Hillary Clinton: Entire World is Watching Pennsylvania

bigtree

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-21-08 09:28 PM
Original message

Hillary Clinton: Entire World is Watching Pennsylvania

Hillary Clinton called on supporters in Northeastern Pennsylvania to spend the next hours volunteering, door knocking, calling undecided voters � anything to drive the vote out in tomorrow�s primary. (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/21/clinton-makes-closing-argument-in-scranton/)

�People are looking at Pennsylvania,� she told a Scranton audience who interrupted her with chants of �one day to victory.� �All of my plans and all of the hard work that I am offering to make it possible for us to once again to see results of presidential leadership that makes a difference in the lives of Americans can�t happen unless we win, and that�s where each and every one of you come.�

Senator Clinton spoke at the Scranton Cultural Center for just under 20 minutes Monday morning in a speech which she said felt more like a rally.

"The last day is here and the entire world is watching and I appreciate your having my back," Senator Clinton told the crowd.

Some people waited more than seven hours to hear those words from Hillary Clinton.

One woman, a walking photo album, came to the U.S. from Bosnia 12 years ago and thanked the Clintons for helping her country.

The senator spoke about issues important to the people of northeastern Pennsylvania, like jobs and energy and did not address Senator Barack Obama by name, except to mockingly say, "some people say yes we can. It doesn't mean we will."

When asked if she thought the political candidates should end negative campaigning Senator Clinton responded, "Well I think there certainly is more of an interest on the issues, what our records are, what we've already done. That's why, as you know following my campaign, I have been very specific about what I would do for the solutions to solve our problems and I'm going to keep being specific."

Clinton eschewed policy pronouncements at the morning rally before a raucus crowd in Scranton, PA � rallying her base in the town where her father was born with a mix of Bush bashing and family stories on the day before the all-important Pennsylvania primary. (http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/04/21/hillary-rallies-the-faithful-in-scranton/)

With mother Dorothy Rodham and brothers Hugh and Tony in the audience, Clinton was frequently interrupted by chants from the crowd � even conducting them like an orchestra leader. As cheers of �Madame President! Madame President!� forced her to stop yet again, she smiled � saying �that does sound awfully good. I like that. This is more like a pep rally than a political event.�

In keeping with the peppy spirit, Clinton never mentioned her primary opponent by name � unlike the slugfests that were her events yesterday.

Instead of attacks, she thanked longtime friends Scranton the city and spun tales of her childhood memories of the area. �When I was a little girl and we would come to Scranton every year, every summer and some Christmases, and we would go to Lake Winola in the summertime,� she said. Talking about a childhood friend, Clinton continued �I don�t see where she is, but we were talking about being out in a boat with a boy we both knew named Ernie � but that�s another story.�

With election-eve crowds more likely to be hardcore supporters than undecideds in need of convincing, Clinton begged the willing faithful to go the extra mile to bring her the win tomorrow. �In the next 36 hours, do everything you can,� she said. �Convince people to go vote who say that they�re not going to vote. Take them to the polls. Call your friends and neighbors, make the case for the kind of results that we desperately need in America again.�

"Now we need to really bear down - the last day is here, and the entire world is watching," Clinton said. "I appreciate your having my back."

This afternoon, the Clintons stumped together in front of a crowd of voters in Market Square. Before that the former President made two stops in Westmoreland County.

Pittsburgh's Public Works Department estimates that about 6,000 people came out to see the Clintons.

This was the first time the couple appeared here together, and it was the 44th event for former President Clinton and the 41st for Senator Clinton in Pa.

"This country has two enormous challenges," said Bill Clinton, "The first is to restore a sense a shared prosperity based on shared opportunities and shared responsibilities and move away from the disastrous economic policies and developments of the last seven years. The second is to restore America's trust and standing in the world, as the world's leading force for peace and freedom and cooperation."

Sen. Clinton said she enjoyed spending time with Pa. voters.

"Bill, Chelsea and I have had such a wonderful time crisscrossing Pennsylvania," she said. "A tremendous response everywhere we go, but more than that, just the personal opportunity to spend time in so many communities and hear the stories of Pennsylvanian's about what they want in their next President. And tomorrow you get to help pick the next President of the United States."

"There are all these people that tell you that this election is over. I would just say this," Bill Clinton said, "I was a pretty good politician. I didn't know everything but I was reasonably good at it. There are certain laws of politics that are invariable. One is that, when somebody tells you it's nothing personal, they're fixing to stick it to you. When somebody tells you it's not a money problem, they are not talking about their own problem. When someone tells you ought to quit, it's because they're afraid you won't. and when somebody tells you you can't win it's because they know you can." (http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/04/billary-in-pittsburgh.html)

At the event in a Pittsburgh city square, she rallied the faithful and reached out to the few undecided voters left in the state, "I am asking you to go tomorrow and vote for me for the toughest job in the world. It is. It is the toughest job in the world and you have to be ready for anything," she http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-22-voa1.cfm">said.

"Two wars, stock market and oil prices, an economy in crisis. Well, if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. And I'm very comfortable in that kitchen making those decisions and standing up for you because I know that's what it's going to take."