In an interview today in New Hampshire with Chief Political Correspondent Carl Cameron, the leading Democratic presidential candidate responded to the recent criticism by other Democratic candidates on her Iraq War vote. In a Union Leader Op-Ed written by Senator Obama today, the fifth year anniversary of that vote, Obama dismissed Clinton's argument that her vote was not for war, but for diplomacy.
"No one thought Congress was debating diplomacy. No newspaper headlines ran on Oct. 12, 2002, reading, 'Congress authorizes diplomacy.' This was a vote to authorize war, and without that vote, there would have been no war," Obama wrote.
In Cameron's interview , Clinton responded to Obama's Op-Ed.
"I don't run anybody else's campaign they have to run their own campaigns but I've made it very clear that when I'm president we will begin to withdraw from Iraq I have a plan to do that"."Clinton said, " I've also though been careful to say we have to be responsible about how we do it because were going to be facing all kinds of dangers." in withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
HRC also responded to the attention given to her at the recent Michigan Debate by leading GOP presidential contenders like Rudy Giuliani, and Mitt Romney.
Carl:"How do you deal with the other side focusing more on you then their own nomination race?
"I hadn't really noticed that," Clinton laughed," yeah sure, you know as a friend of mine said you know when you get to be our age having all these men obsessed by you is not all that bad,"
IN THE FIELD
10/12/2007 -
CARL CAMERON is in New Hampshire, but he's discussing Al Gore's trip to Europe to pick up a Nobel Peace Prize. Will Gore add a second prize -- the Oval Office -- next year?
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CAMERON'S CORNER
Last month we reported that Iowa and New Hampshire officials were coalescing around early January dates for the caucus and primary -- and were likely to settle on Saturday, January 5th for the Iowa caucuses and Tuesday, January 8th for the NH Primary. Officials in Iowa are standing by the 5th as their preferred date, but there's also been talk about January 3rd.
Some Republicans, particularly Romney backers, prefer a Ja...
...can't be at all the presidential events on the campaign trail? Our producers give you the rundown:
The Obama campaign wanted to hold this event outside with the skyline as a backdrop, but since the weather did not cooperate, they moved it indoors to the Polk County Convention Center - which might explain the low turnout for "rockstar" Obama. It looked as though there were about 250-300 people in attenden...
In a speech today in Des Moines, IA Sen John McCain unveiled a broad health care plan that would overhaul, and expand the health care system by providing multiple-choices for people to control their health care options, and increase private competition within the industry that would, in theory, drive the costs down of the overall of services.McCain's plan also contrasts with the health care proposals by the leading Democratic candidates that, for the most part, call for mandatory health care.
In what was being presented earlier in the day as a major health care speech from the McCain camp, the GOP presidential candidate proposed that his plan would correct a failing health care system. "We are approaching a 'perfect storm' of problems that if not addressed by the next president will cause our health care system to implode," McCain said, "Democratic presidential candidates are not telling you these truths. They offer their usual default position: If the government would only pay for insurance everything would be fine. They promise universal coverage, whatever its cost, and the massive tax increases, mandates and government regulation that it imposes.... I offer a genuinely conservative vision for health care reform, which preserves the most essential value of American lives -- freedom."
McCain also called for Americans to do everything they can to protect themselves and "to battle everything we can to prevent expensive, chronic disease."
FNC First:Tommy Thompson to endorse Giuliani
From Fox Producer Mosheh Oinounou traveling with the Giuliani campaign-
Columbia, SC-----Fox News has learned that former Wisconsin Governor and 2008 Presidential Candidate Tommy Thompson will be endorsing Rudy Giuliani at an event in Charleston, South Carolina Friday afternoon.
"Rudy Giuliani has shown that he is a true leader. He can and will win the nomination and the presidency. He is America's mayor, and during a period of time of great stress for this country he showed tremendous leadership," Thompson said in a statement.
