Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Bill Clinton is working his way toward Asheville today as part of his whirlwind tour of the Tar Heel state. Here’s a sample of what he’s saying about his wife, Hillary Clinton, whom he’s campaigning for:
Clinton in Kannapolis:
KANNAPOLIS –Former President Bill Clinton, during a nearly hour-long speech in Kannapolis today, had a message for people who think his wife should drop her presidential campaign: “That’s a bunch of bull.”
Clinton pointed out that he did not sew up his party’s nomination in 1992 until June. And he said his wife, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton, has the ability to make changes to improve people’s lives.
“You need change you can depend on,” Clinton said to a crowd of several hundred people in the A.L. Brown High School gym. It was one of several Charlotte-area stops to support his wife’s bid to be the Democrats’ presidential nominee.
Clinton in High Point:
IGH POINT, N.C. — Former President Bill Clinton on Friday talked about his wife’s plan to give tax credits to some college students and cited the couple’s own financial hardships at Yale University.
“We were young and broke, too, but we could borrow money from the government at 2 percent interest,” Clinton told about 250 people at High Point University.
Hillary Rodham Clinton’s plan would provide $4,500 tax credits to help some students shoulder the cost of higher education.
Bill Clinton, on a whirlwind tour of the state, said the credit could allow students to attend community college virtually free. He said the government also needs to increase Pell Grants, the nation’s premier financial aid program for low-income students, to keep up with inflation.
Clinton in Greensboro:
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Former President Bill Clinton on Friday told North Carolina voters that his wife, presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, is the only candidate helping to get health care costs under control.
Bill Clinton said the key difference between the New York senator and her Democratic opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, was in her support of universal health care coverage.
“We can never get control of costs unless we cover everybody,” Clinton told about 150 people gathered at a YMCA in Greensboro, his first stop on a daylong, seven-city tour of the state.
Clinton asked how many people in the audience knew someone without health care coverage, and about half raised their hands. He nodded, responding: “Until we take care of the people that raised their hands, you can’t control health care costs.”
