NYT: Obama Distances Himself From Clinton, on Her Turf

[flpoljunkie]

Richard Perry/The New York Times

September 28, 2007

Obama Distances Himself From Clinton, on Her Turf

By JEFF ZELENY

Senator Barack Obama implored thousands of admirers who gathered last night in New York City to set aside their distrust in politics and believe in the long-term possibility of his presidential candidacy even though, he conceded, “there are easier choices to make in this election.”

In a giant rally in the backyard of Senator Hillary Rodham, Mr. Obama, of Illinois, drew distinctions between himself and his leading rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, insisting that only a fresh candidate could truly change Washington. Twice, he singled out Mrs. Clinton.

<>Mr. Obama, bathed in bright flood lights as he stood on a stage before a crowd (20,000+ signed up on Obama's website) stretching across Washington Square Park, struck a sharper tone than he has through much of his campaign, particularly when he stands alongside his Democratic rivals. The arguments he made, before an audience of supporters, were not articulated during a debate one night earlier.

“There were folks on the stage that said Social Security is just fine, we don’t have to do anything about it,” Mr. Obama said last night. “There are those who will tell you that getting out of Iraq will be painless, we’ll do it in a snap, not acknowledging that there are no good options in Iraq. There are folks who will shift positions and policies on all kinds of things depending on which way the wind is blowing. That’s not the kind of politics that will deliver on the change we are looking for.”

“The challenge that we have today is restoring a sense that politics is not just a business, but that politics is a mission,” Mr. Obama said, “that power doesn’t have to always trump principle, that we can expect from our leaders that they are going to tell the truth and be honest about the problems that we face and they’re not going to equivocate and hedge and hem and haw.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/us/politics/28obama.html?ref=politics

[unhappycamper]

1. Didn't Obama say that he could not guarentee we would be out of Iraq by the end of his first term?

And Mrs. C said something to the effect that we don't know how things are in Iraq, so we may have to stay?

Call me silly, but I think we need to end the occupation, stop developing (or trying to) new nuclear weapons, stop the militarization of space, and stop spending obscene amounts of money on the military.

[flpoljunkie]

2. Obama thinks the occupation should end ASASP--it was a Russert gotcha ? served up to help Rethugs

ASASP--as soon as safely possible

[Dawgs]

3. No, he didn't say that.

[robcon]

4. My son went to the rally and he said Obama was very impressive,

as usual. He's the best speaker we have, and I would be happy to have him as president (not as happy as I would be if Clinton were president.)

This NYer loves his Senator!