Presidential politicking

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. – Staring out in the crowd of about 375 supporters, former President Bill Clinton saw a sign that he said sums up his wife’s presidential campaign. That sign read “Change you can count on.”\n“Do you want the feeling of change?” Clinton asked the crowd. “Or do you want someone who is a change-maker?”\nThe former president spent Tuesday stumping through Indiana, making stops in Lawrenceburg, Richmond and Fort Wayne to drum up support for his wife’s potentially decisive state primary matchup against Sen. Barack Obama.\nIndiana is predicted to be a tough battleground state as Sens. Hillary Clinton and Obama vie for the state’s 72 unpledged delegates at stake in its May 6 primary. The state could prove to have a large impact on the primary election for the first time in years. Supporters at the rally hope the candidate’s increased interest in the state could translate to a Democratic victory in November’s general election. \n“I do think the Democrats could win Indiana,” said Clinton supporter Cherl Corman of Greendale, Ind., who attended the rally. “I used to be a Republican and I don’t care too much for who is running for them this year, so I think we might be able to pull this off.”\nIn Lawrenceburg, his first stop of the day and the first Indiana visit of the primary season by the Clinton campaign, Clinton made the economy the focus of his speech. He said that as president, Hillary Clinton can solve the mortgage foreclosure crisis, stop America’s dependency on foreign oil and balance the budget. \n“There is one area that Hillary is more conservative than President Bush, and that is the budget,” he said. “It was a terrible mistake in adding to the national debt. We need financial responsibility.”\nHe said two other reasons that his wife should win the party’s nomination are her experience with national security issues and her ability to defeat Sen. John McCain in the general election, because of her capability to weather attacks. \n“She has been beat up the last 16 years, but she just keeps getting stronger and stronger,” he said. \nClinton also said his wife is the only candidate who has a real plan to reform health care in America. When Clinton asked the crowd if they know anyone without health care, virtually everyone in the crowd raised their hand. Clinton said this is unacceptable, and his wife’s plan to provide all Americans health care coverage is not only morally right, but will also save people money across the board. \n“With her plan, everyone can receive the same plan that covers members of congress and their families,” he said, prompting loud applause from the crowd.\nCalling himself the campaign’s “rural hitman,” Clinton said he cherishes stumping in small towns such as Lawrenceburg, which he said are essential to winning elections.\n“It is places like this that will propel her to the nomination and then to the presidency of the United States,” he said. \nHeeding criticisms that he has been too bold on the campaign trail, Clinton strayed away from directly attacking Obama and instead mentioned several times that the party has two very good and exciting candidates to choose from.\nLawrenceburg citizen Everett Beatty Sr., who attended the rally, said he believes it is benefiting the Democratic party to have this ongoing debate over what he believes are two very qualified people.\n“It gets everyone involved in the system and studying and learning about all this,” he said, adding he is strongly leaning towards voting for Hillary Clinton. “We need something to change, and we just can’t continue with what we’ve had with President Bush.”