Clinton Mocks Obama on Foreign Policy

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SHENANDOAH — Hillary Rodham Clinton ridiculed Democratic rival Barack Obama on Tuesday for his contention that living abroad as a child helped give him a better understanding of the foreign policy challenges facing the U.S.

"Voters will have to judge if living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face," Clinton said. "I think we need a president with more experience than that, someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to and has confidence in."

Obama's retort: "I was wondering which world leader told her that we needed to invade Iraq."

Clinton's conclusion: "This campaign is getting kind of heated now. It's getting a little more exciting and intense."

A day earlier, touting his foreign policy credentials, Obama had said his life experience gave him a better feel for international issues than most candidates gain from official trips to other nations.

He noted his father was from Kenya and that he himself spent part of his childhood in Indonesia. "Probably the strongest experience I have in foreign relations is the fact I spent four years overseas when I was a child in Southeast Asia," he said Monday.

Clinton has been slapping harder at Obama on the issue of experience — on Monday she said the nation's economy "can't afford on-the-job training" for the next president — as surveys show them in a tight race with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards for January's leadoff caucuses in Iowa.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Obama with 30 percent support among likely Democratic caucus-goers, Clinton with 26 percent and Edwards with 22 percent. About half the Clinton supporters who were surveyed said they had never attended a caucus compared with 43 percent of Obama supporters — a finding that could be significant because voters considered the most reliable caucus participants are those who have caucused before.

After learning of her comments Tuesday, Obama responded during a town hall-style meeting in a gym in Conway, N.H.

"I mentioned that one of the reasons that I got it right when it came to Iraq was because I lived overseas when I was a child," he said. "It gives me some judgment and perspective around what other people think about America and how they might react or respond when we make some of the decisions that we do."

"Of course, both the Republicans, in their talking points, as well as Senator Clinton said, 'Well, I don't think that what Senator Obama did when he was 10 years old is relevant to our national security.' I didn't say that."

Clinton made her remarks to a crowd in Iowa Tuesday — but from a state away. She had been scheduled to open the second day of a campaign trip through Iowa with a town hall meeting in Shenandoah, but aides said her plane was unable to land because of fog, disappointing more than 400 people gathered to hear her speech. She addressed them by speaker phone — from Omaha, Neb.

She sought to compare her experience — a two-term New York senator after eight years as first lady — with that of Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois.

"I offer the experience of being battle-tested in the political wars here at home," said Clinton, arguing that her background not only was superior as a potential president but also made her the most electable Democrat.

"For 15 years I've been the object of the Republican attack machine and I'm still here," she said.

She said she would be ready to address the problems facing the country on her first day in the White House.

"We have so many issues to deal with," she said. "I've traveled the world on behalf of our country. I've met with countless world leaders and know many of them personally."

Aides said she made more than 70 overseas trips as first lady, was actively involved in policy during her husband's tenure in office and has been closely involved in foreign policy issues during her Senate tenure.

Obama's take on that: "A long resume does not guarantee good judgment."

At his final stop of the day in Laconia, N.H., Obama said "one of my rivals" — he wouldn't say Clinton's name — was ignoring his personal interest in U.S. security.

"I accept the challenge of any other candidate when it comes to being concerned about safety. I have a 9-year-old and 6-year-old daughter in a major American city. Don't tell me I don't care about keeping America safe," he said. "We will strike anybody who threatens American lives and American interests. That's not the question. The question is, what other kinds of power can we bring to make us more safe?"

He did, however, utter Clinton's name during a question-and-answer session when talking about her failed effort to overhaul the health care system in the 1990s, when she was first lady.

___

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Laconia, N.H., contributed to this report.

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{"commentId":1203491,"authorDomain":"alexanderbadas"}

i can not see how anyone can dislike obama. and yes even at ten living in a foreign country would drastically would effect your view on world events.

{"commentId":1203491,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"alexanderbadas"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:48 PM EST
{"commentId":1204189,"authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}

I don't dislike Obama. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but I do think he's a fool of such magnitude that would make Jimmy Carter look competent. It's been decades since America has so needed a ball-busting, Machiavellian leader, and the Dems could not be further from having any such thing on offer.
All the West needs is a generation and a half of staring the vermin squarely in the face. Just for once the West needs to finish the job. Imagine a world without the Putins and the Kofis, without the microminded leadership of mainland China, without Islamic cretins. Now, that could be a world.

