Clinton Amps Up Attacks on Obama

SPOKANE, Wash., Feb. 8, 2007 — -- As she made her way through rain and fog in this Pacific Northwest state, which will hold important caucuses Saturday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has introduced new lines of attack against her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

While seldom mentioning Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., by name, from Seattle to Tacoma to Spokane Clinton suggested to cheering crowds that Obama is vague and inexperienced, and his rhetoric is empty and meaningless.

At the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Clinton tweaked Obama on health care by swiping his trademark "Yes, we can" line.

"When it comes to universal health care, my opponent is saying, 'No we can't,'" Clinton said. "Well I say, 'Yes, we can,' and 'Yes, we will,' if we make the right decision in this election."

At times, her criticisms of her Democratic opponent are so sharp they run together with her heated assaults on President Bush, and it can be difficult to distinguish between them.

In Spokane, Clinton told supporters that, "We have a lot of work to do," and, presumably unlike Obama, she has "been very specific in this campaign."

"I know that sometimes it's exciting to hear a speech, and it's really powerful, and it raises your sights," she said, an acknowledgment of Obama's oratorical skills. "But when the lights are down and the cameras are gone, you need to know what I'm going to do."

Clinton then said, "You need a president who will actually produce results for the American people." She made a reference to the country not needing "a president who doesn't care about the American people, and doesn't really solve the American people's problems, and puts our country at risk. So, that's why I've been so specific" about "the economy, and energy and everything else."

Was Clinton saying that Obama doesn't care about the American people, won't solve their problems, and will put the country at risk? Reporters were confused.

Her campaign said no — that, while she was criticizing Obama in the sentence before that one, and the sentence after it, that particular shot was aimed at Bush, and not Obama.

But the Clinton campaign maintained that shot was not intended at Obama. And upon closer listening to the audio picked up by the microphone, it was clear the Clinton campaign was correct, that she was referring to Bush, saying, "we've had enough of a president who doesn't care about the American people, and doesn't really solve the American people's problems, and puts our country at risk."

It can be difficult to tell, because her rhetoric against Obama is heating up, and because, while she's quite specific when she goes after presumptive GOP nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., or assails the "two oil men in the White House," her attacks against Obama are often by implication.

Moreover, the Clinton campaign has certainly implied in the past, however, that Obama would not be able to solve the nation's problems and, as former President Clinton has said, his election would be a "roll of the dice."

It all illustrates the high stakes competition this primary has become.

Many in the audience seem to understand full well who she's talking about, however, when she talks about "false hope." Or when she said in Spokane, right after the comment her campaign says was aimed at President Bush, the following, clearly targeted at Obama: "People in this region need a president who cares about them" -- Real folks, she said, "who need a champion, who need a fighter, who need a doer."

And then, as if she were reprimanding Obama: "Enough with the talk, let's start with the action."

The crowd cheered wildly, as they did Thursday evening in Seattle.

"I am hoping to unify the country," Clinton said, "but to unify it to do the work of the country. Not to unify it just for the sake of saying we are unified. In the meantime, more and more people lose health care, more and more kids can't afford college. We need to be unified with a common purpose."

Clinton implied that Obama's desire for change was misleading Americans about how difficult such change would be.

"What is it we want to see in our country again, what kind of feeling and hope and dreams and aspiration — and reality and practicality, because they go hand in hand?" Clinton asked. "We don't want people just thinking we can do something, we have to be prepared and we have to be able to take the steps."

She repeated that idea in Spokane, saying, "change is just a word unless you have the strength and the experience to make it happen."

The Clinton campaign did not deny that remark was aimed at Obama.

(NOTE: This story has been edited and corrected since publishing.)