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Clinton Urges Support For Obama

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The Associated Press

Published: August 31, 2008

WASHINGTON - Hillary Rodham Clinton urged voters Saturday to support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, saying the stakes of the election are high and the differences between Obama and Republican John McCain are stark.

"During our convention, we Democrats laid out clear, bold solutions to tackle the two biggest challenges confronting our nation - economic disarray at home and a decline in American strength and support around the world," she said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. "The contrasts between us and the Republicans could not be starker, especially on issues that matter to middle-class families."

Clinton's calls to support Obama come as the Democratic presidential nominee is promoting another Republican brand - McCain-Bush.

An ad released by the campaign Saturday acknowledged McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his new running mate, but its images and words leave no doubt that Obama wants the public to judge McCain by the policies of President Bush.

The ad, called "No Change," began airing nationally on cable television as Republicans gathered in St. Paul, Minn., for their national convention. The spot avoids direct criticism of Palin while proclaiming that McCain offers no change from an unpopular president.

The ad illustrates the Obama camp's careful reaction to Palin's addition to the Republican ticket. McCain's choice was a groundbreaking move that reintroduced gender into the presidential race just as the Democrats worked to resolve a rift between the Obama camp and supporters of Clinton.

Clinton, in the radio address, echoed her support for Obama voiced at the Democratic National Convention, and for his running mate Joe Biden, a senator from Delaware.

"With Barack Obama in the White House and Democrats leading in Congress, we will lead the charge to revitalize the economy, create jobs, make college affordable again and enable hardworking Americans to pay for gas, food, utilities and cover the monthly bills," said Clinton, a senator from New York.

She repeated her pitch for a health care plan that covers everyone.

"I, for one, can't wait to watch President Barack Obama, with the support of a Democratic Congress, sign into law universal health care that covers every single American.

"...John McCain doesn't think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security and he's promised tax breaks for the biggest corporations instead of middle-class families. And in 2008, he still thinks it's OK that women aren't earning equal pay for equal work."

HIGH VIEWERSHIP

The just-concluded Democratic National Convention in Denver was the most-watched since at least 1960 and drew more viewers than the Summer Olympics, according to figures released by Nielsen Co.

The quadrennial gathering was seen in 27.7 million homes, breaking the record of 21.9 million who tuned in to the 1976 Republican convention, when President Gerald Ford won the nomination over Ronald Reagan; and the 20.7 million who watched the 1980 Democratic convention when President Jimmy Carter beat back a challenge by Sen. Edward Kennedy. The figures are the highest since New York-based Nielsen began keeping track in 1960.

On average, the four-day Democratic convention drew 30.2 million viewers as Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, 47, became the first black presidential nominee of a major political party. This year's Olympic Games averaged 27.7 million.

Viewership of the Denver convention was almost 50 percent higher than the 20.4 million who tuned in to the Democrats four years ago.

Bloomberg News

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