Pocono News Section

One-on-One with Hillary Clinton

One-on-One with Hillary Clinton - Monday, April 21, 2008 at 6:34PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Monday, Apr 21, 2008 @ 06:34pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Just one day before the critical Pennsylvania primary, Senator Hillary Clinton spoke one-on-one with WBRE News Monday morning at the Scranton Cultural Center. She answered questions on a variety of issues, including negative campaigning, her predictions for how the vote would turn out and her Scranton roots.

"It's easy to talk about the problems. It's easy to give speeches about them, but I know how to translate these ideas into reality," Senator Clinton said.

With the campaign turning increasingly negative in the last week, Clinton took on Senator Barack Obama's criticism that she's using the kitchen sink mentality and would do anything to win.

"That's like the pot calling the kettle black. He has run such a negative campaign in his ads, in his mailers and in his speeches and he gives speeches about running a positive campaign and then he turns around and attacks me in misleading ways," Senator Clinton said.

Recent poll numbers show Clinton's lead shrinking in the Keystone State, but she is still confident for a win Tuesday.

"I never make predictions but we've been working very hard and there seems to be an intense amount of interest in this campaign," Senator Clinton said.

Political experts say if Hillary Clinton wins, the size of the victory will be important.

"A win is a win, but I would think to really establish herself or re-establish herself, she'll have to win by double digits," professor Joseph Gilroy of Lackawanna College said.

After talking up her Scranton roots and her fourth trip to the Electric City, Hillary Clinton said she hopes northeastern Pennsylvania will keep her candidacy going.

"It's great. It's not like campaigning anywhere else. It is like coming home. I have so many friends. I have people that literally have known me since I was born," Senator Clinton said.

Efforts to reach out to Senator Obama for a one-on-one interview Sunday night in Scranton were unsuccessful.