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Bill Clinton: West Virginia Vote Can Make 'Earth Move'
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ShareMay 09, 2008 1:48 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Bill Clinton continued his two day tour of West Virginia Friday, stressing the importance of a huge win for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in Tuesday's primary.
Speaking to a full firehouse in Madison, the former President told the crowd that those against her are trying to discourage people from caring about the election because they realize if enough people come out to vote, she could still win the popular vote.
"You have to realize that if you show up in enough numbers, and your neighbors in Kentucky do, and we have a good run through the rest of these states," asserted Clinton, "We gotta have your help and get the largest number of people to show up on election day. See all this stuff you are hearing about is an attempt to discourage you. That's what this is, pure and simple, hoping, well, Hillary can get eighty percent of the vote in West Virginia, and if only 100,000 people show up it is not enough. But if 600,000 people show up, and you say we want a president than you will see the earth move. You can do it."
While the crowd gave Clinton an extremely warm welcome, many in the crowd seemed to lose interest as he began his speech -- even during his appeal for a high voter turnout.
Clinton also brought superdelegates into his argument, a part of the primary process he usually avoids talking about while on the campaign trail.
"She can win the popular vote, she is clearly the most electable according to all the national polls, and between now and August, the superdelegates are gonna have to think long and hard about how badly they want to win. If she is clearly the most electable with positions that people have finally focused on, the real difference I think is, I think she has got a real shot at this and let me just tell you something, all those folks who are telling you on television that she can't win - they weren't for her in the beginning," said Clinton.
During the course of Clinton's hour long speech, many people wandered out but those that did stay listened intently to Clinton discuss his wife's energy and education plans for America.
As he wrapped up, the former President left the crowd with the idea that crowds like the one in Madison were best hope Hillary had at winning this nomination.
"So, that's my case. You think that is a good enough case for West Virginia? Is it a good enough case to get a lot of people to go vote? Will you do what you can to get more people to vote for between now and Tuesday? You just remember what I told ya. This whole deal is riding on how you perform. We are walking out here on a ledge. They have tried to push her off of it and she's still walking for you, toward tomorrow. Don't you let anybody discourage you. Don't you let a single soul stay home on Tuesday," Clinton told the crowd.
May 9, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (48)
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Plain talk. The absolute truth.
Posted by: geevill | May 9, 2008 1:59:12 PM
Its a bit funny, to see people left while he was still speaking, asking them to show up in large number on Tuesday to vote! Will they?
Posted by: Peace | May 9, 2008 2:05:39 PM
I am really beginning to wonder if the tone of you Obama supporters will cost Obama the white house.
Posted by: tomdavie | May 9, 2008 2:11:50 PM
Why is it that the media keeps reporting about Hillary getting out of the race. LEAVE HER ALONE. They don't even remember their own reporting. It was reported that after June 3rd, the race will be decided by the "Supers". She will probably get out of the race but she wants the other states to vote. Her name is still on the ballot and she is concerned for her supporters. That is a good legitimate concern. We are already very volatile about this race. If she doesn't get the respect she deserves for getting half the electorate, there will be blood in the General Election. She has worked hard for a whole year and to just get out without a "transitional Period", will be disatrous for the whole party. Besides it is already a movement going to boycott the GE if Obama is the nominee. It won't matter if she gets out now or later. The damage is already been done by Hillary-hating media.
Posted by: Lois, California | May 9, 2008 2:14:52 PM
They said the same thing about Ohio....
Then, they said it again about Pennsylvania..
Then, again, in Indiana........
And now, the "change the tide" state is
going to be West Virginia..... LOL
Bill..... go home already...... LOL....
Posted by: Mark | May 9, 2008 2:18:57 PM
Obama posters appear to have nothing positive to say about their candidate. This Clinton bashing is not going to be an very effective campaign theme. Even Obama cannot talk about healthcare without saying he agrees with Clinton's plan.
Posted by: geevill | May 9, 2008 2:21:32 PM
Tomagam-
There is a difference with Rev. Wright, who was one of Obama's closest friends...
He was preaching...
Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 3:04:11 PM
You can vote however you want, but I do not want to hear a couple of years from now that change isn't always a good thing...
Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 3:07:04 PM
Old enough to be in my 2nd year of law school.
Posted by: rockthebleachers | May 9, 2008 3:11:20 PM
Obama slams Hillary for saying that money not earned from the gas tax will cause thousands of jobs to be lost.
Yet he proposes $1,000 tax cuts for working families.... Where does that money come from????
Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 3:12:36 PM
You keep showing every one what an idiot you are Tomagam. You have no clue if I am Democrat or Republican.
Posted by: rockthebleachers | May 9, 2008 3:15:16 PM
no, what do you not understand....
Wright was preaching hate to others to spread...
Clinton's pastor never told his church that they should touch children...
Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 3:20:28 PM
mike, great point! I've been mulling this Gas Tax Holiday over too.
Obama says Hillary's plan to pay for it with a Windfall Profits Tax on Big Oil will cause prices to rise... yet, his own Energy Plan calls for a Windfall Profits Tax.
Obama says Hillary's plan to save Americans 18 cents/gallon this summer is pandering... yet his attack ad included a plan to give everyone a $1,000 tax break (and of course, doesn't say where he'll get that money).
Who's kidding who?
Posted by: HoosierSue | May 9, 2008 3:23:23 PM
thank you finally someone else who understands... i just hope everyone else understands
Posted by: mike | May 9, 2008 3:25:16 PM
Tomagam you just can't figure out how this works. You only need to submit it once. Can we count 1 -
Posted by: rockthebleachers | May 9, 2008 3:27:07 PM
Wow, he's setting some pretty impossible goals there. 600,000 voters is roughly a third of the state's population; I'm not sure they even have that many registered voters. Even in these heated primaries the biggest turnout so far hasn't cleared a quarter of the population in any other state. On top of that, Hillary hasn't gotten anywhere near 80% in any contest so far. The best she got was 70% in Arkansas, and she hasn't cleared 60% in any other contests.
I think everyone expects Clinton to do well in West Virginia, but the numbers that Bill is spinning are just a fairy tale.
Posted by: Justin | May 9, 2008 3:43:44 PM
This party is over for the Clinton's.
Posted by: Lou | May 9, 2008 3:49:21 PM
FYI Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the USA and I think he will do a great job for all people.
Posted by: Lou | May 9, 2008 3:51:37 PM
charleychaplin:
You're not only dead, but you're out
of your Mind!
If Hillary ran as an Independent in the
general election, John McCain would be
elected easily! Hillary and Obama would split the Democrat vote! Get a Clue!
Posted by: reaganfan | May 9, 2008 3:54:39 PM
The Clintons have lost their minds...they look pathetic.
Posted by: Sam | May 9, 2008 4:19:49 PM
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