Clinton's rejoinder: 'Jobs, Baby, jobs'

[October 14, 2008]  PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a Democratic rejoinder to the Republican chant of "Drill, Baby, drill." Said the one-time presidential candidate: "Jobs, Baby, jobs."

Campaigning for her once bitter rival Barack Obama in Pennsylvania, the New York senator told about 1,500 people at an historic farm in suburban Horsham, that her husband's administration produced a balanced budget and a surplus.

"Now, eight short years later, we've had to add a digit to the debt clock," she said, referring to the digital sign in New York City that tracks the national debt.

Clinton is trying to use her popularity in places like northeast Philadelphia and the city's suburbs to help Obama beat Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain in this battleground state. She did well in both areas in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary six months ago, when she beat the Illinois senator by 10 percentage points.

At the Republican National Convention and various GOP rallies, an oft-repeated chant was "Drill, Baby, drill," a plea for more oil drilling. McCain and GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin back more offshore oil drilling; Palin favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Clinton said Democrats have a better answer: "Jobs, Baby, jobs."

Earlier in the day, she told about 400 people at a Philadelphia Jewish community center that voters concerned about the country's economy should support Obama because President Bush's policies are not helping average households.

"The middle class is invisible to this president," Clinton said. "He doesn't see how hard it is to make ends meet."

Clinton's visit to the Jewish community center in the far northeastern corner of Philadelphia was the first of two area stops on Monday.

Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, campaigned with Obama running mate Joe Biden on Sunday in Scranton, another area where Clinton did well in the primary.

Earlier Monday, Clinton said Obama is closing in on an Election Day win.

Clinton said in an interview taped for "Today" from Scranton that she thinks Obama has substantially improved his chances by the way he has handled questions about the country's severe credit crisis. "I think he's closing it," she said.

[Associated Press; By MARYCLAIRE DALE]

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