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Strickland campaigns for Clinton |
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Monday, 18 February 2008 |
Ohio’s first lady visits Minster to raise support for presidential hopeful
By MARY BARGDILL
Staff Writer
MINSTER — The wife of Gov. Ted Strickland Saturday visited Auglaize County in an effort to help a Democratic senator from New York in her campaign three weeks before the Ohio primary.
A Minster eatery hosted an impromptu visit by Ohio’s first lady Frances Strickland and her special guest Marion Berry, who visited the area to to discuss agriculture and to drum up support for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. The small group of constituents gathered at approximately noon at the Wooden Shoe Inn in Minster, one of four scheduled stops by Strickland on Saturday as she traveled through northwest Ohio.
Prior to the visit in Minster, she stopped in Bellefontaine and has scheduled stops in Delphos and Ottawa upon leaving the village.
“I thought it would be good to come into the agricultural part of the state,” Strickland said while introducing Berry, a friend of the Clintons.
Berry served as special assistant of agriculture from 1993 to 1996 for President Bill Clinton. In 1996, the Arkansas native was elected to Congress.
Berry, a lifelong farmer, said he wanted to let voters know Clinton was the best candidate to serve as the nation’s next president.
“I came out here today to say without reservation, Hilary Clinton is the most qualified person for this position,” Berry said. “This country is in such a fragile situation today when we do not have the time or the resources to take chances. She understands agriculture better than any other candidate ... she also understands how important it is in energy resources.”
Local issues in agriculture were brought up during the round table discussion, including the diminishing number of family farms in Auglaize County.
“They could make a living a lot easier doing something else,” OSU Extension Educator of Auglaize County John Smith said.
St. Marys resident Larry Fledderjohann, who is a dairy farmer with more than 100 head of cattle, 70 of which he milks, said he is keeping an eye on feed costs — which are continuing to climb.
“Right now the prices are good,” Fledderjohann said. “Our feed costs could go so much higher.”
Berry also spoke of the role technology will continue to play in agriculture.
“Bio-diesel production and conversion of materials is in its infancy, and there will be some bumps in the road,” Berry said. “The technology is going to take care of this for us. She’s dealt with those problems before. Some day there’s going to be solar panels on the roof of every house. We’re going to have to have leadership that understands this.”
Strickland voiced her support of Clinton, as well.
“It isn’t just the immediate, but we have to keep an eye on it for the future,” Strickland said of agriculture. “I like that concept of her always looking to the future.”
Democrats of Auglaize County President Judy Walter said she was excited Strickland and Berry were able to make a stop in Minster.
“I was thrilled they wanted to come through and they said they had a special guest, and we didn’t know who,” Walter said. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 February 2008 )
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