by Mike Dorning
MANCHESTER, N.H.--Barack Obama kicked off his fall campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination today by turning to the same theme his chief rival stressed in her opening salvo a day earlier: experience in national politics.
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton wants voters to remember that she is a battle-scarred veteran of Washington's bitter political wars and Obama is not.
Obama, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, is reminding voters of the same thing.
And at a time when high dissatisfaction with government—particularly among Democratic voters—Obama argues that the distinction works in his favor.
Without referring to Clinton by name, the Illinois senator sounded the theme at a rally in central Manchester on a warm, sunny morning that drew hundreds of supporters.
"There are those who tout their experience working the system in Washington," Obama said, in a clear reference to Clinton, "but the problem is that the system in Washington isn’t working for us and hasn’t for a long time."
"Too many in Washington see politics as a game," Obama added. And that is why I believe this election cannot be about who can play this game better. It has to be about who can put an end to the game-playing. The times are too serious; the stakes are too high."
Obama arrived in New Hampshire with his wife Michelle and two daughters fresh from a family vacation on Martha's Vineyard a day after Clinton toured the state with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. The Clintons' appearance was only their third joint campaign tour of this election.
In rallies in the state capital of Concord and the coastal city of Portsmouth, Clinton campaigned Sunday before the banner "Change + Experience," arguing that her years in national politics would make her a more effective champion of reform.
Obama countered by stressing mission and commitment to the cause of change, citing his early years as a community organizer, biographical details that have been central features of his stump speeches since he began his campaign.
"I might not have the experience Washington likes, but I believe I have the experience America needs right now," Obama said. "Hope and change are not just the rhetoric of a campaign for me. Hope and change have been the causes of my life."
Obama also included what may have been a subtle rhetorical dig at former President Bill Clinton, who remains highly popular among Democrats but whose political career has aroused charges of obfuscation, particularly regarding Clinton's statements about his Vietnam draft record and his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
"We have to tell people the truth. And you shouldn’t expect anything less from your President," Obama said.
The lectern Obama spoke from was adorned with a placard displaying one of the campaign's themes: "Restoring Trust in Government."
Obama was scheduled to march later in the day in a Labor Day parade in Milford, N.H., and attend an ice cream social in Hudson, N.H.
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Comments
GOBAMA08!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040400989_pf.html
Posted by: John E | September 3, 2007 1:23 PM
Republicans hate minorities and they think that women are second class citizens.
It's going to be fun watching the GOP get it's butt kicked by one of them (black man or white woman) in 08.
Posted by: Tyrone | September 3, 2007 1:26 PM
"Obama Kick-Off: End Washington Game Playing"
This is the "game playing" that Senator Obama was talking about:
All of this happened since 2000, the year Geoge W. Bush stole the White House...the first time.
The Grand Ole Docket 2007:
GOP inmates.
*Jack Abramoff Scandal*
Pleaded Guilty
Jack Abramoff
J. Steven Griles
Will Heaton
Adam Kidan
Bob Ney
Tony Rudy
Michael Scanlon
Roger Stillwell
Neil Volz
Mark Zachares
Convicted
David Safavian
Under Investigation
John Doolittle
Tom Feeney
Named, Not Charged
Ed Buckham
*Duke Cunningham Scandal*
Pleaded Guilty
Richard Berglund
Duke Cunningham
Mitchell Wade
Thomas Kontogiannis
Indicted
Kyle "Dusty" Foggo
John Michael
Brent Wilkes
Named, Not Charged
Robert Fromm
*Miscellaneous Republican crooks*
Pleaded Guilty
Claude Allen
Larry Craig
Lester Crawford
Shaun Hansen
Vernon Jackson
Chuck McGee
Brent Pfeffer
Allen Raymond
Indicted
Tom Delay
Convicted
Scooter Libby
James Tobin
No Contest
Brian Doyle
Posted by: John E | September 3, 2007 1:36 PM
It would be such a refreshing change to have an individual in Washington whom has not been touched by scandals as the last two presidents have been dogged for years about their past. Womanizing and alcoholic stupors are things that I would like to hear less about and more about capturing Osama, caring for our veterans, taking care of our homeland(New Orleans), and answering the tough questions of immigration and returning America to the top industrialized nation in the world! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM WEDGE ISSUES!
