Aug 8, 2006 6:58 pm US/Central
Clinton's Speech Seems Presidential To Some
New York Senator Blasts Republicans, Oil Company In Speech To Union Delegates
by Mike Parker
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A fiery address by Hillary Clinton has people saying that she seems ready to run for president.
U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) seemed to bask in the cheers from some 6,000 delegates to a national government workers union convention at McCormick Place. It was a Democratic working-class crowd, and Clinton played to their anger.
"How many of you get so upset and frustrated you find yourself yelling at your TV set?" she asked. "Now that Bill and I have TiVo, sometimes we rewind it and yell all over again."
Clinton blamed just about everything on Republican rule in Washington for what she called a lack of affordable health care, a stagnant minimum wage and a growing deficit. And she railed about that corroded oil pipeline that threatens to raise gasoline prices.
"I think BP should use some of the billions of dollars in excess windfall profits to fix that pipeline without passing on the cost to the rest of us," Clinton said.
It sounded like a White House campaign speech to many who heard it.
"If she ever runs for president, she gets my vote," said union delegate Lamont Wilkinson.
Chicago's top Democrat, Mayor Richard M. Daley, is handicapping the race. Clinton is the front-runner, he said.
"She understands the issues. She's not afraid to make a decision," he said. "She'll set the country in a new direction."
Daley also talked about U.S. Sen. Barack H. Obama Jr., (D-Ill.) who wowed the same union crowd on Monday. The mayor said Obama, if he chooses to run in 2008, won't be too young. John F. Kennedy, Daley noted, was 42 years old when he announced his candidacy for the U.S. presidency. Obama just turned 45.
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