Hillary's supporters come out to greet her in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

[Maddy McCall]

Spring break at Mississippi universities began Friday, so Hattiesburg's student population has gone home for the week. Still, Hillary received a big, warm welcome from the citizens of Bret Favre's town.
**************************************


The Clinton campaign is making a full-court press of Mississippi through Tuesday, not willing to concede the state, with its high African-American population, to Sen. Barack Obama.

About 1,200 enthusiastic people swarmed the Hattiesburg Train Depot Friday morning to hear Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speak during a campaign stop.



She criticized the president for the weak economy, saying he had inherited a balanced budget and a surplus. She spoke of the latest unemployment figures released by the Labor Department Friday that showed a loss of 63,000 jobs nationwide.

"If you make more than $250,000, you should write Bush a thank you note," she said, alluding to the tax cuts he made.

She asked the crowd how many knew someone without health insurance. Many people in the Grand Hall raised their hands.

Clinton said her health insurance plan would lower the costs of medical care.

She worked to get 80,000 children covered by Children's Health Insurance Program in Mississippi and also helped 12,000 National Guard members in Mississippi get health coverage, she said.

snip/

"I will end the unfunded mandate known as No Child Left Behind," Clinton said. "State budgets are trapped. Local community property taxes have gone up."

She briefly addressed Katrina-related issues, and said there was enough money to go around on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for both housing and a new port.

"Gov. (Haley) Barbour has decided to divert money away from reconstruction into port development," Clinton said. The port is a worthy economic development, but she said there was enough money for homes, too.





http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=...

Reader comments:
After watching Clinton in Person and hearing her plan so well spoken, I have removed all my Obama signs and bumpersticker......The Dream is over.....That Lady Can Lead the Country to Change with Solutions for America......Go Hillary! Please everyone I know how you feel I was for Obama and My Roommate spent about 150.00 at Obama online store and he agrees It is Time to Get Real.....Hillary Clinton is our Answer!!!!! Now Get Ready for Bill Clinton MS
3/8/2008 9:56:37 AM

Hillary has always cared about black people and poor people and children! She didn't have to stick her neck out when she was first lady to try to bring health care to all Americans, but she did it anyways. No one thinks black people will vote for her because they all have a crush on obama, but she's here anyways. Where's he?? He didn't go to the state of the black union either. Seems like he's too busy to do a lot of things for folks. Seems like he takes mississippi for granted. Go out on tuesday and vote for the hardest working candidate who will never be too busy to care about Mississippi and never take us for granted! Vote for Hillary! She always cared when she was first lady of Arkansas, and she still does. She'll help the gulf coast, get affordable health care for EVERYONE, protect our nation and our troops and veterans and help our economy while protecting homowners. Vote for Hillary. She cares about Mississippi! not for someone's skin colour.
3/8/2008 9:56:46 AM

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[XemaSab]

1. Have she and BIll written Bush a thank you note?

You can thank him in person too, of course, but etiquette demands a written note.

[Bake]

16. Have the Obamas written one too?

Michelle the loudmout loose cannon is making pretty good bucks too, I understand.

Bake

[Maddy McCall]

2. PHOTO GALLERY HERE:

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis...

[libbygurl]

15. Woo-hoo! Great pics!

Thanks again, Maddy!

[bigtree]

3. K&R!

[ccpup]

4. the latest Poll numbers out of Mississippi

seem to indicate -- with her only six points behind Barack (B 46 H 40) up from 14 points behind recently -- that voters are taking a second look and rethinking their original choice.

I suspect it'll be an interesting race to watch.

[Deep13]

43. Hell yeah!

Hey, I hear she's trailing in Ohio and Texas. No, wait, she won those states and by double-digit margins in Ohio.

[zabet]

5. Thanks Maddy!

Go Hill!!!

[Lucinda]

6. Thanks Maddy! K&R

[theHandpuppet]

7. Maddy, you always find the best stuff!

How nice to see a positive post and great photos. Thanks!

[Maddy McCall]

8. Aww...

thanks!

