Clinton dismisses 'elite' economists on gas tax

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Sunday dismissed the "elite opinion" of economists who criticized her gas tax proposal, using a term that has dogged rival Barack Obama in recent weeks.

Obama, meanwhile, accused the New York senator of pandering on gas taxes and saber rattling toward Iran as the two gave television interviews before primary contests in North Carolina and Indiana. The two are battling to be their party's nominee and face Republican John McCain in November.

Clinton used her appearance on ABC's "This Week" to raise questions about Obama's ability to connect with working-class Americans while dismissing economists who have said her plan to suspend gas taxes over the summer would do little good.

"I'm not going to put my lot in with economists," the New York senator said when asked to name a credible economist who supported her proposal.

"We've got to get out of this mind-set where somehow elite opinion is always on the side of doing things that really disadvantage the vast majority of Americans," said Clinton, a former first lady who would be the first woman president.

Critics have painted Obama as elitist for a comment he made about job losses causing some small-town Americans to become bitter and to cling to guns and religion.

That perception hurt the Illinois senator in the big blue-collar state of Pennsylvania, where Clinton won a crucial victory last month in the protracted Democratic contest.

The two candidates next square off in North Carolina and Indiana on Tuesday. Polls close by 7 p.m. EDT/2300 GMT in Indiana and by 7:30 p.m. EDT/2330 GMT in North Carolina. Results are expected shortly after.