White House Reacts to Clinton Campaign Ad

CRAWFORD, Texas — The White House yesterday assailed Senator Clinton, a Democratic presidential candidate, for criticizing President Bush in her latest television ad, calling her statements "outrageous."

The 60-second spot, which began running yesterday in Iowa, intercuts scenes of the candidate interacting with voters and talking about challenges facing many working people.

"If you're a family that is struggling, and you don't have health care, you are invisible to this president," the New York senator says in the ad. "If you're a single mom trying to find affordable child care so you can go to work, you're invisible, too.

The ad also argued that American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are "invisible" to the president.

White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino initially declined to comment on the ad, but then lambasted the spot and the senator.

"As to the merits of it, I think it's outrageous. This is a president who, first and foremost, has helped millions of seniors across the country have access to prescription drugs at a much lower cost," Ms. Perino said.