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Clinton Avoids Key Issues, Rivals Say

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By PETER NICHOLAS and MICHAEL FINNEGAN, Los Angeles Times

Published: November 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - After searching for ways to rattle Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and stem her momentum in the Democratic presidential race, her chief rivals believe they have found an opening: what they cast as her evasiveness on several key issues.

The campaigns of Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina wasted little time Wednesday suggesting that the New York senator's performance at Tuesday's Democratic debate unmasked her as a candidate unwilling to commit herself to concrete plans.

On at least five issues raised in the debate, Clinton replied in ways that left it unclear what she meant or what action she might take.

That practice has permitted her to avoid positions that might antagonize voters, particularly the less partisan ones important to victory in the general election.

But the limitations and potential perils of her approach were driven home at the debate in Philadelphia.

In comments likely foreshadowing the shape of the Democratic contest in coming weeks, top Obama strategist David Axelrod said: 'We're going to spell out positions on issues and demand others do as well. One of the things that people are looking for is someone ... who will be forthright with them and not pass everything through a political calculator. It's a distinction in this race.'

A memo issued by the Edwards campaign was more blunt, charging that Clinton was not 'telling the truth to the American people.'

Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani eagerly joined in Wednesday, taking a swipe at Clinton that echoed complaints her Democratic rivals had aired.

'She was being attacked all night for taking different positions in front of different audiences,' Giuliani said in a radio interview. 'And then, by the end of the night, she took different positions in front of the same audience. It was pretty amazing. I mean, in politics I've never quite seen that before.'

The response from the Clinton campaign included a somewhat light-hearted touch. It posted a video on YouTube with footage of her debate rivals repeatedly invoking her name, set to Mozart's 'The Marriage of Figaro.'

The montage ends with a clip of Clinton saying during the debate: 'I seem to be the topic of great conversation and great consternation. ...'

The issues on which her rivals were taking her to task included Social Security, the long-term viability of which is a source of worry for many Americans. In the debate, she talked about setting up a bipartisan commission to study the system, while pushing the government toward the broad goal of 'fiscal responsibility.'

But she skirted any specific plan frequently discussed among Democrats to shore up the system, such as raising taxes, limiting benefits or lifting the age at which people could draw benefits.

The topic that caused her biggest political headache was the proposal by New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants.

Asked her stance on it, she first commended Spitzer for attempting to grapple with a problem that persists because of the federal government's failure to enact a 'comprehensive' revamp of immigration law.

She later hastened to add she wasn't necessarily endorsing Spitzer's plan.

To that, Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut said: 'No, no, no. You said yes, it made sense to do it.'

'No, I didn't, Chris,' Clinton said, prompting Edwards to accuse her of double talk.

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