Big Dog Reduced to Giving Speeches from Back of Pickup Trucks in Rural Montana

[oldpol]

Shortly after Sen. Hillary Clinton gave her victory speech following a decisive primary win in West Virginia Tuesday, her husband climbed onto the flatbed of a red Dodge truck in Kalispell and told a shivering crowd of thousands they would “never ever ever have a chance to vote for somebody who is a better change-maker” than his wife.

Bill Clinton arrived at Flathead Valley Community College an hour later than the 7:30 p.m. scheduled time of his speech, but despite the chilly, rainy weather, a massive crowd waited to hear the former president stump for his wife and make the case that she is a better choice for the Democratic presidential nomination than her opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Introduced by Rep. Mike Jopek of Whitefish and Kalispell Mayor Pam Kennedy, Clinton spoke for about 40 minutes to a crowd of more than 2,800, according to event organizers, on topics ranging from wind power to improving hybrid cars, and from healthcare to the Iraq War.

Locked in a prolonged primary battle, Obama holds the advantage over Hillary Clinton in the popular vote, and he has drawn within 150 delegates of the 2,025 required for the nomination. Three of Montana’s eight superdelegates have endorsed Obama, and a fourth has indicated she will support him. With four states – including Montana on June 3 – and Puerto Rico left to vote in the primary, Clinton’s hopes for the nomination appear slimmer by the day. But you couldn’t tell that from the crowd in the Flathead.

“If someone tells you you can’t win, it’s because you can, and they are afraid you will,” said Pres. Clinton, who has stumped in 13 towns in Oregon over the last two days in the run-up to its May 20 primary. “This race is not over.”

But Clinton refrained from criticizing Obama, saying the party would remain united regardless of who receives the nomination. http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/bill_clinton_tells_crowd_of_thousands_in_kalispell_this_race_is_not_over/3480/

[MonkeyFunk]

1. "reduced"?

He's campaigning. He's doing what he loves.

[oldpol]

2. its sad to see one of the greatest pols in history going out like this

maybe he loves it/HER so much that he can't give up the ghost. I just don't want to see anymore divisive moments to tarnish his legacy

[MonkeyFunk]

20. nothing sad about it

he's doing what he loves to do.

[AllentownJake]

10. I agree

The happiest moment in the past 8 years for him was when she announced. This man loves to talk to people.

[TexasObserver]

3. Remember when people used to care what Bill Clinton thought?!

good riddance to him

he's become a complete and utter sell out

[oldpol]

6. another pic

[Bucky]

16. Great pictures! Thanks for posting them!

I've heard him speak several times. He never fails to wow me.

[oldpol]

22. at least he's still drawing crowds

but another gaffe and I'd think they would have to pull the plug

[TexasObserver]

25. if he had resigned in 99 and let Gore take over, we'd be better off today

[slinkerwink]

4. I'm glad he didn't criticize Obama. Let him campaign for his wife as it should be as this winds down

[oldpol]

7. I think he's also campaigning for his legacy (working from dusk until dawn)

[Raine]

13. I think it's too late

he should've thought of that before some of the statements he's made.

[Zhade]

5. Man, he WISHES we were afraid of her.

LOL!

[oldtime dfl_er]

8. This is not sad

This is not pathetic. Bill Clinton is not reduced to anything. Shame on you. He's been the best president of our time, a tireless spokesman for the Democratic party, and is doing what he believes is right. It breaks my heart to hear you ridicule him for campaigning for his wife.

[AllentownJake]

11. As long as he behaves

and cuts off the attacks. I support him fully.

[oldpol]

23. it would break my heart to see him make more divisive comments like in WVA

hopefully he & Hillary will come out unscathed by this

[Bluebear]

9. "Reduced"? What is wrong with Montana or a crowd of 2800?

[AllentownJake]

12. Agreed

Bill loves this more than anything.

[oldpol]

24. nothing, but is the campaign that broke??

I know they did it in West Virginia and it worked there, maybe they are just hoping to continue the hot streak

[Adsos Letter]

27. Well...it IS a Dodge...

...and we all know Chevy makes the real truck... :hide:

[charlie]

14. Better changemaker?

[Bucky]

15. This may look like work to you. To Bill Clinton, this is how he feeds.

The man lives getting to meet and talk with people. He's entirely in his element here and is probably having a hell of a good time.

I look forward to him campaigning for Obama in the fall.

[oldpol]

19. the rusty old barrel in the truck beside him while speaking is a great touch

and he's probably having the time of his life to boot

[Arkansas Granny]

17. Give it a rest. Bill comes from a state where there are probably as many

pickups on the road as there are passenger cars. Campaigning from the back of a pickup certainly doesn't mean he's "reduced" to anything. It's common practice and they make a good impromptu, outdoor stage.

[oldpol]

21. its great theatre, but this is a former POTUS we are talking about!

would Jimmy Carter or Harry Truman do this?

[TheDonkey]

18. I have no respect for him anymore

[GoesTo11]

26. What's the problem?

Dogs love the back of pickup trucks more'n anything.

[greendog]

28. When Cheney visited the Flathead to campaign for Burns 18 months ago...

...only 1000 people attended.

This is the most conservative part of Montana. Extremely Republican.

2,800 is a damn good crowd for a cold, rainy Tuesday night. The population of Kalispell is 17,381 (2004).

This was just down the road from me but I didn't attend. Not a fan of the Clinton's.

It'd be interesting to see what kind of crowd Obama could pull around here.

[Catherine Vincent]

29. Bill looks pretty good standing in the back of that truck!

Go Big Dog!

[Hippo_Tron]

30. Is he trying to be Fred Thompson or something?