Obama, Clinton launch truth squads
By April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 28, 2008 at 4:43 p.m.
Updated January 28, 2008 at 4:43 p.m.
Photo by Jae C. Hong © Associated Press
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton responds to a question as Sen. Barack Obama listens during a debate at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.
The Obama and Clinton campaigns borrowed a page from a superhero's book on Monday, launching "truth squads" to beat back unfounded attacks leading up to Super Tuesday.
The Obama Colorado campaign's Truth Squad includes former Denver Mayor Federico Peña, former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart and Colorado Supreme Court Justice Jean Dubofsky.
The Truth Squad's mission: To combat misrepresentations and distortions of the candidate's stands on health care, the economy, abortion rights and Social Security.
In South Carolina, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois won in a landslide against Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York Saturday in a bid to become the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nominee.
Following his decisive victory, exit polls showed that 70 percent of the Democratic voters in that state believed attacks on Obama's campaign were unfair, said Peña and Hart.
"We are here to express hope that we don't see a repeat of the misrepresentation and unfair attacks we have seen in the other four states," Peña said. "This state has voters who will not accept unfair criticism and distortions of a candidate's record."
The Clinton campaign countered with its own team of truth defenders — the Rapid Responders.
The national group is made up of elected officials and community leaders who will expose distortions by the Obama campaign, said Jessica Santillo, spokeswoman for the campaign.
"Wherever and whenever her opponents misrepresent Hillary's position in their states, the Rapid Responders will set the record straight," said Mary Rose Garrido Wilcox of Arizona.
On Feb. 5, Colorado and 21 other states will hold primaries and caucuses to select candidates for president.
Colorado's Democratic and Republican caucuses will begin the selection process for delegates to the national conventions.
Days before Super Tuesday, Democratic candidates have kicked into high gear, blistering the airwaves and making campaign stops in key battleground states.
And Colorado has suddenly emerged as a pit stop for both camps.
Obama, who was expected to bypass the state and stump in Phoenix and California, will rally in Denver on Wednesday.
Former President Bill Clinton also is expected to be in Colorado Wednesday — details still to come — to campaign for his wife.
A candidate will have to gain 2,025, half of the delegate votes up for grabs, to win the nomination.
"We all want the campaigns to debate the issues and not get sidetracked over squabbles," said Dubfosky.
Both Clinton and Obama have won the endorsements of prominent Colorado Democrats.
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette are backing Clinton.
washingtonam@RockyMountain News.com or 303-954-5086
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January 28, 2008
5:45 p.m.
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sfg0214 writes:
Better get our hip boots on; better yet; get a full armor on.