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Bill Clinton: Willing to Shake Every Hand in Texas
February 23, 2008 10:48 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: Bill Clinton is a man on a mission today. For those keeping score, the former President beat all the actual candidates in number of events today, holding six across the western half of Texas. His message for voters has been brief and focused almost entirely on the reasons why his wife Hillary is the best Democratic candidate.
At one of four rallies he attended in El Paso this afternoon, Clinton did take a break from singing his wife's praises just long enough to point out that this election isn't all about inspiration and hope often associated with her opponent, Barack Obama.
"In order to be a good president you got to define what you hope for and how you are going to be able to keep faith for Americans by turning hopes into realities in other peoples lives," Clinton told a crowd in an El Paso parking lot. Of course, he was also quick to point out that his hometown is a place called Hope and how his candidacy was one of hope, sending a bit of a mixed message to the crowd.
Clinton also took an opportunity to take offense at those who say past experience or involvement in political fights is a negative. "I never thought, I never thought, that public service didn't matter. I never believed that what you had done in your past life was irrelevant to what kind of president you would be. I never disrespected people because they had served and cooperated when they could, but fought for you when they could, too. Once in a while you got to fight for people if you want them to get a fair deal and have a brighter future."
Clinton began the day in Corpus Christi and then headed up to Killeen, before rounding out the day with a jammed schedule in El Paso.
As the importance of Texas and Ohio becomes clearer by the day, Hillary Clinton's campaign obviously sees the former president's rock star status (especially among the Hispanic community) as one of their strongest assets. The usually verbose Clinton has been talking for just 10 or 15 minutes at many events, focusing heavily on the importance of early voting and participating in both the primary and the caucus.
Clinton has become extremely detailed in his plea for voter turnout.
"If you vote early or you vote on March the 4th in the popular election, 65 percent of the delegates will be selected to the national convention. But 35 percent of the delegates for the national convention will be selected Tuesday night, March 4, at 8000 Percent Convention all across this state," Clinton told the crowd in Killeen this morning, adding, "The doors open at 7 and they close at 7:15. It would be tragic if Hillary were to win this election in the daytime and somebody were to come in at night and take it away."
Clinton has also been choosing to spend a majority of his time shaking hands and signing posters -- something that seems to resonate with the crowds as much as any speech does. Last night at an event in Corpus Christi, Clinton caused a mob scene that lasted over an hour. While today's crowd was a bit more controlled, the excitement in the air was the same.
And that excitement is what the Clinton campaign will need to carry them through the next week and a half of campaigning. So instead of heading back East early in the week for fundraising, as originally planned, the former president will make a quick two-day trip to Ohio, and then it is right back to Texas. If Clinton could, he would shake the hand of every Democrat in Texas before March 4 -- and if he has it his way, he just might.
February 23, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (35)
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people are voting for obama is becuase of his preeching hes all talk with no action you say that in his in his speech at the dabate he so blind sited about heath he blieves people will have heth care if they can afford yes maybe so but there are lot of employer dont suplie heath care fopr there employee, you obama suppoter need to start listening to him speak he say he blieves in unvisal heath care but he dont belive kids should have heath care only aldult, if pollciatian have unviersal heath care then what caint we have it , it about time we take back our hard earn many an stop have the isurnace running our lives you obama soppoeter need to open your ears and start listening he been flip flopping on his speech first he say he for unversal then he say he not for it then he say the winner of this nomoniee will be president then he says if hillary win she will not get my sopporters he just all talk no action
Posted by: ernie | Feb 24, 2008 11:50:05 AM
Satish - I really think there is little chance of California not going for Obama, and Texas not going for the Republican in 2008.
One of the things I've heard from Latino leaders is not to look at Latinos as a bloc of voters. They tend to reflect their particular region more than their ethnicity. So I'm not sure if Texas Latinos really tell us much about California Latinos.
That said, don't confuse supporting one candidate in the primaries as an indication they won't support a different nominee in the general election. Case in point is college educated Democrats. They've tended to support Obama. If Clinton were to win the nomination, I'm sure most of them would support the nominee.
Posted by: Paul | Feb 24, 2008 12:03:19 PM
I am a Obama Supporter, and believe you Me Rodney, I am actively involved in Helping make a difference.. I am the Mother of three and Grandma to 6 beautiful Grandchildren and I am thinking of thier Future.. As we speak there are Over 7 Million Grandparents raising thier grandchildren in the USA.. Hillary had supported a Kinship support Bill that would help us, but that fell through !! I am a Grandparents advocate here in Wisconsin, and Bill or Hillary have DONE nothing to Help us.. At least Obama gives us Hope that things will Improve for Our children and Grands.. AS far as for Bill , Your Legacy is ruined, Your Greed to Have Hillary in Power no matter what . Has caused her the election !! I suggest both of you quit while you are ahead and retire and stay OUT of Politics in the future, Your day has come and gone....
