Obama, Clinton trade pre-primary barbs over Iran, gas tax

Obama, Clinton trade accusations on Iran, gas tax

Mcclatchy-tribune

May 5, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton tried mightily yesterday to convince Indiana and North Carolina voters that there are stark differences between the candidates on Iran, gasoline tax freezes and other key issues in the closing days before crucial Democratic presidential primaries in those states.

Clinton painted herself the sensitive champion of the middle class and the candidate of experience. Obama, on the other hand, presented himself as a thoughtful agent of change, someone who would not be lured by what backers deride as sound-bite solutions to complex issues.

Latest polls show Indiana as too close to call, while Obama has a 5- to 9-percentage-point advantage in North Carolina. Obama currently leads in Democratic convention delegates, 1,742.5 to Clinton's 1,607.5, with 2,025 needed to nominate.

The candidates' most vivid clash yesterday involved a two-week-old Clinton comment about how she would react if Iran attacked Israel with nuclear weapons.

"We will attack Iran," she told ABC on April 22. "In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."

Obama, appearing yesterday on NBC's Meet the Press, struck back with calm outrage. "It's not the language we need right now, and I think it's language reflective of George Bush," he said.

"We have had a policy of bluster and saber-rattling and tough talk," the Illinois senator added, "and in the meantime have made a series of strategic decisions that have actually strengthened Iran."

Clinton, who was appearing at an Indianapolis town hall meeting on ABC's This Week, defended her stance.

"Why would I have any regrets?" the New York senator asked.

"I'm asked a question about what I would do if Iran attacked our ally, a country that many of us have a great deal of, you know, connection with and feeling for, for all kinds of reasons," she said.

"And yes, we would have massive retaliation against Iran," Clinton added, though she said: "I don't think they will do that, but I sure want to make it abundantly clear to them that they would face a tremendous cost if they did such a thing."

Uncertain effect

It was unclear whether any of this would drastically affect tomorrow's outcome.

Ann Siegfried, 59, a retired teacher from Huntington, Ind., watched both shows yesterday.

"I never want to see us get into a war of any kind and to say we'd 'obliterate' says to me, 'War at any cost,'" said Siegfried, who plans to vote for Obama but also likes Clinton.

But, she said, attitudes toward Iran are not a defining issue for her. Instead, she said, her preference for Obama is a "gut feeling."

Apart from the presidential campaign, Clinton has come under fire in some diplomatic circles for her April remarks.

On Wednesday, Iran's deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Mehdi Danesh-Yazdi, called them "provocative, unwarranted and irresponsible," while Lord Malloch-Brown, former U.N. deputy secretary-general, said her suggestion "is not probably prudent."

Tax argument

The talk show skirmish - one that continued as the candidates moved around the state yesterday to campaign - also involved gasoline taxes.

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Obama, Clinton trade pre-primary barbs over Iran, gas tax

Obama, Clinton trade accusations on Iran, gas tax

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