Obama Subtly Takes On Clinton

July 5, 2007 — -- It was only a matter of time before Sen. Barack Obama, who presents himself as an anti-establishment, outsider candidate, would clash with his main rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, who is widely viewed as the epitome of the Washington guard.

"Change can't just be a slogan," Obama said, stumping in Iowa, in an apparent swipe at the New York senator's relatively new campaign slogan "Ready for Change, Ready to Lead."

"Change has to be something that is demonstrated day to day on an ongoing basis, and I think that my career and my campaign has demonstrated that," Obama later added at a news conference.

The race for the Democratic presidential nomination began in earnest without any major brushes between the leading candidates. But with Labor Day -- traditionally the beginning of the most intense period for a nomination fight -- fast approaching, Obama's campaign seems to be subtly but deliberately trying to step up its public engagement with Clinton.

Seeking to use his limited experience in national politics as an asset, Obama has been arguing that he represents the future of politics and that Clinton is part of the past.

After praising former President Bill Clinton, Obama told The Associated Press, "What we're more interested in is in looking forward, not looking backward. I think the American people feel the same way."

The senator's chief surrogate and most important campaign weapon, former President Clinton, dealt with the potential "change" hurdle by telling Time magazine that voters don't want to erase what he and his wife did in their eight years in the White House.

"They want to change from what was undone about where we were going," he said. "Basically, every election is a change election. All elections are about tomorrow, not yesterday. Yesterday is only relevant as it gives evidence about tomorrow."

There was also the sharp elbow Obama threw in Clinton's direction on the question of who is best prepared to lead the country. When asked about Clinton supporters raising the issue of Obama's experience at a Chicago fundraiser last month, Obama replied by assailing one of Hillary Clinton's main campaign arguments, that her experience makes her best prepared to lead the country from the moment she is sworn in.

"The only person who would probably be prepared to be our president on Day One would be Bill Clinton -- not Hillary Clinton," said Obama.