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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2016)
NATION Wednesday, January 13, 2016 East Oregonian STATE OF THE UNION Page 9A With Democratic race narrowing, Clinton rips into Sanders overhaul to the nation’s health care system was a AMES, Iowa — Facing major accomplishment. “I wish that we could a narrowing primary contest, Hillary Clinton elect a Democrat who could ripped into rival Bernie wave a magic wand and say, Sanders on Tuesday, saying ‘We shall do this and we the Vermont senator was shall do that.’ That ain’t the offering unrealistic policies real world we’re living in,” and overstating his anti-es- Clinton said. In Dubuque, Clinton said she hoped that tablishment credentials. For days, Clinton has cast Sanders “hurries up” and Sanders as a less forceful releases more details of advocate for gun control, his tax plan “because you honing in on a 2005 vote deserve to see the compar- he cast that gave immunity isons side-by-side.” In an emailed fund- to gun manufacturers. On Tuesday, she broadened raising appeal, Sanders her critique, arguing that if campaign manager Jeff Sanders wouldn’t combat Weaver dismissed Clinton’s WKH 1DWLRQDO 5LÀH $VVRFL- criticism and instead reit- ation, he can’t be trusted erated the senator’s goal of to take on other special guaranteeing health care for all Americans. interests. “It is a national disgrace “If you’re going to go around saying you stand WKDWWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVLVWKH up to special interests, only major country in the then stand up to that most world that does not offer powerful special interest — health care as a right,” stand up to the gun lobby,” Weaver said. “We need a she said, as she accepted SUHVLGHQWZKRZLOO¿JKWIRU the backing of a major gun the 29 million Americans without health care.” control advocacy group. Clinton also touted her Clinton added: “Don’t talk to me about standing foreign policy creden- up to corporate interests tials, drawing another, and big powers. I’ve got the more implicit, contrast with Sanders, who has scars to show for it.” Sanders campaign made tackling economic spokesman Michael Briggs inequality the focus of his said the senator had “spent campaign. “I’m prepared to a career standing up to do all parts to the job,” she powerful special interests said, after offering voters whether they be Wall Street, a detailed account of her big banks or Big Oil or the time in the Situation Room pharmaceutical industry, during the killing of Osama bin Laden. you name it.” Though Clinton has the Briggs added, “He has also stood up to the National backing of Democratic 5LÀH $VVRFLDWLRQ´ QRWLQJ leaders and top donors, that Sanders lost a 1988 polls show a tight race in congressional race in part Iowa while Sanders has because he supported a ban built a slight lead in New Hampshire, which borders on assault weapons. The fresh critique his home state of Vermont. marks an effort by Clinton Losses in both states could to undermine the central raise worries among Demo- argument of Sanders’ crats about her strength campaign— that the against Sanders, who was Vermont senator is an relatively unknown when outsider offering liberals a he started the campaign but “political revolution.” At has attracted big crowds. A poll released on one point, she alluded to his mantra, telling supporters, Wednesday by Quinnipiac “If that’s the kind of ‘revo- 8QLYHUVLW\VKRZHG6DQGHUV lution’ he’s talking about, winning 49 percent of likely Democratic caucus- I’m worried, folks.” With a touch of sarcasm, goers in Iowa, compared Clinton derided Sanders’ to 44 percent for Clinton. plans for a single-payer The same survey showed Medicare-for-all system Clinton leading in a 51-40 and said President Barack percent match-up just a Obama’s work to pass an month ago. Associated Press AP Photo/Susan Walsh President Barack Obama gives his the State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday. Obama warns against election year cynicism WASHINGTON (AP) — Eyeing the end of his presidency, Barack Obama urged Americans Tuesday night to rekindle their belief in the promise of change that ¿UVWFDUULHGKLPWRWKH:KLWH House, declaring that the country must not allow elec- tion-year fear and division to put economic and security progress at risk. “All the talk of America’s economic decline is political hot air,” Obama said in his ¿QDO 6WDWH RI WKH 8QLRQ address. “So is all the rhetoric you hear about our enemies getting stronger and America getting weaker.” ³7KH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI America is the most powerful nation on Earth. Period. It’s not even close,” he said. The president’s address to lawmakers and a prime- time television audience was meant to both shape his legacy and put his imprint squarely on the race to succeed him. He defended his record — and implicitly urged the public to elect another Democratic pres- ident to build on it — but acknowledged the persistent anxieties of Americans who feel shut out of a changing economy or at risk from an evolving terror threat. While Obama did not directly call out Republicans, he sharply, and at times sarcastically, struck back at rivals who have challenged his economic and national security stewardship. In one of his most pointed swipes at the GOP candi- dates running to succeed him, Obama warned against “voices urging us to fall back into tribes, to scapegoat fellow citizens who don’t look like us or pray like us or vote like we do or share the same background.” His words were unex- pectedly echoed by South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was