Obama: Rivals can't bring change
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By Charlotte Eby | Friday, December 28, 2007 |
VIDEO: Obama in Des Moines
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke in downtown Des Moines…
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DES MOINES — During a speech Thursday in Des Moines, Democrat Barack Obama delivered a blunt assessment of his rivals’ claims that they can bring about change in the country.
Taking a jab at rival Hillary Clinton without naming her, Obama said candidates can’t argue they are the master of a broken system in Washington and then offer themselves as the person to change it.
“You can’t fall in line behind the conventional thinking on issues as profound as war and then offer yourself as the leader who is best prepared to chart a new and better course for America,” Obama said.
Obama has drawn sharp contrasts between Clinton’s vote in the U.S. Senate to authorize the use of force in Iraq and his own early opposition to the war. Rival John Edwards also voted for the resolution and has since said he was wrong. Obama did not join the Senate until after the 2002 vote.
Obama’s comments drew a quick response from the Clinton campaign.
“Now is not the time for political attacks, it’s time to pick a president who can give us a new beginning in a time of war and a troubled economy,” Clinton spokesman Mark Daley said.
Obama argued that his message for change has stayed the same throughout his 10-month presidential campaign.
“It was our message when we were down, and it was our message when we were up,” Obama said. “And it must be catching on, because in these last few weeks, everyone’s talking about change.”
Obama also took on criticisms by Edwards that Obama is not willing to confront the special interests in Washington.
“Let me tell you something, Iowa. I don’t need any lectures on how to bring about change, because I haven’t just talked about it on the campaign trail, I’ve fought for change all my life,” Obama said.
Obama said he walked away from a job on Wall Street so he could work to bring job training and after-school programs to Chicago.
“I turned down big-money law firms to win justice for the powerless as a civil rights lawyer,” Obama said.
He also highlighted his work in the Illinois Legislature passing campaign finance reforms and pushing lobbying reforms in the U.S. Senate.
“I am the only candidate, the only candidate in this race, who hasn’t just talked about taking away power from lobbyists, I’ve actually done it,” he said.
Charlotte Eby can be contacted at
(515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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