Clinton, Obama face off in Pennsylvania
(CNN) — Neither Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton nor Sen. Barack Obama would commit Wednesday when asked in a debate if they would take the other as their running mate should they win the nomination.
Both candidates responded to the first question of the debate with smiles, prompting laughter from the audience. After a moment, Obama said he was happy to respond.
I think it’s premature at this point for us to talk about who vice presidential candidates will be, because we’re still trying to determine who the nominee will be. he said.
Clinton echoed those comments. I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make sure that one of us takes the oath of office next January, she said. I think that has to be the overriding goal, whatever we have to do.
Each candidate said they thought the other was capable of winning the presidency.
Initially Clinton did not respond to the question directly but then agreed that Obama could win the presidency.
Yes, yes, yes, she said. Now, I think that I can do a better job. Obviously, I believe I would be the best president, or I would not still be here standing on this stage. And I believe I’m the better and stronger candidate against Senator McCain, to go toe-to-toe with him on national security and on how we turn the economy around.
Obama replied in kind to the same question: Absolutely, and I’ve said so before. But I, too, think that I’m the better candidate.
Clinton and Obama faced off at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, just six days before the Pennsylvania primary. There was much at stake for both.
This was the 21st Democratic debate, and although that seems like a lot, much has happened since their last debate, in Ohio in late February.
While Obama was riding an 11-contest winning streak back then, Clinton won comeback kid honors when she took three of the four primaries held March 4. But Obama still leads Clinton in states won, pledged delegates to the Democratic convention and the overall popular vote in the primaries and caucuses held so far this campaign season.
Clinton needed to change the momentum in the battle for the Democratic nomination, and the best way to do that is to win big in Pennsylvania. But a new CNN Poll of Polls puts Clinton’s lead at just 5 points over Obama in Pennsylvania, down from a double-digit lead two weeks ago.
The debate was probably her last opportunity to change the momentum in the campaign, CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider said.
Clinton might be helped by Obama himself.
By the second question of the debate, the senator from Illinois found himself explaining, yet again, just what he meant when he told campaign donors at a San Francisco-area event 10 days ago that small-town Pennsylvania residents are bitter over their economic circumstances and cling to their guns and religion. He acknowledged that it is not the first time he has mangled a statement.
Obama went on to say that people who feel that they are not being heard will rely on what they know, such as religion and traditions.
The problem that we have in our politics, which is fairly typical, is that you take one person’s statement, if it’s not properly phrased, and you just beat it to death, he said. And that’s what Senator Clinton’s been doing over the last four days. And I understand that. That’s politics. And I expect to have to go through this process.
In a response Clinton said that my comments were about your remarks. And I think that’s important, because it wasn’t just me responding to them, it was people who heard them, people who felt as though they were aimed at their values, their quality of life, the decisions that they have made.
The reporting of the initial comment Friday sparked a controversy that put Obama on the defensive as both Clinton and presumptive GOP nominee, Sen. John McCain, tried to portray Obama as elitist and out of touch with average Americans.
Obama’s been on the defensive over these ‘bitter’ comments, and this is Clinton’s opportunity to exploit that, Schneider said. So far, we haven’t seen any shifts in the polls in her direction, and tonight’s debate is her last chance to exploit the situation.
Obama’s objective in this debate is to say ‘let’s move on’ and that Clinton’s trying to distract us from the real issues.
But both candidates would use the debate to reach out to voters outside Pennsylvania, CNN Political Editor Mark Preston said.
While Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be making appeals to Pennsylvania voters tonight, they will also be hoping to build support with some very important audiences who won’t be casting ballots next week, he said before the debate. Clinton and Obama will also be trying to reach voters in Indiana and North Carolina, which hold primaries two weeks after Pennsylvania’s April 22 contest.
And there’s another more narrow electorate that both candidates hope to reach in Wednesday night’s debate.
The two Democrats will also be making indirect appeals to the undecided superdelegates, who will cast the deciding votes for the next Democratic nominee, Preston said.
Clinton must score a knockout blow in tonight’s debate as she attempts to prove she is more qualified to assume the role of commander in chief on day one. For his part, Obama must avoid making any mistakes and finally put to rest the controversy over his remarks about bitter Pennsylvanians who cling to their guns and religion.
The superdelegates are crucial to determining the Democratic presidential nomination. The primary calendar ends June 3, and neither Obama nor Clinton is expected to reach the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination by then. So the decision is likely to come down to the 800 or so superdelegates, who are Democratic governors, members of Congress and party leaders.
Wednesday night’s debate was also another opportunity for the candidates to tell voters where they stand on the issues, especially the economy and trade issues, which are very important to Pennsylvania’s large blue collar and union voters. Polling by CNN and other news organizations indicates that the economy remains the top issue in the minds of Americans.
The 90-minute debate was sponsored and televised by ABC News.
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