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Meeting Folks, Getting Votes -- Bill Clinton's Last Push in Texas

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March 04, 2008 7:55 PM

ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: Former President Bill Clinton spent the day in Texas shaking hands in support of his wife's candidacy, and worrying out loud about unconfirmed reports of vote irregularities.

As he made his way to an elementary school in Austin, the former president told the crowd, "We have had some very disturbing reports at some places where Hillary is strong, that people are coming to these places and saying that the caucuses have been cancelled and they don't have to come back, and I just got two different calls about it, so we just gotta emphasize that there is going to be a caucus at every one of these polling centers."

Watch the VIDEO HERE.

While none of these claims have been verified, Clinton went on to tell reporters that there have also been reports of tampering with Texas caucus sign-in sheets. 

"The other thing is that some people have been told, apparently, that there is going to be an effort to sign up in advance and slip the sheets in. And nobody's signature counts unless you sign up after the polls close, so we are going to have a caucus at every polling site, and you cannot sign until the caucus begins -- that's the only signatures that are worthwhile. We gotta get everybody to play by the rules. It's a little bit complicated, but we can do it, and it is going to be a great night," said Clinton.

Clinton was enthusiastic and optimistic about today's election results, suggesting the momentum may be moving in his wife's favor.

"This things moving a lot, you can just feel it in the last three or four days, people are finally beginning to take a serious look at the election, at the choices they have," Clinton told reporters at the polling location, adding "the more people know her, the more they come to trust her, the more they believe in her, the more they realize she delivers." 

The ex-president showed some early reservation about Ohio voter turnout due to heavy storms across the state.  "Its a good turnout here, and the weather’s good over most of Texas today, different from Ohio where the weather is very bad in a lot of parts of Ohio, so it's hard to know," said Clinton.

As soon as Clinton walked through the doors of the student center at Texas State University in San Marcos, he was mobbed by students and faculty alike.  However, most in the crowd seemed more interested in having him sign their sneakers or answer to the name "Bubba," than promising to vote for Hillary. 

"Thank you for supporting her -- thank you," Clinton said. "You oughta go back to the caucus tonight, bring some of your friends. But nobody can go if they don't vote today. "

Clinton did 58 interviews on radio and TV today, since 6 a.m., from inside his car, in-between stops. At one location, he stayed in the car, finishing a round of interviews before going into a restaurant.

While Clinton was focused on his wife all day, one reporter tried to get him to speak about the OTHER candidate and his involvement with a certain legal case in Chicago. 

"I think that that is not for me to say," said Clinton, in regard to Sen. Barack Obama's involvement in the ongoing Tony Rezko trial in Chicago.  "The main thing, like any other, is facts should come out and then voters can decide."

March 4, 2008 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (33)

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It's quite interesting that Bill Clinton is always the first to complain about voter problems -- which seem never to be verified later. Some more whine with that cheese?

Posted by: Jackt51 | Mar 4, 2008 8:06:12 PM

The Obama campaign seems to do a pretty good job of complaining too, like is happening in Ohio right now. Quit insulting Obama and implying he doesn't know how to play dirty, he's from Chicago remember? He pointed out to all of us that he can rumble if he needs to.

Posted by: alpaig | Mar 4, 2008 8:10:22 PM

Bill should just shut his mouth. Hopefully Hillary will lose every race tonight. There only one hope for the Democratic Party and that's OBAMA!

Posted by: Texas Boy | Mar 4, 2008 8:15:36 PM

Hey "Jackt51", ex-President Carter is most forthright in attacking election fraud, and is willing to do so against harsh dictatorships in foreign countries. How about them apples.

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Mar 4, 2008 8:17:53 PM

The more people know her the more they come to trust her? Huh, Bill? On Super Tuesday, I liked both candidates, but voted for Obama because in my home state of IL he has done good things, and is well-respected. Plus I researched his policies and liked them just a bit more than Hillary's. But after this last week and her "by any means necessary" tactics, the last thing I feel for Hillary is trust. She is driven by personal ambitiouns more than anything, and I don't trust her. nasty campaigning will not unite us, as Dems or the country.

Posted by: anotherpatricia | Mar 4, 2008 8:22:26 PM

How can anyone trust Hillary C. with a sociopath like Bill behind her? Shameless opportunists...both of them

Posted by: abobinmn | Mar 4, 2008 8:28:43 PM

Trust Obama? Did anyone read that memo to Canada that stated his anti-NAFTA statements wre for politics? Trust him?
And what changes and how. So far he has not said anything. Another youthful politician bending more than my ear.