selected to give the Republican response to 2EDPD¶V DGGUHVV 8QGHU- scoring how the heated campaign rhetoric about immigrants and minorities from GOP front-runner Donald Trump in particular has unnerved some Repub- lican leaders, Haley called on Americans to resist the temp- tation “to follow the siren call of the angriest voices.” “No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome,” said Haley, whose parents are Indian immigrants. Focused on his own legacy, Obama ticked off a retrospective of his domestic and foreign policy actions in RI¿FHLQFOXGLQJKHOSLQJOHDG the economy back from the brink of depression, muscling through a sweeping health care law, taking aggressive action on climate change and ending a Cold War freeze with Cuba. He touted implementation of the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, but made no mention of the 10 American sailors picked up by Iran Tuesday. The Pentagon said the sailors had drifted into Iranian waters after encoun- tering mechanical problems and would be returned safely and promptly. Tackling one of the most vexing foreign policy AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin applaud President Barack Obama during the State of the Union address. challenges of his presidency, Obama vowed a robust campaign to “take out” the Islamic State group, but chastised Republicans for “over the top claims” about the extremist group’s power. ³0DVVHV RI ¿JKWHUV RQ the back of pickup trucks and twisted souls plotting in apartments or garages pose an enormous danger and must be stopped,” he said. “But they do not threaten our national existence.” The president’s words were unlikely to satisfy Republicans, as well as some Democrats, who say he underestimates the Islamic State’s power and is leaving WKH86YXOQHUDEOHWRDWWDFN Obama was frank about one of his biggest regrets: failing to ease the persistently deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans. The GOP-led Congress Obama stood before Tuesday night is hostile to his ideas and angry about his executive orders on issues from guns to immigration. On the campaign trail, Trump’s heated rhetoric is seen by some voters as a welcome contrast to Obama’s cool calls for civility. On his Twitter account Tuesday night, the candidate dismissed Obama’s speech as “really boring.” As for political disagree- ment, Obama conceded, “The rancor and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better. There’s no doubt a president with the gifts of Lincoln or Roosevelt might have better bridged the divide, and I guarantee I’ll keep trying to be better so ORQJDV,KROGWKLVRI¿FH´ +H VSHFL¿FDOO\ FDOOHG IRU ending the gerrymandering of some congressional districts that gives parties an iron grip on House seats. He also urged steps to make voting easier and reduce WKH LQÀXHQFH RI PRQH\ LQ politics. Mindful of the scant prospect for major legis- lative action in an election year, Obama avoided the traditional litany of policy proposals. He did reiterate his call for working with Republicans on criminal MXVWLFH UHIRUP DQG ¿QDOL]LQJ DQ $VLD3DFL¿F WUDGH SDFW and he also vowed to keep pushing for action on polit- ically fraught issues such as curbing gun violence and ¿[LQJ WKH QDWLRQ¶V IUDFWXUHG immigration laws. The president also touted a new effort led by Vice President Joe Biden WR ¿JKW FDQFHU DLPHG DW increasing public and private resources and breaking down barriers to collaboration among researchers. Biden’s 46-year-old son died last year from brain cancer. Yet Obama was eager to look beyond his own pres- idency, casting the actions he’s taken as a springboard for future economic progress and national security. His optimism was meant to draw a contrast with what the White House sees as doom- and-gloom scenarios peddled by the GOP. Republicans were largely dismissive of the president’s address. House Speaker Paul Ryan, assuming the speaker’s traditional seat behind the SUHVLGHQW IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH said Obama’s “lofty plati- tudes and nostalgic rhetoric may make for nice sound- bites, but they don’t explain how to” solve problems. Tuesday’s address was one of Obama’s last oppor- tunities to claim a large tele- vision audience as president. However, the State of the 8QLRQ KDV VXIIHUHG D PDMRU drop-off in viewers in recent years. Last year, Obama’s speech reached 31.7 million viewers, according to Nielson, down from 52 PLOOLRQ IRU KLV ¿UVW 6WDWH RI WKH8QLRQDQGPLOOLRQIRU George W. Bush in 2003. 2EDPD¶V ¿QDO 6WDWH RI WKH 8QLRQ DGGUHVV UHYLYHG some of the gauzy nostalgia that was a hallmark of his political operation. Among WKRVH VLWWLQJ LQ ¿UVW ODG\ Michelle Obama’s guest box was Edith Childs, the South &DUROLQD ZRPDQ ZKR ¿UVW introduced Obama to the “Fired up! Ready to go!” chant that was a staple of his 2008 campaign. The president himself appeared to get momentarily caught up in the emotion of the moment. As he walked toward the exit after his hour-long speech, he turned back to the crowded House chamber and said, “Let me take one more look at this thing.” Love ! s e t o N Mwah Tell the world how you feel, send a message to your special someone for Valentine's Day! $ ONLY 15 00 10 Words + Photo $ ONLY 10 00 20 Words Fill out this form and send to our offices... Chris McClellan 541-278-2678 Shannon Paxton 541-564-4530 211 SE Byers Ave. Pendleton 333 E Main St. Hermiston Your Name: Daytime Phone: Address: City: Zip: Person's Name: Message: ❑ Emailed photo to classifieds@eastoreonian.com Remember: Please include a check or money order. 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