The more Hillary campaigns, the more she slips in the polls.

By next week, she will be behind in Ohio unless she stays away from the state.

It is time to end this and move on with Obama to the general election.

President Clinton, if Senator Clinton had our back, she would have stood up to Geo. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and everyone else.

She should have asked them what the rush was for going into Iraq before uncovering any evidence of WMD's. There have been thousands upon thousands of deaths since she sided with GWB.

She didn't have our back - she had Bush's back.

Change you can count on? Have we hit the hundred slogan milestone yet?

I am a 51-year old female living in Northern Michigan.  I have lived in Michigan for the last half of my life – but I was born in Ohio.  Ohio will always be home and I will always be a Buckeye.  I comments on MSNBC this a.m. concerning the debate this evening at Cleveland State – and the advice Russert has been getting from friends and associates about questions that should be asked of each of the candidates.  I think sometimes that the news media is somewhat out of touch with middle America and the very true – and increasing challenges that are affecting our families and everyday lives.  I guess the analogy can be made that it is hard to feel hungry when you are not.  I listened to Pat Robertson this morning and heard he is not interested in a continuing healthcare debate – I wonder if it is because he is not in the same position as many Americans – he has insurance benefits provided to him.  I have been diligent in trying to find the answer to questions I have regarding the presidential candidates – and if I may, there are a couple of questions I would like to have asked of Senator Clinton – as it relates to her 35 years experience, health care and the war in Iraq.

First of all I live in a county of about 25,000 residents – small in comparison to other areas of the country.  We have lost 2 major manufacturing facilities in the last couple of years – over 400 jobs.  It is hard to believe that it is cheaper to make chipboard in China than it is here in Northern Michigan – especially due to the fact that we have the transportation infrastructure in place, adequate workforce and – are surrounded by trees.  Gas prices have increased in the last year by over $1.00 a gallon – we receive approximately 150” of snow each year and the cold that goes with it – therefore it goes without saying that heating costs have increased dramatically.  My employer pays monthly insurance premiums for families of about $1,300 monthly  – which are now more than monthly mortgage payments in some cases.  Some businesses in our community provide insurance only to their employees – it is up to each employee to pay for coverage – or make the decision to do without health insurance coverage – for the rest of their family.  Health insurance premiums are a burden for not only individuals – but for businesses too.  Residents in our county have a hard time finding a job that pays a living wage and benefits, and those that already have one find that the increase in energy costs, health care costs, mortgages, etc. are out pacing the increase in wages and according to a source at a local Family Independence Agency (aka Social Service) – more and more middle income families are asking for assistance.  Even with the war – I am not sure the economy has gotten to the state it is in in just the last 7 years.  I imagine that the framework for the current state of affairs was laid over decades instead – as opposed to years, NAFTA, increased energy dependence without creation of alternate energy sources, increases in health insurance premiums to the point that individuals cannot afford to purchase it nor can businesses afford to offer coverage as a benefit.  Therefore my question – what has Senator Clinton’s 35 years of experience done to actually affect the everyday lives of residents we who live in Otsego County, Michigan, and my friends and relatives who live in Ohio?  How did she fight to keep our jobs at home, did she do anything to help reduce the escalating cost of health insurance premiums since the mid-90’s or to push for new energy technology?  What has she done to keep the value of our dollar strong?  I realize that she is claiming credit for a child heath care program passed in 1997 – but has distanced herself from NAFTA as something her husband did during his which I find interesting especially given her role was the same essentially from 1992 until 2000.

Health care insurance premiums where I work have doubled since 2002 – my employer pays about $1,300 monthly for family coverage – with a higher deductible policy ($2,500 annually).  Senator Clinton has said she will mandate coverage for those who do not have coverage provided through other sources – such as an employer and that through her program individuals will see a reduction of about $2,300 annually.  Based upon my calculations – and using the data known to me – a family without coverage elsewhere would be subject to premiums totaling approximately $13,000 annually – and would be afforded “tax credits” to subsidize the cost, which would still mean monthly or quarterly cash payments for coverage.    Unless I am entirely incorrect – this would be a huge burden on society and I truly wonder how families could begin to afford a plan such as this?  Businesses under Senator Clinton’s plan would be penalized for not providing health care – providing an additional burden on those businesses who have invested in our communities, and states and in our country and with increased costs of their own, are just barely surviving.  And cannot an argument be made that this penalty may squash business growth – and counteract stimulating it?  And, could it not be cheaper for a business to pay the penalty rather than to provide insurance coverage to its employees  - or in the case of larger businesses, to simply outsource.  And cannot the argument also be made that payment of insurance premiums by the government for those who cannot afford it – could also be likened to an additional “hidden tax” on those who have purchased coverage or who have coverage provided through other sources – as it would seem the premiums would be funded from taxpayer dollars or by the business penalty.   Would not our government be wiser to stimulate job growth to allow families to make a living wage, to pay down their debts and save their homes and to have enough discretionary income to stimulate the economy – before we simply impose a premium on them that would serve only to increase their already heavy burden.  I would love to see universal coverage – but I question the reality of the program being presented, as I understand it.

