Bill Clinton Joins Hillary Chorus Reaffirming Call for Two Oregon Debates

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Bill Clinton Joins Hillary Chorus Reaffirming Call for Two Oregon Debates

April 26, 2008 11:11 AM

ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: In case the people of Oregon weren't entirely sure how badly Sen. Hillary Clinton wants another chance to debate her Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton was in town Friday to remind voters about just that fact. Campaigning in the small coastal community of North Bend, the former commander in chief pointed out how badly Hillary wants not just one, but two Oregon debates.

"I wish that we could have debates on all this," Clinton told the crowd during one of his long policy discussions. "And Hillary has proposed that Oregon should have two debates, one on the issues generally and one on you, on rural life in America today and what should be done. And if you agree you oughta make your feelings known, either on her Web site or some other way," Clinton said.

The push for another debate is just the latest in a long line of subtle, and not so subtle, hints Hillary, Bill and every other surrogate they can find have been laying down on the campaign trail. Sen. Clinton has put forth debate challenges in North Carolina, Indiana and Oregon, for those keeping count.

The former president spoke to a packed high school gymnasium in the coastal Oregon community. It had been more than 40 years since anything related to presidential politics had rolled through their neck of the woods, and the crowd was clearly excited to be a part of the never-ending presidential story line.

Clinton has been accused of many things during the course of this campaign season, but not knowing his audience rarely leads the list of charges. Friday night was a perfect example of why Clinton can connect with almost any American, as he launched into an in-depth discussion on the fishery issues that plague the Northwest.

"Now the administration has taken a curiously hands-off position on this while the salmon population keeps going down. I don't know if you remember this, but this started eight or nine years ago when I was president. There was a weird coalition of salmon fishermen in Washington and Oregon and Canada against Alaska because the population was moving so far north. We gotta bring back the population, it's gotta be the product of a stakeholder decision that you make. If you can get everybody together, which she will try to do, and convene people, she will support whatever comes out of involving all the stakeholders to bring the population back. This is a worldwide problem. Ninety percent of the world's fishing centers are understocked today. And fish are the main source of protein for poor people all over the world. This is a global crisis that you have a bad local case of. And she is determined to work with you to resolve it and reverse it," said Clinton, earning a thunderous applause from the audience.

But perhaps the loudest applause of the night came not from Clinton's words, but from his actions. The combination of Clinton's hour-long speech and a gym packed full of warm bodies was more heat than many in the room could handle -- former president included.

"You won't be offended if I take my coat off, will you?" Clinton asked the crowd as he tossed off his suit coat in the middle of his speech. The audience erupted into a mixture of applause, laughter and inaudible catcalls that only Clinton himself seemed to hear.

"You oughta.... That's not good," a chuckling Clinton said in response.

April 26, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (60)

User Comments

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Debate! What is he afraid of? Looking like a fool AGAIN? He can't handle debates with Hillary because he can't think on his feet, he can't give specifics like she can, and he stumbles over his words and makes a laughingstock of himself. DEBATE!

Posted by: James | Apr 26, 2008 1:18:18 PM

its obvious mr obama lacks confidence in himself, he tries to not look it with his 'chin in the air' pose. lol He does not have what it takes to win the presidency which explains even after outspending Hillary 4-1 he still cannot seal the deal

Posted by: andrea | Apr 26, 2008 1:24:50 PM

Clinton more of the old politics someone noted above? Clinton is a realist people... Obama claims to be above politics as though it's a dirty game. He was called on it yesterday by his spiritual advisor, the racist Reverend Wright. Wright noted that Obama is pandering like a normal politician. And anyone who thinks Obama is nothing more than a Daleyesque Chicago Political player should look closely at a Slate article "No We Can't" which describes in detail all of Obama's backroom dealings to suppress a redo vote in Michigan (you know the one that Governor Corzine, Ed Rendell, and James Carville offered to pay for out of their own pocket.) Obama is not a viable candidate in the big swing states. He will be swift-boated to death. This guy has no street-cred, he can't even knock out a 60 year old woman. GO HILLARY!

Posted by: charles | Apr 26, 2008 1:43:35 PM

meant to say "something more than a Daleyesque Chicago political player"

Posted by: charles | Apr 26, 2008 1:51:17 PM

WHY Obama doesn't want to debate???
The answer is very simple...he is afraid of showing to the American people that he really has nothing, NADA!
but repeating himself on boring speeches, aren't you tired already?
Finally, candidates should debate in every state they run, voters have the right to listen to proposed solutions to their local issues and candidates should take debates as a privilege to make their case before the american people. Don't run away Obama...it would be a shame !

