Clinton stumps for Hillary

By CHRIS PETERSON / Hungry Horse News

Sue Janik came in on crutches. Two hours early. Sat in the front row to see former President Bill Clinton speak at Flathead Valley Community College. Jessie Craft also came in on crutches. Got there early. Front row seat as well.

And so it went Tuesday night. Old and young. Lame and fit. Bald and beautiful. Babies and baby boomers. Gathering on a cold, wet night in Kalispell to see their former President stumping for his wife, Hillary, who wants to be your president.

So will they vote for her?

"I haven't decided yet," Janik said before Clinton arrived. "I guess it just depends on how compelling he is."

Craft was more firm in her convictions.

"We've got to get rid of those Republicans," she said. She said she wouldn't have missed it for the world. Bad back and bad knee be damned.

"I would have come if I had to crawl out," she said.

While Democratic challenger Barack Obama holds a lead in delegates, a lead many think is insurmountable, Clinton said the race, "isn't over."

Craft agreed.

"It's not over until the lady in the pants suit says it's over," she said.

Clinton was about an hour late, his speech lasted about that long — he spoke about Hillary's platform, from developing tax credits for cars that get 100 miles to the gallon, to health care for everyone to national security to college loans to the crisis of autism in children.

Clinton talked and talked and talked. He noted that Hillary had just won West Virginia over Obama — an announcement that brought a cheer from some crowd members.

After the speech he worked the crowd deep into the night. Chatting policy and sometimes arguing points with crowd members who asked him questions, grabbed his photo.

At times it was a sea of cell phones, pointed in his direction, all taking pictures or video.

Olive Simpson, 92, also came to hear Clinton speak. She lives at the Buffalo Terrace Home. But she heard Clinton was coming. So she phoned her daughter, Beverly Braig, and said, "get me there."

Simpson, too, had a front row seat. Braig held an umbrella over her head.

For others, just seeing Clinton was the reason they came.

Debye Pulley held her 15-month old son Vaden.

"I came just to hear him speak," she said.

Even if Hillary loses, Clinton vowed the Democratic party would remain unified and beat Republican John McCain in the fall.

Clinton has vowed to stay in the race until the end — the Montana primary is June 3. At stake are 16 pledged delegates.