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Published - Friday, February 15, 2008

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Big crowd hears former President Clinton campaign for Hillary


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Former President Bill Clinton made his case for his wife’s presidency Thursday night in a campaign stop in La Crosse.

Speaking for nearly 90 minutes to more than 2,000 people in a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse gymnasium, Bill Clinton said Hillary Clinton would be “the best change-maker” for America.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow welcomes former president Bill Clinton to the stage as Clinton made a visit to La Crosse to campaign for his wife Hillary Clinton. Erik Daily

“I think that action counts more than rhetoric, that solutions are more important than speeches, however beautiful,” Bill Clinton said. “That’s what I believe.”

The New York senator and her rival for the Democratic nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, have only three major differences, Bill Clinton said.

In addition to universal health care, “she’s the only one who wants to freeze” mortgage foreclosures, and she voted against Vice President Dick Cheney’s energy policy, which have tax breaks to big oil companies, he said.

Obama’s campaign recently has run ads criticizing Sen. Clinton’s health care plan because it would require everyone to buy health insurance. Obama says his plan would make affordable insurance available to everyone but wouldn’t make it mandatory to have coverage.

“This is going to be affordable for everyone,” Bill Clinton said. “You can believe the propaganda on the television or you can believe the experts” who say Hillary Clinton’s plan would cover everyone.

“You will never get control of costs unless you cover all Americans,” Bill Clinton said. “If you don’t cover everyone, it will cost you more.”

“I think Hillary should be president because she’ll give health care to every single American,” he said.

In addition to his appearance at UW-L’s Recreational Eagle Center, he also campaigned earlier Thursday in Madison and Milwaukee.

In the audience to hear Clinton at UW-L was Leo Jilk of Winona, Minn., who described himself as behind Mrs. Clinton “four-square. Every time I see Hillary come on, I turn to my wife and say, ‘I’m so proud you’re a woman, babe.’

“One of the reasons I support Hillary is we’re working-class people, and her package resonates more with us,” Jilk said.

Sitting next to Jilk was Steve Engber of Onalaska, Wis., who said he’d vote either for Clinton or Obama in November — and hoped they might be on the same ticket.

“I know the Clintons will pick up the machinery where they left off. I trust them to govern effectively,” Engber said. Yet, “I have an aching for inspirational leadership,” he said, referring to Obama. “Having a black man with a taste of Islam in his name could give us credibility in the Arab streets,” he said.

Hillary Clinton has been campaigning in Ohio and Texas in recent days, and won’t be in Wisconsin until Saturday. Earlier Thursday, she told reporters during a conference call from Ohio she plans to spend four days in Wisconsin, starting Saturday.

Reid Magney can be reached at (608) 791-8211 or rmagney@lacrossetribune.com.

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D. Ray wrote on Feb 16, 2008 7:46 AM:

" Yes, protesters were banned from a partisan campaign stop. Of course they were! This rally is about Democrats trying to get the Democratic vote. They kept people out because it was a partisan gathering with the purpose of rallying a candidates supporters. When an ELECTED official comes to make a speech protesters then should be allowed in as the speaker represents them as well as those who voted for them. Right now Hillary has been elected by nobody in La Crosse! I would expect protesters to be banned from McCain, Huckabee, and Obama rallies as well at this point. Once someone is elected, if they choose to go out and speak then they should expect protesters. Until then these campaign rallies are just what they should be, cheerleading parties for candidates. "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:45 PM:

" To The Moderate: So in your thinking, Clinton just coasted for eight year's with the economy. Do you really believe anything that you just posted? Anything? "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:41 PM:

" To xf: Suppose you tell us all about the supposed whitewater scandal ok? Let's hear all you know about it and then let's compare it to some of Bush's scandals, ok? "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:39 PM:

" To jn: How come protesters were not allowed at the Bush rally at Kapanke field when he was here huh? "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:37 PM:

" To banger: I've heard Bugs and you and other people say that before. Prove it if it's true. You could collect a reward, perhaps. Your making an accusation that has no merit and you know it. That BS started on Limbaugh's show and you fell for it because you want to believe it. "

2thecoredem wrote on Feb 15, 2008 6:06 PM:

" Dutchboy, did you forget that a Bush came between Reagan and Clinton? At the end of
Clinton's "reign" we had a surplus in the coffer. What has GW done but lie, violate the law, bypass the Constitution, kill our troops in a war that was begun on a lie and continues on a lie? He fed the rich, starves the poor, and wrecked this country. Wake up, people. This country can not survive any more Bushenomics. We must end this war that is serving nothing, costing everything that will end in nothing of honor. Go Hillary!




