Page 2 / Wednesday, April 30, 2008
NEWS
The Pend^
Bill Clinton’s campaign stop: Why Elon?
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DAVID WELLS | Assistant Photo Editor
Bill Clinton reached out to students and people from rural areas last Wednesday with his
speech on Elon’s campus.
Amanda Duberman
Reporter
With Obama carrying a more
comfortable lead against Sen. Hillary
Clinton, former President Bill Clinton’s
April 24 visit begs the question, why
Elon?
A confluence of Elon's rural
location and student population is
likely to have led the Clintons to
Phoenix country for a second time,
and the former president’s emphasis
on the economic quagmire is likely
to resonate with Elon and Alamance
County voters still fielding their
options.
“I think it was apparent on
Wednesday that the economy was
extremely important to folks in the
audience,” Daniel Shutt, president of
College Democrats said. “Clinton’s
speech focused primarily on issues
like jobs, health care and gas prices
and people responded well. North
Carolina has been hit hard by this
recession, and Clinton spoke to our
concerns very effectively.”
Whether or not Clinton’s visit may
have influenced Elon students, who
are part of a demographic largely
favoring Sen. Barack Obama remains
to be seen.
“It is a very heated Democratic
primary and I am unsure if Clinton
swayed any Elon college students
to vote differently,” freshman Molly
Heffernan said. “But he was most
definitely persuasive, a great speaker
and brought up many great points
that all of our nation’s citizens are
concerned with.”
Sophomore John Hitchcock said
Clinton made Hillary a more relatable
figure.
Obama maintains a 13-point lead in
North Carolina polls, a level of support
that may be difficult for the Clintons
to upset in the two weeks leading up to
the May 6 primary.
Freshman Cece Fitzgerald placed
her vote for Sen. Obama in Maryland,
and is unsure how Clinton’s visit will
affect the outcome of North Carolina’s
primary.
“1 think students were for the most
part pleased he was coming, but the
speech involved the sound bites we’ve
already been hearing on the news for
months," she said. “It’s a bit odd that
he came to Elon since most students
here are not eligible to vote in North
Carolina."
Still, according to the Hillary for
President headquarters in Graham, a
majority of those in attendance were
community members from outside the
school.
While the question of “Why
Elon?" may loom over campus, the
more pressing question will be if
the Phoenix “rise from the ashes”
distinction will translate to Sen.
Clinton on May 6.
“I think it’s very likely that former
President Clinton changed some minds
Wednesday,” Shutt said. “No one else
has his gifts for making a detailed,
logical argument about public policy.
By explaining some of Sen. Clinton’s
accomplishments and ideas in this
area. President Clinton presented his
wife as an experienced, knowledgeable
and effective leader.”
Hillary Clinton is endeavoring to
pervade some of Obama’s support
among college students as well, having
visited Wake Forest University on April
18 as well as dispatching daughter
Chelsea to dozens of campuses state
wide.
If nothing else, President Clinton’s
campaign will increase political
efficacy in the Elon area.
“President Clinton’s visit gives the
entire campaign a shot in the arm,”
Shutt said. “Even if people didn’t
attend the event, they read about it
in the paper, saw it on TV and heard
about it from friends.”
He said Alamance County, like
most places in North Carolina, will be
competitive on May 6.
“If the Clinton campaign continues
to send the message that they care
about people in this area. Sen. Clinton
could do very well here on Primary
Day," Shutt said.
• *
I jf ^ ^
for President
^ ★
[Hillary Clinton] is
the best change maker
I have ever known, and
if I had never been mar
ried to Hillary but had
just known her, I’d still
be working as hard for
her. We just need a bet
ter system, and Hillary
will give it to you.^^
— Former President
Bill Clinton
BRIAN FINK | Photographer
DAVID WELLS | Assistant Photo Editor
A number of Hillary Clinton supporters on campus and from the local
DAVID WELLS | Asssistant Photo Editor
community turned out to Bill Clinton’s speech to voice their opinions. ► ' > - Some had alrsadv vot^ consisted of students, faculty, staff and community members.
rea y supporting a candidate and ottiers were still undecided.