Posted by: granfromwisconsin | Feb 24, 2008 1:59:53 PM
Bill: NAFTA, Waco, Monsanto, Black Hawk Down, Scandal, Lies, Corporate Deals,
Walmart...
Power, Greed, Corruption
The Ugly American
Posted by: JB | Feb 24, 2008 2:46:53 PM
I've listened to Obama and Hilary speak, and Obama is a master in making speaches, but Hilary can back up all her words.
Posted by: tx_gi | Feb 25, 2008 12:15:03 AM
Paul said, "I do not see any evidence that Obama can build a coalition with Democrats and Republicans to get Democratic legislation passed."
::
It's there to be seen if you want to see it.
That said, what coalitions has Hillary built between Democrats and Republicans?
Posted by: Craig Hickman | Feb 25, 2008 9:41:36 PM
Bill is now standing by his wife? Did we forget the whole Monica situation? Is he trying to get some points or what? Worse than that is why would she let him loose in the first place? He is not a compliment to her campaign. Let it go, the Clinton error (era) is over. She is negative and nasty. She is hateful and bitter. We no longer need that revenge type attitude in our government.
Posted by: staci | Feb 25, 2008 9:43:08 PM
Bring it home Obama!
Posted by: ag | Feb 25, 2008 9:45:46 PM
I voted for William J. Clinton twice, and I think he was a decent president - not perfect, but good for the country by most measures such as the economy. Watching the present campaign, Senator Obama reminds me of then-Governor Clinton. I think Senator Clinton will be better at serving the people of her adopted state than the rest of us, despite Bill's "Rock Star status" with Latinos. Obama's track record makes Senator Clinton's look anemic, frankly, though I realize few do research when they can parrot sound-bites.
Posted by: Lefty | Feb 25, 2008 10:01:11 PM
I am also a 2-time Bill Clinton voter. But I have seen a side to the Clintons which I've never seen before during this race --- the desperation, the playing fast and loose with facts, and the straight-up lack of ethics.
Obama has run this race touting his own strengths and policies. The Clintons have spent their time trying to figure out ways to trip up their opponents, which the DNC rules regarding FL and MI delegates (after signing a pledge that they would NOT do exactly that) and now mocking Obama.
The Clintons seem to care nothing for their party, for Bill's legacy, or for the American people. Every time you turn around, Bill is getting more red-faced angry and Hillary is getting louder and louder. It's not pretty, it's not nice, and it is so far from presidential that I hope that the trend continues...i.e., more and more Americans are realizing that another Clinton presidency is not what we need.
Elise in NH
Posted by: Elise in NH | Feb 26, 2008 1:14:32 AM
Americans have had their fill of Bush-Clinton politics and Bush-McCain policies. The nation needs a leader who can pull people together and build a working majority so that everyone in government is held to account.
That compelling proposition is the offer Obama makes. It's also America's last hope for real reform to an utterly broken government.
Posted by: Matt K. | Feb 26, 2008 5:49:38 AM
Paul @ 11:43- I'm sure that's supposed to read "8000 precinct conventions", or precinct-level caucuses. Actually, Bill has it backwards. The doors close, or the conventional voting ends, at 7PM, then they open the doors again at 7:15 for the precinct caucuses.
Posted by: Acanthus | Feb 26, 2008 10:39:47 AM
Hey, J, I am white, old, a nurse, a feminist, a civil rights worker, a Mother, a volunteer advocate for foster kids and health care professionals with substance abuse problems, ran a suicide and crisis center, taught psychiatric nursing in college and have been an Obama backer from the beginning. I'm all about being out there!
Posted by: Rain 39 | Feb 26, 2008 12:04:30 PM
It's pretty amusing that the President who ran on the slogan "the man from hope" has suddenly decided hope and inspiration aren't important. At least he's finally admitting that "public service" and "what you've done matter." That's why Barack Obama with his community organizing, get out the vote organizing, teaching, and outstanding records in the Illinois and Washington Senates is going to win!
Posted by: Yankee Sue | Feb 26, 2008 7:49:32 PM
As we sit here in front of our computers, the Clintons are getting ready to take LEGAL ACTION against the State of Texas to try and subvert the electoral process and block the caucus from going forward. The are doing this because they know they cannot win Texas as it stands now. It is disgusting.
It is exactly what they tried in Nevada. It caused a bit of a nationwide backlash there and EVERY TEXAN SHOULD BE TRULY OUTRAGED. The Clintons are the most ungracious losers I have ever seen in my life!
Posted by: Clint Cooper | Feb 29, 2008 12:50:38 AM
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