In Ohio, Obama makes no apologies for "hope"

By Susan Milligan
Globe Staff

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Barack Obama, facing a formidable battle in Ohio against a candidate who is emphasizing her resume and policy proposals, responded with a blunt question to a university audience here: you got a problem with hope?

``The notion seems to be, if you get people excited about politics, there's something suspicious about that,'' Obama told a screaming, mostly young crowd of about 6,000 at Youngstown State. ``They are trying to feed you with a cynicism that says you should just go back to the couch and complain about how bad politics is, instead of coming to rallies like this one and getting involved,'' Obama said.
New York Senator Hillary Clinton, heavily favored in polls here, is painting Obama as a candidate who gives a good speech but cannot deliver the ``solutions'' the country needs. Obama sought to take apart that criticism yesterday, saying he can inspire the country to make changes.
``I make no apologies for being able to talk good,'' Obama said, drawing chuckles at what was apparently a deliberate grammatical error.
Obama repeated his stump speech line about being labeled a ``hope-monger,'' but before the Youngstown crowd, he made an admission: ``Actually, I made up the hope-mongering,'' Obama said, owning up to embellishing the criticism of his campaign theme.
As for Clinton, ``she says speeches can't put food on the table. NAFTA didn't put food on the table either,'' Obama said, referring to the much-reviled trade agreement many Ohioans blame for the massive job losses in the state.
Clinton has been critical of NAFTA on the campaign trail, but her husband, former President Bill Clinton, ushered the trade deal through when he was president.
Obama -- while not favored to win the Buckeye State in the Democratic primary -- focused most of his criticism on Republicans, winning a whoop from the audience when he talked about a November ballot without President Bush.
On national security, Obama also compared himself with Bush and with GOP Arizona Senator John McCain, who is widely expected to be the Republican nominee.
``This administration ... seems to think there is a contradiction between being safe and being respected in the world. Those things are not contradictory,'' Obama said, reiterating his willingness to conduct diplomacy with rogue nations.
``I would not hesitate to strike against those who would do us harm,'' Obama said, but ``part of keeping you safe is also using our military wisely.''
The Illinois lawmaker praised McCain's ``service to our country,'' but said the presumptive GOP nominee would not end the war in Iraq. ``When John McCain talks about spending another 100 years in Iraq, that's a good reason not to give him four more years in the White House,'' Obama said.