Clinton talks gas prices to workers at South Bend plant

by Kelli Cheatham (kcheatham@wsbt.com)

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Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke to workers at the Deluxe Sheet Metal Plant in South Bend

Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke to workers at the Deluxe Sheet Metal Plant in South Bend on Wednesday, April 30, 2008. (WSBT photo)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Apr 30, 2008 at 10:41 AM EST

Story Updated: Apr 30, 2008 at 4:14 PM EST

SOUTH BEND — The Indiana primaries are just six days away, and both Democratic presidential candidates have been giving the state a lot of attention. Sen. Hillary Clinton arrived in South Bend Tuesday night for her fourth visit to the area.

Wednesday morning, she drove to work with Jason Wifling, an employee at Deluxe Sheet Metal in South Bend. They stopped at a gas station in Roseland, where Clinton helped pay for the gas — $63 for a little more than half a tank. Clinton admitted she rarely pumps her own gas; the Secret Service does it for her.

"I have a unique situation," Clinton said. "But I've certainly heard from a lot of people about how much it costs them to buy gas."

Then she went to the Deluxe Sheet Metal plant in South Bend. Clinton covered a lot of issues that hit very close to home, including gas prices, food prices and energy costs. She toured the plant and talked to some of the workers and their families for about an hour.

She touted her plans to reduce high gas prices, both short term and long term. It includes a suspension of the federal portion of gas taxes over the summer by requiring the oil companies to pay it, through a windfall profits tax.

"Some people say that's not a lot of money, well depends on what you do for a living and how far you drive to work," Clinton said. "If you're a trucker, that's a lot of money. If you're a farmer, that's a lot of money."

She also asked for their votes in next Tuesday's primary, saying Hoosiers need someone in the White House who can stand up for middle class Americans.

Many workers said they're voting for her because she stands behind unions. Others still haven't made up their minds.

"In a year and four months I'm going to retire and I'd like to see about Social Security, Medicare, stuff like that,” said Frank VanLeeuwen, an employee at Deluxe Sheet Metal. “And of course gas prices, that's on everybody's mind.”

Her opponent Sen. Barack Obama said Tuesday in North Carolina he doesn't support Clinton's plan. He said in that state it would hurt highway construction and cost 7,000 jobs. He says his middle class tax cut plan would be a better solution. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican Nominee, supports Sen. Clinton's idea, but doesn't think oil companies should pay.

From here, Clinton headed to Portage, Lafayette, Kokomo, Jeffersonville and Terre Haute.

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