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Politics

Obama, Clinton hit hot buttons in war of words

WASHINGTON

The Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama camps clashed Thursday in Nevada over two radio ads in an escalating exchange of words that laid bare the stakes involved in Saturday's presidential caucuses. The dispute centered on two highly charged issues in the state - a proposed nuclear waste site at Yucca Mountain and access to the caucuses by the state's well-organized casino workers. A pro-Obama labor ad, airing on Spanish radio stations, called Clinton "shameless." It denounces the efforts by some Clinton backers to block special precinct caucuses on the Las Vegas Strip for casino workers and said the New York senator "does not respect our people." Elsewhere on the radio dial, a Clinton ad cast her as the strongest opponent of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste site, a long-standing sore point in the state. The ad quoted a newspaper that referred to Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, as being "hip deep in financial ties" to Chicago-based energy giant Exelon Corp., a nuclear plant operator that supports the Yucca waste site. Obama has said he opposes the site.

COLUMBIA, S.C.

McCain takes long view of economy

Despite calls in Washington for short-term economic relief, Republican John McCain proposed a long-term economic plan that would lower the corporate income tax rate and provide a host of other tax breaks for business. "We will get through this rough patch, my friends," McCain told supporters. He proposed cutting the corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent. Speaking to a rally under a tent in the rain, he said that would expand the economy. The Arizona senator also snared the editorial support of the Post and Courier of Charleston, giving him a sweep of the early voting state's three largest daily newspapers.

COLUMBIA, S.C.

Romney's lobbyist attack rebounds

Republican Mitt Romney said he could govern in the country's best interest because "I don't have lobbyists running my campaign," although Washington insiders are on his senior staff and registered lobbyists are top advisers. One of them, Ron Kaufman, chairman of the Washington-based Dutko Group, regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane, and participates in debate strategy sessions. Another adviser, former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., heads Romney's policy committee. He also is chief executive officer of Clark & Weinstock, and his corporate biography says he "provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the federal government." Aides said that Romney's comment was directed at rival McCain, whose campaign manager, Rick Davis, is a registered lobbyist.

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C.

Thompson: Leave economy alone

Republican Fred Thompson made light of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's call for a quick economic stimulus and said it might be best to leave the economy alone for now. He was answering questions in a restaurant where Bernanke could be seen on a TV urging short-term relief. Thompson was asked what he would do. "You could probably get a Law & Order rerun on TNT there if you wanted to," he said. More seriously, he said he was not ready to embrace a stimulus package.

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 00:33:08]