Campaigning and a slice

OLD FORGE – U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton was greeted at the door of Revello’s by lifelong family friend Hazel Price.

The 82-year-old Price lived next door to Clinton’s parents on Diamond Avenue in Scranton. Price’s daughter, Charlotte Iori, was a childhood friend of Clinton.

After Clinton stopped to talk to people in Revello’s, the Democratic presidential candidate settled into a booth with Hazel, Charlotte and a tray of red pizza as the trio talked about old times and pored over photos from their childhood.

Clinton, in a one-on-one interview with The Times Leader, said she was overwhelmed at the show of support and said the experience felt like she was coming home.

“This is unbelievable,” Clinton said. “I think my father would be proud and maybe a bit surprised for me to be here running for president.”

The New York senator said the people expressed concerns about several issues as she made her way through the crowd to get to the famous Old Forge pizza shop. They told her they need jobs, are concerned about the war in Iraq and need health care.

Reports of Clinton offering a vice presidential slot to her opponent, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, are a bit overstated, she said. As for the convention, Clinton said she feels the Democrats will nominate the best person they believe can defeat Arizona Sen. John McCain in the general election. McCain is the presumptive Republican nominee.

The senator talked briefly about her former press secretary, Lisa Caputo, a native of the Wyoming Valley, who also serves as a senior campaign adviser for Clinton.

“I’ve known Lisa since 1992. She did a great job as our press secretary and our friendship continues today,” Clinton said.

If elected, Clinton said Northeastern Pennsylvania will have a real friend and partner in the White House.

“I have a sincere affection for this area. I know of its struggles over the last 50 years. However, I have seen progress and I don’t see the Republicans supporting the kind of programs that are needed to continue that road of progress.

“I know how important it is for people of this region and across the country to have Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security,” she said. “I also know how important the Community Block Program is to the revitalization of the inner cities.”

She said these tools are needed to provide a higher standard of living for residents.

Clinton’s stop at the Main Street pizza cafe prompted Pat Revello to cut short his honeymoon.

Pat and his wife, Heather, were visiting Philadelphia after being married Saturday and returned to Old Forge to get his place ready for the special visitor.

Pat Revello said he was contacted by the Clinton campaign about a possible visit by the candidate. Plans were finalized Monday morning, prompting him to drive back from Philadelphia.

“This all started about a week ago when the campaign contacted me,” Revello said. “We kept getting calls and the Secret Service was here the last four or five days.”

Ninety-year-old Anna Cusumano, who has worked at the Old Forge pizza cafe for 50 years, prepared the former first lady’s pizza. Assisting with the preparations for Clinton were Leah Klink and Ashley Ferrett, employees at the pizza parlor.

“I’ve never made pizza for a presidential candidate,” Cusumano said. “I hope she likes it.”

Clinton liked it enough to comment at her speech later at Scranton High School.This trip is the first time the Clinton campaign has visited Pennsylvania. The senator’s family – the Rodhams – settled in Scranton more than 100 years ago, and the former first lady, a native of Chicago, was baptized in Scranton.

After landing at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, Clinton headed to Revello’s for a taste of its legendary red and white pizza promptly at 4 p.m. before a campaign rally at Scranton High School. Before entering the restaurant, she mingled with spectators as Secret Service and state and local police stood guard.

Inside the restaurant, a capacity crowd waited for the senator to arrive. They were treated to pizza and soda. One patron commented that it looked like “a typical Friday night” at Revello’s.

When she entered the restaurant, chants of “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary” filled the rooms as cameras flashed and people screamed.