It's hard to tell which was a bigger victory for Hillary Clinton: that she outraised Barack Obama in the third quarter, and did so by bringing in more donors, or that she released her numbers just before Obama gave a foreign-policy address aimed at her 2002 Iraq war vote. A lot of the hype surrounding fundraising numbers, at least when you're bringing in as much as Clinton and Obama, is about capturing headlines, which was exactly what Clinton did yesterday. (Patrick Healy, New York Times)
Not that Obama didn't get any coverage. Commemorating a 700-word speech delivered on the eve of Congress' 2002 authorization of the use of force against Iraq, Obama spoke at DePaul University in Chicago. He again drew a contrast between his opposition to the war then and Clinton's vote and also called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. (John McCormick, Chicago Tribune; full speech here)
Incidentally, Obama's criticism included John Edwards, which elicited a response from Team Edwards: "If you need any more proof that John Edwards is shaping the race for the Democratic nomination, you don't need to look any further than Senator Obama, who has followed Edwards's lead on healthcare, poverty and, today, eliminating nuclear weapons. Next thing you know, he’ll be rooting for the Tar Heels." (Sam Youngman, The Hill)
Since everyone seemed to be taking shots at each other, John McCain plans to get in on the action today during a speech criticizing Clinton (and her husband) on foreign-policy. (Jim Davenport, Associated Press)
Also, when McCain said America was a "Christian nation" what he meant was "Judeo-Christian." (Dara Kam, Palm Beach Post)
"I have seen her face some horrible experiences -- some which would take many of us down. She has faced them and come up a woman, not apologizing for having life happen to her, but facing life." Poet Maya Angelou, laying it on a bit thick on why she's endorsed Clinton. (Jennifer Jacobs, Des Moines Register)
Bill Richardson won something: He's spent the most TV ad dollars in Iowa and New Hampshire. (Julie Bosman, New York Times)
Finally, is Rudy Giuliani really reaching out social conservatives? (Alexander Bolton, The Hill)
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