Obama Showcases Foreign Policy at NH Forum

Link to the article in its full text

With panels of foreign policy heavyweights preceding Obama's appearance with praise for his foreign policy abilities, the event allowed the freshman senator to showcase his veteran policy team and demonstrate he had gained the confidence of seasoned professionals in the area. It clearly was convened with an eye toward countering rival Hillary Clinton's criticism that he lacks the experience to guide the nation in an age of terrorism.

At the same time, Obama and his advisers emphasized foreign policy themes that draw contrasts with Clinton, arguing that the times call for a fresh approach to international relations and Obama would be the better global messenger for a break with the past not only because of his life experience but also his early opposition to the war in Iraq.

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Speaking after the event, Pulitzer Prize-winning Samantha Power acknowledged that the Obama campaign had organized the event in part to demonstrate "the breadth of his foreign policy expertise." That, she said, "I don't think has penetrated in New Hampshire and Iowa." and that he is "...someone who can look at the world as it is, not as it was"

Within hours of the event, the Clinton campaign had e-mailed out a statement to reporters reprising the former first lady's criticism of his credentials.

"With the critical foreign policy challenges America faces in the world today, voters will decide whether Senator Obama, who served in the Illinois State Senate just three years ago and would have less experience than any president since World War II, has the strength and experience to be the next president," said the statement, issued under the name of campaign spokesman Phil Singer.

In my opinion, i think Obama might be a better president than any other candidate. (who actually has a chance of winning) Sure, he has less experience as Clinton would so repetitively point out but that doesn't make him weak. In fact, I think it makes him a better candidate. Find me a president who went into office knowing exactly what to expect when he first sits down in the oval office. You cant. Obama might not be "experienced" but I find that people who haven't been a politician for very long are a lot more honest and have a lot more integrity than the presidents who are sitting on their final term with nothing to do.

Lets at least give him a chance and think about his policies - although on that note, I don't believe we should waste any more blood on a war that has no purpose - and that his idea to send in a few more troops before pulling out is ridiculous.

Clinton Touts Health Insurance Plan

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Insurance companies should face the same kind of federal regulation as firms that sell stocks and bonds, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday as she outlined her health care plan to voters around a dining room table.

The patchwork of state regulation that insurers now operate under has allowed them to get away with offering meager health care policies and to move to states with more favorable rules, Clinton said. She said the federal government should regulate the companies more, though states still would be able to enact their own rules.

"We can't do this state by state," she said. "No state has the ability to get everyone in their state to get the insurance they need."

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Clinton outlined her universal health care plan, which would provide tax credits to make insurance more affordable and require businesses to offer insurance to workers or pay into a pool for people without it...and would also expand Medicare and the federal employees' health insurance plan to cover those without adequate workplace insurance.

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Clinton repeated a statistic she cites often — contending that insurance companies spend $50 billion a year figuring out ways to avoid paying claims.

"This is all part of their business model. This is how they make money, but it's so bad for the rest of us," she said. "I say to them, use the $50 billion to actually take care of people," she said.

I like her plan honestly - especially the last part - it doesn't take a genius to see that
insurance companies are basically legal robbers. Of course if you get into an accident or get robbed, or some medical expense comes up, insurance will help - but to pay every month for it is usually more expensive than the help it gives. not to mention all the conditions you must require to be eligible to collect on a claim. Clinton is right on one thing - Use the money to actually help rather than spend it on trying to NOT pay a claim.

Attacks get personal between Romney, Giuliani

Attacks get personal between Romney and Giuliani

The bulk of the battle stemmed from Romney's decision on Friday to call for the resignation of Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman -- 20 months after he appointed her.

Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, learned that Tuttman had released without bail a convicted killer, who has since been charged with killing a married couple in Washington state.

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Giuliani, who was also in New Hampshire, told The Associated Press on Saturday, "the governor is going to have to explain his appointment and the judge is going to have to explain her decision."

Romney shot back the next day-- making jabs at Giuliani's judgment.

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"I think it's a very ironic posture for him to take, to be talking about personal judgment, when I nominated an individual who had served as 17 years as a prosecutor, nothing in the past of this individual indicated that they would be anything other than a law and order judge," Romney said at a press conference outside Concord.

Well - Theres a lot to say about what it could mean - Giuliani was certainly right in saying that Tuttman should resign - but his attack on Romney is unjustified - he had a right to speak back about it - although the call on judgement was utterly unfounded. Come on - i mean, Tuttman just lets a convicted murderer go - who then kills again - why bother putting someone behind bars if theyre just going to go free.

Tuttman should resign - no question. Giuliani however shouldnt attack Romney simply because he appointed him.