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Published:Wednesday, February 13, 2008
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is coming Thursday to the Mahoning Valley with Sen. Barack Obama probably not too far behind.
Clinton confirmed the local visit in a Tuesday interview via satellite from Arlington, Va., with WFMJ, the Mahoning Valley’s NBC affiliate. The topic of her speech will be the economy.
“I’m focused on the economy,” Clinton told WFMJ. “I believe strongly that we have to do everything possible to get this economy to start working for most Americans again. It’s not. It’s working for the wealthy and the well-connected.”
When asked by WFMJ if she would participate in a debate co-sponsored by the television station and The Vindicator in Youngstown, Clinton readily agreed.
“I would like to challenge Sen. Obama to meet me in Youngstown,” she said. “Let’s have a debate about the issues that are important to the people of that area of Ohio and the entire state.
“We need to focus on jobs and manufacturing and trade and a lot of the other important concerns that I know are on the minds of Ohio voters.”
The location of Thursday’s Valley appearance will be announced today by Clinton’s campaign.
Clinton will spend Thursday and Friday campaigning in Ohio, including stops in Cleveland and Columbus.
Obama’s campaign is having a kickoff meeting for the Mahoning Valley at 7 p.m. today at the Chevrolet Centre’s meeting room, 229 E. Front St. in downtown Youngstown.
The meeting will organize supporters and volunteers in the Valley.
The Obama campaign already has a staff of six in the Valley, led by Jordan Hobfoll, the Youngstown regional field director, who’s previously worked for Howard Dean and the Democratic National Committee.
Obama’s campaign will open an office in the Youngstown area shortly, said Ben LaBolt, a campaign spokesman. That office will focus on Mahoning and Trumbull counties, he said.
U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, an Obama supporter, is expected to campaign in this area as early as next week, said state Rep. Robert F. Hagan, a Youngstown Democrat and Obama’s Mahoning Valley co-chairman. Also, Obama will “absolutely come to Youngstown,” probably closer to the March 4 Ohio primary, Hagan said.
“The Mahoning Valley will be a critical region for our campaign, and we do expect that high-profile representatives of our campaign will spend time there,” LaBolt said.
With Tuesday’s primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia done, the focus of the Clinton and Obama campaigns moves to Ohio and Texas.
“Our Ohio schedule hasn’t been set yet,” LaBolt said. “We expect Sen. Obama will be in the state soon.”
Democrats are having a primary in Wisconsin and a caucus in Hawaii next Tuesday. There is nothing else between now and March 4, when Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont have primaries.
Ohio is a big prize for both candidates with 161 delegates at stake.
Only Texas with 228 delegates and Pennsylvania with 188 delegates and an April 22 primary have more delegates at stake among the states that have yet to have Democratic primaries.
skolnick@vindy.com
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The Clinton Administration gave us NAFTA. Hillary has refused to renounce her support of NAFTA. She says it hasn't worked the way she thought it would.
Thanks for nothing.
NAFTA was like an extra kick in the bells. Our economy after 30 years is still on life support due to the slow recovery from the Steel days and NAFTA was no help. Our valley needs federal assistance and attention, because it's those failed policies that have retarded the growth of our city. Although our City leaders are doing the best they can with limited resources, I think we need additional federal assistance for blight removal including relocation assistance for those in blighted neighborhoods to move to other areas so that neighborhoods can be rebuilt. We also need federal incentives for existing companies contemplating relocation. Bottom line is we need jobs here period. Bill Clinton offered some assistance in 92 when he offered this area a Pentagon payroll center, and instead it went to Louisiana. I for one will be very weary of any promises made by Hillary Clinton.
I'm for Hillary allll the way. I hope she goes in there and 'kicks as*' The Youngstown area needs all the help they can get. Hillary is NOT Bill, she stands on her own! Vote for the person and what they can and will do, not the name. If you want something done, get a female to do it! I think Obama is alot of hot air! From his background and what you hear, thats not the kind of person to put into the White House. Read what you can find on him on the internet. The good certainly doesn't out weigh the bad.
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