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No More Mr. Nice Barack

Obama promises more aggressive rhetoric against Clinton

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 27, 2007 5:07 PM CDT

(Newser) – Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers by getting in Hillary's face, calling her shady on foreign policy and too divisive to win in 2008, the New York Times reports. Critics say that two-fisted politics would betray Obama's "politics of hope," a charge he rejects: “Every time we point out a difference between me and her, they say, ‘What happened to the politics of hope?’ which is just silly."

But he admits to holding back on verbal strikes during his nine-month campaign, and now donors are urging him to go on offense. Yet he bristles when critics say he can't handle aggressive politics. The notion that "we’re all holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya’ is obviously not what I had in mind and not how I function. And anybody who thinks I have, hasn’t been paying attention.”

Senator Barack Obama speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop in Ohio in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers by taking on Hillary with more aggressive rhetoric. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Senator Barack Obama speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop in Ohio in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers by taking on Hillary with more aggressive rhetoric. (AP Photo/Jay...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks during a campaign fundraiser in St. Louis in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers with more aggressive rhetoric against Hillary. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks during a campaign fundraiser in St. Louis in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers with more aggressive rhetoric against Hillary. (AP Photo/Jeff...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks during a campaign fundraiser in St. Louis in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers by taking on Hillary with more aggressive rhetoric. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks during a campaign fundraiser in St. Louis in 2007. Obama plans to offset slipping poll numbers by taking on Hillary with more aggressive rhetoric. (AP...   (Associated Press)
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