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Bill Clinton Rallies Rural America Through Wal-Mart and Pundits

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April 29, 2008 11:23 PM

ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: Former President Bill Clinton has always been a prominent subject in the media's coverage of the Democratic primary. In the past week however, Clinton has found himself the topic of even more articles than usual -- many dissecting his role in courting the rural vote.

Lately, Clinton has been choosing not to ignore these often critical articles. Instead, he has found good use for his daily clippings in the past week, weaving a few choice ideas into his stump speeches.

In Oregon this past Saturday, Clinton told the crowd about an Associated Press article he read about his trip to rural parts of the state.

"There's an article, I just read an article in The Associated Press that quotes a Reed college political science professor who says that my coming to see you wont work. Now listen, he said that Hillary's decision to reach out to rural Oregon was -- quote -- 'old politics,'" Clinton told a crowd in Junction City, Ore., making sure to hammer home the point that Hillary Clinton cares abour rural America, no matter what others might say.

Today, in Elkin, N.C., Clinton had a different article to talk about -- but the same message to deliver.

"I love my duties in this campaign because I'm basically the ambassador of Hillary's campaign to rural America, to small-town America," Clinton told a cheering crowd in a gymnasium. "And a lot of the political and press elites that haven't been for her from the get-go have made fun of this. I noticed some fellow wrote an article making fun of me campaigning places lilke Elkin and he said, 'Next thing you know, Bill Clinton will be taking Wal-Mart greeters to the polls.' See, now he thought that was a put-down. You know what I thought? I thought that was a good idea, why didn't I think of that? That would run our totals up."

There was one problem with Clinton's re-hashing of the article. The New Yorker story he referred to actually took the Wal-Mart quote from a Clinton advisor, who joked that Clinton's Pennsylvania election day plans were "leading a caravan of Wal-Mart greeters to the polls."

But that error meant nothing to the small-town crowd before Clinton, many of whom reacted as though Clinton's comments were proof that the Clinton campaign really cared about them -- no matter what the political pundits might think.

Whether the former president takes offense at these articles is not always clear. There can be a mixture of insult and indiference in Clinton's delivery.

What is clear is the rallying cry the former president is attempting to build with such remarks. As Hillary's "rural hitman," Bill Clinton is out to prove that his wife is the candidate who really cares about the issues and people in rural America.

If the people in these crowds want a president "who is a tough enough politician to make her husband escort Wal-Mart greeters to the polls," they should support Hillary, according to Clinton.

And with seven stops across rural North Carolina planned for Wednesday, it is surely a point he isn't going to stop touting anytime before next Tuesday's primary.

April 29, 2008 in Bush, George W. | Permalink | User Comments (48)

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Absolutely, Bill! Take Wal-Mart greeters to the polling booths! Obama's too elitist for Wal-Mart, K-mart, Target, or any other "common" retail store.

Posted by: Emily | Apr 29, 2008 11:37:01 PM

Go Bill!

Posted by: LOM | Apr 29, 2008 11:38:42 PM


ultra liberal democrats don't care
about all of baracks baggage:

-James Wright's "god damn America" sermon,
-Antoine' Rezco, jailed political fixer
-domestic terrorists Ayers and Dorhn
these guys blew up 25 bombs in the US
-bitter small town Americans, clinging to religion - like a pacifier
-HAMAS in the church bulletin
-he admitted smoking crack / cocaine

but mainstreet democrats do:

see PA OH (hillary clobbered obama)

and if the media exposed the real barack earlier, he would never have won the early states he did...

for 16 months hillary got hammered and obama got a free ride... after some of his skeletons are out of the closet he gets clubbed like a baby seal in PA and OH...

obama smells like mcgovern and dukakis and gore and kerry..

the republican swiftboat machine has baracks number.

Posted by: indy idiot | Apr 29, 2008 11:50:31 PM

Emily:
Wasn't it Hillary Clinton that was
on the Wal-Mart Board of Directors?
Oh no Hillary's not an elitist!
It is true you Hillary supporters are
uneducated and misinformed!

Posted by: reaganfan | Apr 29, 2008 11:53:54 PM

Rural america is truely the backbone of this country and Bill is doing a great job of getting Hillarys voice heard.

Posted by: D | Apr 29, 2008 11:55:20 PM

The Clinton's are the biggest Democratic elitists that there are in the party. For some reason they feel that the presidency is "owed" to Hillary. They are wrong and Obama is going to prove it one week from today.

http://www.politivine.com

Posted by: Cory | Apr 30, 2008 12:00:42 AM


Obama is unelectable. The whole point is that Obama cant just give a 'speech' again, that will just contradict every speech he gave before.

Wright has been consistent. He is the same guy he was on those tapes 7 years ago. 10 years ago.

He was the same guy all along. Obama suggesting he is OUTRAGED only now, but not over the last 20 years is literally impossible.

There are liberal media who still thinks he will be the next president, and I can tell you nowhere near as many people today think he will be as they did last week or 6 weeks ago.

They will STILL try to spin it for Obama.

Now we know why all the Obama supporters tried to FORCE Clinton out after Ohio and Texas, when they were SURE Obama would win those states and knock her out.

But next week. The week after. swift boat after swift boat. The democrats cannot possible INSIST Obama is the nominee.

