Sneak Peek: 'Real Plans for Real People'

April 09, 2008— -- Hillary Clinton's campaign launched the first negative ad of the Pennsylvania primary on Thursday, painting the former first lady as the presidential candidate who "takes on the oil companies in real life, not just on T.V."

Listen here.

The 60-second statewide radio ad, which goes after rival Barack Obama by name, comes at a time when Clinton is being badly outspent on Pennsylvania television.

"Senator Obama's spending so far on television is about $6.5 million," said Clinton guru Howard Wolfson. "Our spending so far on television is about $2.5 million, which means that we're being outspent about 3-to-1, or almost 3-to-1, a difference of about $4 million."

Wolfson said Clinton was "forced" to put up her radio ad because Obama has refused to take down an ad in which he tells voters, "I don't take money from oil companies" without telling them that federal candidates have been barred for a hundred years from taking money from corporations.

The ad also slams Obama for talking tough about Exxon and prices at the pump given that he -- unlike Clinton -- voted for the "Bush-Cheney energy bill" in 2005.

Asked if Clinton's radio ad would be followed by a similar television spot, Wolfson said no options have been taken off the table (rather than his usual line about not discussing ad strategy).

Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan responded to Clinton by criticizing her for opposing higher fuel efficiency standards until this year.

Sevugan also sought to rebut Clinton's ad by saying, "The fact is, Barack Obama takes no money from Washington lobbyists or PACs while Senator Clinton has taken more than any Democrat or Republican in this race . . ."

DNC Plans Thursday McCain Briefing:

The DNC has invited reporters to a pen and pad polling presentation on John McCain at party headquarters at 12:30 pm ET on Thursday.

Presenting at the meeting will be DNC Chairman Howard Dean as well as pollsters Cornell Belcher (who is one of several pollsters working for Barack Obama's campaign) and Allan Rivlin (whose "Garin, Hart, Yang Research Group" firm is tied to Hillary Clinton).

100 Years on 'An Installment Plan':

Hoping to capitalize on Gen. David Petraeus' plea for more time, MoveOn.org has created a new web video going after John McCain on Iraq.

"How do you get to 100 years in Iraq?" asks the video's narrator. "Six months at a time."

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