Republicans in S.C., Democrats in Nevada Tout Economic Plans
NEW YORK — Hillary Rodham Clinton reached out to poor black voters as she and other U.S. presidential candidates tapped into Americans’ recession fears ahead of important races in South Carolina and Nevada.
Both Democratic and Republican races were extremely tight going into the Saturday contests. The Republicans, after three major earlier races that netted three separate winners, lacked a clear front-runner. Polls in Nevada showed Clinton and fellow Democrat Barack Obama locked in a statistical dead heat with rival John Edwards, but Obama could get a boost from a favorable court ruling Thursday.
Campaigning Thursday in the crime-ridden, largely-black city of Compton, California, Clinton pledged that as president she would improve the economic lot of blacks. Days after she and Obama declared a truce on racial matters, Clinton, who wants to be the first female U.S. president, is seeking support from blacks, who were a key constituency for her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
On Thursday, Clinton outlined a so-called “green collar” jobs program she said she will create to develop alternative sources of energy, and said she would spend $200 million (euro136 million) over five years to help ex-offenders transition from prison.
She promised to assist the troubled city’s mayor with his goal of “birthing” a new Compton.
“I know something about birthing,” Clinton said. “You need a president who will be a partner. Who says, ‘What is it I can do to make sure this birth is easy and successful?”‘
Clinton’s comments on economics came as Americans increasingly worry about a possible recession, rising gas prices, falling stock prices and a staggering housing market. A recent CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll found six in 10 Americans believe a recession has already started.
President George W. Bush and congressional leaders are trying to work out an economic stimulus plan likely to include personal tax rebates, tax breaks for businesses and more benefits for the poor. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, joined in calls for an economic stimulus package Thursday, but said it had to be quick and temporary.
The Republican candidates seized on the economy issue as they campaigned in South Carolina, which has been losing textile and steel jobs. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney had touted a similar message in his native Michigan, and it helped propel him to his first win.
With the race so close for the Republicans, the contenders each hope a win in the southern state will provide necessary momentum for the biggest day of the race on Feb. 5, when 22 states hold contests.
Republican John McCain, who won in New Hampshire, has led polls in South Carolina, but has consistently failed to win over conservative and religious party voters who will dominate most of the upcoming Republican contests.
He proposed an economic stimulus plan Thursday that would lower the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent, and provide other tax breaks aimed at making U.S. businesses more competitive. Rival Rudy Giuliani, who has focused most of his effort on the Jan. 29 vote in Florida, has also proposed cutting the corporate tax rate to 25 percent.
Romney, a Mormon and millionaire businessman, used an optimistic economic pledge to win in his native state of Michigan, but according to polls has not been able to take the lead on the issue. He said Thursday in South Carolina that Congress should take immediate action on an economic stimulus plan that includes a tax rebate.
Mike Huckabee, the preacher-turned politician who is running on a message of economic populism, put the blame for economic worries on Washington while seeking the votes of South Carolina steel workers.
Republican Fred Thompson, the former “Law and Order” actor who has failed to muster much support in the early nomination contests, was making what could be his last stand in South Carolina. A former senator from the southern state of Tennessee, Thompson is battling Huckabee for the evangelical vote. That group gave Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, his coveted win in Iowa.
Thompson on Thursday made light of Bernanke’s call for a quick economic stimulus and said it might be best to leave the economy alone for now.
In the Democratic contest, race could play a role in breaking the virtual deadlock between Obama, the winner in Iowa who hopes to become the first black U.S. president, and Clinton, who rebounded with her own victory in New Hampshire.
Neither state has large black populations, so the major test of Clinton’s popularity with black voters will come in the Democratic race in South Carolina on Jan. 26, where blacks make up about half of Democratic voters.
Clinton paved the way on Thursday, praising the Rev. Martin Luther King in California in an effort to reconnect with the black community after comments that appeared to downplay the revered civil rights icon’s influence.
Obama and Clinton later called a truce in the controversy, and Clinton offered another olive branch Thursday when asked whether she would consider choosing Obama as her vice presidential running mate.
“I can’t think that far ahead because it’s bad luck, I’m very superstitious, and I don’t want to be presumptuous,” she said. “But he is an extraordinary man and has so much to give our country. I hope however this works out he will be a major figure in American politics for years and years to come.”
In linking economic and racial themes, Clinton appeared to be targeting a group that was among the hardest hit by the mortgage crisis and ensuing credit crunch that has both sparked and fueled U.S. economic woes.
Earlier, she jabbed at Obama, accusing the young Illinois senator in a mailer to voters, of proposing a $1 trillion tax increase with a plan to require high income earners to pay more taxes for Social Security — the national retirement plan that is a touchy subject for the powerful senior citizens lobby.
Obama said in a Las Vegas stop that the worst part about the mailer is that Clinton has said she would consider doing the same thing he wants to do.
