a better America. She is the only candidate that can not only promise change, but deliver it as well.
PLEASE! do not compare Obama with Kennedy. Obama is a high schooler compared to Kennedy.
Yes, he is charismatic. Yes, he does give good, passionate speeches.
But what else is there?
We need more than charisma and passionate speeches to make effective changes in America.
And, when elected into office, what are the chances ANYONE can actualize any kind of meaningful change?
Do any of us realize what REAL CHANGE will require of us, the every day American?
The sacrifice?
Do we?
My forefather was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
He and his cronies would be rolling in their graves, if they saw the state of our country.
I sumbit, with much angst, that the change we all say we are seeking will come in the form of revolution by the people. Heads will roll, the tea will be thrown into the harbor, and Paul Revere again will ride.
We are no more sophisticated in that regard than our middle eastern neighbors – they, however, seem to go for it and expect the world to clean up their mess.
Who will clean up OUR MESS?
How do you all expect things to change?
Are we willing to scrap the car we drive RIGHT NOW and BUY a greener car, so we can truly affect our dependency on foreign oil?
Will you go out RIGHT NOW, and BUY compact flourescent light bulbs?
Will you stop using environmentally hazzardous products – RIGHT NOW – and BUY the ones that have less of an effect on the environment?
Are we willing to mandate by law that we all have to BUY health insurance, when some of us can barely feed or families, much less put money in the bank for college, a down payment on a house, or take care of a elderly parent?
Will you all wake up and realize that elections cannot be determined by political polls driven by the media or the sound bites you hear on the evening news.
Will we stop – RIGHT NOW – and change ourselves?
DO WE CARE ABOUT EACHOTHER, OUR FELLOW AMERICANS, ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN CHANGE?
Or, are we, as I see it, ostriches with our heads in the sand, hoping some new charismatic political front man will do the work for us?
Kennedy had it – "...ask what you can do for your country..."
We've been living on what our country can do for us for decades.
Our politicians have been living on the benefits of what our country could do for them.
The status quo doesn't care who is president.
Our politicians reflect the values of the people who voted them into office –
AND THAT'S YOU AND ME.
You want that to change?
Commit to being the change!