{"commentId":1204189,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}
  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:29 AM EST
Reply
{"commentId":1204177,"authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}

Given the hyper-reactive nature of the Hillary, it occurs to me that the best way to defeat her might be to seed the ground with her adversaries' every flower, with confidence that she will rise to the bait almost without fail. She can't help herself but to squash anything that buds, and by the time she realizes what is being done against her, America will finally have seen her for the obsessive that she is.

From Obama to Romney, she will compulsively quash anything that she thinks redounds to their positive, and so the voter will come to see her as habitually negating. She is nothing. She has nothing. She is at her best as a force of negation, which means she can be defeated by using her "strength" against her. Let her be negating. Let her reveal her strength to be the negative that it is. If you give her a chance she will defeat herself.

{"commentId":1204177,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:12 AM EST
{"commentId":1204183,"authorDomain":"TBK"}

" Clinton said. "I think we need a president with more experience than that, someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to and has confidence in."

Many of the knuckleheads in government who were born here can't get it right after some decades of fumbling the ball. Maybe it's because they can't make it pass the special interest lobbyist or the folks who really shape foreign policy, the Corporate Elites. On that note , she's knows exactly what the Corporate Elites foreign policy is and plans on keeping the Elite machine running on all cylinders! It's obvious by her vote on the war she doesn't have a clue on this important issue nor will she care to support the end to the War. Her whole agenda is self serving and it's all about her poor little old me tabloid antics with the whole Obama thing.
She honestly believes this guy (Obama) can make a change in this country and in her mind she's thinking "who want that."

{"commentId":1204183,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"TBK"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#3 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 3:24 AM EST
{"commentId":1205111,"authorDomain":"ratigan"}

"Voters will have to judge if living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face," Clinton said. "I think we need a president with more experience than that, someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to and has confidence in."

TBK you had the quote, but didn't pull the trigger. "Looks up to"?!? I think Sen. Clinton needs someone a bit more noticable than myself to ridicule her immediately. Does anyone not blanch at this ludicrous egotism? She thinks that the rest of the world looks up to her? I can almost not believe that she said that. Really, though, that is incredible.

"For 15 years I've been the object of the Republican attack machine and I'm still here," she said.

Teddy Kennedy could say the same (and more besides), but that doesn't mean he can take over the presidency "on day one." There's baggage that comes with being attacked. Like, maybe, the things you were attacked for! I love that she's using this as a possitive. She's playing to those of us who want to fight. In the words of Bill Richardson, "Give peace a chance."

{"commentId":1205111,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"ratigan"}
    Reply#4 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:28 PM EST
    {"commentId":1205580,"authorDomain":"TBK"}

    We have a President who has the quote unquote experience, we have a Senate with an average experience of about 15 pulse years, and a congress with the same and what have they managed to do with all that "EXPERIENCE". Well I'll tell ya, start World Wars, abandon the economy, refuse veterans their entitlements, import toys from China that are killing our children, allowing illegals to come in at will, sending all our jobs overseas, failing our schools LEAVING KIDS BEHIND, increasing our taxes, soaring gas prices and the energizer list just goes on and on with no end in sight.

    No thanks to all your experience, what we need are people with some common sense and are not experienced in FEEDING THE CORPORATE ELITES MACHINE. What's your name, I'll even write it in on the ballot!

    Barack was a Lawyer, Professor of Law, State Senator, and now a US Senator, what, ya want him to have a 100 years on the Hill like Teddy to find himself with no opportunity at all. There is such a thing as on the job training and surrounding one-self with good strong people. Maybe you might know something about that when you started a new job or position. Mr. "I'll be back" is a great example of that out in California.

    So the experience thing is a dog that won't hunt, played up by all those who have no other trump card to play against Barack.

    Ms Clinton should be the last horse in the race to bring up experience, she has absolutely none other then running on the experience of her husband which is nothing to brag about.

    As far as the rest of the World looking up to someone, I don't think anyone in the race would be better then Obama. He doesn't have this bully pride or tone that gives way to the attitude of arrogance.

    Only time will tell.

