Obama’s Present Votes Eyed in New Hampshire

Obama’s Present Votes Eyed in New Hampshire updated

This is exactly what is required. Revealing Obama’s record, which I’ve written a lot about, including his present votes. No doubt he can
explain it. Good. Ask the questions and let him answer them. That’s only fair.
It’s where this election needs to turn at this point. Vetting the candidate
who has gotten the least scrutiny of them all.

During his eight years in the legislature, Obama cast a number of votes on abortion and received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council for his support of abortion rights, family planning services and health insurance coverage for female contraceptives. He voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive, a vote that especially riled abortion opponents. He also joined other state Democrats in voting present on some bills. “Supposedly, we are involved in this primary because we’re concerned about access to the next Democratic president,” the signers argued. “So why would we want to develop a hostile relationship with the man who could be that next president?” During the Iowa campaign, the Clinton campaign criticized Obama’s position on health care in Iowa. But she is taking a different approach in New Hampshire. “A woman’s right to choose,” the mailing says on the front, then flips to the back, “demands a leader who will stand up and protect it.” It says Clinton has a record of fighting “far-right Republicans” to defend abortion rights, while Obama has been “unwilling to take a stand on choice.” “Seven times he had the opportunity to stand up against Republican anti-choice legislation in the Illinois state Senate,” it says. “Seven times he voted present — not yes or no, but present. Being there is not enough to protect choice. “On January 8 you have a choice,” it closes. “Vote for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, Tuesday, Jan. 8.” Clinton Criticizes Obama’s Abortion Record in New Hampshire Mailer

The traditional media and cable talking heads should be talking about these
types of things, instead of the knee jerk, regurgitation of all things Hillary
just because they have to fill hours and hours of time. There’s a lot more out
there on Mr. Obama that needs discussing. He has plenty of time to stand up
and speak out on his positions, or lack thereof. It’s time he did it before
Democrats get a weak general election candidate chosen by a well meaning people
who don’t care about our Democratic policies. After all, this is a DEMOCRATIC
primary, right?

UPDATE: The following is from the Clinton camp. I’ve never posted a press release from them, but I thought you all would appreciate this one, especially today. There are the Rasmussen and ARG polls, but this is more aggressive push back from them, doing all they can in the short time they have before Tuesday. Needless to say, they’re working every angle:

WHERE IS THE BOUNCE? Two polls that had the race within a few points before the Iowa caucuses have the race tied in New Hampshire after the Iowa caucuses. In today’s CNN/WMUR New Hampshire poll, Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama are tied at 33 percent – their last two polls had Hillary up 4 points and before that had Hillary down 2 points, so there is no statistically significant change in their numbers before and after the Iowa caucuses. And the Concord Monitor is out as well today with a poll showing the race at 33 percent for Hillary Clinton, 34 percent for Barack Obama and 23 percent for John Edwards – exactly the same margin as before Iowa. Contrast that with the 17 points John Kerry gained in 2004 in the Boston Globe poll, which catapulted him from a 17-point deficit to a 20-point lead in New Hampshire after the Iowa caucuses. Or with the 7 points Al Gore gained in 2000 in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, increasing his lead in New Hampshire from 5 points to 18 points. New Hampshire voters are fiercely independent. They will make their own decisions about who to support.