Friday, October 29, 2004
Bill Clinton campaigns in Las Vegas
Anjeanette Damon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL10/29/2004 10:56 pm
Joe Cavaretta/Joe Cavaretta IN VEGAS: Former President Clinton appears at a rally on behalf of U.S. Sen. John Kerry Friday at the Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS — Standing in the same amphitheater where he delivered his own campaign’s closing argument eight years ago, former President Bill Clinton asked a cheering crowd Friday to elect U.S. Sen. John Kerry president Tuesday.
“This whole election may turn on what happens in Nevada,” he told an estimated 5,000 supporters at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater.
Las Vegas is one of only a handful of campaign stops Clinton is making, seven weeks after undergoing open-heart surgery.
“This is part of my therapy,” he said. “You’re good for my recovery.”
As the campaign comes to a close, Clinton is among the final surrogates to visit Nevada, a presidential battleground state that has received unprecedented attention from both candidates.
Democrats said Clinton’s record of presiding over a booming economy and his political persuasion would help swing the tiny number of undecided voters left in Nevada to Kerry.
But Republicans contend Clinton was needed to prop up an ailing base of voters in Clark County — the Democratic stronghold of the state.
“Bill Clinton is the last Democrat who excited the Democratic base,” said Bush’s campaign manager Ken Mehlman in a conference call with Nevada reporters before the speech. “When people see Bill Clinton, they’ll remember well that John Kerry, you’re no Bill Clinton.”
In his 20-minute stump speech, Clinton chastised Bush for giving the wealthy a tax cut, often referring to his own tax rebate.
“We’ve had to borrow and spend to cover my tax break,” Clinton joked.
“They put a bill through called No Child Left Behind, but then George Bush wanted to give me a tax cut, and they left 2.1 million kids behind,” Clinton said.
Clinton said the record budget deficits created during the Bush administration eventually will cause “interest rates to explode.”
Clinton said he can’t wait for Kerry to repeal his tax cut, adding that the millionaires he knows – including Republicans – are embarrassed by their tax breaks.
“We are embarrassed because in the last four years we are the only group of Americans who have not been asked to make any contribution to the rebuilding of the American economy and the war on terror,” Clinton said.
Clinton also said Kerry has the better plan to keep America safe, seeking to reassure voters who might be concerned about changing presidents in the middle of a war.
Kerry, Clinton said, will increase the U.S. military by 40,000 troops, build a stronger international coalition to help secure Iraq, double the number of special forces to “intensify the hunt for terrorists” and “invest more in homeland security.”
Mehlman said Nevada voters understand Bush is the candidate to keep them safe from terrorists, who “have designs” on Las Vegas and that Bush’s tax cuts are key to keeping the state’s economy strong.
Eleven-year-old Sean Hale, of Las Vegas, who joined his mother Corey at Clinton’s rally, said he’s worried the country will “go into chaos” if Bush is reelected.
“I want Kerry to win,” he said. “If he doesn’t, our country will be in even more trouble. We’ve already lost most of our allies.”
Many in the crowd came to see their “favorite president.” But opinions were mixed on whether his campaign stop would make a difference among those who haven’t voted yet.
“I think all their decisions are already made,” said Kristen Maish-Wirth, 37, a Las Vegas banker. “You see that with the turnout at early voting. People’s minds are already made.”
Marilyn Molitch, 56, a retiree who moved to Las Vegas this year from Incline Village, disagreed.
“A lot of people have a lot of respect for Clinton,” she said. “Clinton’s not a dummy. If he didn’t like Kerry he would’ve stayed quiet and not endorsed anyone. But if he says Kerry would be good, then he could help some people decide.”
Evette Tippett, 37, a Las Vegas AmeriCorps volunteer, said Clinton reminds people of a better time.
“People want things the way they were when he was in office,” she said. “The economy was good.”
James Carville, Clinton’s chief campaign strategist in 1992, said voters see more than the past when they look at the former president.
“People see a guy with a lot of ideas,” he told reporters after Clinton’s speech. “They look at Clinton as a sign of hope.”
But he acknowledged that Clinton’s record helps.
“What did people not like? The peace or the prosperity?” he joked.
Former Democratic Texas Gov. Ann Richards plans a visit to Reno on Sunday in a campaign stop aimed at encouraging support for U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Richards, who was unseated as governor by George W. Bush in 1994, is scheduled to speak at Promenade on the River, a senior center on 525 Court Street, at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Richards is touring the country urging seniors to vote and criticizing President Bush’s policies on Iraq, education and health care, among other topics.