    {"commentId":1205580,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"TBK"}
    • 1 vote
    #4.1 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:55 PM EST
    {"commentId":1205863,"authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}
    TBK you had the quote, but didn't pull the trigger. "Looks up to"?!? I think Sen. Clinton needs someone a bit more noticable than myself to ridicule her immediately. Does anyone not blanch at this ludicrous egotism? She thinks that the rest of the world looks up to her?

    Point taken. It's been millions of years since the world hosted a reptile that we could look up to.

    {"commentId":1205863,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"AsymptoticToZero"}
      #4.2 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:18 PM EST
      {"commentId":1206317,"authorDomain":"ratigan"}

      TBK, I'm with you all the way. (and Obama, that is)

      {"commentId":1206317,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"ratigan"}
        #4.3 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:52 PM EST
        Reply
        {"commentId":1205315,"authorDomain":"jdl-28"}

        Why not worry about what going on in this country and don't worry so much about Foreign policy it hasn't been working for years, all we do is keep sending money oversea.

        I do not believe either one of them should be elected, she is out in left field and change her mind to much. He is lacking in so many areas, and also have shown in some speeches he is racist again some people. Neither one of them is going to be looking out for you and your country.

        I wish I could tell you there is some one who is running for us that will put the American citizens and this country first but I can not.

        Both of them would give amnesty to the illegal in this country, which is wrong. They also act like they are better than the average American and we should believe everything they say.

        {"commentId":1205315,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"jdl-28"}
        • 1 vote
        Reply#5 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:39 PM EST
        {"commentId":1205355,"authorDomain":"stevenfdurst"}

        Why isn't anyone asking Hillary the question? What experience does she have that empowers her to be president? She was the wife of a governor, the wife of a president and a carpetbagger jr Senator from New york. She has NO Qualifications to be president. None!
        So throwing mud at other candidates only shows her for what she is. A career politician out to get what she can for herself. If anyone remembers her duffuss husband didn't know anything about foreign policy either.

        {"commentId":1205355,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"stevenfdurst"}
        • 1 vote
        Reply#6 - Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:54 PM EST
        {"commentId":1219411,"authorDomain":"bebopchamploo555"}

        What makes Obama the better candidate in this race is not the length of his experience, but the QUALITY of his experience. In his time as senator, he's had the remarkable ability to work across the aisle on nearly every bill he's worked on. He has quickly learned the ins and outs of the lawmaking process, and everyone he's worked with has noted his impeccable ability to get things done. But his positive experience goes above and beyond his work in Washington.

        Invoking his childhood in Indonesia confused some of Obama's rivals. I mean, when you consider it, what does his time outside the U.S. when he was a kid have to do with foreign policy today? But really, it has everything to do with foreign policy. We here in the United States sometimes take other countries for granted. We see our leaders with their leaders and imagine all the help we must be giving them. To Americans, foreign visits are neccessary for trade and keeping peace, but aren't good for much else. But, if you are able to understand what's REALLY happening in those countries, what ordinary people do in their own cultures, it makes sympathy for other countries (and FROM other countries) that much easier. We might not think to deeply about Obama's time in Indonesia, but I guarantee that it's important to our world partners.

        Consider this: Obama's father was from Kenya. As he's gotten older, Obama has been able to visit his father's native village more and more often. As an American politician, his visits to African nations have made him a revered and respected figure among many African citizens. You see, the major difference between Obama's foreign policy experience and anyone else's in this presidential race is that his visits to other countries aren't solely political or official; they're personal. With the intense poverty and violence growing in Africa, many political science analysts point to the region as the next major breeding ground for terrorists. Don't forget it was disillusionment amongst Germans that led to the election of Adolf Hitler. The region could be overtaken just as easily as Germany was then, and their attention will be turned on an American government that has traditionally ignored their cries for help. But Barack Obama already has a presence in Africa. He's respected. And he supports aid to those countries that need it most, troops to end genocides in Sudan and Darfur, and greater work on the AIDS epidemic. Hillary's seen the dignitaries of these countries; Obama's seen the people, and, in this time of international fear and terrorism, that could make all the difference.

        {"commentId":1219411,"threadId":"178908","contentId":"1111049","authorDomain":"bebopchamploo555"}
        • 1 vote
        Reply#7 - Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:43 AM EST
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