The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE
March 19, 2008 05:43 pm
—
For the second time in less than week, Indiana takes center stage today in the hotly contested Democratic presidential primary as Sen. Hillary Clinton courts voters and touts her plan for a beleaguered U.S. economy.
Clinton’s visit comes on the heels of rival Sen. Barack Obama’s rally in Plainfield last Saturday.
This time, however, Terre Haute gets to participate in the excitement of having a presidential candidate in town for a campaign appearance. Clinton will start the day in Terre Haute with a scheduled 10:30 a.m. meeting with voters at the Saratoga on Wabash Avenue. She will be accompanied by Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, a longtime supporter who was born in Vigo County.
Observers of Hoosier politics are still pinching themselves over the sudden attention the state is receiving in the Democratic Party’s presidential campaign. The lateness of the state’s primary — May 6 this year — usually renders it irrelevant to presidential hopefuls. Past races have long been settled by the time Hoosiers go the polls.
There are 72 delegates up for grabs in the primary, and each of those are important to Clinton and Obama. As primary day nears, we’ll probably be seeing a lot more of the candidates and their big-name supporters.
Terre Haute and Vigo County are destined to see their share of the action. As a Democratic stronghold and media hub, it will come as no surprise if campaigns have us frequently on their itineraries.
Adding to the interest is Vigo County’s reputation as a bellwether in presidential politics. Vigo voters have shown an uncanny ability to pick the eventual winner in the general election. Only once in the past 100 years has the county missed, and that was in 1952 when Illinois Sen. Adlai Stevenson narrowly defeated Dwight Eisenhower.
Clinton’s Indiana visit is expected to place heavy emphasis on her plan to boost the sagging economy and “rebuild the middle class,” a timely topic here and all across the Hoosier state.
We join Vigo County in welcoming Sen. Clinton to the community. Voters are undoubtedly anxious to hear her remarks about the economy and any other issues that arise during her campaign swing.
Today is a big day for Vigo County and west-central Indiana. Hopefully there will be many more like it.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