"

Michael Welch wrote on Feb 15, 2008 12:12 PM:

" 'Moderate' why did you vote for Bill then if he was so bad? You did vote for him as your idea of a 'moderate' right? Well just like Martin Luther King Jr needed Lyndon Johnson to support and SIGN civil rights legislation, congressional legislation of any kind requires the same. Raising tax revenues helped and Clinton when he flopped as a 'haelth care provider' went for deficit reduction and welfare 'reform.' However he was against 'closing down the government' eh? Gingrich then flopped as a contractor ON America and later as a 'moral leader' more sterling than Bill. Billy bombed places too but he didn't pledge an endless war. 'Best REPUBLICAN president since Coolidge' -- surprised you don't like him anymore... "

Northstar wrote on Feb 15, 2008 12:02 PM:

" Mr Jilk, you may want to figure out wat "IS","IS" before you and the babe get to worked up. "

Michael Welch wrote on Feb 15, 2008 12:00 PM:

" Probably folks 'want another Clinton in the white house' if the alternative is 'another Bushite.' Big Jawn has made the raison d'etre for his campaign the wars; he is dedicated he says to, well 'one hundred years' of war and occupation if that's what it takes. He's said that he has just started reading Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' (I believe former professor Ron Paul has probably read that several times and could give Mac some tutoring, if asked?) and Smith actually wrote AGAINST government cartels and 'special interests' -- in his time he disapproved of the British occupation of India in the name of the interests of the British East India company. Hmmm. How far has John read by now do you think?... "

ACE wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:42 AM:

" I'm surprised they let that "sexual predator" in La Crosse. "

mike tellier wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:37 AM:

" GOT TAXES SIGN BARRED FROM THIS RALLY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLI14NkT41k "

jn wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:36 AM:

" Monica had more experience in the Oval Office than Hillary. "

jn wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:33 AM:

" Why were protesters not allowed into rally. It's a public institution and cops shouldn't be allowed to determine who can come in. After all, do we really want another Clinton in the White House? "

Badger Fan wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:13 AM:

" Deano. If you are a "proper liberal Dem", why oh why would you miss this. "Hillery needs soneone" Get back to class little buddy, it will help you in the long run. "

Polewog wrote on Feb 15, 2008 11:02 AM:

" Mike Tellier. I was at the rally last night and didn't see any home made signs. Near as I can tell, your guy wasn't barred from the rally, his sign was. "

dean wrote on Feb 15, 2008 10:59 AM:

" I'm using Microsoft spell check, I know it doesn't know the difference between meet and meat As an example but I will keep trusting Bill Gates "

badger fan wrote on Feb 15, 2008 10:45 AM:

" deano, stop playing on the computer, and get back to school. Your spelling sucks "

mike tellier wrote on Feb 15, 2008 10:34 AM:

" Ron Paul Supporter Barred From This Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLI14NkT41k "

dean wrote on Feb 15, 2008 9:48 AM:

" To Dutchboy. Do You think Clinton should have borrowed 168 Billion to STIMULATE the economy ? What should He have done? Maybe he should have borrow 336 Billion and had twice the stimulation even triple it ,Just say super size the deficit "

banger wrote on Feb 15, 2008 9:37 AM:

" Maybe if we elect Ms. Clinton, they will return all the furniture, china, silverware etc. they stole when they moved out of the White House in 2001. "

DutchBoy wrote on Feb 15, 2008 9:08 AM:

" Clinton lied, and on 9/11 people died. Clinton did nothing to assist the economy, by election day 1992 the slightly-hiccuped economy was already on the road to recovery, thanks to Reaganomics!!! At least Clinton did nothing to change Reagan's immortal economic policy. Clinton did let OBL go and never saw a threat in al-Qaeda. At least Barrack Hussein Obama is upfront and honest that he will capitulate and accomodate al-Qaeda. Unlike Clinton who huffs-and-puffs and then gives them warning of a strike. "

dean wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:53 AM:

" To moderate , Thanks for giving Clinton the credit for low inflation, Clinton became President in 1993 so all that stuff in the 80s was his predecessors "

xf wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:49 AM:

" re: Richard Cranium: Let's see, Billy Boy was impeached, they both lied about whitewater, Hillary hasn't done a thing for anyone since being in office and runs solely on the sympathy vote that came about from Billy Boy's impeachment. This is truly a case of the blind leading the blind leading the blind. "