Organizers said Richards plans to speak to the group about “seniors’ issues that are pertinent to this presidential election.” Copyright © 2004 The Reno Gazette-Journal
Anjeanette Damon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL10/29/2004 10:56 pm
Joe Cavaretta/Joe Cavaretta IN VEGAS: Former President Clinton appears at a rally on behalf of U.S. Sen. John Kerry Friday at the Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS — Standing in the same amphitheater where he delivered his own campaign’s closing argument eight years ago, former President Bill Clinton asked a cheering crowd Friday to elect U.S. Sen. John Kerry president Tuesday.
“This whole election may turn on what happens in Nevada,” he told an estimated 5,000 supporters at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater.
Las Vegas is one of only a handful of campaign stops Clinton is making, seven weeks after undergoing open-heart surgery.
“This is part of my therapy,” he said. “You’re good for my recovery.”
As the campaign comes to a close, Clinton is among the final surrogates to visit Nevada, a presidential battleground state that has received unprecedented attention from both candidates.
Democrats said Clinton’s record of presiding over a booming economy and his political persuasion would help swing the tiny number of undecided voters left in Nevada to Kerry.
But Republicans contend Clinton was needed to prop up an ailing base of voters in Clark County — the Democratic stronghold of the state.
“Bill Clinton is the last Democrat who excited the Democratic base,” said Bush’s campaign manager Ken Mehlman in a conference call with Nevada reporters before the speech. “When people see Bill Clinton, they’ll remember well that John Kerry, you’re no Bill Clinton.”
In his 20-minute stump speech, Clinton chastised Bush for giving the wealthy a tax cut, often referring to his own tax rebate.
“We’ve had to borrow and spend to cover my tax break,” Clinton joked.
“They put a bill through called No Child Left Behind, but then George Bush wanted to give me a tax cut, and they left 2.1 million kids behind,” Clinton said.
Clinton said the record budget deficits created during the Bush administration eventually will cause “interest rates to explode.”
Clinton said he can’t wait for Kerry to repeal his tax cut, adding that the millionaires he knows – including Republicans – are embarrassed by their tax breaks.
“We are embarrassed because in the last four years we are the only group of Americans who have not been asked to make any contribution to the rebuilding of the American economy and the war on terror,” Clinton said.
Clinton also said Kerry has the better plan to keep America safe, seeking to reassure voters who might be concerned about changing presidents in the middle of a war.
Kerry, Clinton said, will increase the U.S. military by 40,000 troops, build a stronger international coalition to help secure Iraq, double the number of special forces to “intensify the hunt for terrorists” and “invest more in homeland security.”
Mehlman said Nevada voters understand Bush is the candidate to keep them safe from terrorists, who “have designs” on Las Vegas and that Bush’s tax cuts are key to keeping the state’s economy strong.
Eleven-year-old Sean Hale, of Las Vegas, who joined his mother Corey at Clinton’s rally, said he’s worried the country will “go into chaos” if Bush is reelected.
“I want Kerry to win,” he said. “If he doesn’t, our country will be in even more trouble. We’ve already lost most of our allies.”
Many in the crowd came to see their “favorite president.” But opinions were mixed on whether his campaign stop would make a difference among those who haven’t voted yet.
“I think all their decisions are already made,” said Kristen Maish-Wirth, 37, a Las Vegas banker. “You see that with the turnout at early voting. People’s minds are already made.”
Marilyn Molitch, 56, a retiree who moved to Las Vegas this year from Incline Village, disagreed.
“A lot of people have a lot of respect for Clinton,” she said. “Clinton’s not a dummy. If he didn’t like Kerry he would’ve stayed quiet and not endorsed anyone. But if he says Kerry would be good, then he could help some people decide.”
Evette Tippett, 37, a Las Vegas AmeriCorps volunteer, said Clinton reminds people of a better time.
“People want things the way they were when he was in office,” she said. “The economy was good.”
James Carville, Clinton’s chief campaign strategist in 1992, said voters see more than the past when they look at the former president.
“People see a guy with a lot of ideas,” he told reporters after Clinton’s speech. “They look at Clinton as a sign of hope.”
But he acknowledged that Clinton’s record helps.
“What did people not like? The peace or the prosperity?” he joked.
Former Democratic Texas Gov. Ann Richards plans a visit to Reno on Sunday in a campaign stop aimed at encouraging support for U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Richards, who was unseated as governor by George W. Bush in 1994, is scheduled to speak at Promenade on the River, a senior center on 525 Court Street, at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Richards is touring the country urging seniors to vote and criticizing President Bush’s policies on Iraq, education and health care, among other topics.
Organizers said Richards plans to speak to the group about “seniors’ issues that are pertinent to this presidential election.” Copyright © 2004 The Reno Gazette-Journal
