By John McCormick and Rick Pearson
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Sen. Barack Obama likes to tell audiences that he is a hardened street fighter from his days in the rough-and-tumble world of Chicago politics.
But the Illinois Democrat on Thursday showed some sensitivity to the blows he took a day earlier in an intense debate with Sen. Hillary Clinton, as he offered a critique in often-sarcastic tones of the traditional presidential campaign process.
"It does not get much more fun than these debates," he said. "They are inspiring events. I mean, last night, I think we set a new record because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people."
Obama sought to brush aside criticism about his debate performance, as he told an audience here that Clinton had the right to "kind of twist the knife a little bit."
Clinton, meanwhile, adopted a softer theme of family issues as she launched the final days of her campaign in Pennsylvania in advance of the critical primary there Tuesday.
With polls showing an up-tick in the negative perception voters have toward her, Clinton surrounded herself with her daughter, Chelsea, and her mother, Dorothy Rodham, before a largely female audience during an appearance at Haverford College, a private liberal arts school in suburban Philadelphia.
See the rest of the story in today's Tribune:
Asked by an audience member for advice on helping her canvass for support before the primary, Clinton at first suggested, "You know, just knock on the door and say, 'You know, she's really nice.' Or you can say it another way, 'She's not as bad as you think.' "
Clinton was more direct in her criticism of Obama at an evening block party in a white, working-class section of northeast Philadelphia.
"You know, sometimes during this campaign, my opponent criticizes the '90s, criticizes what my husband did, and that's fair," she said. "But when I hear him criticizing the 1990s, I'm always wondering which part of it didn't he like--the peace or the prosperity? Because I like both."
Wednesday night's debate was the 21st for the Democrats.
Obama said its tone was a reflection of how Washington works, as he displayed his growing impatience with the nomination fight.
"They like playing gotcha games and getting us to attack each other," he said.
John McCormick reported from North Carolina and Rick Pearson from Philadelphia
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Comments
I was a little dismayed that Barack didn't pull out a little "south side" during the debate. I think the initial ambush threw him off track and he never recovered. I doubt that will ever happen again.
I really liked his response yesterday, although it's a bit too late, unfortunately.
Hillary Clinton can drag out her mom, her clone daughter, resurrect Mother Teresa and Princess Diana, and it would not change my perception of her. She is not likeable. She even said something to that effect herself.
Posted by: Susan in PA | April 18, 2008 8:52 AM
It's not tough, it's just same old politics which he rather not waste time on!!
HRC and ABC news just don't get it!! It's absolutely rubbish!!
Posted by: Reality check | April 18, 2008 9:21 AM
Obama can't stand it when the driveby media does their job of looking in to who he is and what he stands for.
He loves to grab a mike and prance around a big room full of hundreds of people who sort of fall asleep listening to B Hussein Obama or quielty smile as if watching a movie.
But, you are not allowed to question the Great One the messianic character for hope and change.
Sadly there is no hope in partial birth abortion, infanticide,raising your taxes while in a recession,drivers licenses for illegal aliens,socialized medicine and abandoning mandatory federal prison terms or being for gay marriage.
He doesn't like it when he is challlenged to explain his connection to indicted Tony Rezko , a friend and law client for 17 years.
Obama doesn't want anyone including a free press from inquiring about Rev Jeremiah Wrights anti-white theology. Don't ask him about his lazy grandfather who went back to sleep rather than take his typical white grandmother to work at the bank because she was being pestered by some delinquent panhandlers at the bus stop.After all it hit him like a knife when he learned the panhandlers were black from his lazy grandfather. Why didn't Obama take her to work?
Whatever you do don't mention William Ayers the Weatherman Underground terrorist or his terrorist wife Bernadine Dohrn. After all they are just a nice couple who live in his neighborhood and teach at the University of Chicago now that they are no longer fugitves from justice.
Don't ask Obama about how he purchased his mansion in Kenwood and the garden lot next door that Rezko's wife bought for him or is the fence paid for surrounding his mansion that is just a bonehead mistake.
Don't ask Obama if Nadhmi Auchi the Iraqi billionaire who was charged with fraud in France helped with a loan to Rezko.
When we vote for the next leader of the Western World we do need to know about who and what they are. Obama has been hiding for 15 months during the campaign just spinning hope and change.
Obama is a con man not a Presidential contender.Jerry White,Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | April 18, 2008 9:27 AM