Hillary Clinton has a fever and the only prescription is more Obama.
Clinton said President Obama’s name 22 times and made numerous references to his policies during Thursday's Democratic debate hosted by PBS Newshour. Clinton has embraced Obama and his policies more tightly as her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) nips at her heels in the polls.
At the beginning of the debate, Clinton tied herself to Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare.
"You know, before it was called Obamacare, it was called Hillarycare," Clinton said. "And why I am a staunch supporter of President Obama's principal accomplishment—namely the Affordable Care Act—is because I know how hard it was to get that done."
Later in the debate, Clinton invoked Obama’s name five times in a single response.
"I want to follow up on something having to do with leadership because, you know, today Senator Sanders said that President Obama failed the presidential leadership test. And this is not the first time that he has criticized President Obama," Clinton said.
"He wrote a forward for a book that basically argued voters should have buyers’ remorse when it comes to President Obama's leadership and legacy ... You know, from my perspective, maybe because I understand what President Obama inherited, not only the worst financial crisis but the antipathy of the Republicans in Congress, I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for being a president ... I do not expect from someone running for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama."
A new poll shows Clinton and Sanders tied in Nevada.