Clinton supporters tell her: 'It's an honor, Madame President!'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/05/30/art.clintonsd.ap.jpg caption="Clinton campaigned in South Dakota Thursday."] WATERTOWN, South Dakota (CNN) - Long bus rides along rolling fields, small town stops, intimate crowds and diner pie typically symbolize the run up to the Iowa caucuses and the start of the presidential nominating season. But Hillary Clinton's two-day swing through South Dakota, a state that ends the primary process Tuesday, had all those trappings and neither the candidate nor her supporters were acting as though this race was nearing an end.
"A lot of people didn't want this campaign to keep going. They've been trying to tell me to stop running since January - and every time they say it, people rebuke it and keep voting for me. That's what I hope will happen here in South Dakota," she told a cheering crowd of several hundred in Huron.
As she stood in front of an enormous American flag, Clinton wound through her stump speech promising fiscal responsibility, universal health care, better and more jobs, ending the war in Iraq - all the issues candidates touch as they claw for every vote. She promised that between now and Tuesday there would not be a day without a Clinton in some corner of this state. As voters left they were given small Xeroxed fliers advertising a Bill Clinton event Friday in Mitchell.
Earlier Thursday die-hard Clinton supporters and some undecided Democrats waited patiently inside the smallish Second Street Diner in Madison hoping for a glimpse of and a picture with the presidential candidate. Upon arrival Clinton gripped and grinned with the all white, mostly middle-aged female crowd stopping at each booth and table to chat about issues or her Wednesday trip to Mt. Rushmore – "it's an honor, Madame President!" one woman shrieked as Clinton bounced through the door.
Clinton sat with a group of all female campaign volunteers sipped her tea and nibbled her pie before she took the microphone for a semi-impromptu speech and question and answer session with the diner crowd.
Jolene Johnson, a Madison resident and undecided voter, said Clinton's situation did not look "favorable" but said the "tenacity of staying in is typical of a woman ... she is not a quitter." She came to the diner to hear Clinton's pitch, and brought her granddaughter along to show her that a woman could run for president.
"I'd like to see her win," said retiree Wayne Grad. "Obama is a good candidate, but he lacks the experience. He's too much of a rock star." Grad said he thought calls for Clinton to exit the race were premature. When asked whether he thought Clinton would be his party's nominee he said, "I'd like to believe she is."
Clinton logged hours on the road to touch South Dakota's urban and rural communities from Rapid City in the west to Watertown in the east. She heads to Puerto Rico Friday for a three-day swing and a presumed victory in the island's Sunday primary, further adding to her popular vote total and her argument that she still has a chance at the nomination.
The campaign is mum about where she heads after Sunday and what her schedule holds for next week. The mid-size traveling press corps received an email to sign up for future travel, prompting questions about where the bus was headed next? A campaign spokesman replied "there are a lot of places to go to between June 3 and November."
All white, mostly middle-aged female crowd. To bad they aren't the majority or she would be able to win.
THIS IS JUST LIKE WATCHING COMEDY. KEEP IT UP HILLARY SUPPORTERS. EVEN IF SHE IS A BIG LIAR AT LEAST YOU STILL LOVE HER.
I pray for devine intervention, and low and behold another mentor spreads racial hatered. I hope his whole campaign emplodes. Obama, how can you know people so many years and have no idea where they stand on issues? What a liar, I'll take sniper fire anyday over these kind of lies. This church seems to bring out the worst in people, this guy is a priest who knows what they like to hear at the United Trinity Bapitist Church????
Clinton supporters should be told they are delusional and losing their bearings.
And the Clinton News Network (CNN) relentlessly continues its work trying to get Hillary elected.
No way it will happen. Obama is the future.
Obama08
Pelosi and others are pushing for Obama for their own reasons – they would be able to control Obama and enhance their own standing in the party – how transparent can you get. Especially Pelosi who would like to remain the top woman in power.
When the race is over and the votes are counted the nominee will be obvious.
Obama 'inspires' – Hillary delivers.