Lastly the war in Iraq.  A couple of weeks ago a comment was made by David Shuster of MSNBC about the Clinton’s role of their daughter during the campaign.  One thing that can be said is that throughout the years it has been obvious that Senator Clinton deeply loves her daughter – and after Mr. Shuster’s obvious poor choice of words – Senator Clinton fairly and vehemently cried foul. I think her words were that she is a parent first and foremost.  Throughout this campaign Senator Clinton has professed to us all – her love and desire to provide protection to the children of our nation.  As a mother, when she supported the war in Iraq she supported putting the children of others in harms way.  Thousands of “someone else’s children” have now died; many more thousand wounded both physically and emotionally – both from our country and from Iraq.  The most heinous and grievous foul of all.  I watched Senator Clinton on news broadcasts at the time the war was declared, I watched Senator Clinton on news broadcasts at the time it was released that the intelligence regarding the declaration of war was wrong, I watched Senator Clinton talk about the wounded and disfigured at the Intrepid, but I have never seen Senator Clinton show what would appear as true remorse as a mother regarding the loss of life and injury of someone else’s children in Iraq.  I have not seen Senator Clinton “rage” and demand to know how we could have declared war because of wrong information.  I have not seen Senator Clinton show even a small portion of the passion and sense of insult for those who lost their lives and limbs in Iraq as she displayed at the time of Mr. Shuster’s insult towards her daughter, which may have injured her sense of integrity but not her life.  I cannot imagine being responsible to make such a heartbreaking decision as to send the youth of our nation to war – and then, in retrospect, to have gotten it wrong.  My son-in-law served in Iraq – had he been a few feet from where he was at one time during his tour  – he would not be with us now.  Needless to say, someone else lost their life that day.  I would like to know why Senator Clinton feels she has the experience to be our Commander in Chief, why she should be trusted to make the right decisions that may decide the fate of our children and what experience does she have to show that she has the right instincts, and judgement, to protect our nation.

In closing, when the appearance that the only sense of urgency our elected officials display is finding out the truth about Roger Clemens and steroids – then we have justification to be somewhat disappointed in our government.  I do not think the majority of our citizens want a hand-out – just a fighting chance.  

In Dallas, his comments are falling on deaf ears.

OBAMA, 2008!

He later plugged her experience and change-making potential: "Change you can count on is coming from her. And you know it. You know she'll always have your back."

Unlike Obama he'll have blacks back. I can't wait for tonight debate. I hope she puts the smackdown n thi Obama fool.

Clinton for President!

(of Ohio)

"Have your back" with a knife in it...

Always have our back....as long a you both need something from us.  Bill you threw me under the buss twice.  One with don't ask, don't tell and then again with DOMA.  You tried to convince John Kerry to do the same when the extreme right was rallying against us in 2004, but he was good and wise enough to continue to back us and our equal rights.  Fool me once........!  Never again Bill and Hillary

"change-making potential"

Bet she can't keep up with Lucy the woman who runs the store I stop in every morning. At least Lucy is likeable. everyone loves lucy bahahahahaa

Wow what a shocker. I mean really...what is Bill going to say? "My wife is hanging by a thread here in Ohio and things are looking a bit shaky?" Of course he is going to say she's looking like a winner.  Only time will tell...

After he signed NAFTA, I can see why Bill is staying in Texas....

What are you afraid of in Ohio Bill?

Just because people lost thousands of jobs thanks to your NAFTA bill..

What Bill doesn't seem to realize is that Hillary is down in the delegate count, so far down that she can't just win by a little.  She has to win by like 20-25% to gain any ground at all (even that large of a lead would STILL leave her far down in the count)

Thanks, Baghdad Bill.

I am a strong Democrat.I can not believe some of these people supporting Obama. I think it's about Hillary being a woman.If Hillary is not the nominee I will not cast a vote.This all blows my mind.

I am a strong Democrat.I can not believe some of these people supporting Obama. I think it's about Hillary being a woman.If Hillary is not the nominee I will not cast a vote.This all blows my mind.

Get outside the bubble, Bill. You guys got no ground game. Obama's busing rally attendees to vote early. It's brilliant tactics like that that will guarantee Obama's nomination. Your crusty, ossified politics of yesteryear "Just won't do!"

Is this really news worthy?  She has consistently lead in the polls in Ohio, so it's no great stretch to think she might win.  Her problem is not winning, it's winning big.  A 52-48 or even a 55-45 win is not enough for her at this point.  To change the momentum, she needs a 60-40 win or better, plus a win in Texas.

"Dewey beats Truman".....

What else would you expect him to say? not that he necissarily believes it

Oh no you don't Bill.  You said that she needed to win Texas AND Ohio.  No more back peddling.

The Clintons remind me of that drunk guy at the party that refuses to stop wearing the lamp shade as a hat...

I can't believe I have to read comments on here from Patty saying that Obama will only have "blacks' backs."  This is the level ff political discourse we get on a moderated blog?

Meanwhile, Sharon Wessel wants to pin Hillary's loss on misogyny rather than a horribly run campaign and an unlikable candidate.  But it's okay for Democrats if Sharon won't vote in the general so long as Sharon lives in one of the countless states that, according to the Clintons, don't matter.

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