Daily Iowan

Issue date: 12/11/07 Section: Metro

Former President Bill Clinton touted his wife's record, mostly outside of public office, as evidence of her ability to fix large problems in a speech at the IMU Monday night.

He repeatedly described Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., as an agent of change, citing her time in the Children's Defense Fund, as the head of an Arkansas education taskforce, in her various duties during his presidency, and as a senator.

"All of her life, she's been a change agent," he said.

Clinton described the term as "someone who's proved she can see a problem and fix it."

Rodham Clinton is especially prepared for the current times, Clinton said, comparing her with other presidential candidates since he became eligible to vote in 1967.

"In all those 40 years, she has been the best-qualified for the particular time she's asking to serve of any nonincumbent," he said.

Rodham Clinton has been the national front-runner since she announced her candidacy, and in Iowa, she has been in a very tight race, first with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and now with fellow Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

Clinton also brought up one of the more controversial aspects of his wife's résumé - the 1993 panel she headed that attempted, and failed, to implement universal health care.

He said that in assigning her the task, "I basically threw her overboard," because of how difficult it was. Clinton credited her with later helping in passing the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which gives states grants to cover families who can't afford health insurance.

"She threw herself against the wall again to see what she could get done," Clinton said.

At one point, Clinton's speech was bizarrely interrupted by UI Associate Professor Kembrew McLeod, who sneaked into the press risers dressed as a robot and cut the former president off. McLeod, known for his media pranks, called for the former president to apologize to '90s hip-hop artist Sister Souljah, whom Clinton criticized on the 1992 campaign trail, before being led off by staffers.

Many of the non-protesters in the crowd were less politically inclined than the average caucus-speech attendees.

UI sophomore Kirsten Jacobsen said she doesn't remember all that much about Clinton, but she showed up in support of Rodham Clinton.

"I just know her as a senator," she said. "My parents both really liked him."

Andrew Wallice of Iowa City said he may caucus but hasn't been to too many political events. He came to watch Clinton to see if he can distinguish Rodham Clinton from the other Democratic candidates.

"I think he was a good president, certainly better than the current president," he said. "I think he'd make a good first lady."

E-mail DI reporter Dean Treftz at:

dean-treftz@uiowa.edu

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