Bill Clinton calls on Obama to debate HIllary on rural issues

ALBANY, Ore. – Former President Bill Clinton renewed his wife’s call for Sen. Barack Obama to participate in debates focused on rural issues Saturday during a campaign trip through Western Oregon.

The former president addressed crowds in Junction City, Albany, Monmouth and McMinnville, with more cities on deck. And he used the occasion to address rural issues key to his wife’s campaign.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has challenged Obama to two debates, including one focused on issues affecting rural Oregon. The Obama campaign has not said if he will participate.

The former president outlined his wife’s plans for energy independence and highlighted her vote against a Bush administration bill that gave final say over the siting of liquefied natural gas terminals to the federal government, instead of the states.

He said the bill “stripped from Oregon the authority to make decisions about the siting of liquid natural gas facilities.” Three LNG facilities have been proposed in Oregon.

But the largest cheers were reserved for Hillary Clinton’s plans to preserve benefits for Iraq war veterans, and for her pledge to bring home troops and “restore U.S. standing in the world,” evidence of the strong sway the issue holds over Oregon voters.

In McMinnville, Clinton stressed Oregon issues, saying his wife would make “an aggressive effort to address the decline of salmon stock” and support proposed wilderness areas.