From the small chimney fire at the Washington & Jefferson College Commons to the homemade "Hot for Hillary" sign, President Bill Clinton got the warmest of receptions Tuesday at two appearances in Washington County.
Two thousand-plus people streamed into the Henry Memorial Center at W&J to hear the former president campaign on behalf of his wife, Hillary, who's vying for supremacy at the top of the Democratic ticket.
Clinton, looking trimmer in retirement than during his presidency, spoke for 35 minutes, touching on universal health care, an improved economy featuring "green-collar" jobs, energy independence, affordable student loans, reducing the federal deficit and a winding-down of the war in Iraq, all goals of a Hillary Clinton presidency.
"It will tell them America is back - back in the cooperation business, back in the diplomacy business," Clinton told the crowd at his first appearance in Pennsylvania on her behalf before the April 22 primary.
"I would be here working for her if we had never been married," Clinton said.
Firefighters who doused a blaze in a pizza oven stayed on duty at Henry Memorial in case anyone swooned. No emergencies beset the rally in space rented by the Clinton campaign, but it wasn't clear if the former president swayed any voters, either.
Paula Brower, 39, of Washington, attended the rally but said she's still undecided, as did Sarah Scopel, 18, of Eighty Four.
"Even though I'm a Republican, I think I would support Hillary rather than (Barack) Obama," said Craig Rumbaugh, 20, a W&J sophomore.
"She wants to lower taxes but somehow give everybody health insurance?" asked his brother, Shane, an 18-year-old registered Republican who's a student at Trinity High School.
Obama fan Gina Dominick, 20, of Latrobe, said of Clinton, "I love the man! I think he's an incredibly amazing orator. I'm an Obama supporter, and I will vote for him, but if Hillary gets the nomination, I'll be voting for her."
Julian Muganda, a senior accounting major from Gaithersburg, Md., will soon be heading out into the workaday world. "I think I'm going to study up on the issues and see what happens from there, especially the proposals on health care."
At the start of the campaign rally, Clinton's status apparently rated no less than five introductions, starting with W&J President Tori Haring-Smith, followed by Washington Mayor Sonny Spossey, Washington County Commission Chairman Larry Maggi, Commission Vice Chairman Bracken Burns and finally, after a music-filled lull, Kristen Schuh, a senior from Alliance, Ohio, and president of the College Democrats.
Supporters of Republican Congressman Ron Paul held up a photocopied "Hope for America - Be a Part of It" sign. A few protest signs referred to deaths of Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and of Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.
Wearing his sentiments on a hand-lettered white T-shirt was Mike Majoris, 20, of Burgettstown, a W&J sophomore who has served for three years in the National Guard.
"Going to Iraq in '08 to fight a war you won't let me win. U.S. troops against Hillary," wrote Majoris, a McCain supporter, about 10 minutes before coming to the gathering. "I would vote for a Democrat that wants us to win in Iraq," Majoris said. "I've gotten a lot of dirty looks so far."
Seeing Majoris talking to a reporter was enough to raise the hackles of two women standing nearby, Twila Katilius, 81, of Munhall, and Sharon Amos of Westland. As Burns talked of the mounting $9 trillion national debt, noting that his very young grandchildren now collectively owe $155,000, Amos said, "Write this good stuff down."
Clinton noted that the federal government operated in the black for four years of his presidency, after ballooning deficits during the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies.
For 48 hours before Clinton's appearances, his schedule was in flux, and he didn't leave W&J until 2 p.m., the time he was to arrive at the Canonsburg Area Senior Center.
About 30 minutes beforehand, Canonsburg Mayor Anthony Colaizzo tried to quell the crowd's restiveness by leading them in song.
After a spirited rendition of "God Bless America" and a few patriotic favorites, the more than 200 people waited, cameras ready, for a glimpse of the former president.
A hush fell over the crowd as Clinton, flanked by two Secret Service agents, walked into the room. The quiet was short-lived, as a throng of older women shrieked, "Bill! Bill!" as he walked to the lectern.
His comments, which ranged from health insurance reform to the war in Iraq, were frequently punctuated by wild applause.
When a baby began crying in the midst of Clinton's speech, at least one older woman in the back of the room grimaced at the child's mother before uttering a stern "Shh!"
After his formal comments, Clinton stepped out from behind the lectern to answer a handful of audience questions.
Greg Sulc, a North Strabane Township supervisor, asked Clinton a question about what his wife would do about government subsidies for corn, the basis of ethanol, while the price of wheat and wheat imports skyrockets.
The former president mulled the query for a moment before smiling and saying, "That was good."
When exiting the building, Sulc laughed and said, "I stumped him, didn't I?"
Digital camera in hand, he said that his vote is still up in the air.
"I've not made my decision yet," Sulc said. "We have a long way to go."
Staff Writer Amanda Gillooly contributed to this story.