Posted by: John Sutter | Apr 26, 2008 1:52:00 PM

Posted by: John Sutter | Apr 26, 2008 1:52:25 PM

So what's all this about seal the deal or delivering a knockout punch? Who was the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination by Super Tuesday? And with all her name recognition and influence why couldn't she deliver a knockout punch to the young senator from Illinois?

Posted by: xray | Apr 26, 2008 1:56:16 PM

Obama is the scariest thing that
every happened to me...

Go Hillary 08!!

Posted by: egg | Apr 26, 2008 2:15:03 PM

Frankly, Obama is not qualified to
be more than a legal assistant...

He is way over his head...

Posted by: eve | Apr 26, 2008 2:16:36 PM

Obama doesnt want debates because is ahead, AND he isnt much good at them.

If Obama thought he could put Clinton away by debating, he would.

If Clinton was ahead, she would try to STALL debates, but Im sorry, she would REJECT debates outright.

I think Obama should agree to 2 more debates and simply act friendly in them. It wont hurt him.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 26, 2008 2:25:09 PM

I'm a loyal democrat pledged to campaign against HIllary in november if she manages to win this nomination!

Posted by: Susan | Apr 26, 2008 2:29:54 PM

NO MORE FREE AD FOR THE CLINTONS!

LET THE CLINTONS USE THEIR OWN $100 MILLION TO BUY TV SPOTS! LOL

IF THE CLINTONS DESIRE IT, THEN IT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR ANYONE, CAN'T BE GOOD OR HER OPPONENT!

Posted by: New Yorker | Apr 26, 2008 3:03:01 PM

Cry me a river, she had her chance; We don't need more talking points for John McCain. Jeez, just how much help are the Democrats willing to give the GOP? I mean these are the same fools who gave Bush not one, but TWO terms, with his horrible record. I'm sick and tired of Pelosi, Reid, and all the other DINO's rolling over to the whim of Bush and the GOP. Remember the days when there actually was an oppostiton party!?! And yet, nobody will vote for a third party canidate. That's fine, just waste your vote with these two corrupt ones, and all will be well somehow. (NOT!)

Posted by: Zdnet | Apr 26, 2008 3:32:24 PM

I think that both parties involved should debate ..

We should remember that this is the presidental election people . Not who's most popular in your high school contest !
Remember we have been stuck with the most popular votee for the last 8 years , not the best man/woman for the job but he was popular.

Hillary 08

Posted by: Dan Heinsohn | Apr 26, 2008 6:07:13 PM

Gino... I don't know whether to laugh or cry...So only white people and god can make laws with compassion! The white people know the black's mentality? This is so sad i just don't know what to say.

Posted by: linda anderson | Apr 26, 2008 6:28:58 PM

Obama will be labeled as a big loser if accepted to this free style debates. It is obvious that Obama is not smart enough to debate with Clinton.

Posted by: Danh nguyen | Apr 26, 2008 7:50:01 PM

Who says winning a debate makes you the best leader of the free world? Hillary is a pitbull that will lie, cheat and mix truth with lies like the devil. She may 'win' a debate with a buch of dweebs that think bullies should run the world, but is that what we need? Do we need another paranoid Nixon with a multitude of scores to settle and a meglomanic need to dominate? Obama is the only candidate that can restore America's international image (and hence, economy). Hillary can only make it worse, much, much worse.

Posted by: Rene Caron | Apr 26, 2008 10:11:12 PM

I am an obama fan and I say that I am more interested in the issues than in them pandering to get my vote. Hillary says things to twist the minds of her supporters but she is turning off a lot of people in the process. We need to be unifie sin the end and that cant happen if they are tearing each other down. bullies never win. hillary should learn that.

Posted by: shea | Apr 26, 2008 10:22:00 PM

WHO CARES WHAT BILL CLINTON THINKS
He's a paid spokesman for any man/company/government that will donate six figures to his wallet. Really sick of him and his obnoxious wife

Posted by: John Tolliver | Apr 26, 2008 11:42:16 PM

The Clintons made $109 million and counting. Who said they ar broke!!!

Clinton wants to debate because she wants to show the voters who is the best candidate!!

If Obama thinks he is the best candidate the show up for debate.

Obama is scared of Hillary.

Hillary 08!!

Posted by: jt | Apr 27, 2008 12:07:40 AM

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