OpEd: Obama's Measured Approach Is Still the Best Democratic Alternative to Clinton

[AtomicKitten]

Carl Leubsdorf: Obama finds his voice against Clinton

Obama's measured approach is still the best Democratic alternative to Clinton

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Midway through Tuesday night's Democratic debate, Barack Obama found his voice. When Hillary Rodham Clinton sidestepped a question on the decision to keep secret the papers showing advice she gave her husband, the former president, Mr. Obama nailed her.

"Not releasing ... these records at the same time, Hillary, as you're making the claim that this is the basis for your experience, I think, is a problem," the Illinois senator declared. "Part of what we need to do is rebuild trust in our government again. And that means being open and transparent to the American people."

He went on to articulate one of the main cases against her candidacy, noting that Republicans are "very comfortable" with renewing the partisan fights of the past decades. "And what we don't need," he said, "is another eight years of bickering." Until then, the MSNBC debate had followed a scripted format.

Mr. Obama kept his vow to cite policy differences with Mrs. Clinton, former Sen. John Edwards renewed accusations that she epitomizes the corruption of an interest-driven political system, and the front-runner ignored their specific points and gave stock defenses.

* snip *

His sallies against Mrs. Clinton mostly paled beside the blasts from Mr. Edwards, whose candidacy is under even greater pressure because of lagging fundraising and rather modest poll showings outside the first caucus state of Iowa.

* snip *

Judging from post-debate surveys, his (Edwards) blunderbuss approach was less successful than Mr. Obama's more measured criticism. MSNBC's survey showed Mr. Edwards in a third-place tie with Sen. Joseph Biden behind Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton.

* snip *

But it underscored the idea that, despite some continuing lack of forcefulness, his more measured approach is still the best Democratic alternative to Mrs. Clinton.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/cleubsdorf/stories/DN-leubsdorf_01edi.ART.State.Edition1.424fe1b.html

[AtomicKitten]

1. kick

[rhett o rick]

2. You may be right, but Edwards is the only candidate that can defeat the Clinton Machine. nm

[AtomicKitten]

3. unfortunately he doesn't have the money and network that Obama has

I still prefer Obama because the IWR thing, but I have to say Edwards didn't mince words during the debate and I think both he and Obama will benefit. For that, I thank him.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. K&R

[jmp]

5. I'm not interested in "measured".

I want a candidate that is going to savage the Republican nominee.