Struggling with a voice hoarse from days of nonstop campaigning, former President Bill Clinton delivered a spirited argument Monday for re-electing President Barack Obama, telling an audience at Scranton High School only the president's policies will create the jobs that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is promising.
"I'm telling you, Scranton, you better listen to me," Mr. Clinton told the 2,000 gathered on the eve of Election Day. "I'm for Barack Obama, and you should be too."
Mr. Clinton arrived in Scranton after stops in Pittsburgh, Blue Bell and Philadelphia. Large numbers of Democrats live around all four stops, and Mr. Clinton was dispatched to Pennsylvania to stir up Democratic voters whose turnout is key if Mr. Obama is to make his long-standing polling lead in the state hold up today.
An Allentown Morning Call poll of voters over a three-day period ending Saturday found Mr. Obama with the support of 49 percent of likely voters and Republican nominee Mitt Romney with 46 percent. The poll surveyed 430 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
Mr. Clinton arrived in the school gymnasium like a conquering hero, as popular as if he were still president, but focused on re-electing the man who has the top job. Several speakers took the stage before Mr. Clinton did, but none lit up the crowd the way he did.
Mr. Clinton said he volunteered to do whatever the Obama campaign wanted, but wanted to end in Pennsylvania with the last stop being Scranton.
He stood in a gymnasium where his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, spoke more than 4½ years ago during her bid for the presidency against Mr. Obama. He joked that Mr. Obama has "got a heck of a Secretary of State."
He praised Mr. Obama's response to Hurricane Sandy, saying he knew Mr. Obama had "grasped" the job of president.
Mr. Obama left the campaign trail last week to deal with the hurricane's aftermath.
"When something like this happens, we all know, 'We're all in this together' works a lot better than 'You're on your own,' " he said.
Mr. Clinton portrayed Mr. Romney as a flip-flopper, invoking the name of former President George W. Bush.
After a few boos, Mr. Clinton said he and Mr. Bush have become friends.
"He and I have these huge arguments, but I don't have to worry about him changing his position in mid-sentence," Mr. Clinton said.
He recalled Mr. Bush once saying the president is the "decider in chief." When he heard Mr. Bush say it, he knew ridicule would follow, but Mr. Bush was right, he said.
"I want Barack Obama to be the decider in chief," Mr. Clinton said.
He scolded Mr. Romney as someone who makes the wrong decisions, like saying the president should allow General Motors and Chrysler to go bankrupt and consciously running a television commercial in Ohio saying the auto bailout meant Jeeps would be built in China. After Jeep officials denied the claim, Mr. Romney claimed Mr. Obama is working with "the Italians" to move jobs to China, Mr. Clinton said.
"I'm telling you, Scranton, you better listen to me. We better defeat him because in the week after the election, he'll start coming out at the Irish and we'll be toast," he said to loud laughter.
Lines of chilly people with Obama stickers and pins stretched from the school doors to the sidewalks along Providence Road, waiting to get in to see Mr. Clinton.
Scranton resident Russell Richardson, 57, was joined by his wife, Rhonda, and 6-year-old daughter Shaela. The elder Richardsons plan to vote for Mr. Obama today, partly because he succeeded in passing health care reform.
Like many around them in line, they felt Mr. Obama needs more time to restore the economy.
"I don't know of any president in my lifetime who has been able to accomplish what they said they would in the time frame they said they would," he said with a smile.
"I feel he's more for the people," Mrs. Richardson added.
Archbald resident Amy McBride listed the environment as her top priority, pointing out that Hurricane Sandy shows climate change must be taken seriously.
"He at least talks about it," she said of Mr. Obama. "Romney just ignores it. ... I wanted Hillary to clean up the last jokesters mess, but Obama will do."
Not every person outside the school supported Mr. Obama.
Three women near the front doors quietly held signs supporting Mr. Romney. One sign stated: If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
One of the women, Colette Hughes, 60, of Scott Twp., who owns a janitorial staffing company, said her business is why she backs Mr. Romney, who has vowed to repeal Mr. Obama's health care reform law, a big issue for her.
"Under Obama I have to be mindful of a certain cap on the number of employees and my total income," she said, referring to provisions under the law when she'll begin to pay higher costs. "(Obama) also says I am one of those who should pay my fair share."
"I feel very empowered at this stage in my life to vote for a candidate that believes in the constitution," she added, of Mr. Romney.
Mr. Clinton's visit closed a fall presidential election campaign that for the first time in memory brought none of the major presidential contenders to Northeast Pennsylvania.
Vice President Joseph Biden had been scheduled to appear last Thursday, but his visit was scrubbed amid concerns about Hurricane Sandy. Mr. Obama did not visit the region at all this year. Mr. Romney campaigned for a day in April when the outcome of the Republican primaries was still in doubt. Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan never campaigned here. Mr. Biden campaigned the day before Independence Day.
Contact the writers: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com and rbrown@timesshamrock.com