Tue, April 15, 2008 - 3:20 PM

Clinton did take several questions from the crowd and one journalist asked about solving the quagmire that is Florida.

Florida moved up its primary, violating Democratic Party rules. As it stands now, the state’s delegates will not count in electing a nominee for the party.

Republicans were able to quickly resolve the issue and Democrats still can, Clinton said.

“There are lots of ways this can be solved,” she said.

Clinton said she will continue to call on the party to resolve the issue and said “it would be a grave mistake” to ignore the voters of the state.

-- Amy Dominello

Clinton did not specifically address some of the biggest questions on the trail right now, but instead danced around them.

No mention of Obama’s remarks characterizing small-town America as bitter. But she did emphasize the plight of middle-class America as she spoke and mentioned her own middle-class roots. And she entered and left to the music of a rocker that epitomizes working-class roots, John Cougar Mellencamp.

Even though some have called on her to drop out of the race, she didn’t address it directly. But she did promise it would end. Eventually.

“I know this campaign has gone on a long time. But elections do end,” she said. “.. All we have left is the choice we have made.”

In her final thought she extolled the virtues of Americans, but it easily could have been a veiled reference to her fight for the presidency.

“There is no one who can count us out if we are willing and able to rise up and seize the challenge before us,” she said.

-- Amy Dominello

Clinton was the only of the three candidates to rock it out, making her entrance to the John Cougar Mellencamp song, “This Is Our Country.”

And that’s pretty much the theme she stuck to as she launched into her speech – which at times bordered on school lecture - about the power of the presidency.

She criticized President Bush for abuse of power before launching into a litany of areas the president has failed.

“He has abused his power while failing to understand its purpose,” Clinton said.

Clinton said she would be the one to bring change
.
“The magnitude of the problems before us present a unique challenge and chance to bring this generation of Americans together,” she said. “A new president will inherit the job at a time of unprecedented challenges and threats. … That’s why it’s so important we restore balance and integrity to the presidency.”

If elected, Clinton said she would restore faith, openness and “evidence-based decision making” to government. She also said she would restore respect for the other branches of government.

-- Amy Dominello

WASHINGTON – One environmental group is not very impressed with John McCain’s call today for a gas-tax holiday and his claim that in his presidential administration “there will be no corporate welfare.”

McCain made the comments in a speech in Philadelphia today.

But the League of Conservation Voters points out in a press release that on Dec. 17, 2007, McCain was the only senator to miss a vote to invoke cloture (end debate and allow for a vote) on a version of an energy bill that would have repealed $18 billion in subsidies to oil companies.

“McCain was the lone Senator to miss the vote, ensuring that billions of taxpayer dollars continued to flow into ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP and ConocoPhillips,” the group’s press release said. “These multinationals enjoyed another year of record profits, yet the corporate tax cuts McCain proposed today would reduce taxes for those five companies by an additional $3.8 billion.”

“If Senator McCain wants to save money for American taxpayers, he should get to the root of the problem: massive taxpayer-funded subsidies to huge oil companies that are already making tens of billions of dollars a year,” LCV President Gene Karpinski said. “The answer to the high cost of gas is not temporary tax maneuvering, it is a fundamental shift away from oil and towards clean, renewable energy.”

-- Billy House

Hillary Clinton took her turn before a tough crowd this afternoon.

She spoke to journalists in Washington at a luncheon for the Newspaper Association of America and American Society of Newspaper Editors. Barack Obama and John McCain got their turn to speak to large gatherings of editors and publishers on Monday.

The journalist who introduced her reminded her that there are plenty of people in the crowd who are used to answering the phone at 3 a.m. – editors.

“He’s given me a great idea of where I can find a running mate,” Clinton said.

-- Amy Dominello

After Barack Obama’s comments characterizing small-town America as bitter, the candidates are showing of their street cred to prove who is more “in touch” with American voters.

The candidates – particularly the Democrats right now as they continue their battle for the nomination in Pennsylvania and Indiana - have been trying to look like they are one with the working-class people of America.

Hillary Clinton throws back a shot of whiskey. Obama bowls.

In reality, the Clintons made $20.4 million in 2007. According to the New York Times, they are in the top one-hundredth of 1 percent, or roughly 14,500, of all taxpayers.

Obama reported income of nearly $1 million in 2006.

John McCain has not released his tax returns. But it’s safe to say he does well for himself. His wife Cindy is an heiress to her father's stake in beer distributor Hensley & Co. Cindy McCain’s worth may exceed $100 million.

All three candidates are in the U.S. Senate, a body which is not exactly lauded for being in touch with common folk. And McCain has been there the longest – 22 years.

When Clinton boozes it up or Obama bowls, we’re supposed to say, “Look at that! They live just like I do!” But it always comes across as fake and elitist. The drinking and bowling got major play on television because it is rare to see them do these things, at least publicly. And yet for many Americans, that’s a Saturday night.

So are any of these candidates really in touch with the American voter?

-- Amy Dominello