That’s not to be confused with Clinton Country as declared repeatedly in recent weeks by the Clintonistas of South Texas. Hill and Bill pack plenty of popularity in the Rio Grande Valley, and my gosh it has been like Little Rock of the 1980s around here lately with the whole Clinton clan coming a calling, even daughter Chelsea joining Mom and Dad with Valley visits leading up to today’s primary.

The former Arkansas first family continued their up close and personal South Texas tour on Monday with Big Bill visiting Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo, and who knows where else. Maybe he stopped in for barbecue in Robstown. Hey, nice touch for the former president to do his stump speech at Dean Porter Park while standing on the bed of a Ford pickup. Very Texan, very LBJ-ish, and I’m guessing Big Bill was wearing cowboy boots to clinch the Lone Star effect.

We’ve gone really upscale in our politics lately, no? I mean, usually if it’s early March and election time our political diet is relegated to chewing over the latest Gilberto Hinojosa comments on why he hates Carlos Cascos so much. But this year? Hey, one day you could be chowing down with Barack at Sombrero Festival where Obama enjoyed the above-mentioned sandwich variety we’re not mentioning today. And then a couple of days later, just down the block from Washington Park where a possible future prez was discovering the T-sandwich, there was a former prez channeling LBJ at Dean Porter by a resaca.

I think the take away from all of this political hub-bub is that if Hillary somehow beats the long odds and ultimately snatches the Dem’s presidential nomination from Barack, she owes us. Big time. If not for the undying love y carino of RGV and South Texas types, Hillary would have no shot at carrying Texas. A win in this state is a must for Hillary. Without it, she will likely have to hang up her pant suits on an `08 presidential bid. The good  news for the Clintonistas is that Hill & Bill’s numbers in Ohio are on the uptick, and the numbers over the weekend in Texas look to be breaking in Billary’s favor.

Barack’s chilling with the locals at Sombrero Festival was cute and all, but a Houston Chronicle released over the weekend shows Hillary is still drawing about 67 percent support in South Texas. Man, raza, are y’all loyal or what? Monica-gate, lying to the country about it, getting impeached, y que? Bill was the greatest president, ever, dude! Hillary was the first lady, she’s smart, Bill will help her, she knows where the Valley is since she’s come down here to raise bukos of cash at $5 million mansions in north McAllen. You go Hill!

How important is that nearly 70 percent support in South Texas? The Chronicle polls shows Obama beating Clinton, the Hillary model, by around 60-40 in Houston and Dallas. Can you imagine the Clinton carnage if the RGV and So Tex weren’t so sweet on Bill y Hill? We won’t get into all of that boring stuff about how even if Hillary gets more primary votes than Barack in Texas he might still get more delegates than her because this state also does the caucus thing, and Obama is better organized for those meetings. Whatever.

 All I know is that if Hillary pulls this thing off, and has Bill in the corner office helping her run the country, we better get rewarded. Words are nice, Hill, but we’re in the solutions business, baby. Pick up that red phone. I’m talking a veteran’s hospital. Make it happen, Hillary, put those 35 years of experience to work, girl. I’m talking tearing down the border fence, if it’s up. We’ll call you at 3 a.m., if you want President Hillary, with this message: Tear down this wall, Mr. Chertoff! And the whole NAFTA-bashing thing. Lose it, forget it, start caring as much about us as the Rust Belt, labor union types the Dems always go ga-ga over. Feel our pain, too, Hill and Bill!

Enough of the emotions, guys, for today is the day we go out and vote to save the Clinton legacy just like we’re expected to, just like the polls say. And that funny story today about ex-Brownsville mayors, (Eddie, Nacho y Blanca), endorsing Obama? Oh yea, wow, that’s a game changer around here. And speaking of funny, hey George Lopez, the funnyman who is touting Obama, sorry bro, on election day we’re going to `member Hillary.

 Hillary is the dama that will beat Obama. It starts here, today, because after all, Latinos love name brands. We keep buying Kenmore washers at Sears and we keep voting for the Clintons. We got one more Clinton to go. Chelsea in 2020!

Joaquin Tijerina, Official Chisme Blogger Y Columnista