Clinton ad takes on Republicans

Hillary Clinton takes a whack at Republicans to solicit support from Democrats in her latest TV ad.

The 30-second spot, which is to air starting today on stations in New Hampshire, opens with images of television ads from Republican presidential hopefuls John McCain and Mitt Romney that attacked Clinton under the heading "The Republican Attack Machine." McCain's hit her on her support for federal funding of a museum commemorating the 1969 Woodstock concert, and Romney's criticized her lack of executive experience, saying she had never even run a corner store, much less a state government.

"Here they go again -- the same old Republican attack machine is back. Why?" the announcer asks.

As a series of images of Clinton with voters plays, the announcer answers his own question, saying that Republicans know there is one Democratic candidate who can get the US out of Iraq, end corporate tax giveaways, repair the budget deficit, and help the middle class.

"The strength to fight, the experience to lead," the announcer concludes.

The ad appears designed to both elicit some sympathy for Clinton, by far the most popular target for the Republican candidates, and to press one of her candidacy's core arguments -- that she is the most electable Democrat who has taken on and defeated Republican attacks before.

Danny Diaz, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, responded: "Senator Clinton has spent her entire career blaming her problems on her political opponents. The only things that are the 'same' and 'old' are Hillary Clinton's excuses."

The Romney campaign also quickly responded to Clinton's ad.

"Governor Romney also has a record of, and reputation for, actually getting things done," spokesman Kevin Madden said in a statement. "Senator Clinton has a reputation for one thing: partisanship. Extreme partisanship."

"Senator Clinton possesses a Washington, D.C., mindset that is incapable of leadership and entirely without the experience required to get things done for the American people," the statement continued. "Senator Clinton has shown us time and time again that she is more interested in political posturing than any core principles. Governor Romney has a record of accomplishment that demonstrates he has the vision and the experience that Senator Clinton lacks, making him the best candidate to change Washington and turn it around."

Fellow Democrat Chris Dodd's campaign also weighed in on Clinton's ad, with a statement issued by Hari Sevugan, its communications director:

"It's an interesting admission from Senator Clinton -- that if she's elected we're headed for four more years of the partisan warfare, Washington dysfunction, bitter divisiveness, and gridlock that have marked the last 15 years, at a time when all Americans are desperate for real solutions to real problems."