Published: March 17, 2008 11:23 pm         

City prepares for Clinton visit

Etling: Terre Haute in ‘national spotlight’

TERRE HAUTE — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will make Terre Haute her first stop during a three-city visit to Indiana Thursday, and excitement is building.

“I’m thrilled to death,” said Dora May Abel, a Clinton backer and deputy chairwoman of the Indiana Democratic Party. She hopes for other visits from the presidential contender and former first lady.

Joe Etling, Vigo County Democratic chairman, said Clinton’s campaign stop here “puts Terre Haute in the national spotlight.”

Details as far as place and time were not immediately available Monday. Clinton’s visit to Indiana comes less than a week after Illinois senator and presidential hopeful Barack Obama conducted a town hall meeting in Plainfield.

Representatives for the Clinton campaign say she will outline her plan to jump-start the economy and rebuild the middle class during a “Solutions For America” event.

She will be accompanied by Sen. Evan Bayh, whose hometown is Terre Haute. The two also will conduct campaign events in Anderson and Evansville later in the day. Bayh has supported Clinton in her bid to gain the nomination for president.

Meanwhile, former President Bill Clinton will visit Indiana today to campaign for his wife in Lawrenceburg, Richmond and Fort Wayne.

“This demonstrates the Clinton campaign is serious about Indiana and I think we’ll see a lot of them over the next few weeks,” said Jonathan Swain, communication director for Sen. Clinton’s Indiana campaign.

Swain suggested Sen. Clinton would be looking for more of an opportunity to interact with Terre Haute citizens as opposed to a rally setting.

Clinton plans to conduct a town hall meeting in Anderson and a rally in Evansville, according her campaign headquarters.

“I think it’s exciting that she chose to come to Vigo County as her first stop in Indiana,” Etling said. “It reflects the importance of Vigo County in Democratic politics in the state of Indiana.”

Also, the fact that she is starting off her Indiana campaign tour in Evan Bayh’s hometown “speaks volumes of her respect and regard for Evan Bayh,” he said.

Etling said he’s received numerous calls from people enthusiastic not only about Clinton’s visit, but also the fact that she is being accompanied by Evan Bayh.

“I hope it energizes more people to get involved in the [election] process,” he said.

He believes it will. More people, especially young people, see that their vote will make a difference in this year’s presidential primary.

“l think it will bring more Democrats to the polls in May,” he said.

Etling believes Vigo County and the 8th Congressional District will be important to both Clinton and Obama as the May primary approaches. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we had other visits,” he said.

Meanwhile, both the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department and Terre Haute City Police Department are prepared to assist with security.

Sheriff Jon Marvel said he didn’t know details about the visit as of Monday, but he anticipates meeting with the Secret Service soon to work out security details.

Marc Eldred, assistant chief for operations with the Terre Haute Police Department, said, “I imagine she’ll travel with a bunch of her own security. If they need our help, we’ll do anything we can that they need.”

Clinton and Obama are battling for Indiana’s 72 delegates in the state’s May 6 primary. Obama visited Plainfield for a town hall meeting Saturday.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.



MORE DETAILS TO COME

The Hillary Clinton campaign has not released the details of her visit yet. Watch this week’s Tribune-Star and www.

tribstar.com for details as they become available.