Thompson's own bid for the White House ended in August, after he finished sixth in the Iowa Straw poll and struggled to connect with voters, committed some verbal gaffes and failed to raise the necessary funds to compete financially. Thompson served four terms as Wisconsin governor and one term as the Health Secretary during President Bush's first term.
Giuliani is currently on a two-day, four-city swing through the Palmetto state. Thompson ran as a "reliable conservative" during his six-month candidacy and could serve to bolster Giuliani in a state where evangelical Christians make up an important part of the GOP electorate. The former New York City mayor's moderate views on 'God, Guns and Gays,' is a concern for some self-described cultural conservatives. Thompson also is also a well-known figure to Iowa Republican voters, where Giuliani is currently trailing Mitt Romney by about 10 points according to the latest Real Clear Politics average of recent polls.
Like Giulianis, the former governor is also seen as a pragmatist who is willing and able to work with Democrats. Among Thompson's gubernatorial achievements was expanding health care benefits for the working poor and pioneering a welfare to work program in Wisconsin that President Clinton and Congress eventually used as a model to reform the national system in 1996.
However, opponents could also see an opening to create a split between the men since Thompson campaigned as a conservative during his time in the race and attempted to distinguish himself on social issues from Giuliani and the other frontrunners. Additionally the two have differences over what the US should do next in Iraq.
Thompson made his own "three-step plan" to resolve the Iraq conflict a major part of his campaign---arguing that the U.S. should ask the leaders of Iraq to vote on whether the U.S. should remain in the country, create a federal government and split oil revenues three ways. In contrast, Giuliani is supporting behind President Bush's current surge strategy and has pledged to keep U.S. troops in Iraq for as long as it is necessary at it takes to "win."
Prior to the endorsement announcement, Thompson will be keynoting the opening of new building at the Medical University of South Carolina.
A Giuliani aide tells Fox that Thompson will hit the trail to campaign for Hizzoner in the coming weeks.
10/11 - From Fox Producer Mosheh Oinounou traveling with the Giuliani Campaign-
At about 845am during the Rudy Giuliani speech in Columbia SC, a cameraman's cell phone went off .Rudy paused upon hearing the ring and said: "You can answer that cell phone--I am not going to answer mine. (laughter) Listen, everybody makes a mistake....My mother told me that everyone makes a mistake---you can make one---but you got to be stupid if you make it 4 or 5 times." (laughter)
Hillary's College Affordability Plan
AP
10/11 - From Fox Producer Aaron Bruns traveling with Senator Clinton- Hillary Clinton unveiled her college affordability plan. The details: A new $3500 college tax credit which doubles the HOPE tax credit from $1650. She calls it the heart of her plan, and says the credit would cover more than 50% of the typical cost of tuition at public colleges and 100% of most community colleges. She'll also allow taxpayers to claim the first $1K of college expenses, and 50% of the next $5K.
Hillary would also increase Pell grants, strengthen community colleges, create a graduation fund to increase grad rates, support apprenticeships, make college affordable for those who serve in AmeriCorps, get rid of red tape in financial aid, and make the costs of college more transparent so families can plan better for the future. Finally, she'd challenge selective colleges to expand access for students from low-income areas.
Costs: approximately $8 billion a year, paid for by eliminating the guaranteed student lan program and through the freeze on etate taxes for sestates worth over $7 million that she's also using to pay for her universal 401k program.
McCain Calls HRC Indecisive on Foreign Policy
AP
10/2 - John McCain is jumping on the popular Hillary-Bashing bandwagon that Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney have been riding for months, accusing Sen Clinton of indecisiveness on foreign policy. The AP reports that McCain is set to attack Hillary and her husband for their triangulation policy in a speech in South Carolina tonight, saying "the Democratic front-runner wants to have it both ways when it comes to foreign policy. On the one hand, the New York senator voted for the Iraq War. On the other hand, she now opposes it -- sort of. On the one hand, she wants a firm deadline for retreat. But, on the other hand, she says we cannot abandon the nation to Iran's designs."
"Senator Clinton, this is not the '90s," McCain says. "This is the post-September 11 world. The commander in chief does not enjoy the luxury to conduct our national security by means of triangulation."