1. HOMOSEXUALITY (NOT THE GOVERNMENTS BUSINESS)
2. PERSONAL DRUG USE!(NOT THE GOVERNMENTS BUSINESS.
3. ANY RELIGIOUS DOGMAS. (NOT THE GOVERNMENTS BUSINESS.)
COACHSLIFE
Posted by: Coachslife | September 3, 2007 1:42 PM
Barack Obama he's our man! If he can't do it no one can....
!GOBAMA!
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 1:48 PM
Keep talking Barack, because everytime you open your mouth Hillary's numbers go up...she now leads you by 22%!
And Rudy will easily beat the socialist queen...it's a no-brainer for anyone who (has a job) pays taxes and wants to keep them low.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | September 3, 2007 2:01 PM
Loony Lefties: 3
Ten percenters: 0
Posted by: Swamp Scoreboard | September 3, 2007 2:07 PM
I saw this speech on C-SPAN and let me tell you I AM FIRED UP AND READY TO GO!
OBAMA08!
Posted by: ST from JC | September 3, 2007 2:15 PM
Tony Resco...
Norman Hsu...
Exelon...
ConAgra...
All big supporters of Obama.
And he's raking in tons of money with Oprah's "$ellebrations"...
I'd say Barak is being way too modest. He knows as mch as anybody else about "working the system".
My only question is: What change?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 3, 2007 2:21 PM
Mrs. Clinton truly has more experience:
Whitewater, Secret FBI Files, Missing billing records, Grand Jury appearance,
failed health care plan, firing of the White House travel staff, covering up for her husband, "conversations" with Eleanor Roosevelt, taking of items from the White House belonging to the National Archives...oh yes, she is experienced. From an executive standpoint, she's never so much as even run a small business or managed even a car wash. But she wants the highest executive office in the nation.
Posted by: Fillmore B. | September 3, 2007 3:19 PM
I find it Hillaryous that Senator Clinton can speak about "changing" the system when she thinks lobbyists are just ordinary Americans that don't have any more influence in Washington than you or I. Oh really? And who is the "naive" one?
Obama 08
Posted by: Daniel McKernan | September 3, 2007 3:29 PM
Right. "Hope and change". Whatever that is...
Posted by: Biggdawg | September 3, 2007 3:44 PM
When Obama severs ties with state pacs, trial lawyers, hedgefunds, and other special interests, he can call himself an outsider.
Until then, he's as much an insider as the rest of them.
Posted by: JoeCHI | September 3, 2007 4:09 PM
Funny, neither Barack or Hillary have experience or anything to offer.
What's even funnier is Doug Zook doing his best John E. impersonation. And more laughs, John E doing more cutting pasting, posting as other folks. And then there is "Tyrone," with the usual Loony Dumba$$ comments that Republicans hate minorities and women. Gee, is that why Bush has named more women and more minorities to positions of power than ANY other president in the history of the U.S.??
Posted by: John D | September 3, 2007 10:47 PM
Paulo, Its a trip when Republicans talk of raising taxes. They are not going to rasie taxes across the board, they are simply going to erase all the tax breaks W created. If you are making less than 30k a year they ARE NOT talking about rasing your taxes. You may make 6 figures and still find it difficult to live but thats not the case for everyone.
"it's a no-brainer for anyone who (has a job) pays taxes and wants to keep them low".
Well alot of people are finding it difficult to find a good job and like i said they are not raising poor peoples taxes so I think there are more of us than you guys.
Posted by: RealOpinion08 | September 3, 2007 11:04 PM
John D.,
Why can't Republicans get a black person elected to Congress?
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 7:57 AM
Obama's financial ties to the unsavory criminals Resco and Hsu are alone enough to dismiss him as a genuine reformer.
But there's more than that; Obama has always been owned and operated by big energy, big agribusiness, big pharmeceuticals, the insurance industry... and he's preaching about lobbyists?
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2007 8:00 AM
Barack Obama he's our man! If he can't do it no one can....
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 1:48 PM
Are you referring to his desire of bombing Pakistan Doug ?
Posted by: Don B. | September 4, 2007 8:13 AM
Mike Dorning reports on what some Democrat candidates were doing Labor Day. Rick Pearson reports on what other Democrat candidates were doing Labor Day. No article on what the Republican candidates were doing.
The Swamp staff: devoted to the promotion of Democrats, all day, all night, all the time.
Posted by: Bruce | September 4, 2007 9:05 AM
Doug, why is whether the GOP can get a black person elected to Congress such a big deal? The GOP has lots of blacks run for office each and every election cycle. Most of the time they lose to their Democratic counterpart because too many folks vote for the same ole, same ole time and again.
