06 January 2008

Clinton says Obama is False Hope

I know I shouldn't be writing about the Presidential debates. I should probably be writing about how to get kids to eat healthy or pets appropriate for apartment living, but I cannot resist.

I was giving the kids a bath yesterday as the New Hampshire debates were on TV, and I saw only segments. Hillary was fierce and powerful. Obama was measured and thoughtful. I thought there was a key moment, when Hillary got really angry and stated that she is the agent of change. "I have been making change for 35 years" and that Obama is giving "false hope" with his elegant talk.

Obama's response was masterful as spelled out by another blogger.

Obama's response:

Look, I think it's easier to be cynical and just say, "You know what, it can't be done because Washington's designed to resist change." But in fact there have been periods of time in our history where a president inspired the American people to do better, and I think we're in one of those moments right now. I think the American people are hungry for something different and can be mobilized around big changes -- not incremental changes, not small changes.

I actually give Bill Clinton enormous credit for having balanced those budgets during those years. It did take political courage for him to do that. But we never built the majority and coalesced the American people around being able to get the other stuff done.

And, you know, so the truth is actually words do inspire. Words do help people get involved. Words do help members of Congress get into power so that they can be part of a coalition to deliver health care reform, to deliver a bold energy policy. Don't discount that power, because when the American people are determined that something is going to happen, then it happens. And if they are disaffected and cynical and fearful and told that it can't be done, then it doesn't. I'm running for president because I want to tell them, yes, we can. And that's why I think they're responding in such large numbers.


Then Barack today following up:

...It was interesting in the debate, 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, ... what our tradition has been.

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