St. Partick Day parade primary talk

Samantha Hayes, Washington, D.C.

March 14, 2008

            If she owns a green pant suit, tomorrow would be the time for Senator Hillary Clinton to wear it.  Saturday she is scheduled to stay in Pittsburgh for the city's  St. Patrick's Day parade.  Clinton has been in Pittsburgh as part of her heavy campaign schedule in Pennsylvania, where Democratic candidates are looking for their next "must-win."  She has the endorsements of the Governor, and the mayors of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

            Politically speaking, Clinton has referenced Ireland frequently when referring to her experience in foreign policy. After her crucial wins in Texas and Ohio on March 4th, she told CNN, "I helped to bring peace to Northern Ireland." That claim has been a point of contention. Former Democratic Senate majority leader George Mitchell, who was a U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland, told CNN that Clinton helped bring in women's groups that made a difference but was not directly involved in negotiations.  CNN also talked to Representative Peter King, a Republican from New York, who was also involved in the process.  He recalled that Senator Clinton was part of a late night meeting, along with former President Bill Clinton and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, about how the IRA would decommission its weapons.

            WIth less than six weeks to go until Pennsylvania's primary, its likely we will be hearing much more about "experience" from Clinton, and "change" from Barack Obama.  There's no doubt both will be campaigning hard in the state leading up to the contest on April 22nd. Perhaps this weekend Hillary Clinton also hopes to campaign for a little luck of the Irish.