CARROLLTON, Ky. -- Tom McKee got President Clinton's hand as well as his ear during the president's visit to Kentucky on Thursday. As Mr. Clinton shook hands with the crowd following a speech he gave at Carroll County High School, Mr. McKee, a state lawmaker and tobacco farmer from Cynthiana, lobbied the president to make sure farmers are taken care of in any tobacco settlement or legislation. "I asked him to support (Sen.) Wendell Ford's bill on tobacco," said Mr. McKee.
Mr. McKee was referring to legislation filed by the Kentucky senator that provides money for farm buyouts, college scholarships and economic development to communities like Carrollton and Cynthiana that are dependent on tobacco.
"He said straight up to me, "I think Wendell's got the right idea.' That was his quote," said an excited Mr. McKee, who represents a portion of Campbell County and all of Pendleton County.
Rep. Royce Adams of Dry Ridge, also a tobacco farmer, chatted briefly with the president, asking him to continue the government program that sets the price of tobacco and guarantees the crop will be purchased each year.
"He said he's all for it," said Mr. Adams.
Rep. Jim Callahan of Wilder also got to meet the president. "It's something you never forget," Mr. Callahan said.
Several state and local officials interacted with the president during his trip Thursday to Kentucky.
First to greet the president off Air Force One was Gov. Paul Patton and Mr. Ford. Both rode in the limousine to Carrollton.
"We talked to the president about how very important tobacco is to the economy of Kentucky, not just to the farmers but to the warehouse workers, the people who process and ship tobacco, and the business people who sell goods in tobacco communities," Mr. Patton said. Also greeting the president at the airport were: Cincinnati Mayor Roxanne Qualls; U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman; Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Ed Hatchett; Kentucky House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green; Lt. Gov. Steve Henry; Kentucky Senate President Larry Saunders, D-Louisville; Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Billy Ray Smith; Kentucky Senate President Pro-tem Walter Blevins, D-West Liberty; Carroll County Judge-executive Gene McMurry; and Carrollton Mayor William J. Welty Sr.
U.S. Rep. Scotty Baesler, D-Lexington, was on the plane with the president.
Mr. Clinton commented on the Kenneth Starr investigation, Ms. Qualls said, but she declined to reveal exactly what he said. "Obviously things seem to be moving in the right direction for him," she said.
She said they also spoke for a moment about her congressional campaign against Cincinnati Republican Steve Chabot.
