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• Gallery: Bill Clinton Campaigns at Shawnee University

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Bill Clinton was far from alone Monday in thinking the time is right for America to have its first female president.

Plenty of others among the 1,500 who turned out at Shawnee State University to see the former president campaign for his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, said they felt the same way.

"I had to take a vacation day for this," said Sharon Halcomb, a Portsmouth resident. "I'm voting for her on March 4. She's a strong person. She can handle the job. She can be the first woman president. Seventeen other countries have a woman leader."

Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is in a tough Democratic presidential primary race with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. While Clinton has lost the last 11 primaries, she hopes to win in Ohio and Texas a week from now and then win Pennsylvania and have the momentum heading into the convention.

Clinton's 21-point lead in Ohio two weeks ago has diminished to 8 points in one poll and 11 in another. But she has one advantage in the Buckeye State, the support of Gov. Ted Strickland and his wife, Frances.

"There is no one Ted wants to work with as governor more than Hillary Clinton," Frances Strickland said. "This country is more than ready for Hillary Clinton."

Bill Clinton realizes the importance of Ohio in November. No Republican candidate has won the presidency without winning the Buckeye State. He said his wife is the candidate most likely to carry Ohio this fall.

"If you nominate Hillary and she carries Ohio, she'll be the next president."

He urged uncommitted voters to back Hillary Clinton and for those who support her to volunteer in the get-the-vote-out campaign. In areas where there are grassroots campaigns, Hillary Clinton wins, Bill Clinton said.

"She wants to provide affordable health care for all Americans," he said. "We have business and labor for universal health care. The American Nursing Association has endorsed Hillary."

Hillary Clinton wants to open the doors of college to every student, raise Hope scholarships, and then allow students to repay college loans through service jobs such as teachers, police and nursing, Bill Clinton said.

"She's got the solutions," he said. His wife will bring the soldiers home from Iraq and take care of the veterans, the former president said.

While Bill Clinton campaigned in Portsmouth, Chillicothe, Athens and Lancaster, Obama held an invitation-only round table discussion on retirement security at the Cincinnati Museum Center, then scheduled a public rally in the basketball arena at the University of Cincinnati, and later a rally in Dayton.

In Portsmouth, Carol Myers, a retired teacher from Georgetown, Ohio, said America will get a two-for-one deal if Hillary Clinton is elected; it means Bill Clinton will be back in the White House.

"It's time for a woman president," she said. "We went to his inauguration in 1993. I about froze to death. My feet were numb. But it was neat. It was something I'll never forget."

Orland Leadingham didn't go to Washington, D.C., when Bill Clinton was elected, but he went there when Jimmy Carter was inaugurated. "I'll definitely go if she wins," the Franklin Furnace, Ohio, resident said.

"People don't give him credit for what he did good," Leadingham said. "We know (Gov.) Ted Strickland is for him. The economy did well under Bill Clinton. I think she'll follow in his footsteps. I'm going to vote for Hillary, really because of Bill, but I think she's qualified. There are women running other countries. She's a strong lady."

Walt Maynard of South Webster, Ohio, and his wife, Wanda, both plan to vote for Hillary Clinton next week.

"I'm working on her campaign here," he said. "People are ready for change. I think people are ready for a woman president."

Donald Brown of Wheelersburg, Ohio, already has cast his absentee ballot for Hillary Clinton. "I saw her when she was down here in 1992," he said.

Jessica Wells, a South Shore, Ky., resident and Shawnee State University sophomore, plans to vote for Hillary Clinton in Kentucky's primary in May. "It may not matter," she said. "She could have it wrapped up by then."

Arizona Sen. John McCain was the lone Republican campaigning Monday in Ohio. The all-but-certain GOP nominee was in the Cleveland area, working to unify his party.

In Rocky River, McCain told supporters that Ohio can play an important role in reducing the nation's dependency on foreign oil.

"The innovation, the technology, the training and the education is right here in the state of Ohio and in the heartland of America, and we can develop these technologies," he said.

He said he knew the war in Iraq has been frustrating and divisive. But he said the current strategy is working, and he took the Democrats to task.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch Former President Bill Clinton makes a campaign stop for his wife Hillary Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio.