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.
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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.

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"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.





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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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