Obama's Op-Ed Bashing Hillary
AP
10/11 - Barack Obama published an op-ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader on the five years of the vote authorizing force in Iraq -- and marked the occasion by going after his chief rival, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
"Sen. Clinton says she was merely voting for more diplomacy, not war with Iran. If this has a familiar ring, it should. Five years after the original vote for war in Iraq, Sen. Clinton has argued that her vote was not for war -- it was for diplomacy, or inspections. But all of us knew what the Senate was debating in 2002. John Edwards has renounced his own vote for the war, and he should be applauded for his candor. After all, we didn't need to authorize a war in order to have United Nations weapons inspections. No one thought Congress was debating diplomacy. No newspaper headlines ran on Oct. 12, 2002, reading, "Congress authorizes diplomacy." This was a vote to authorize war, and without that vote, there would have been no war.
Romney Responds on Iran via TV Ad
AP
10/12 - His GOPrivals have said Mitt Romney should take back his debate comment that he'd first consult with lawyers before using military force to keep Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But Mitt Romney is confronting that accusation by talking tough in a new ad called "Jihad," which the campaign says highlights Romney's "belief that we must stregthen our intelligence services and our mlitary to confront 'this century's nigthmare, Jihadism." And on Iran, Romney directly addresses the camera, saying forcefully "we can and will stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."
Edwards Tops $1M Online
AP
10/1 - Top Edwards adviser John Bonior announced today that the campaign met its goal of raising $1 million online in 11 days at the end of the third quarter, topping the milestone with a $25 contribution at 7:21pm on Sunday. In an email to supporters, Bonior writes "Thanks to you, we know the campaign is entering the critical fourth quarter with the resources to compete."
"No matter what the critics might throw at us, John Edwards' message of bold change, of doing away with business-as-usual in Washington and of refusing to accept a dime from lobbyists and special interests will continue to resonate with voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and key states all over the country," he said.
Joe Biden held a press conference with a fellow presidential candidate -- on the other side of the aisle. Biden and Sam Brownback were in Des Moines, where both declared their support for a plan to set up a soft partition in Iraq, dividing the country into regions of Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds. But at least one candidate doesn't favor the plan; Bill Richardson released a statement saying Biden's plan has "very little chance to succeed," adding "Hastily devised, foreign imposed partitions have had catastrophic results in the past...The U.S. will provide strong diplomatic backing and leadership, but imposing a solution will backfire and lengthen the war."
As you might expect, Biden disagreed. “Governor Richardson’s remarks today on my Iraq plan were surprising," he said. "First, he was in favor of my plan, now he’s attacking it. First, he said he would take all of our troops out in six months, and now he acknowledges it would take a year. First, he said he would leave residual forces in Iraq, and now he says he wouldn’t. First, he was in favor of diplomacy followed by withdrawal, now he says it’s the other way around. When it comes to the single most important issue facing our country – how to end the war in Iraq responsibly – it is important to be clear and consistent. It is especially important on this issue that there be no gap between what we say as candidates and what we would do as president. " Biden added, " I suggest that Governor Richardson go back and review his record and statements and reconsider today’s remarks.”
STATE OF PLAY -- Monday, Oct 1
--IOWA
A new ARG poll in Iowa shows the GOP race really tightening up. Any boost from Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee's 1-2 finish in the Iowa Straw Poll in August seems to have subsided, as Mitt, Rudy Giuliani, and Fred Thompson are all knotted together within the margin of error. Romney has dropped 5 points, while Rudy, Thompson, and John McCain have all picked up support in the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Huckabee has dropped out of the top tier, losing 10 points to sit at just 4%. Even with this poll, Romney leads the field in the RealClearPolitics poll average in Iowa by 9.2 points.
And among Democrats, Hillary Clinton holds an 11 point margin over the former IA front runner John Edwards. Barack Obama is in second behind Hillary with 24%.
