LAPORTE | Hundreds of people formed a line around LaPorte High School to hear the 43rd president of the United States tell them why they should vote for his wife -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton -- for president.

"I'd be for her if we had never been married," President Clinton said. "America needs a change-maker. She's in this for you -- she's the best change-maker I've ever seen."

In his speech, Bill Clinton covered a broad range of topics, including the economy, trade reform, energy, education, health care and jobs.

Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., faces U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Tuesday's Indiana primary.

"Hillary wants an America that once again is a country of shared opportunity, shared responsibility and shared prosperity," Clinton said. "She's got the best plan to create jobs in this country, and that's important."

Citing a wide variety of statistics, Clinton said that like many Americans, Hoosiers suffer with increased food, energy, health care and college costs.

"But in Indiana, the numbers are worse," he said. "Why? Because you have lost a disproportionate number of the 3.3 million manufacturing jobs America's lost.

"We've got to get more jobs here," Clinton said. "If you don't get more jobs, you can't raise income, you can't raise the economy."

Clinton also outlined his wife's plan to reduce energy costs and decrease the country's dependence on foreign oil, proposing "homegrown energy efficiency" and the rapid development of high mile per gallon vehicles.

"We need to get these cars out to you at affordable prices as quick as possible -- made in America," Clinton said to the audience's applause.

"You should vote for her because she is the only person running who has a plan to give you relief from these gas prices in the short term and the median term and the long term," he said before explaining her proposal to suspend the gas tax for the summer driving season.

Perhaps the biggest applause came when Clinton discussed his plans to improve education and make college more affordable.

"She firmly believes that ‘Leave No Child Behind' does not work and should be scrapped," she said.

Alice Marken, 87, of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., was able to get a front row seat with her daughter, Karen Marken, of LaPorte. It was Karen Marken's second trip to listen to a Clinton speech.

"I saw Hillary at Washington Township School," she said. "She has lots of experience and does a great job, and Bill is just a bonus."