Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Saturday lashed out at rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, accusing her of dodging tough questions about Social Security.
Obama, campaigning at a senior center in Des Moines, said all the presidential candidates need to talk honestly about Social Security instead of sidestepping the issue, but he singled out Clinton for special criticism.
Obama’s campaign arranged for him to be introduced at the event by Tod Bowman, a teacher from Maquoketa, Iowa, who tried to pin down Clinton during a debate in Iowa earlier this month on whether the government should tax workers’ earnings above the present cap of $97,500 to help pay for Social Security benefits.
Clinton sidestepped the question in public, telling Bowman privately afterward that she didn’t want to put an additional tax burden on the middle class, but would consider a “gap,” with no Social Security taxes on income from $97,500 to around $200,000. Anything above that could be taxed. Her answer was allegedly overheard by an Associated Press reporter.
“A candidate for president owes it to the American people to tell us where they stand,” Obama said. “… because you’re not ready to lead if you can’t tell us where you’re going.”
Clinton spokesman Mark Daley responded to Obama, saying the Illinois senator “has abandoned the politics of hope as his campaign has stalled.
“Maybe he should focus on explaining to Iowans why a few months ago he said that everything was on the table, including raising the retirement age, but today says he opposes it,” Daley said. “Sen. Clinton has been clear about her position on Social Security. She will oppose any effort to privatize the program. As president, her first priority will be restoring fiscal responsibility and fair tax policies, and then will work in a bipartisan process to address Social Security’s long term challenges.”