Posted by: Paul | Mar 4, 2008 8:48:02 PM

You know, I think the Democratic Party needs to institute a new rule for primaries - that neither the candidate, NOR their spouse, should be allowed NEAR the primary/caucus site on the day of the primary/caucus. The person who noted that the only time there are comments made about 'voting problems' seem to come out of Bill Clinton's mouth is right - and in all the times he has said as such, NO ONE has been able to verify it AT ALL...based on the history of BOTH Clinton's, I do not believe him for a second!

Posted by: Nancy | Mar 4, 2008 8:52:51 PM

Bill Clinton has no place casting aspersions on anyone. You would think after all the heat he took -- unfairly -- because of Whitewater, he wouldn't make insinuations.

Posted by: James | Mar 4, 2008 8:56:53 PM

Carter = smart, popular, outsider who ran on a platform very similar to Obama's... result - he was not able to accomplish anything in Washington until his last year and the country suffered greatly... no matter how good a person Carter is... he was not qualified to bring about the positive change needed.

Even Bill Clinton had trouble his first 3 years but his inside status combined with his intelligence lead to a turnaround in year 4 and a second term that was the most prosperous in our history. Senator Clinton is smarter than he is, more connected than he is, and has all his lessons learned in her pocket.

Carter and Clinton were wonderful orators and inspirational! Senator Clinton inspires those who really listen and do not let prejudices and gender enter into their judgement. Senator Obama is the same as Carter and needs more time and experience building working relationships with the right people in Washington and the World. Getting voters to like you wont get the job done. History repeats itself often when we fail to remember it.

We need more than that especially in this crucial time in history... war on two fronts with potentially more coming very soon, an economy that is crumbling, the majority suffering, the minority prospering, and two broken political parties in a two party system.

The numbers are coming in and prove the country remains divided. However noble Obama's uniter goal is, he has failed. His momentum is no longer prevalent. Let the remaining voters be a part of this history-making election and the convention will provide a nominee and a united party.

Posted by: DCVoter | Mar 4, 2008 8:57:42 PM

This is the same President Clinton who complained in Nevada about hispanics women stating the Obama's people where trying to prevent them from voting in the caucus. Funny thing is the cameras are always around him when he's out and NOT ONE camera saw these women running up to Clinton complaining about anything. It didn't happen, Shame on you Bill Clinton!

Posted by: Tennessee | Mar 4, 2008 9:00:27 PM

Was he shaking his finger at the camera when he claimed someone (besides himself) was lying? He and Hillary are shameless liars. By the way, what persona is Hillary trying out today?

Posted by: Sinecure | Mar 4, 2008 9:02:16 PM

I hope the democrats have the opportunity to see the tactics the Clintons have used on the party on the other side except he's applying them now. This accusation about voter irregularities is merely the prelude to another plan to change the results later on when they are not to the Clintons' liking. Wait and see.

Posted by: Adam Smith | Mar 4, 2008 9:09:43 PM

What has Obama accomplished and what are the CHANGES he keeps talking about and I thought that was awful the way he
handled the reporters about the Canidian repot and the influnce peddeler was thinking about voting for him but now I may vote REPUBLICAN

Posted by: gary | Mar 4, 2008 9:32:37 PM

Bill Clinton calling someone a liar?? Had he kept his mouth shut, both literally and figuratively, he would have gone done in our books as a phenomenal president. For him to call someone a liar is like him saying someone has an unbalanced libido. "Hello, pot? Kettle calling. You're black." No kidding...

Posted by: JHB | Mar 4, 2008 9:49:29 PM

Would you shut up already Bill? We all know you'll stoop to any level to win an election, even making up voter fraud. Next thing we know, you'll let Rush Limbaugh rustle up votes for Hillary.

Posted by: seth | Mar 4, 2008 9:50:16 PM

He is the one who lies.....oh my gosh who sat in front of this nation and said, I didn't have sex with her????How many times,he makes me sick>>>>>

Posted by: honest | Mar 4, 2008 10:08:09 PM

Voters were lied to? Did Bill just open his mouth again?

Posted by: Adam Smith | Mar 4, 2008 10:52:27 PM

Right Bill, so tell your wife to shut her mouth and there will be no more lies.

Posted by: Patriot2008 | Mar 4, 2008 11:05:55 PM

he should know about lying to the voters and citizens. Wasn't he disbarred losing his license to practice law for perjury?

Ha, they only complain when its not their way.

Posted by: scott jeffries | Mar 4, 2008 11:34:54 PM

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