Heres the exerpt for anyone who wants it..
SEN. CLINTON: You know, I think that two weeks ago you criticized Senator Edwards in saying that he was unelectable because he had changed positions over the course of four years, that four years ago he wasn?t for universal health care, now he is. Well, you?ve changed positions within three years on, you know, a range of issues that you put forth when you ran for the Senate and now you have changed. You know, you said you would vote against the Patriot Act; you came to the Senate, you voted for it. You said that you would vote against funding for the Iraq war; you came to the Senate and you voted for $300 billion of it.
So I just think it?s fair for people to understand that many of the charges that have been leveled not just at me, but also at Senator Edwards, are not totally, you know, unrelated to the very record that you have.
And you?ve said records matter, and I think that we should get into examining everybody?s record.
SEN. OBAMA: Let me - I want John to be able to get in on this, but since this was directed at me, let me just make sure that I ? I address this.
First of all, I never said John was unelectable. Somebody asked me specifically what did I think was the difference between myself and John, and I pointed out some areas where I thought we had some differences. And -
SEN. CLINTON: And you said that he had changed positions, did you not?
SEN. OBAMA: And I did, because I thought that I had been more consistent on those positions.
I have no problem, Hillary, with you pointing out areas where you think we have differences. But on health care, for example, the reason that I mandate for children is because children do not have a choice. Adults do, and it?s my belief that they will choose to have health care if it is affordable. Now, that?s a perfectly legitimate policy difference for us to have. That is different from saying that I will refuse to cover or leave out a bunch of individuals.
And the last point I just want to make on this is ? Charlie, is these are all good public servants, and everybody has great qualifications and has done good things. But what I think is important that we don?t do is to try to distort each other?s records as, you know, Election Day approaches here in New Hampshire, because what I think the people of America are looking for are folks who are going to be straight about the issues and are going to be interested in solving problems and bringing people together. That?s the reason I think we did so well in Iowa.
MR. GIBSON: You?ve been very patient [to Senator Edwards].
SEN. OBAMA: You have, and I appreciate it.
MR. EDWARDS: Thank you. Thank you. No, you?re welcome. You?re more than welcome.
Let me just say a quick word about this. You know, Senator Obama and I have differences. We do. We have a difference about health care, which he and I have talked about before. We have a fundamental difference about the way you bring about change. But both of us are powerful voices for change.
And I might add, we finished first and second in the Iowa caucus, I think in part as a result of that.
Now, what I would say is this: Any time you speak out powerfully for change, the forces of status quo attack. That?s exactly what happens. It?s fine to have a disagreement about health care. To say that Senator Obama is having a debate with himself from some Associated Press story, I think is just not ? that?s not the kind of discussion we should be having. I think that every time this happens ? what will occur every time he speaks out for change, every time I fight for change, the forces of status quo are going to attack. Every single time. And what we have to remember ? and this is the overarching issue here ? because what we really need in New Hampshire and in future state primaries is we need an unfiltered debate between the agents of change, about how we bring about that change, because we have differences about that. But the ? the one thing I do not argue with him about is he believes deeply in change and I believe deeply in change. And anytime you?re fighting for that, I mean, I didn?t hear these kinds of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead. Now that she?s not, we hear them. And anytime you speak out ? anytime you speak out for change, this is what happens.
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