Can Clinton Be the Big Cheese in Wisconsin?

Feb. 17, 2008 — -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama had hoped to make the most of their weekend in wintry Wisconsin, where there will be a primary vote Tuesday. But, Mother Nature called a cease-fire to their battle, with a heavy snowstorm blanketing the state and icy roads grinding the campaign machine to a halt.

Clinton salvaged what she could of the campaign day, stopping for a plate of corned beef hash at Miss Katie's diner in Milwaukee. She also visited an Hispanic market where she bought hot peppers, her secret weapon, she said, for fighting colds.

Saturday night, both she and Obama appeared at a Democratic party fundraiser in Milwaukee, where they traded barbs.

"We face real challenges. Real threats. We have to be ready to summon the experience, the wisdom and the determination to solve our problems. It will take more than just speeches to fulfill our dreams. It will take a lot of hard work," said Clinton.

"Don't tell me words don't matter!" said Obama. "'I have a dream' — just words? 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal' — just words? 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' — just words? Just speeches?"

He added, "It's true that speeches don't solve all problems, but what is also true is if we cannot inspire the country to believe again then it doesn't matter how many policies and plans we have."

Each candidate is in it for the long haul. For both, the last month of furious campaigning has had its ups and downs. Clinton did well on Super Tuesday. Obama swept the Potomac primaries last week. Each continues to get in a few good shots at each another.

On Sunday, while in Wisconsin, Obama said, "[Clinton] held up some boxing gloves the other day, showing what a fighter she is. You know what I've found? If you know who you are, and what you believe in, you don't have to go around talking how tough you are."

Said Clinton: "I'm prepared to go the distance."