Bulletin E-Edition:
more photosMore than 3,500 people lined up at Bend High on Monday for a chance to hear former Clinton stump for his wife, presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. The line wound around the school for about a quarter of a mile.
Pete Erickson / The Bulletin
Packed house hears a former president
Some went to watch, others more to listen
By Sheila G. Miller / The Bulletin
Published: April 01. 2008 4:00AM PSTThey wore sweat suits and dress clothes, worried about war and the economy.
But the more than 3,500 people who flocked to the Bend High School gym Monday were all lined up for a chance to hear Bill Clinton speak.
Some already planned to vote for presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton; others hoped to be wowed by her husband.
“How many opportunities do you get to see a president?” Gilchrist resident Echo Murray asked.
“I believe in (Hillary Clinton’s) vision, and I want to hear about that.”
Murray, 50, wanted to know Clinton’s stance on health issues and the war.
“It’s hard to make a decision. So I want to hear what they have to say.”
Oregon’s May 20 primary has become pivotal as Sen. Barack Obama, of Illinois, and Sen. Clinton, of New York, battle for the Democratic nomination.
Former President Clinton visited Portland and Salem on Monday before heading to Bend. Obama visited Oregon last weekend, and Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced that she will visit Portland and Eugene on Saturday.
At Bend High, vendors sold buttons and T-shirts as volunteers from the Deschutes Democrats registered those waiting in line to vote.
Terry King, 53, and his family had traveled from Prineville, arriving at 2:45 p.m. for an expected entrance at 4 p.m. A Vietnam War veteran, King knew exactly what he wanted to hear from Clinton.
“I just basically want to hear that they’re going to stop sending troops to Iraq,” he said. “That they’re going to handle it with diplomacy and ... bring them home.”
Terry and his wife both plan to vote Democratic, but they haven’t decided which candidate they’ll support.
“It’s a toss-up. It depends — I’ll see what he says in there,” Terry said.
Why they came
Around 4:15 p.m., as the line inched closer to the door by the minute, the crowd filled time chatting about why they’d made the trip.
Bend High student Amber Altman, 17, stood at the front of the line. She will not be able to vote in time for the election, but she still wanted to hear what Clinton had to say.
“I want to see for myself rather than hear all the speculation,” she said. “I’m almost old enough to be able to vote, so I’m old enough to comprehend the issues. If I start learning early, when I get to vote I’ll be ready.”
Marcia and Earl Modean didn’t let the long wait keep them from checking out the Clinton rally. Earl, 81, said he was there because the former president has a high IQ and a ton of charisma.
“We need to change the course of this country,” he said. “No. 1, I want him to talk about the war. No. 2, I want him to talk about the economy.”
Behind the Modeans, Margie Lickley, 82, said she wasn’t sure who she’d vote for but was thrilled that Clinton had come all this way to talk to Central Oregonians.
“I love him, I love Bill,” she said, laughing. “I’m listening to decide. I don’t know for sure. I’m sure not voting for what’s his name. What is his name?”
His name, she eventually remembered, is John McCain.
“I didn’t know there would be such a line, but it’s worth it,” Marcia Modean, 79, said as she leaned on a cane and used a plaid scarf to shelter herself from the wind. “I told my whole aerobics class I was coming, and it’s full of Republicans. They were horrified.”
Her husband agreed. “I didn’t know there were this many Democrats in town,” Earl said.
Some left in the cold
By the time the gym opened, the line of people waiting had snaked from the gym through the high school parking lot to Sixth Street, where it continued for two blocks and coiled around modular classrooms.
Bend-La Pine Schools Communication Director Julianne Repman said about 3,000 people were stuffed into the gym to hear Clinton speak. Of the 500 or so people left outside, about 200 remained near the gym’s exit, where an SUV idled waiting for Clinton. He went directly from and to the Redmond Airport, flanked by police.
“I’m here to see him,” Marjo May-Korish, 57, said as she waited against yellow police tape. “Maybe he’ll say hi.”
Many of those who didn’t fit in the gym had sent an R.S.V.P. by phone or e-mail to the event. They were frustrated but still in good spirits, buoyed by the number of people who’d shown up for the event.
Isaac Baker, Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman, said the R.S.V.P.s were purely to help campaign staff get an estimate of people interested in attending, and the event was a first-come, first-served basis.
For those who stuck it out until 8 p.m. to see Clinton leave the event, it worked out. Clinton said hello to them and signed memorabilia before departing.
What they said
Inside, Clinton came on stage at 5:55 p.m. and spoke for more than an hour.
For Anastasia Perone, 34, the speech made her vote more challenging.
“I was more for Barack, but now I really ...” she trailed off. “He was captivating ... usually my mind tends to wander during these things.”
Paul Ong, 40, agreed.
“He was great. Very informative,” Ong said. “He addressed each individual issue and tailored it to Oregon.”
Ong said he’d already been in the Hillary Clinton camp, but now he was 95 percent sure he’d vote for Clinton.
“I haven’t heard Barack Obama yet,” he said. “But I came with no agenda.”
Sheila G.
Miller
can be reached at 617-7831 or at smiller@bendbulletin.com.
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