Chicago Tribune
01-28-07
Clinton tells Iowa supporters she’s ‘in it to win it’
by Ray Quintanilla
Chicago Tribune
DES MOINES, Iowa - Sen. Hillary Clinton began her presidential journey in this
bellwether state on Saturday, raising energy and health-care issues but
remaining conspicuously silent on the war in Iraq.
“I want to renew the promise of America. It starts right here in Iowa. I’m in it to
win,” Clinton (D-N.Y.) told cheering supporters - many of them women - who
packed the gym at East High School here.
“You go, girl,” came a shout from the audience.
“You come with me,” Clinton replied, generating much applause.
Vowing to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and re-ignite a push for
universal health care coverage, the former first lady spoke for an hour during
what her campaign billed as a “conversation with Iowans.” She also talked of a
need to change the “traditional roles” of women across society.
Saturday’s event was Clinton’s first political speech in the state since declaring a
week earlier that she would seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for
president.
She took questions and spoke of boosting production of ethanol, increasing
education funding and revamping how health care is delivered, especially to the
poor. She said 20 percent of the nation’s Medicaid dollars are related to diabetes,
an illness that can be prevented or controlled with proper care. Yet the health
care system does little to fund wellness care for those who are at risk, she said,
adding: “But our system will pay to have your foot amputated. That has to
change.”
Missing from the day’s “conversation” was a meaningful discussion on the war in
Iraq. And that fact wasn’t lost on some in the audience who groaned when
Clinton spoke at length about standardized tests for schoolchildren.
“How can you get up and speak for an hour, and not talk about the war?” asked
Thomasine Johnson, 66, shaking her head as she left the gym. “I am very
disappointed she said nothing about why we are there, or how we can get out of
Iraq. She voted for the war.”
Roberta Hardwick, 35, said Clinton touched on all of the hot-button issues other
than the war.
“Clinton talked about the need to help our veterans, and there was a good
opportunity to address the war. But it didn’t happen,” said Hardwick, who lives in
Des Moines. “I am kind of disappointed about that.”
Others who heard Clinton here Saturday praised her for entering the presidential
race, and said they left the gym feeling excited about the prospect of having a
woman president for the first time.
“She did a thoughtful job of answering all the questions, and I believe her views
are right on target,” said Dayna Chandler, a 37-year-old mother of four who lives
in Des Moines. “She’s very confident, and I like that about her.”
Jim Hutter, political science professor at Iowa State University in Ames,
said Clinton’s first major public speech in the Hawkeye State probably won’t have
much lasting impact, considering that the presidential caucuses are a year away.
Still, he added, Clinton is among the candidates generating interest from
Democratic activists, many of whom were on hand Saturday. Others getting
attention, he said, are former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and former Iowa
Gov. Tom Vilsack. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy has sparked
excitement as well, Hutter said.
Hutter has been an observer of Iowa’s caucuses since the late 1960s.
“Having a political organization on the ground here is important, and so far Sen.
Edwards seems to have the inside track,” he said. “(Clinton) has to get to work
on building an organization,” he explained.
Later Saturday, Clinton was to travel to Cedar Rapids for a house party with
supporters, and had a similar event planned for Sunday morning in Davenport.