Clinton in Iowa

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Article published: Jan 27, 2007
Clinton campaign hits the ground in Iowa
By Rod Boshart

The Gazette
rod.boshart@gazettecommunications.com


Des Moines Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., brought her 2008 presidential campaign to Iowa Saturday -- pledging to rebuild the middle class, renew the American dream, and take a strong but smarter stance against terrorism while redeploying U.S. troops in Iraq.

"I'm running for president and I'm in it to win it," the former first lady told a boisterous rally that drew an overflow crowd to an east-side high school.

While in Iowa, Clinton faced tough questioning on her vote to support a resolution that led to U.S. military action in Iraq, saying there "are no do-overs" even though lawmakers were misled by the president who misused his authority to pursue a policy "that was poorly conceived and incompetently executed."

At the same time, she said, Congress and the president now must "bring the Iraq war to a right end" by placing more responsibility for security on the Iraqi government while capping U.S. troops and gradually redeploying them out of the sectarian conflict.

Having seen her state directly hit during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Clinton said believes this nation is engaged in a deadly fight with "heartless, ruthless enemies" who would strike America again if they could do so.

"As a senator from New York, I lived through 9/11 and I am still dealing with the aftereffects," Clinton said. "I may have a slightly different take on this from some of the other people who will be coming through here."

By the same token, she said she would not allow GOP rivals to try to seize the upper hand on the security issue as they did in the 2004 presidential campaign.

"I believe strongly that as a Democrat and a progressive, we have to tell people what our vision is and what we want to do and set out a positive agenda -- and I intend to do that. But I also believe that when you are attacked, you have to deck your opponent," she said.

"We've got to be prepared to stand up and hold our ground and fight back," she added. "I want to run a positive, issue-oriented, visionary campaign, but you can count on me to stand my ground and fight back. People who are going to try to derail us, I'm going to make sure we respond to vigorously and effectively."

Jim Hutter, a political science professor and former state party central committee member who asked her to explain her vote in support of a resolution that Bush used as authority to establish the current U.S. military presence in Iraq, said he was satisfied with her answer.

"I thought it was a great answer," said Hutter, who backed former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean in 2004. "It's the question that has dogged her campaign to this point."

Clinton said she was looking forward to the retail politicking as part of a crowded field vying for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination in a selection process that begins next Jan. 14 with the Iowa caucuses.

"I'm going to go out and try to earn your votes," she told participants at her "let the conversation begin" rally. "I want to be in your living rooms and in your church basements and in your union halls.

"I want to have this as a one-on-one conversation, you and me and several hundred national press," she joked to a cheering throng -- including a man wearing a "this is what a feminist looks like" t-shirt -- that waved hand-painted signs, chanted and clapped her first name in unison at times, and cheered her ideas and answers.

"You go girl," one woman yelled after Clinton responded to a question about her trying to become the first female U.S. president after 43 males have held the post. "You go with me," Clinton responded.

Not everyone was so welcoming. One man dressed in a heavy parka stood in the chill January wind outside the rally site and held a sign emblazoned with a Communist hammer and sickle that read: "Defeat Hillary Clinton and Jane Fonda."

Overall, however, Des Moines attorney Bonnie Campbell, a top Clinton ally in Iowa and a former gubernatorial candidate, said Saturday's reception had a "really friendly feeling" given that the former first lady is returning to Iowa to "reintroduce" herself as a presidential contender.