Clinton hits rival on foreign affairs

By Rick Pearson and Mike Dorning |Tribune correspondents

February 26, 2008

WASHINGTON — Hillary Clinton warned Americans on Monday not to take a chance on Barack Obama's lack of experience on military and foreign affairs, while he questioned her commitment to fixing trade policies that have devastated Ohio's industrial base.

On the Republican side, likely GOP nominee Sen. John McCain said if he can't convince Americans that the U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding, "then I lose. I lose." Speaking to reporters in Ohio, the Arizona senator quickly sought to backtrack and said, "I'd like to retract 'I'll lose,' " though he acknowledged he is closely tied to the U.S. military "surge" and support for the American presence in Iraq.

The increasingly intense rhetoric between the Democratic contenders was a prelude to a debate Tuesday night in Cleveland, the last before primaries March 4 in Ohio and Texas that could determine the fate of Clinton's campaign. Clinton has said she plans to make her experience a focus of the remainder of the primary campaign.