The Moderate wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:38 AM:

" dean has decided to add to the myths cited in this thread. #1 myth: Clinton responsible for Budget Surpluses (try Gramm Rudman Budget Reconciliation Bill of 1989 and subsequent Pay-as-you-go Rules in force in Congress until they expired without renewal in 2001), #2 myth: Clinton responsible for prosperity and low inflation rate of 90's (try advent of low cost PC and subsequent technology as well as lowering of Fed Interest Rate by Greenspan ), #3 myth: Clinton responsible for "peace" (try the demise of the Soviet Union in the late 80's - also look up Balkan War which was all about oil as well). I know he is young (I’ve seen the notes regarding his mom wanted him to get his nap in), but life existed before 2000. "

audifan08 wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:28 AM:

" The last thing we need is more forcible intervention in medicine. Doctors and patients need the freedom to voluntarily enter into arrangements that best suit their needs, rather than the alleged "needs" of some presumptuous politician who enforces medical decisions ultimately by men with guns. "

dean wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:27 AM:

" Obama has superman , McCain has the terminator ,Huck has Walker, Hillery needs soneone to fight it out with the other 3 "

Greenlite wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:25 AM:

" Richard C: I guess if we want The United Socialists of America then vote for Obama, or Clinton, raise taxes and let the Government just do it for us. They seem to think they know what's best for the masses anyway. All of our problems will be solved and we all can spend more time on the blogs, and in front of ABC's left wing biased news spin. "

mike tellier wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:20 AM:

" Ron Paul Supporter Barred from this Rally

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLI14NkT41k "

vince wrote on Feb 15, 2008 7:15 AM:

" voting to fund it is a lot different than voting to START it. hillary wanted to START this war obama didn't. "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 7:08 AM:

" To rvtraveler: Her health care plan didn't happen because of the Republicans in Congress remember? Not because it couldn't be funded. In the long run it would have been cheaper than your Republican wars. In fact, that would have saved lives. And the 80 million dollars? Why did you Republicans feel compelled to waste all that money trying to bring the Clinton's down, huh? And just who is going to lead us out of the Republicans war? ALL THREE of the candidates have voted to fund it. "

Richard Cranium wrote on Feb 15, 2008 7:02 AM:

" To JohnSmithP: Just what would you call the decade that we are currently in then? Scandal free? Debt free? And no corporate greed? Come on buddy, we've had more and larger scandals involving lives than the nineties by far. The worst economy since Hoover, the largest and costliest bankruptcies in the history of our country, not to mention our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Irrational nineties? Give me a break. Try getting some information from other sources besides FOX and Rush Limbaugh. "

rvtraveler wrote on Feb 15, 2008 6:35 AM:

" Hillary was supposed to come up with a health plan for the country when Bill was President and nothing happened. Don't forget the almost $80 million spent investigating them when Bill was in the White House. We need a change from the past two administrators. Hillary voted for the war. She is not what we need to lead us out of the mess we are in now. "

vince wrote on Feb 15, 2008 6:09 AM:

" where were the war protesters? she voted to send our boys to iraq didn't she? is this what we want more of? "

dean wrote on Feb 15, 2008 5:58 AM:

" I'm not sure if We need any more of the Clintons Budget surpluses, Low inflation, Prosperity and peace "

The Moderate wrote on Feb 15, 2008 5:33 AM:

" Whay a fairy tale! Universal Health Care Coverage will NOT affect the cost of Health Care as Bubba indicates. It's the cost of technology that has caused the increased health care costs. Give me a break! "

JohnSmithP wrote on Feb 15, 2008 5:24 AM:

" When, how and where did Hillary Clinton demonstrate her infamous economic wisdom and foresight while Alan Greenspan was warning of irrational exuberance as the subprime housing loans were created and pandered during her husband's administration and her husband supported China's entry into the World Trade Organization without any conditions such as protecting the environment or labor and property rights to levels that are comparable to western standards?
*
Today China is not only a leading contributor to environmental pollution and global warming (thank you very much Mr. Nobel Laureate, Al Gore), it's also pushing up oil and other commodity prices, taking our jobs and stealing our intellectual property.
*
The Irrational Nineties like the Roaring Twenties decade that preceded the Great Depression, were both a golden age for technology, scandal-plagued politicians, corporate greed, and unrestrained personal debt and speculation.
"


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