'You Go Girl': Clinton Draws Packed House in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 27, 2007 — -- Under banners proclaiming "Let the Conversation Begin!" a packed auditorium welcomed Sen. Hillary Clinton to Iowa.

"I'm running for president and I'm in it to win it!" Clinton, D-N.Y., said to a big round of applause.

The high school basketball gym was crammed to capacity. Campaign organizers said about 1,200 people were in the gymnasium, with 600 more in an overflow room down the hall.

Clinton began by echoing a message she's been refining over the past week -- that the American dream is busted.

"The promise of America is being undermined by bad decisions coming out of our government," she said.

Then she began what she called a "conversation" with the audience.

The first question out of the gate was about breaking the tradition of exclusively male presidents.

"Oh I expect there will probably be more stories about my clothes and hair than some of the people running against me," she quipped. "I've just accepted that."

"The fact that I'm a woman, the fact that I'm a mom, that's part of who I am," she added. "But I'm gonna ask people to vote for the person they believe will be the best president."

Most of the questions came from women and most centered on issues traditionally considered of interest to women.

Clinton was asked about health care, foster parenting and equal pay for women.

At times it felt more like an afternoon talk show than a political exchange. At one point a woman yelled out, "You go girl!"

Clinton laughed and responded: "You come with me!"

There was only one question from a veteran with a reference to the proposal to increase U.S. troops in Iraq.

Iraq is considered an Achilles heel for Clinton. She has never renounced her vote authorizing the invasion. In her answer at the town hall meeting, she avoided mentioning Iraq, and talked instead about veterans' benefits.

That bothered some in the room.

There was also criticism of Clinton at an anti-war protest just down the street.

Bruce Stone of Des Moines said, "We'd like to hear a definitive statement that she's opposed to the war."