Let the phase commence

Under mounting pressure to attack rival Hillary Clinton more directly, Barack Obama yesterday signalled that he would do just that, telling CNN, "There's no doubt we are moving into a different phase of the campaign." Today it's clear that phase is well underway, with Obama repeatedly invoking Clinton's name in a speech at Drake University in Des Moines.

Obama today continued his criticism of Clinton's recent vote on a pugilistic Senate resolution on Iran, claiming it shows she hasn't learned from her mistake authorizing the Iraq war five years ago.

"Senator Clinton is the only Democratic candidate for president who supports this amendment," Obama said, according to prepared remarks. "She said, like she did five years ago, that it is a way to support diplomacy. I disagree. We all know that Iran poses a threat. We do need to mount international pressure to stop Iran's nuclear program. We do need to tighten sanctions on the Iranian regime – particularly on Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which supports terrorism. But this must be done separately from any saber-rattling about checking Iranian influence with our military presence in Iraq."

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer retorts: "If Senator Obama really believed that this measure gave the President a blank check for war he should have been there, speaking out, and fighting against it. Instead he did nothing, remained totally silent, and spoke out only after the vote to engage in false attacks against Senator Clinton."