My comment: You must have thought similar to what Obama did about this. I was suspicious that the Hillary folks would behave like Karl Rove and gang. My suspicions have come true. Anybody who comes their way should be a target for dead meat. People are tired of the Bushes and Clintons.
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Obama won't apologize for supporter's remarks
By Charlotte Eby Journal Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES -- Democrat Barack Obama refused on Wednesday to apologize to Hillary Clinton for comments one of his supporters made calling Clinton "ambitious" and "polarizing," although Obama said he didn't share those views.
"I can't be responsible for the statements of every single individual who contributes to our campaign. I mean we've got thousands of people who are contributing, some who may have real differences with the other candidates," Obama said at a news conference in Des Moines. "It doesn't reflect my views. They didn't come from me or my staff, and my suspicion is that the voters of Iowa are probably more concerned about what both myself and Sen. Clinton think about Iraq, and health care and jobs."
Before Obama's appearance in Iowa Wednesday, the Clinton campaign hastily organized a conference call with Iowa reporters featuring one of Clinton's top Iowa supporters.
Former Iowa Attorney General Bonnie Campbell said Obama's campaign talk of the politics of hope and changing the tone in Washington was at odds with what she characterized as a personal attack on Clinton.
"Actions speak louder than words. If the senator is to be consistent, then he should disavow the attack on Sen. Clinton," Campbell said.
The statements were made by Hollywood mogul David Geffen, who is backing Obama and hosted a fundraising event for him this week. Geffen was quoted in a column in The New York Times criticizing Clinton as "ambitious" and "polarizing." Geffen also took aim at Bill Clinton, calling him "reckless."
Obama said he not had not read the full column before talking with reporters, but said it wasn't clear to him why he should apologize for someone else's remarks.
Obama said he has the "utmost respect" for Clinton and would continue to consider her an ally in the Senate.
The tiff Wednesday marked the first salvo from the Clinton campaign in the caucus race among the Democratic contenders.
Less than two weeks after formally jumping into the race, Obama was at the Iowa State Capitol to meet in private with Democratic state lawmakers before appearing at a town hall meeting in Des Moines.
Obama, a former Illinois state legislator, said he was interested in listening to what state lawmakers had to say and get suggestions about where in the state he should visit and how to approach the caucus process.
During the opening weekend of his announcement speech, Obama drew close to 10,000 to hear him speak at events around Iowa. But he admitted to liking a more personal style of politics, comparing it to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign when he said he spent most of his time driving alone from town to town in downstate Illinois.
"That's where you hear the stories that really matter, the stories of, you know, families who've got a veteran overseas, stories of people struggling with health care and trying to figure out how to balance immediate costs with wanting to save for their kids. That's the kind of stuff that helps inform our politics and our campaign, and the more we can do that the better," Obama said.
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