Obama sharpens critique of Clinton in final hours before Nevada

CNN: Obama sharpens critique of Clinton in final hours before Nevada

RENO, Nevada (CNN) – Presenting himself Friday as the candidate who can make the correct decisions the first time around, Barack Obama cranked up his criticism of Hillary Clinton, hitting her on issues from the war in Iraq to the economy.

"Sen. Clinton has said she is ready to lead from day one," the Illinois senator said, "but it's important on day one to get it right, whether you're talking about war or you're talking about economic proposals." Obama often tells crowds that he has the judgment needed to serve as president, and adds that he was against the war from the beginning.

At a Reno campaign stop Friday, he also said that his initial economic stimulus package was the right plan, since it included tax relief for middle-class Americans, while Clinton's did not. "Today, five days after she released her plan, she said 'Well, you know what? We need a tax rebate,' because now apparently she agrees with me." Obama said he was using that example to illustrate a larger problem that he called "political speak."

"It is easy to be for policies that help working families when its popular on the campaign trail, but the American people don't want a president whose plans change with the politics of the moment."

"This is what you learn in Washington from all those years of experience," Obama added. "It means that the American people are constantly having to sort out what do people really mean.....It's why people mistrust our politics. And part of my job in this race is to restore people's sense that you say what you mean and you mean what you say."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/01/18/obama-sharpens-critique-of-clinton-in-final-hours-before-nevada/