Hillary Clinton hits McCain on economy in Frankfort

FRANKFORT -- While prominent Republicans - including presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-Ariz. ) - spent yesterday in Louisville hammering Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) like a general election opponent, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) targeted McCain in her own right today in Frankfort, even though her path to the Democratic nomination remains winding.

“He simply has the wrong ideas and the wrong vision for America,” said Clinton at the beginning of her speech.

“He said that on the fundamentals and principles of the Republican Party, he and President Bush are in agreement,” Clinton continued. “You may think that is hardly possible to be in agreement with President Bush, but that’s what Senator McCain said.”

As the assembled crowd jeered McCain’s sentiment, Clinton remarked “That’s exactly my reaction.”

After attempting to link Bush and McCain and social security privatization – among other issues - Clinton put her opinion of the current administration in no uncertain terms.

“I don’t know that we’ve had a worse president in American history,” said Clinton.

The speech in front of several hundred supporters in the gymnasium at Kentucky State University in Frankfort also found Clinton making few references to Obama, but instead asking the crowd “who would you hire for this job?”

“We need a president who will be able to deal with the challenges and seize the opportunities,” said Clinton.

Clinton also reiterated one of her campaign’s indirect jibes against Obama, when discussing how “problems” in the country could be solved.

“It doesn’t happen by wishing for it, it doesn’t happen by hoping for it, it doesn’t happen by making speeches about it,” said Clinton. “It happens by rolling up our sleeves  and we find solutions.”

Instead of explicitly drawing herself in contrast with her opponent, Clinton stressed the importance of high turnout for Kentucky’s May 20 primary – an objective that could give Clinton a major boost in her popular vote count.  Clinton’s campaign advisors have stressed that a big win here would go a long way towards that goal, and she remains 27 points up on Obama according to the most recent public poll.

“We are going to hope that Kentucky has another huge turnout on Tuesday because it is such an important election,” said Clinton. “It is probably one of the most significant votes you have ever or will ever cast.”

“I hope you will come out on Tuesday and bring everybody else you can imagine,” said Clinton.

SOON on PolitickerKY.com:

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