Edwards Says Clinton Thinks She's Already Won
Presidential candidate John Edwards accused rival Hillary Clinton of acting like she’s already won the Democratic nomination. “Did I miss something? Did we already have the Iowa caucuses? Did we already have the New Hampshire primary?” Edwards joked to about 60 people gathered in a machine shed at a farm outside Harlan. The former North Carolina senator noted a recent New York Times story, in which unnamed Clinton backers explained the political reasons behind her Senate vote to label an Iranian military unit as a terrorist group.
They said Clinton was switching from “primary mode,” to “general-election mode,” in which she would have to court more conservative voters. Edwards was incredulous. “Have we decided who the nominee’s going to be? Have you decided?” he said. “Instead of having primary mode or general-election mode, how about we have telling-the-truth mode? How about if we actually say what we believe?” Edwards said he believes the Senate declaration was flawed, and he noted that Clinton was the only Democratic presidential candidate to vote yes. Edwards said the vote could give President Bush an excuse to attack Iran, the way Bush attacked Iraq. “I think it’s a mistake. I don’t think you can give this president an inch when it comes to a war. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way,” he said, referring to his own Senate vote to authorize war against Iraq. Although Clinton leads in most national polls, Edwards and Barack Obama are in a tight competition with her for Iowa voters. Edwards has increasingly been singling Clinton out for criticism as he portrays himself as the best alternative to her.
Clinton spokesman Mark Daley responded to Edwards’ statements. “Sen. Clinton is working her hardest to meet with Iowans and share her positive vision for change in America; it’s unfortunate Sen. Edwards isn’t doing the same,” he said. Daley also said Clinton believes that the Iranian group, called the Revolutionary Guard, is a terrorist organization. But, he said, she “was one of the first senators to make it clear that George Bush does not have the authority to go to war without congressional approval.”
They said Clinton was switching from “primary mode,” to “general-election mode,” in which she would have to court more conservative voters. Edwards was incredulous. “Have we decided who the nominee’s going to be? Have you decided?” he said. “Instead of having primary mode or general-election mode, how about we have telling-the-truth mode? How about if we actually say what we believe?” Edwards said he believes the Senate declaration was flawed, and he noted that Clinton was the only Democratic presidential candidate to vote yes. Edwards said the vote could give President Bush an excuse to attack Iran, the way Bush attacked Iraq. “I think it’s a mistake. I don’t think you can give this president an inch when it comes to a war. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way,” he said, referring to his own Senate vote to authorize war against Iraq. Although Clinton leads in most national polls, Edwards and Barack Obama are in a tight competition with her for Iowa voters. Edwards has increasingly been singling Clinton out for criticism as he portrays himself as the best alternative to her.
Clinton spokesman Mark Daley responded to Edwards’ statements. “Sen. Clinton is working her hardest to meet with Iowans and share her positive vision for change in America; it’s unfortunate Sen. Edwards isn’t doing the same,” he said. Daley also said Clinton believes that the Iranian group, called the Revolutionary Guard, is a terrorist organization. But, he said, she “was one of the first senators to make it clear that George Bush does not have the authority to go to war without congressional approval.”
posted by CRUEL KEV. at Thursday, October 18, 2007
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