Clinton-Obama feud takes center stage

Recently, Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama’s have framed their campaigns as a race of Experience vs. Change respectively. Which do Americans value more? And can either candidate really deliver?Clinton and Obama have been engaged in a heated debate on foreign policy since Obama announced last week that as president he would readily meet with leaders of nations hostile to the United States. Hillary called Obama’s remarks “irresponsible and frankly na’ve..” Obama responded by implying her views on foreign policy constituted “Bush-Cheney Lite.” He also fired back, saying, “If you want to talk about irresponsibility and naiveté, look at her vote to authorize George Bush to send our troops into Iraq without an exit plan.” Where do Clinton and Obama truly differ on foreign policy? In reality, the contrast is more a question of character than ideology or philosophy. Obama is bold, intuitive, and independent; Clinton is mature, careful, and grounded. To succeed in renewing America’s engagement with the world, the next president will require all of those characteristics. Maybe the best thing for the country is figure out a way to iron out the differences between these two ground- breaking candidates and bring them closer together for a possible Clinton/Obama ticket!Both Clinton and Obama have consulted foreign-policy heavyweights to educate them on the issues and help shape their approach to world affairs. Obama has sought out former Bush Secretary of State Colin Powell for advice on foreign policy matters. While Powell served in the administrations of two Republican presidents, he said Sunday on Meet the Press it was too early in the 2008 race to say whether he would back the GOP nominee. Hilary Clinton, on the other hand, has been relying more heavily on the expertise of her husband President Bill Clinton in domestic and foreign affairs.On a final note, local news media and the office of U.S. House Rep. Henry Cuellar have confirmed that President Clinton will be campaigning for his wife Laredo and possibly visiting TAMIU.