Separately, Obama got a boost when a judge in Nevada ruled to allow casino workers from meeting for votes at Las Vegas Strip hotels. Obama has been endorsed by the union representing many of the casino shift workers, and the ruling means those working Saturday would not have to go all the way back to the neighborhoods they live in to be able to attend caucus meetings.
Meanwhile, Obama took a break from campaigning Thursday night to celebrate his wife’s birthday by taking her out to dinner. Advisers declined to say where they would eat, except to say it would just be the two of them.
Jumping back in… I agree with BRY (30), Why isn’t FOX covering Romney equally or positively? It seems that Fox fails to remind his win in WYOMING. It seems that Romney has to do this. Doens’t the Wyoming delegates count? They seem to leave out that Romney is leading with most DELEGATES to date. They seem to leave out that he would jump out front further if he takes NEVADA too. Even if Rudy takes Florida, Romney would be the leader. Please tally the current total instead of trying to predict the future. NH should of taught FOX that they can not predict the future and that polls do not work. (see Kerry and Remember Florida)
It seems that the only person that is giving Romney a FAIR AND BALANCED coverage is BILL O’REILLY.
Allen says “americans have the worst health care in the world” What is this based on? Can you provide evidence to this statement? Are you suggesting the US government is the answer to the world’s worst health care delivery system? If so, can you give me one example (outside of the military) where the government was the answer to anything?
These elections years do bring out a very bad side of the US. The side that sees the voters say “I am incapable and need a hand out” or “I am not responsible for any of my own actions (unless they benefit me).” Even better is the candidate who says absolutely anything to get elected, including providing handouts/answers/excuses for the voters’ stated incapabilities (see the Clintons for one of a million examples).
Why is Mitt Romney’s name seemingly hypnenated with Mormon? Mike Huckabee is close second with some form of Baptist preacher attached to him. Why are the relligious affiliations of these two candidates continually trumpeted while there is nary a whisper about any of the others’? Is this just another example of the liberally biased media subtly directing the public’s opinions of certain candidates based on their Christianity?
Was Hillary wearing red or blue or as business as usual (both)? For those that did not understand my analogy.. I was referring to Blood and Crips and not Repub and Dems.
I do not trust Hillary to do anything for anyone except herself. The only thing Hillary proved she can do is that she can turn $1,000.00 into $100,000.00. Whenever she brings up the economy… the only thing that comes to mind is Tata. I do not believe in isolationism but we can shoot ourselves in the foot in the process. I know that businesses are looking for ways to increase their bottom line but sending jobs overseas should not be the solution based on employee salary. We need to reward businesses that keep blue collar jobs in America. I’d rather a company have tax breaks with jobs in USA than have them send jobs overseas and not be able to collect taxes from employees at all.
Bill sold his soul to China and we have Hillary selling hers to India. How can Hillary and Bill tell African Americans that she understands their plight when they are sacrificing jobs that can be easily taken by them. I believe that most African Americans rather have a job than a hand out.
This is why Obama is rising in the polls and becoming stronger. Promise a positive future instead of reminding people what you have not done for them.
If you are tired of the status-quo…. Vote Mitt Romney.
It’s the Economy???? What does the individual that is the President of the United States have to with the economy? He/she looks to his advisers, then he proposes actions, then the congress (remember the purse strings) have to pass budgets or incentive packages. So the individual that is or will be the President is not nearly as important to determining economic cycles as he/she is to national security or national unity. The fed chairman has more effect on the economy than the president. Remember how Greenspan sank George H. W. Bush’s re-election bid?
I guess American’s need a scapegoat for everything, why not the President. As F. Jonathan wrote, we don’t need a superhero that swoops in an magically makes everything perfect. Wishing that from a president is ignorant and immature. We need a Uniter. It’s American Unity that is most important. “United We Stand” should not be off-the-cuff rhetoric.
I believe that the MSM not reporting on Romney’s success in WY and NV may actually be helping him to some extent. He’s easily been able to go in and win where there is no press. Let’s not forget that he’s been by far the only candidate that has spent any respectable amount of time in either of those states. The other candidates are following after the press and where there is no press Romney comes in and takes all the delegates.
Foxnews…please…keep it up
Dear Hillary 08,
What color is the air in your world? You are absolutely correct about Hillary being a “doer”. Bend over, becuase if she gets elected, she will DO you (and all of the rest of us)!
Hillary has done nothing for NY State as Senator. How does she expect to do anything for a whole country. She is the one that is a fairy tale. All she wants to do is prove that she can be elected as a woman president, which will never happen. She will never become president whether she is a woman or a man.
LS caught that too! We are and always have been a European colony.
Headin’ back to the Euro! (Fox and Hillary let the cat outta the bag)
LONG LIVE THE KING!!!
Again, no mention of Ron Paul’s ideas. You people are amazing!