By Damien Willis / Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M. (TNS)
Friday, June 3rd, 2016 at 8:20am

LAS CRUCES – Former President Bill Clinton on Thursday addressed an energized crowd of about 500 Hillary Clinton supporters at Picacho Middle School in Las Cruces. In a speech tailored to the needs of southern New Mexicans, Clinton addressed immigration, student debt, education, veterans’ issues and the importance of affordable childcare.

Throughout the rally, Clinton never mentioned the names of his wife’s opponents, and never uttered a line that elicited boos from the crowd. Instead, he spoke against what he called “the politics of personal destruction.”

On one occasion, Clinton reflected on his many visits to Las Cruces.

“I first came here almost 30 years ago,” Clinton said. “I was governor of Arkansas, and the chancellor of our state university became president of New Mexico State. So I came to his inauguration. Then I came back in 1996, and I was the first sitting president since William Howard Taft to come to Las Cruces.”

An excited crowd awaits

SNIP

Matthew Leahy, of El Paso, traveled to Las Cruces to hear Clinton speak.

“I came to hear President Clinton — someone who was elected a year before I was born,” the 22-year-old said. “I’ve read his autobiography and, from my perspective, I feel like he did great things for our country.”

Leahy hoped to hear Clinton speak about immigration.

“We have a lot of people here who care very deeply about family members,” Leahy said. “I’ve volunteered at a citizenship fair, and have witnessed the people who have worked so hard and given so much already, and they just want to be citizens in return. They work hard, pay taxes and contribute to our local economy. We need someone who not only has great ideas for reform, but can also get it done.”

Nice article, more interviews with attendees - Albuquerque Journal