State-Journal.com - Former president coming to town

Frankfort developer C. Michael Davenport says he will definitely be in the Frankfort Convention Center Tuesday morning when former President Bill Clinton arrives.

"I shook his hand in 2007 when he was in Lexington and that was the fourth time I've had that privilege," Davenport said. "I'm a big William Jefferson Clinton fan. He appointed me to the White House Conference on Small Business in 1993."
Clinton will be in downtown Frankfort speaking at a campaign rally for his wife, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democratic candidate for president.

Franklin County Judge-Executive Ted Collins, chairman of the Franklin County Democratic Executive Committee, confirmed around 10:20 p.m. Friday that Bill Clinton would be the keynote speaker at the free rally.

"We're thrilled former President Clinton is going to be here in the capital city," Collins said. "All Frankfort and Franklin County citizens and folks in neighboring counties are invited to come hear him speak.

"With such short notice, I don't know that we can fill (the 5,300-seat arena). But I feel we will have a good crowd."

Collins said he has never met the former president. "I have a number of friends who have met him and say he's a dynamic speaker. I really look forward to meeting him."

The rally will begin between 10:30 a.m. and noon Tuesday.

Collins said everybody who attends must enter the convention center through a metal detector.

"I would recommend bringing a photo ID, too," Collins said.

Franklin County Clerk Guy Zeigler said, "I think it's great that we're getting interest from presidential candidates and their supporters. We've never had that in a presidential primary that I can remember."

Zeigler said it should be an interesting rally.

"I've never been very close to a president or a former president," he said.

Frankfort Police Chief Walter M. Wilhoite said Saturday he has talked with the Secret Service regarding security and logistics, "but we're just in the planning stages right now." He said the Kentucky State Police and all local police agencies would be involved.

Wilhoite said it's nice for a former president to visit Frankfort. "I'm glad Kentucky is relevant (in the presidential primary). But it does create some headaches."

Davenport says he has been a Hillary Clinton supporter "since the day she announced. I have admired her since the 1980s. She's a brilliant woman.

"And I believe when the final chapters of the history of this great nation are written, William Jefferson Clinton will go down as one of the greatest presidents ever. During Mr. Clinton's terms, we wiped out the deficit and look at it today. Our national deficit really worries me."

The economy, illegal immigration, the five-year war in Iraq and the ongoing war on terrorism are major issues facing America right now, Davenport says. "In my opinion, Hillary Clinton is capable of dealing with all of those issues for our nation."

Davenport says he and his wife, Kimberly, have each contributed $2,300 to Hillary Clinton's campaign, "the maximum allowed by law," he says. The Davenports hope to take their two young children to Tuesday's rally, too.

Franklin County Magistrate Jill Robinson, a staunch Democrat, says she has "immense respect" for Hillary Clinton. But Robinson won't be at the Clinton campaign rally since she has endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president. Robinson said she would be attending a Bluegrass Alliance for Women Luncheon in Lexington Tuesday.

"However, I'm excited a former president is coming to Frankfort," Robinson says. "We know our local and state officials well here. But unfortunately when it comes to a presidential race, we're small potatoes."

But this year the May 20 presidential primary in Kentucky has become more meaningful, Robinson says.

According to the Associated Press, Obama leads Clinton among pledged delegates, 1,404-1,249, while the former first lady has an advantage among superdelegates, 249-213. The total delegates are 1,617 for Obama and 1,498 for Clinton, and 2,024 are needed.

Kentucky has 60 delegates including eight superdelegates.

"It's great that he's coming here," Robinson says. "It's good for the economy and it's good for local people to see him and hear what he has to say. It's our time to check this all out and make a decision about whom we want to support.

"I've seen him speak and I've seen Hillary speak. They are very articulate, very intelligent. I voted for him twice and I never regretted it. I think he was a good president. I think it's too early in history to know if he will be considered a great president."

Robinson said her endorsement decision "was an incredibly tough one. I anguished for months over it." Listening to a lot of young people in the community influenced her decision, she says.

"I finally decided Obama would be a fresh start and a new face for us, particularly in Washington. We need that. We definitely need to have some kind of consensus to move things forward and get some things done."

Robinson says it's an exciting time in America, "either way, with a woman or an African American as the (Democratic presidential nominee). It sends a strong message to the rest of the world that America is growing up, overcoming our prejudices and moving on from just white men."

In addition to the rally in the convention center, Clinton will visit with Gov. Steve Beshear and state Democratic legislative leaders Tuesday, probably at the Capital Plaza Complex in Frankfort, said Jerry Lundergan, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman for Kentucky.

While in Kentucky Tuesday, the former president also will visit Paris, attend a 3 p.m. rally at the Mason County Fieldhouse in Maysville and end the day at a 5 p.m. rally at the Morehead Convention Center, Lundergan said. The times are still tentative.

Democratic Party Chairwoman Jennifer Moore said Hillary Clinton will be in Kentucky soon, but no place and times have been set.