(AFP) – Oct 30, 2007

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Hillary Clinton got her retaliation in first at rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards, ahead of her latest campaign debate clash Tuesday with fellow Democratic White House hopefuls.

Clinton was girding for a rough ride in Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love," after both challengers cranked up the pace and tone of their attacks on her stands on Iran, Iraq, domestic priorities and her ties to corporations.

The former first lady holds a double digit opinion poll lead over the pair, who are facing pressure to shake up the Democratic race as time runs out before the first party nominating contest, the Iowa caucuses, on January 3.

Hours before the debate, the former first lady launched a counter-attack, as her campaign released a memo entitled "Where are the Politics of Hope?"

The memo played off Obama's signature theme, to accuse him of abandoning his vow to cleanse politics and descending to gutter-level campaign tactics.

The Clinton campaign also posted videos on one of her campaign websites, featuring Illinois Senator Obama, and former Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards, speaking out against hardball campaign attacks.

"The campaigns shouldn't be about making each other look bad," Obama was featured as saying earlier this year.

"If you are looking for a candidate who will do the best job of attacking other Democrats, I am not your guy," Edwards said in a video dating from his previous presidential run in 2004.

Obama argues Clinton's stands on foreign policy issues like Iran and Iraq are politically expedient, and paints her as a symptom of bitter partisanship in Washington, while Edwards has accused her of cosying up to big corporations.

But Clinton, who has barely put a foot wrong in the 2008 Democratic race for president, has performed strongly in all previous encounters leading up to Tuesday's showdown with seven other Democratic hopefuls.

Obama has for months invoked the "politics of hope" but is adding new steel to his lofty rhetoric, in a bid to thwart Clinton's campaign.

In a RealClearPolitics.com average of national opinion surveys, Clinton has a 26 point lead over Obama, with Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, in third.

Obama told Sunday's New York Times Clinton was hiding her positions for political gain and had not been truthful with the electorate.

"I don't think people know what her agenda exactly is," he said.

Edwards on Monday meanwhile accused Clinton of cosying up to big business, saying in New Hampshire that her "road to the middle class takes a major detour right through the deep canyon of corporate lobbyists."

A new poll Monday had Obama locked in a tight battle with the former first lady in Iowa, with Edwards third.

Clinton led the new University of Iowa survey with 28.9 percent, followed by Obama with 26.6 percent, with Edwards sliding on 20 percent.

The state is crucial to both men. Analysts say victory in Iowa would give Obama a boost which could allow him to challenge Clinton in other key states, while his defeat may effectively crown her as presumptive nominee.

A bad loss for Edwards in a state where he has invested heavily, and which leads a long list of primary and caucus nominating contests, would likely effectively end his campaign.

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