Clinton Takes Obama Head On

Clinton loaded her speeches with a laundry list of policy promises: to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement; provide universal health coverage; restore manufacturing, with an emphasis on new jobs providing clean energy; get rid of "every single tax break" that rewards companies for sending jobs overseas; abolish the No Child Left Behind program; forgive college debt for students who agree to do public service; reduce gas prices, in part by taking a tougher line with the Saudis; take better care of veterans; begin pulling troops out of Iraq. She boasted of the endorsements she has received from retired admirals and generals, including two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (both of whom, as it happens, served under her husband). "I've been very specific in this election," she said in a serious understatement.

And she's been equally specific in her blistering critiques of Obama of late. On Monday, after the Associated Press reported that Obama's senior economic adviser had indeed privately told Canadian consular officials not to take the candidate's anti-NAFTA rhetoric all that seriously, Clinton lit into both Obama and the media. She said the alleged communication, which the senior adviser claimed had been misinterpreted, shows the Obama campaign has "done the old wink-wink. Don't pay any attention. This is just political rhetoric." She also suggested the media would be treating this more seriously if she had done it. "With this story, substitute my name for Senator Obama's and just ask yourself."