http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/nation/ny-ushill055321345aug05,0,2415766.storyHillary Clinton blasted for taking lobbyists' cash
BY GLENN THRUSH | glenn.thrush@newsday.com
August 5, 2007
CHICAGO - Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a startlingly candid defense yesterday of her practice of taking campaign cash from federal lobbyists, eliciting catcalls from liberal bloggers attending the YearlyKos Convention.
Clinton had expected a rocky reception over her longtime support of the Iraq war and her apparently reluctant appearance at a pre-debate session with bloggers. The usually sure-footed front-runner stumbled after Barack Obama and John Edwards targeted her for taking cash from Washington lobbyists.
Edwards challenged Clinton to join him and Obama in pledging to not take "a dime from Washington lobbyists."
Clinton seemed to sidestep, replying, "I think it's a position that John certainly has taken," prompting a wave of derisive laughter from the 1,500 bloggers.
The booing began when Clinton said she'd continue taking money from Washington lobbyists, who have given about $400,000 to her campaign, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
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A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans," she said. "They represent nurses, social workers, and yes, they represent corporations and they employ a lot of people."
Clinton, who had been girding for anti-war heckling, shouted through the din: "I've been waiting for this! It gives us a real sense of reality, my being here."
She went on to say she had never been influenced by lobbyists. "I just ... I just ask you to look at my record," she added.
Obama, who has feuded with Clinton over policy since the YouTube debate last month, pounced, saying she was downplaying the influence of corporate money on politics.
"Now Hillary," he said, "you were talking about your [health care] effort back in 1993, and you can't tell me that money didn't make a difference, and you can't tell me that the money they are spending is just to contribute to the public interest."
In a post-debate session, Edwards went even further. "Sen. Clinton made clear that she intends to continue taking Washington lobbyist money," he said. "So the choice in front of America is very clear. ... You can run a serious, good campaign without Washington lobbyist money, but you can't run a clean government with Washington lobbyist money."
Obama and Edwards have eschewed donations from Washington lobbyists, although both take cash from state-level lobbyists and employees of firms that do federal business.
"Considering that they've both taken tens of thousands of dollars from people who work at lobbying firms, I wonder just how sincere these attacks really are," said a Clinton spokesman.
