Hillary : "I can feel your pain"

It's still the economy, stupid.

That much is clear after Senator Hillary Clinton's stump speech at a rally for change, supporting Barack Obama, at Carman-Ainsworth High School Saturday night.

Senator Hillary Clinton riled up the partisans at Carman-Ainsworth High School on Saturday night. Clinton, in a speech almost solely dedicated to the economy, said that Michigan, because of its worst-in-the-nation economy, has the greatest stake in a Democratic presidency.



The catchphrase that vaulted her husband to an unlikely victory in the 1992 presidential election hasn't officially been brought back for another go-around, but if her speech Saturday night is any indication, the economy is once again issue number one for the Democrats.

Hillary Clinton was campaigning for Barack Obama in Michigan on Saturday, and rather than criticzing John McCain, or Sarah Palin, she spoke about the economic crisis, and the responsibility that Republicans in general have in all this.
Sen. Hillary Clinton speaks at Grand Rapids Central High School in support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Saturday afternoon.



Politely, she asserted that she believed Barack Obama would "fight for the policies that will help your families; there is no reason to believe Senator McCain will," she said. "When you look at their tax policies, when you look at their economic policies, one favors the vast majority of Americans and one favors the few."

But there was no real enthusiasm in her words, no sign of admiration for her former rival. She gave the impression of doing her job, sticking to an economic message relevant in a state which has been struggling with a severe recession for months. Michigan is one of those states particularly hit by the subprime crisis and the difficulties of the car industry.


She also expressed once again her doubts over the opportunity of the bailout plan that she has already criticized in her article published in the Wall Street Journal (see yesterday's post).

"We're supposed to spend 700 billion dollars to fix this problem," she said , to a chorus of friendly boos. "Well, I've got to tell you, we may have to fix this but, boy, we need to fire the group of people who are responsible for it ... and if you think I'm getting worked up here, you're right."

Sen. Hillary Clinton takes the stage outside Grand Rapids Central High School on Saturday afternoon as she toured Michigan promoting Barack Obama's presidential campaign.



Thus, Hillary has now clearly chosen her role in this campaign, and this role particularly suits her : she is the one who feels and shares people's pains and ordeals in those difficult times. And Americans surely remember how sound and healthy the economy of their country was during the Clinton years...

Yes, indeed, it's the economy, stupid !