We had a quality candidate in Maryland run for the Senate in Michael Steele. He did very well. In fact, better than most Republicans do in a very heavily Democratic state.
Posted by: John D | September 4, 2007 9:59 AM
Don B.,
If we knew where top al-Queda and/or bin-Laden were, I agree with Barack, we should bomb 'em back to the stone age.
What would you do?
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 10:28 AM
Barack Obama he's our man! If he can't do it no one can....
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 1:48 PM
Are you referring to his desire of bombing Pakistan Doug ?
Posted by: Don B. | September 4, 2007 8:13 AM
I realize you are a serious product of far-right media, so they don't bother to bog you down with facts or anything like that. But Obama's statement about acting on actionable intelligence in Pakistan if the Pakistani won't, which is absolutely the right policy, is also the policy of President Bush.
Bush would send troops inside Pakistan to catch bin Laden
POSTED: 1:44 a.m. EDT, September 22, 2006
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/20/bush.intv/index.html
So, if you've got a problem with the policy, take it up with the President.
Posted by: Distrust and Verify | September 4, 2007 11:22 AM
"...I agree with Barack, we should bomb 'em back to the stone age."
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 10:28 AM
...and destabilize the Musharef government, have a nuclear arsenal fall into the hands of Islamists, destabilize ANOTHER region of the world... and most likely miss Bin laden while you're doing all of that.
You're brilliant, Doug! You should be Obama's Vice president. That is, if a miracle happens and he survives the primaries -- I won't even mention the general election.
No danger of that happening, tho. Mr Fluff is going nowhere in the polls.
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2007 11:25 AM
John D.,
Please spread the word:
"It's not important for the Republican Party to elect blacks to Congress."
Please, do a major media buy and SPREAD THE WORD!
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 11:37 AM
Anonymous,
If bin-Laden successfully attacks America again will you stand up and say we did the right thing in not going after him?
No? I didn't think so.
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 12:52 PM
Doug,
Have a look at the geography of the region he's hiding in (because obviously you know nothing whatsoever about it) then tell us all how to get him, OK?
And then if you can come up with a miracle for getting Bin Laden, kindly explain to us all how doing so will make us safer. News Flash: Bin Laden isn't the only Islamist in the world bent on hurting us. Trust me -- it has been in all the papers
Posted by: Anonymous | September 4, 2007 3:16 PM
[quote]
.it's a no-brainer for anyone who (has a job) pays taxes and wants to keep them low.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | September 3, 2007 2:01 PM
[/quote]
Right, Paulo. What's the Republican plan to pay off the $9 TRILLION dollar debt that we're at today? Clicking your heels together three times and saying, "I want the National Debt to go away, I want the National Debt to go away, ..." won't do it.
Posted by: BC | September 4, 2007 3:41 PM
Anonymous,
Dubya was given actionable (that's code for kill 'em) intelligence in Pakistan about top al-Queda people and Dubya didn't whack 'em.
Why? Weren't their pillows fluffed properly? No mints? Marquis of Queensbury rules not followed properly?
Gosh my good man, you have an international mass murdering terrorist among you but you are free to go because we don't want to ruffle feathers.
My name's Dubya I'm with the Republican Party, I'm here to help.
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 3:55 PM
What would you do?
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 4, 2007 10:28 AM
Sorry Doug. I'm part of the 24 % who think it's not such a good idea. I'm with the the two nit-wits Reid and Pelosi on this one. The real problem over there is Iran , that's who we should be bombing besides his muslim head chopping brother Roy would never talk to Hussein Obama again. Hmmm I wonder why the liberal media never mentions Roy ? I'm sure they wouldn't if that empty suit was a Republican, don't you think Doug?
Posted by: Don B. | September 4, 2007 9:17 PM
Obama want chnage - that's all you will have left in you pocket if he is elected.
Doug nice cheer - how's you backflip. Do you picture Rudy in a cheerleading uniform?
So Doug, if we had actionable intellgence that bin Laden was in the Canadian Rockies and could not be taken out by Canadian forces or our ground troops, you would suggest we bomb Canada?
BC,
They will keep taxes low, control spending and grow out the debt. We have a $12 Trillion economy that generates about $3 Trillion per year in tax revenues per year. We can grow out of the debt if we cut spending back a few % points per year.
Posted by: Terry | September 5, 2007 10:45 PM