LEWISBURG — Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are down to the wire in their race to win — or in Obama’s case, not lose big in — the Pennsylvania primary.
With a week and a day left before voters head to the polls, Mrs. Clinton has dispatched her staunchest and, arguably, most popular supporter: her husband.
Former President Bill Clinton appeared before a mostly-full Sojka Pavilion at Bucknell University Sunday morning to make the case for why his wife is the best choice among the three remaining presidential candidates.
“I’m telling you, I’d be here for her even if I didn’t marry her,” he said, “because I think she’s the best changemaker.”
During a recent campaign stop, his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was asked whether she thought her mother would make a better president than her father. The former first daughter responded by saying she did.
“And I agree,” Mr. Clinton said Sunday, “because (Hillary’s) better prepared for it.”
During his hour-long speech, he touched on his wife’s plan to reinvigorate the sagging economy with a focus on energy independence.
Energy, he said, “is the only thing that has generated jobs across the world in every area ... America has not even scratched the surface of what it can do with solar energy, wind energy, biomass fuel.”
He also explained Mrs. Clinton’s plans for education (“a radical rewrite of No Child Left Behind”), withdrawing troops from Iraq and taking care of wounded veterans.
Speaking about health care, he said, “I want to talk about this, even though most of the people in this audience are young and probably aren’t that worried about it.”
The crowd was a mix of young and old however, with Bucknell’s trademark bright orange making it easy to spot the students.
Several students said they were still on the fence between Mrs. Clinton and Obama and didn’t know enough about the issues to make a decision yet.
“I’m interested to see what (Mr. Clinton) has to say today,” said 19-year-old Jessica Horne, a sophomore. “Looking at a lot of their issues, they seem really similar.”
Her friend, sophomore Jackie Denning, said, “I like both candidates, but Hillary seems to have more of a plan. But I like Barack’s ideas.”
Ashley Roselle, a 22-year-old junior, said Barack Obama has a large, vocal and, in her opinion, obnoxious contingent on campus.
“They harass you in the cafeteria. ‘Are you going to vote for Barack Obama? ... He’s who you need. Blah, blah, blah,’” she said. “It’s very one-sided. It personally turns me against him.”
But that’s not the only reason she refuses to vote for the senator from Illinois, she said. “A lot of his campaign is rooted in his charisma. There’s no solidarity ... I just don’t feel like I get a good vibe from him.”
Junior Joe Lee, 20, is leaning toward Obama because of his “fresh view on politics,” but went to see Mr. Clinton out of curiosity.
“I’d actually prefer to have Bill come here to speak (than Mrs. Clinton),” Lee said. “A lot of people think the only reason she’s in office is because of Bill.”
Bucknell has invited the three remaining candidates to speak at the campus. In the past two weeks, Mr. Clinton and his daughter have made stops there and last month actors Dulé Hill and Zachary Quinto appeared to speak on Obama’s behalf.
“It truly speaks to the strengths of this university to attract guests of incredible distinction,” said junior Kim Reynolds, president of the Bucknell College Democrats, prior to the ex-president’s speech Sunday.
She added that, while students can learn a lot about the candidates from reading newspapers and watching television, “only through direct exposure is the educational experience at its best.”
n E-mail comments to rscott@dailyitem.com.
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