Related:

• Gallery: Chelsea Clinton in Ashland

ASHLAND — Chelsea Clinton is becoming an honorary Tri-State area resident after making two stops in Huntington on Sunday and in Ashland on Monday morning to stump for her mother’s candidacy for president.

Chelsea Clinton stopped by the Clinton campaign headquarters in the 4200 block of Winchester Avenue adjacent to the Dollar General store where an overflow crowd turned out about 8:30 a.m. She and her mother went to church at First United Methodist Church in Huntington on Sunday morning.

“I feel like I didn’t need to come at all,” Clinton said when seeing the overflow crowd that showed out for a glimpse of her. “Thank you for being such vocal supporters of my mom I do grow more proud of my mom every day. Hopefully, we’ll have a good turnout tomorrow in West Virginia. If we work hard, we’ll have a good outcome. Keep talking and working for the next eight days. Let’s go get Kentucky.”

Kentucky voters will head to the polls May 20 while West Virginia voters will head to the polls today, May 13.

“I was a big Hillary supporter,” said Ruth McCaleb, a Greenup, Ky., resident among the crowd on hand for the opening of the campaign office in Ashland. “I’m glad to see a woman so capable have a chance for the presidency. I’m going to Lexington tonight for a tea co-hosted by Phyllis George Brown with one of my daughters. I have four daughters and we’re all supporting Hillary.”

Shelia Lambert of Catlettsburg also will be voting for Clinton in about a week.
“I think she’s a very intelligent person,” she said. “I was pleased with the people her husband had around him when he was president. I think she’ll do the same.”

“I’m for Hillary all the way,” said Linda Spangler of Worthington, Ky. “Since they’re in Ashland, I had to come and see them. You don’t see a lot of these folks come to Ashland. This is new. It’s something I’ve never done before.”

Cindy Griffith of Ashland was interested in seeing Chelsea Clinton and hearing her speak.
“I remember her as a little girl in the White House,” Griffith said. “It’s been such an intense race. The process seems more interesting this time.”

Chelsea Clinton was introduced by State Rep. Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, Kentucky’s majority leader.

“We feel like we know you,” Adkins said. “We’ve watched you grow up. I think your father was a great president. We remember the 1990s when we had a strong economy. We had a balanced budget and had a surplus. I’m ready for those good times again.”

John Burdette of Greenup, Ky., was the only person in the crowd wearing a “Chelsea Clinton’s Mom For President” sticker. He made up three on his home computer and gave one of them to his sister. “My family is going to vote for Hillary,” he said.

Brenda Arthur of Ashland wasn’t there for the whole event. She just heard about Chelsea Clinton being in town when she saw it on My Space.

“Her mom running for president is historical,” Arthur said. “I’m all for it. I voted for her husband twice and thought he did a good job.”

Linda Wonn Campbell of Catlettsburg, Ky., plans to vote for Hillary because “she’ll be wonderful for this country. She’s a smart lady. She’s a tough lady. I’ll vote for her on election day.”

Lori Wolfe/The Herald-Dispatch

Chelsea Clinton campaigns on behalf of her mother, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Monday, May 12, 2008, at the Ashland office of the Clinton for President campaign.

Purchase this photo