Bill Clinton: Democrats need a candidate who can implement their ideas

CORALVILLE - Nearly 500 people showed up in Coralville Friday night for a Clinton rally. It wasn't always clear if they were there for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton first or to see her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who was headlining the rally.

'He's definitely my favorite president,” Blen Alemayehu of Iowa City said about the former president who has been busy on the campaign trail as the as the race has tightened in the closing weeks.

Nearby, Moussa Diouf, also of Iowa City, was definitely there to support the former first lady.

'I know her better because she was here eight years ago,” he said. However, he only decided Thursday to support Clinton rather than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

'Because of her determination,” he explained. 'I like people who don't quit.”

There's no quit in her, President Clinton said, affirming this sentiment as he recited details of his wife's biography.

'She's the single best change-maker I've ever met. Not a change-talker,” he said.

The next president needs to be someone to calm down the American people 'put Humpty Dumpty back together,” he said.

Republicans aren't the enemy 'and the other Democrats certainly are not,” Clinton said. In fact, the Democratic candidates have a lot of economic ideas in common

'But you've got to pick the person most likely to do it,” Clinton said. 'Whatever your ideas are, you've got to implement them.”

That's why Anna Lopez of Tiffin and her husband, Phillip Snipes, are Hillary Clinton supporters - and were in 2008. They also were at the rally because they welcomed the opportunity to see the former president.

Electing Hillary Clinton would be a 'twofer” for voters, Snipes said, because she would benefit from his eight years of experience in the White House.

'I think she could guide her a bit” if she needed it, he said.

Alemayehu also liked the prospect of a 'twofer” with the Clintons back in the White House.

'Definitely, because we can't have him again,” she said.

However, Alemayehu believes Hillary Clinton is more than qualified for the job.

'She has more experience from being the first lady and seeing what he went through,” she said. 'She's probably better prepared than he was.”

The parade of Clintons will continue Saturday when daughter Chelsea Clinton headlines another organizing event at 1:45 p.m. at the University of Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City.

Hillary Clinton will be back in Eastern Iowa next week with stops at the Toledo Civic Center at 6:45 p.m. Monday, and on Thursday at the Vinton Country Club at 3:45 p.m. and UI IMU at 7:30 p.m.