Bill: Hillary Would Be Good for Economy

BLACKWOOD, N.J. — Former President Clinton said his wife would strengthen the nation's middle class as he did, and that she would be his favorite candidate for president even if they weren't married.

"These are tough times. We can bring America back. We've done it before," Clinton told a boisterous crowd Tuesday at Camden County College, a week before New Jersey and more than 20 other states hold nomination contests. "She will do it."

The event comes three days after Barack Obama won an easy victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton in South Carolina. There, the former president was outspokenly critical of Obama, a tactic that some say cost his wife votes.

Tuesday, Clinton hit issues ranging health care to energy independence to the federal budget to college loans in his half-hour talk. On student loans, he talked about how his wife's policies would echo those he implemented.

And he addressed how as a senator representing New York, Hillary Clinton was among the first politicians to realize that 9/11 rescue workers could be at risk because of toxins in the air after the attacks.

"That's the person I would be here for if we never had been married," he said.

He briefly mentioned race, promising that if his wife were president, no one would be excluded from opportunities because of their race.

Also Tuesday, Sen. Clinton won the backing of California Rep. Maxine Waters, an influential member of the Congressional Black Caucus whose support could help blunt charges of racial polarization against the Clinton campaign in the South Carolina primary.

Clinton and Waters were expected to announce the endorsement via conference call.

In a statement, Waters praised the former first lady's readiness to tackle the nation's economic woes.

"At a time when the economy continues to worsen and so many of my constituents are losing their homes and their jobs, we need someone with the leadership and experience who can step in on day one to tackle the economic challenges our country is facing," Waters said. "Hillary understands the daily challenges that people are facing and she will fight for them everyday she is in the White House."

Issues of race and gender have come to the forefront of the campaign, pitting Clinton, who hopes to be the first female president, against Obama, seeking to become the first black to hold the job.

Comments

[pamelagoodenough]

What a shame for Maxine Waters. I thought she spoke for the people.

We are in California and we have already voted for Barack Obama. We love him. We cannot wait to see him as out president.

It is a bunch of nonsense that educated California women are voting for Hillary. We are not.

This is about who can unite our nation. It is soooooo obvious that Barack Obama can unite us and that Hillary cannot.

And Hillary cannot win the general election for the same reason.

She is too divisive and independents and even some many informed Republicans will vote for Barack.

Independents and reformed Republicans will not vote for Hillary.

Don't believe the hype. Vote for change, Vote for unity. Vote for Barack Obama.
Thank you.

[not one of the sheep]

Maxine who? Talk about desperate for endorsements.

[Independent voter]

bill clinton tried to assist the United Arab Emirates with the purchase and control of US shipping ports.

If that's his idea of 'good for the economy' he can stuff it.

Did I mention that UAE has paid bill over $1million for 'speeches'?

Good for the US economy apparently means whatever trickles down from Willies Wallet will help the rest of us schleps.

Jeez - what a fake.

[KARE]

Maxine Waters fighting for human rights and change in America long before Obama ever hit the scene. Kennedy family is split on endorsements, with RFK side of the family endorsing Hillary.

[RusStyles]

A Wham-bam-thank-you-mam story...

[Irizzee]

Seriously, Waters was the only Democrat named by a progressive watchdog group as corrupt. Does this not surprise people, maybe this should tone down a little

[apresdeluge]

I wonder is MSNBC is going to devote nearly an hour covering this endorsement like they did Kennedy's endorsement of Obama?

[butchie65]

Edwards will get my vote, no matter what.Obama and Hillary are some of the same, owned by corporations. You will soon find out when the Repugs start to come out and knee cap Obama and Hillary. They are just waiting in the wings !

[Rubiconski]

TONI MORRISON SLAPS HILLARY BACK TO THE STONE AGE

Hillary is finished.

WASHINGTON - The woman who famously labeled Bill Clinton as the "first black president" is backing Barack Obama to be the second.

Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison said her endorsement of the Democratic presidential candidate has little to do with Obama's race — he is the son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas — but rather his personal gifts.

Writing with the touch of a poet in a letter to the Illinois senator, Morrison explained why she chose Obama over Hillary Rodham Clinton for her first public presidential endorsement.

Morrison, whose acclaimed novels usually concentrate on the lives of black women, said she has admired Clinton for years because of her knowledge and mastery of politics, but then dismissed that experience in favor of Obama's vision.

"In addition to keen intelligence, integrity and a rare authenticity, you exhibit something that has nothing to do with age, experience, race or gender and something I don't see in other candidates," Morrison wrote. "That something is a creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom. It is too bad if we associate it only with gray hair and old age. Or if we call searing vision naivete. Or if we believe cunning is insight. Or if we settle for finessing cures tailored for each ravaged tree in the forest while ignoring the poisonous landscape that feeds and surrounds it."

"Wisdom is a gift; you can't train for it, inherit it, learn it in a class, or earn it in the workplace — that access can foster the acquisition of knowledge, but not wisdom," Morrison wrote.

[John Warren Gotsch]

Congresswoman Waters,
How can you support HRC when she and WJC left Prof. Lani Guinier and Dr Joycelyn Elders swinging in the wind without support by HRC who purports to be the feminist's advocate; truly the ultimate "fairy tale"!

[Bagger]

So is Maxine Waters a traitor like the President of Now called Ted Kennedy? Just asking.

[Marrob]

If she had endorsed Obama am sure the kool-lid drinkers would say Hillary is dead. Bottom line here you folks, we democrats had ALL better be on the same page once we get our nominee or else we will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[ariadne1]

i wonder how long bill was on the phone with her begging for an endorsement and what he/hillary had to promise in order to get it!

[Mystery954]

Who?

[Laprawler501]

Great endorsement. This will certainly help Hillary in CA.
Also Waters was chair of Get out of Iraq committee and the co-sponsor of a bill to impeach Cheney.