Throughout the Democratic races between frontrunners Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, Clinton had faced attacks of accepting money from the oil executives. During a campaign rally in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Clinton addressed the issue of accepting “oil money.” She did not say she was sorry about it. Instead, Clinton defended taking the money from the oil executives.
Clinton said that she is not the only one that had taken money from the executives from the oil companies. She said that those people working for the oil companies are Americans, just like everybody else that is participating in the presidential elections. In short, Clinton stood firm about taking money from the oil executives.
She addressed how Obama said that he did not take money from the oil companies. Clinton said that taking the money from the oil companies themselves is illegal. But, she said that the people that work for the oil companies are a different story. Clinton said that political candidates are prohibited by law to take corporate donations.
But, Clinton pointed out that the people that work for such companies are different from the companies themselves.
“Well the fact is he didn’t take money from oil companies, but you can, and we do, take money from the people who work for oil companies, they’re Americans, they can contribute,” Clinton explained. She admitted to taking money from the oil executives. But, she defended it by saying that they are Americans and not the companies themselves.
In short, Clinton admitted taking money from the oil executives. But, she immediately defended the stance. However, this probably will not stop Obama from launching attacks against her for it.
Then Clinton shifted towards the issue of health care. Recently, Clinton and Obama have attacked each other’s health care ads. The two candidates are looking to make health care the main issue in regards to the April 22 Democratic primary, set in Pennsylvania.
However, guns could possibly be the hot button issue.
The night of the Democratic debate in Pennsylvania took place on the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre, where Cho Seung-hui went on a shooting rampage killing thirty-two students and professors before killing himself.
Guns will be a double-edged sword issue. In Pennsylvania, there are almost one million licensed hunters and a quarter of a million registered members of the NRA. In Philadelphia, there is a high rate of gun-related murders.
But there is the possibility of green jobs as an issue since April 22 is Earth Day.