If you notice, Hillary does not have any room for Generation X. LMAO
A campaign spokesman replied "there are a lot of places to go to between June 3 and November.".. YEAH.. and one place comes to mind of several people.... and it's pretty darn warm down there too..
j- I so agree with you, this is so pathetic already, We are tired of hearing it. I also want to ask where is the TAX HOLIDAY she and John McCain were promising. All of a sudden it is over, they said it would start on memorial day???Now it is no longer being discussed? I want my GAS TAX HOLIDAY!!!!!
I forget. What real experience does this woman have? Do you think she might just settle for her face up on Mt. Rushmore? You know, as a symbolic gesture?
What really infuriates me about Hillary is that she has made it difficult for women to run in the future and to be taken seriously. Even though I am an Obama supporter, I use to really admire Hillary, now I am disgusted with her. I know I am voting for a man in November.
The next president is Hillary Clinton
Hillary 08
Please, give me a break. The election is not about the future of our country or even about the Democratic party. It is about the stupidity and egos Bill and Hillary. Let them campaign all the way through the convention; let the party splinter into a million different pieces. Watch and smile as we put another republican dunce into the White House, and smile joyfully as we realize that the end of two-party politics is well within sight.
The thing is, in January there was still a chance, that if things went a certain way she could pull it out and WIN.
Now, there is NO way for her to win.
Obama has so many delegates that even if Michigan and Florida are seated in FULL and Clinton wins every remaining contest by 100% she still can't beat him.
She DOESN'T have the popular vote lead.
She DOES if you count Michigan and Florida and don't count the 400,000 who voted uncommitted and don't count the nearly 600,000 people who voted Obama in the caucus states.
That is EXACTLY what she is doing. She is cherry picking what to count. GIve NOTHING to Obama in Michigan or 4 big caucus states.
If we are going to "COUNT EVERY VOTE" then Clinton is NOT in the lead.
If we "disenfranchise" millions of voters, then Clinton does have the lead.
What should we do Clintonites?
Count the votes, or NOT count the votes?
Obama is "OUT OF TOUCH". End of sad story of his lies to the American people who sadly so many believe in. WAKE UP AMERICA. Don't write her name in if she doesn't win. VOTE MCCAIN and really shake things up because he 'IS IN TOUCH'.
VOTE HILLARY '08
A campaign spokesman replied "there are a lot of places to go to between June 3 and November."..
YEAH.. and one place comes to mind of several people…. and it's pretty darn warm down there too..
haha her fanatics are as delusional as her, good to hear none the less lol
She has about as much hope as i do of becoming president now!
Maybe thats where she met her fanatic base, at the psych ward.......just saying it seems that way.
I am a huge Obama supporter but I think he is making a BIG mistake not campaigning for the upcoming primaries. He needs to at least show these states he cares about them. If I were undecided in the last two states, I would certain vote for Hillary and I would remember Obama's performance when I decide my vote in November.
November is a long time away. He is not going to win votes now that will not change their minds at least a few times before November.
Obama, finish the great job you started!!!! Campaign till the end of the primaries for the primaries. Don't get ahead of yourself. If FL and MI are seated as voted and Hillary gets the popular vote, the delegate gap will be short and the super delegates do not have a commitment to vote with the delegate leader (Obama). I can easily see how Hillary will turn this around.
Funny.......Thats the ONLY time she will ever hear those words spoken to her......
OBAMA '08!
I will never call her Madame President she should be call bully Clinton's if Obama lose against her I will never vote for a demoncrate again she awful person I whether have Pelosi be call Madame President then Hillary,
President Obama 08
*YAWNS*
Tell me again why the DNC even has a convention?
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
... mmm, cults of personality are fun, aren't they?
So a few old white women in SD still want Ms. Clinton, they cannot seem to get over their fear of a black man it seems. Ahh well luckily in a few more days we will not have to hear this pandering crap from CNN any longer. Give it up Clinton News Network, no matter how much you campaign for her she loses Tuesday and it will be over. guess you will start campoaigning for Mr. I don't Really support thre troops McCain