Hillary thrills Democrats in Columbus

Hillary thrills Democrats in Columbus: "Hillary thrills Democrats in Columbus The presidential hopeful was the featured speaker at the party's state dinner." By William Hershey Staff Writer Sunday, May 13, 2007 COLUMBUS — — U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton brought 3,000 clapping Ohio Democrats to their feet here Saturday when she asked them to help "end this war in Iraq and bring our troops home." Clinton, D-N.Y., featured speaker at the party's state dinner at the Celeste Center at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, said that if President Bush doesn't end the war before he leaves office "when I am president I will," prompting more applause. She said the president "looks right through" Americans struggling with a job loss or other problems, treating them as "invisible." "When we take back the White House, you no longer will be invisible to the president of the United States," Clinton told the crowd. Clinton also pledged to provide health care for all Americans, a goal that eluded her as first lady. She said she had the "scars" to show from that battle. The state dinner was the first since Democrats won statewide nonjudicial offices last November — including Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown — for the first time since 1992. "Tonight feels different, doesn't it?" asked state Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern, a state representative from Catawba Island. The turnout was the biggest for a state dinner since 1996, when 4,500 showed up to hear President Bill Clinton, husband of Saturday's speaker. Redfern said the dinner was expected to gross $750,000, the most ever. Dinner tickets cost $150, while the price was $1,000 for a Chairman's Club reception and $2,000 for a Governor's Club reception. Democrats are energized, said Chris Holm, an employee of the Montgomery County Audtior's office. "... we are going to win in '08,' Holm said. Republicans took a dim view. Ohio Republican Chairman Robert Bennett released a statement calling Clinton a "calculating politician." "She just doesn't fit with our common sense Midwestern values," Bennett said. Democrats were looking forward to next year. Earlier, Clinton and about 100 guests attended a $2,300 per person presidential campaign fundraiser at the New Albany home of Neil Fiske, chief executive officer of the Bath & Body Works division of Limited Brands. It was her second straight Saturday in Ohio. Last week she spoke at the Wilberforce University commencement at Wright State's Nutter Center and campaigned in Cleveland.