WP,pg1: Democrats' Provocative Iowa Dinner Conversation

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats' Provocative Iowa Dinner Conversation
By Dan Balz and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, November 12, 2007; Page A01


Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL.), left, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," singled out Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for her Senate votes on Iraq and Iran. During a speech Saturday at a Democratic dinner in Iowa, he said, "not answering questions because we're afraid our answers won't be popular just won't do it." In her speech, Clinton fired back at rivals, saying, "We must nominate a nominee who's been tested and elect a president who is ready to lead on Day One." (Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

DES MOINES, Nov. 11 -- In the space of an hour this weekend, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.), using some of their most pointed and forceful rhetoric of the campaign, framed in stark terms the choice for Democrats deciding their party's presidential nomination.

Clinton gave a strong speech at the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner late Saturday night, but Obama, criticized for occasional lackluster performances on the campaign trail, delivered one of his most focused and powerful addresses. In the view of many in the audience, he emerged as the oratorical winner at the biggest Democratic political event in Iowa before the state's January caucuses.

Obama said his candidacy could produce a new Democratic majority capable of breaking the gridlock and polarization that have plagued Washington for a decade or more. "The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do it in this election," he said. "That's why not answering questions because we're afraid our answers won't be popular just won't do it."

But Clinton, the front-runner for the nomination, used the same event to fire back at rivals such as Obama, who have attacked her with increasing sharpness over the past two weeks. She defended herself as someone who has stood strongly for and with middle-class voters and against the policies of President Bush and the Republicans. Clinton argued that she has a combination of strength, experience and values that none of her rivals can match. "We must nominate a nominee who's been tested and elect a president who is ready to lead on Day One," she said.

Obama and Clinton were at it again Sunday, this time over the future of Social Security. On NBC's "Meet the Press," Obama said again that he would favor raising the cap on payroll taxes to help alleviate future financial problems for the government retirement system. Clinton, campaigning in Waterloo, said she isn't yet prepared to endorse that idea. She told an Iowa voter recently that she was open to taking that step but said in a debate that she was not advocating it.

Iowa's caucuses are 53 days away and, while Clinton holds a substantial lead in national polls, in this state she, Obama and former senator John Edwards (N.C.) are in a competitive three-way contest....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/11/AR2007111101732.html

[Stop Cornyn]

1. Edwards: ""Washington is awash with corporate money, with lobbyists who pass it out, with candidates

who ask for it," he said as he called on Democrats to show some backbone in challenging the status quo.
...
Edwards was less pointed Saturday in his criticism of Clinton than he has been recently, but by Sunday he was back to attacking her directly. During a news conference in Des Moines, a reporter pointed out to Edwards that Clinton had said that it's clear where she stands.

"Where is that?" Edwards responded.

"What do you think?" the reporter asked.

"I can't tell," Edwards replied.