BILL FOR HILL, AT BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY

BILL FOR HILL, AT BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY

Written by: Colin Bruce Munro Wood – 04/17/2016 – 9:02AM ET

            It was a gorgeous blue skied day in Binghamton, New York yesterday, and hardly a wisp of a cloud could be seen.  Not only were the skies a rich baby blue, but the stickers were even bluer.  Stickers, that had a big white, capital H dead center of the round patch.

The huge crowd, of over 2000 people, for which they had to open the middle partition in the West Gym, were all here to see former President William H. Clinton speak.

So, what was up with the H’s, you might wonder, if you were not there?  Bill came to spread words of love for his Presidential running wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton.  As the stickers were being handed out, at my son’s first Presidential rally, I came to realize, as volunteers, either pretended to sign people up, or actually did sign some folks up, that the Hillary Campaign team, like other teams I am sure, are the ones that show up early and start handing everything out. Stickers and pre-made signs were given to many, and of course, you could choose to purchase a number of different buttons, supporting your candidate… if the candidate was Hillary Clinton.  No other choices provided! 

The denouncers of Hill and Bill, were quite few.  There was one man walking around in a light blue dress, and a sign denouncing the Clintons as Capitalists.  However, I found out as I approached the front door, from his own lips,  that his image was all about the Monica Lewinsky scandal from the 90’s, during William Clinton’s Presidency.  What?  Why?  Oh, and the dress was a dark satin blue, my friend.  I couldn’t imagine for a second, why this gentleman thought that would matter 20 years, or so, later?  Did he realize that 50% of the crowd looked like students, who don’t know that story, and the other 50% were folks my age, or older, who don’t care anymore?  Also, across the street from the front of the West Gym, were 4 individuals, holding a sign up on the ground, that had caricatures of the top four candidates left in the presidential race.  Cruz, Clinton, Sanders, and Trump had a Russian like drawing of each of them, making them look like tyrants, from a distance. Not sure what the students’ intents were, but it sure wasn’t clear from the distance away, of the line going in.

Yes, I waited in the general public line to get in, with my son, because I’m still learning who or where to contact each campaign for individual press passes, for the press area.  However, after going through about 8 individuals, I was finally, actually directed by the 7^th person to the correct head of the press area, from the Clinton team.  She was very kind, and easily allowed both of us into the press area, after showing my USPA credentials.

Bill, had already been to a few cities this day, including Albany, and Syracuse, NY.  So, by the time he arrived, and spoke an hour later than originally scheduled, you might have expected him to keel over at 7:30PM, on a Saturday night, after a long week of campaigning on the road, and in New York City. 

But, this is William H Clinton, one of the greatest, historical presidents in history. 

Some will deny this, on the right, but I, as an independent Conservative Constitutionalist, with some liberal leaning social beliefs, will step up and admit, that Bill did great things for our Nation, and for those in need!  The latter, being one of the most important things a Hillary Clinton White House should repeat. 

No matter if you are Republican, Democrat, or Independent, everyone in the nation, needs to admit, that something must be done, to balance out the nation’s huge gaps in incomes. Especially, when those making less, are working harder labor than those in the cushy offices, pushing phone calls, texts, emails, and paper, in a chair most often.  Of course, we all know that this could easily start in Congress, by leveling out their incomes for maybe 10 years, at least, and stop the increases, and special pandering in benefits, to those who make decisions for our nation.  Certainly, history shows us, that the payment for Representatives of the House, and Senators on the Hill, has been an ongoing contentious issue, since 1789, when John Adams, first put forth that he was unhappy with the “niggardly” $5000, as he stated, for the Vice Presidency.  From there, it balled into a huge argumentative issue within all of the 1^st Congress, and after many days of contention, they finally settled on $6 per member, in each branch.  “In the House of Representatives, Theodore Sedgwick of Massachusetts moved to reduce the representatives' pay to $5, while keeping the senators' rate at $6. Rep. James Madison of Virginia agreed with the distinction, observing that if there were no discrimination, ''men of interprize and genius will naturally prefer a seat in the house, considering it to be a more conspicuous situation.'' Most members of the House, however, would brook no insinuation of inferiority, and salaries for both branches were ultimately set at $6 a day.” (Margaret C. Christman, NY Times, March 2, 1989).

Although, Bill Clinton spoke an hour late, the rally did finally begin with a rousing, incredibly sung rendition of our Great Country’s National Anthem.  The crowd was roaring before it was over, boiling with excitement from the beautiful singing, and the brewing of an exciting moment in Binghamton’s history of Presidential campaigning.  I remember, September 12, 1984, when a gigantic crowd at Union-Endicott Tiger’s Football stadium, came to see the Reagan/Bush train of campaigners.  For some reason, in those days, thousands more people were attracted to such an event in the Binghamton area.  Now, It’s hard to break 3,000 onlookers at anyone campaign event in Binghamton, and maybe that is why it was such a surprise to see them all here this week, except Hillary that is.

In the end, Kirsten Gillibrand-D (20^th Cong. Sen. Of NYS), spoke for about 3 minutes, and cracked a few jokes about the tall podium for Bill, and her height, which had the crowd and myself cracking up, quite a bit.  It was a perfect way to calm a long waiting group of rally-goers, and prepare them for the excitement of our former President, coming to speak directly to the citizens of Binghamton.

Bill, came out with grace and appeal, and to a roaring, applauding crowd, as I scrambled to get my cameras in place.  He strode up to the podium, and just started speaking in the graceful way that he spews forth his love for people, NY, and the country. He mostly spoke of his wife, Hillary, and gave her much more support than has been heard on the news at previous events, especially on CNN and Fox News, whom have tried to make them look like they are against each other.  This day, Bill was in full support of his wife’s candidacy, and mostly, knowing the landscape of our area, the economical struggles we are all facing, and the amount of low income areas, and peoples, he directly spoke to the fairness of having a higher national wage. He talked of helping, and giving of time and money to those in need, and stop the conglomerates from running the world, and paying their workers measly, unsupportive salaries, in general.

Bill spoke of his presidency and how the lower20% in income became wealthier while he was in charge, and that Hillary was going to do the same thing for poor people in America, families, that from what I could see, were not even there to support him, or couldn’t afford to be there on a Saturday. 

The crowd was mainly students, and middle class adults.  One might hope that this crowd does care about the low income individuals, and areas in our local cities, which need improvements, donations, and help.  Anyone can drive down Front Street, from downtown Binghamton to SUNY-Broome, and find a number of houses that have been restored, and are being rebuilt.  A perfect example, of what should be happening all over our area.  This also brings jobs to many in our area, who qualify for construction and other employment areas of that nature.

With a 4:15 pm arrival, and a 3 hour and 15-minute time at the event, it was worth it to see Bill myself again, for the first time since the 90’s in NYC, and to hear his voice in person, as rough as it was, from his long day.  Thank you William H Clinton, for coming to our newly economically growing area, and for sharing your precious time with us all.  I won’t say whom I a voting for, as that is actually highly in the air still, but I’ll allow that I didn’t wear a white H, on a blue sticker, on my shirt!

Wood News Agency, LLC

Binghamton, NY