[usrbs]

9. Very nice. Thanks!

[Beregond2]

10. Mississippi

Notice how many black faces there are in those pictures? I counted six.

Oh yeah...she's gonna do REAL well in Mississippi.

[rodeodance]

38. :-(

[Dinger]

11. Once She's President, Even Obama Followers Will Be Won Over

They won't know what hot them.

[jaxx]

17. No they won't.

She played it all wrong.

[libbygurl]

19. Not you, perhaps. Maybe others, more open-minded. nt

[jaxx]

25. I was a Hillary supporter for a long time.

Really, I don't think you realize the negative way she affects people today. She is no longer capable of running on issues, she must run on fuzzy math and sleazy innuendo. No thanks. And I'm her target....boomer, female, and white.

[libbygurl]

28. Don't know about your saying you've been a longtime Hillary supporter...

...but you're free to say whatever you want to say.

[jaxx]

30. So now I'm a liar?

You've learned your lessons well.

[libbygurl]

32. Where did I say that?

You were prolly on the fence before. So you react differently to what the candidates have been doing and saying these past weeks and months. Fair enough.

[flordehinojos]

33. Really?

fuzzy math and sleazy innuendo?

i thought you were describing BO.

[bluestateguy]

45. I'll vote for her

But I have set aside $1000 to give to the presidential nominee. If that nominee is Hillary she'll have to convice me that she deserves that money. Otherwise, I will split it up among Democratic senate candidates.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

12. SWEET

[libbygurl]

13. Ooh, thanks for this, Maddy! Love those pics!

and rec!

[indimuse]

14. thanks foer the photo's!!

Hillary for President!!!

[libbygurl]

27. !

Scary pics, those! LOL!

[indimuse]

34. i know..

just a lil' reality...

[mtnsnake]

18. Awesome post, Maddy!

[TheZug]

20. Yeah, she's always cared--just ask her.

[LostinVA]

21. Nice OP!!!

[Bake]

22. Thanks Maddy! Great post!

And if Obama loses Mississippi it's going to be HUUUUUUUUUUGE (and yes, I'm SERIES!! LOL!).

He and his supporters are counting on the AA vote, even ASSUMING it, for an easy victory. We shall see.

Bake

[Maddy McCall]

29. It's going to be much closer than his supporters think.

There are numerous factors involved...I'm sure you're aware of these factors, so no need to discuss them here.

One is that the college population that usually carries him to victory and undertakes the GOTV efforts won't be here next week. They're all in Florida or other spring break towns...because spring break began Friday.

[Bucky]

23. Great turn out!

At last, a positive thread! Nice pictures.

[Alamom]

24. Thank you. Great post & pics, Maddy. k&r.nm

[Rock_Garden]

26. Way to go, Maddy. Thanks! K&R!

[Iceburg]

31. K&R/nt

[emilyg]

35. Nice.

[rodeodance]

36. That poll is 2/3 to 1/3 for Hillary . great

[rodeodance]

37. K and RE

[OzarkDem]

39. But...but...but....

I thought they "hated" her in Mississippi...

Looks like a great turnout, great pics! Thanks for posting!

[oasis]

40. Thanks. k and r

[robbedvoter]

41. Beautiful! Thanks!

[Deep13]

42. Out-goddamn-standing!

[bluestateguy]

44. They want to see her now because they know she will ignore them in the general election

If Hillary had her way, she would have wrapped this up on Feb. 5 and ignored Mississippi for the rest of the year. So instead she'll ignore Mississippi starting March 12.

[susankh4]

46. Thanks for the photo essay!

I just love these!

Our girl is gonna do very well in Mississippi. Better than expected. I can feel it.

[LadyVT]

47. Thank you for the great post and link!!!

[juajen]

48. Great post, Maddy.

I wish I could have heard her. Bill came to Lafayette, to a warm welcome, if a small one (under 1,000}. But, Hill couldn't help it. She couldn't be a two places at once, and Bill was great!

[Maddy McCall]

49. up^

[Straight Shooter]

50. Thanks, Maddy.

She looks absolutely wonderful!