Published: April 08, 2008 05:22 pm         

President Clinton's visit to Clinton moved to Friday

Campaign stops Thursday include Boonville, Jasper, Vincennes; Friday in Greencastle

CLINTON — While 14-year-old Brittani Wright is a Barack Obama supporter, that didn’t stop the Clinton resident from working on posters to help welcome former President Bill Clinton to town later this week.

Wright, student council president at South Vermillion Middle School, said student council members worked on posters Tuesday. One of their poster slogans was “Clinton for Clinton.”

Initially, it was announced that Bill Clinton would visit the middle school on Thursday to campaign for his wife, but that plan changed.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Hillary Clinton campaign announced the former president’s visit will be at 10:45 a.m. Friday in South Vermillion High School. All South Vermillion middle- and high-school students will be allowed to attend, said high-school principal Phil Harrison.

Wright and her fellow students are looking forward to the visit.

“It was really surprising to all of us to find out that he was coming to such a small town,” Wright said. “It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.”

But, yeah, she’s still an Obama fan. “I think [Obama] has the right kind of change that he wants for our country. I think he’d do a better job,” Wright said.

It looks like the former president has his work cut out for him.

Wright’s mom, Sherri — interviewed with her daughter in downtown Clinton on Tuesday — said, “I certainly think it’s a great opportunity for our children” to meet a former president.

Debby McFall, an employee of a downtown business, said she’s a Hillary Clinton supporter. The Hillsdale resident said the former president’s visit “is great for the school children.”

The details of the visit weren’t finalized until Tuesday afternoon, Harrison said. He met with U.S. Secret Service representatives about security for the visit.

The doors to the high-school gym will open to the public about 45 minutes before the visit, Harrison said. About 1,000 middle- and high-school students will have the opportunity to attend. For the public, seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

For security reasons, it doesn’t appear the full gym will be used, Harrison said.

“For me, going through this as an administrator is really kind of exciting” and out of the norm, Harrison said. “For kids, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime teachable moment … When living history walks in the door of the gym, it’s an experience they’ll be able to tell their children and grandchildren about. It will make that much of impact.”

Other school and city officials were readjusting their schedules with news of the change in plans.

Clinton Mayor Jerry Hawkins has been invited to attend a private meeting of 8th Congressional District mayors with Bill Clinton on Thursday evening. The meeting will be in Vincennes.

“People are very excited,” Hawkins said. He is receiving many calls, with people asking him if he could accompany the former president to various events in the Vermillion County community. “Those things are out of our control,” Hawkins said.

On Tuesday afternoon, South Vermillion Schools Superintendent Doug Orman was awaiting confirmation of the day and time of Bill Clinton’s visit.

“It’s a great educational opportunity to hear a former president give a political speech,” Orman said. “I know it will be politically slanted. It’s a campaign talk. We would extend the same courtesy to other candidates.”

The Clinton campaign “came to us. We did not seek them,” Orman said.

Orman also has taken many phone calls. The high school baseball coach wanted to know if Bill Clinton would throw out the first pitch for Thursday’s home opener.

Justin Salisbury, Clinton police chief, has been involved in planning for security that will be necessary Friday. “You have to remain very flexible,” he said. The U.S. Secret Service has led the multi-agency planning effort for security, he said. “All law enforcement agencies are doing everything within their means to ensure this type of visit is a positive experience for everyone in the community,” Salisbury said.

Under Bill Clinton’s revised schedule, he will visit Boonville, Jasper and Vincennes on Thursday. Friday, he will visit Clinton and Greencastle.

He will relate Hillary’s plans to jump-start the economy, create new, high-wage jobs and rebuild the middle class.

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