Published: March 29, 2008 09:49 pm            

One-On-One With Hillary

NEW ALBANY — After the “Hoosiers on the Economy” roundtable at the South Side Inn in New Albany, The Evening News and The Tribune had a brief interview with presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton.

QUESTION: In a down economy, how do you plan to strengthen environmental protections while also stimulating new Midwestern manufacturing jobs?

HILLARY CLINTON: “Well, there’s going to be a commitment and leadership that we’ve been lacking. I’m going to get rid of the tax benefits that go to businesses that export jobs out of Indiana to foreign countries. We’re going to take a hard look at all the trade agreements and begin to analyze them and change them so that they have strong labor environmental standards. I’m going to renegotiate NAFTA. I’m the only candidate who has said that I would do that and then I am going to get tough on China which has been a real problem when it comes to playing by the rules. I’m going to also invest in manufacturing. We need to take the tax subsidies away from big oil and invest in new forms of manufacturing and clean renewable energy. I want to support the auto companies so that they have a president that is actually willing to go to bat for the American auto workers. I have a very clear set of proposals that I will start implementing as soon as I am president.”

Q: Regionally, casino gambling has been a boon for some communities, but a political wedge for many others as Midwestern state economies struggle. Do you think states should continue to control licenses and revenues or is a federal commission a better option?

CLINTON: “I think that it’s really up to the states to determine whether this is an industry they want to engage in. Some states decide yes and some states decide no. But states have to understand that it’s not a Panacea. There are a lot of problems with casino gambling and we’re going to have to make sure that we work with states so that they are better able to cope with the consequences.”

Q: What has surprised you most about your first trips to Indiana?

CLINTON: “Oh, how enthusiastic the crowds are. People have been coming out to see me everywhere and they are so excited and energized and tell me they want to work for me and make a difference in the campaign. I’ve had people say that they are voting for the first time ever because I’m running or they changed their registration to vote for me. I met two women just here in New Albany who are suffering from stage four cancer who pulled themselves together to come here today because they want to support me. So I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive, enthusiastic response I’ve gotten from Terre Haute to Fort Wayne to Evansville to New Albany.”

Q: Do you think the prolonged battle for the Democratic nomination is going to help you in the general election?

CLINTON: “I actually think this is good for the Democratic Party because we both [Clinton and opponent Sen. Barack Obama] are bringing a lot of new people into the process. All these people who are telling me that they are registering to vote for the first time or coming out and expressing their feelings — I’m thrilled by that. I think that’s good for the Democratic Party and we’ll eventually have a nominee and we’ll all unite behind that nominee.”

        

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