Edwards Consultant Tied to Anti-Union Ads

Clinton Disputes Critique of Wife

Former president Bill Clinton spoke out yesterday on behalf of his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), after Elizabeth Edwards criticized the Democratic front-runner for not being a strong advocate for women.

"I defy you to find anybody who has run for office in recent history whose got a longer history of working for women, for families and children than Hillary does," Bill Clinton said on ABC's "Good Morning America." On Tuesday, in an interview in the online magazine Salon, Edwards said her husband, former senator John Edwards (D-N.C.), would be a more consistent champion for women if elected president, suggesting the New York senator may be avoiding women's issues to "behave as a man."

The former president disputed that.

"I don't think she's trying to be a man. I don't think it's inconsistent with being a woman that you can also be knowledgeable on military and security affairs and be strong when the occasion demands it.

"I don't consider that being manly. I consider that being a leader," said Clinton, who was traveling in South Africa for his foundation.

-- Associated Press

Romney Hits Obama on Sex Ed

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is slamming Sen. Barack Obama for endorsing age-appropriate sex education for kindergartners.

"How much sex education is age appropriate for a 5-year-old? In my mind, zero is the right number," Romney said Wednesday night at a fundraising dinner for the El Paso County Republican Party in Colorado.

Romney's campaign later released a statement touting the former Massachusetts governor and criticizing Obama. The headline on the statement: "A record of promoting abstinence, not sex education for kindergartners."

Romney was referring to remarks Obama made earlier this week at a Planned Parenthood forum in Washington. The Illinois senator told the abortion rights advocates that he considers sex education for kindergartners appropriate if it is geared to their age level.

Obama also recalled being lambasted for his position during his 2004 Senate race against GOP opponent Alan Keyes. Obama said then -- and repeated to the Planned Parenthood supporters -- that the type of health education he supports is, for example, warning young children about inappropriate touching. He has also said that if kindergartners ask teachers questions about where babies come from, they should be given accurate information, not told a story about storks.

-- Associated Press