The wright situation will NOT go away.

He sat in the pew for 20 years. You cant wish 20 years of your personal life away with a speech.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 30, 2008 12:07:11 AM

@ reaganfan:

You're appallingly obnoxious and uninformed. Why don't you do some actual homework about Obama and Michele's association with Wal-Mart.

Posted by: Emily | Apr 30, 2008 12:07:12 AM

reaganfan -- She was on the Wal-Mart board for six years. Do you have any clue of the things she was able to accomplish during her tenure there? Do you know that she pushed an agenda of equal rights in the work place for women and minorities? Do you know that she created a energy efficiency program? She was not Sam Walton's first choice, but she did make the company better in the end as the only female director on the board. Are you just slinging the name "Wal-Mart" with no substance to your argument?

Posted by: LOM | Apr 30, 2008 12:09:27 AM

Emily -- I think your proposition is a very good one that is lost on a lot of people here. I call it the flinging p00 methodology where people just state lies with no research and/or proof. I will say that many Hillary supporters are not absolved of this affliction either, just to a much lesser degree.

Posted by: LOM | Apr 30, 2008 12:12:20 AM

@ LOM: Amen to that.

BTW, I always read your posts with enthusiasm!

Posted by: Emily | Apr 30, 2008 12:18:47 AM

It is time for Mr. Obama to withdraw his candidacy
for President. His campaign is sending race relations back to the dark ages and this is only the beginning.
Just wait for 'interested parties' to begin quoting from Mr. Cone's book. It will make Mr. Wright sound like a peacemaker.
The damage to the Democratic Party is now nearly fatal. The only hope is for Obama to withdraw. He can then try to heal his credibility for a later run for higher office.

-unaligned

Posted by: Paul | Apr 30, 2008 12:25:46 AM

Emily -- Thanks!

Posted by: LOM | Apr 30, 2008 12:30:00 AM

Paul,Emily , LOM

I totally agree with your posts.

Obama peaked back in late February with his super MEDIA SHIELD that was so obnoxious they did a saturday night live skit on it.

I have never seen in my life the media that is supposed to bring us the news RIG the news and shape it to benefit ONE candidate.

Obama owes his delegate lead to MEDIA HYPE, and superior organization in caucus states.

I still watch CNN and the folks (outside of Lou Dobbs and Wolf Blitzer) outright STUMP for Obama 24 /7.

The last two days their entire broadcast has been about brainstorming to HELP Obama get thru this latest devastation.

They literally STUMP for Obama the entire time. They got some pretty SOUR looks on their faces these days.

I dont even go to MSNBC anymore. Im sure there is outright PANIC going thru the entire network.

I can tell you that if Obama gets the nomination somehow, it will be the first time in history someone got the nomination who LOST all the major primaries.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 30, 2008 12:31:44 AM

Rural America should not forget that thjis man is the one that had sex with another lady over and ove again without carrying about what his wife think.

Posted by: Sato | Apr 30, 2008 12:38:03 AM

tomdavie -- The MSM has become the biggest joke in this election cycle. Obama's frontrunner status is based on a series of events in early February. He has not done well since and enjoys the frontrunner status because of it. That's fine...he won those contests. He had the big MO working for him and it was fueled by the MSM. Now that things have slowed down and he has failed to close the deal on numerous occasions, folks are starting to wake up to the fact that Obama has a serious electability issue. If he didn't, this would have been closed long ago. He won a lot of traditionally Red states which won't mean squat in the GE for democrats. I don't see how he can get the nomination at this point if the Dems want to win the White House in the Fall.

Posted by: LOM | Apr 30, 2008 12:42:15 AM

@ tomdavie:

One of the primary reasons why MSNBC's news casters is so perversely partial toward Obama and biased against Hillary is because their parent company is General Electric. Many GE execs have contributed substantially to Obama's campaign. Hence the love affair with everything Obama.

Posted by: Emily | Apr 30, 2008 12:56:19 AM

...and when Obama becomes the nominee and it's back to Dems fighting Republicans, will you all be posting about why McCain is so awful and Obama is so wonderful? and with the same passion?

Posted by: Pogo | Apr 30, 2008 1:06:58 AM

It is convinced that a bonehead, once proclaimed, will always be a bonehead. BO has demonstrated his boneheadedness again in his speech today. He will say anything to deceive people to win an election.

Posted by: jr | Apr 30, 2008 1:29:44 AM


I think the republican media will LAMBASTE Obama for pandering in his rejection of Wright. It being Impossible to be true.

The corrupt liberal media will try to SPIN SPIN SPIN it for Obama . Somehow suggesting that giving a (4th or 5th) speech can wipe out a personal history with the guy for 20 years.

Then Obama will lose Indiana, which he said he HAD to win. He will not win North Carolina by 10 or even 5.

In fact, Clinton has a real play there now.

Then the SPIN masters will BLAME it on Wright so Obama has an EXUSE why he couldnt win Indiana when he SWORE that it was the tie breaker. Blah blah blah....

But the fact is, Wright isnt going away anytime soon.

If Wright announces that Obama knew and agreed with all of wrights rhetoric during those 20 years, then obamas political career is over.

Posted by: tomdavie | Apr 30, 2008 2:43:42 AM

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