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
Clinton
30%
Romney
22%
Obama
24%
Giuliani
21%
Edwards
19%
Thompson
16%
Richardson
10%
McCain
11%
--SOUTH CAROLINA
Some topsy-turvey polling in the Palmetto State, where two separate polls out today have two very different results for Republicans. A Rasmussen Reports survey shows Southerner Fred Thompson leading fmr NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani by 4 points, with Mitt Romney 9 points off the lead. But an ARG poll has Romney in the lead, with Rudy just 3 points back and Fred Thompson a whopping 16 points behind at just 10%. Romney has yet to post a lead in that state, so ARG's numbers feel slightly off.
Meanwhile, it continues to be a two person race on the Democratic side. Hillary has 41%, ahead of Obama at 30%. John Edwards is in third, but has no shot at this point, winning just 7% of the vote in the state of his birth.
Rasmussen
ARG
ARG
Thompson
24%
10%
Clinton
41%
Giuliani
20%
23%
Obama
30%
Romney
15%
26%
Edwards
7%
McCain
11%
15%
--NEW HAMPSHIRE
ARG has Hillary with a commanding 19 point lead over Barack Obama in New Hampshire, with Edwards all but out of it in the state with 10%. Of course, even though it seems like we've been following the campaign for two years, there's still plenty of time to go and anything can happen.
On the Republican side, ARG is the second statewide poll in the last week to show the race tightening. Romney's large lead has slimmed to just 4 points. Meanwhile, the McCain surge seems to be real; the AZ Sen has climbed to a tie with Rudy Giuliani for second place at 20%.
Fred Thompson survived the first big test of his bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday when he turned in a strong performance during a debate among GOP presidential candidates.
The former Tennessee senator and actor recently launched his campaign in a fumbling manner to poor reviews, but he came back Tuesday by offering some specific answers in a cool, commanding style as he debuted in the first debate with his opponents.
He cemented his good grade by correctly answering the trick question of the day - who is the prime minister of Canada? (It's Stephen Harper.)
The two-hour debate was held in Dearborn, Mich., and was televised to a national audience by cable channels CNBC and later by MSNBC. It was closely watched by the nation's political community to see how Thompson fared, how other candidates reacted to him and whether the dynamic of the race changed.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani also did well. He got the best of an exchange with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney over the constitutionality of the line-item veto.
Romney was basically overlooked for much of the debate as the limelight zeroed in on Thompson. Romney's new haircut looks nice, but saying he'd have to talk to his lawyers before deciding whether he needed a vote of Congress before attacking Iranian nuclear facilities didn't sound very presidential.
He redeemed himself a bit at the end by joking that the GOP presidential debates were like a TV series: There is a "huge cast, it goes on forever and Fred Thompson comes on at the end."
Thompson quipped back: "And to think I thought I was going to be the best actor on the stage."
Thompson said that being in the debate was "just like home" and that he didn't wait too long before entering the GOP contest. He said he enjoyed watching the earlier debates but felt they were "getting a little boring without me."
Thompson's arrival tended to eclipse some of the other candidates as moderators bored in on the new guy. Yet Thompson fielded their questions well and offered some details. For example, to make Social Security sound he'd slow the growth of benefit increases for future retirees by indexing them to inflation. To help middle-class taxpayers, he'd postpone the automatic growth of the alternative minimum tax.
In addition to Romney, some of the other candidates didn't have a good afternoon. John McCain couldn't hear the questions and even though that may have been the fault of a poor auditorium sound system, asking for the questions to be repeated made him look old, something the 71-year-old lawmaker doesn't need.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was flummoxed by the question of whether he'd have signed or vetoed the children's health insurance bill President Bush recently vetoed. (There's only one way to answer a question like that: with a yes or a no.)
Others in the debate were Congressmen Ron Paul of Texas, Duncan Hunter of California and Tom Tancredo of Colorado and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback. Although the two-hour format gave all of them a chance to voice their favorite positions, none of them said or did anything to change their back-of-the-pack status in the GOP contest. Thompson's arrival shoves them even further down the campaign pecking order.
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