Hillary Holds Court in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 27, 2007 — -- They had to hold the basketball games earlier than usual on Friday night at East High School in Des Moines, Iowa, so they had time to prep the gym floor for a VIP visitor.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., will hold court on the basketball court. In a setting reminiscent of President Bush's town hall meetings, the former first lady will stand on a riser in the center of the floor, surrounded by hundreds of Iowans in a circle around her.

But unlike the White House events, Clinton campaign workers say attendees will not be pre-screened in any way. The floor is open to any question any voter wants to ask, they said.

Campaign officials expect more than 800 people to attend the mid-day event. A capacity crowd in the East High School gymnasium would be 1,400. There will be six microphones circulating through the crowd for people to ask questions of the senator.

For days, tickets have been available to anyone in Des Moines. Hillary Clinton recorded phone calls -- called "robo-calls" -- asking Iowans to turn out for the event. As long as there is space, organizers plan to allow even unticketed voters to attend.

V.I.P Treatment From Secret Service, Media

"I am just so happy to be here," Clinton said on her arrival in Des Moines late Friday. "I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and making some new friends."

The center riser is framed by maroon velvet ropes. The U.S. Secret Service at one point wanted to put metal gates around Clinton, but her staff requested the ropes as a friendlier, less ugly alternative.

Unlike most candidates for president, Clinton already has Secret Service protection at this early stage because of her status as a former first lady.

Camera risers are set up for the sea of press expected to attend. Crews from all over the world will be covering Clinton's first trip to Iowa.

Will Clinton face tough questions about her position on the Iraq war? Perhaps: A large anti-war rally is planned in Washington, D.C., today, and demonstrators are holding smaller events in cities across the country. One of them happens to be at a separate location in Des Moines at the exact same time Clinton appears.

On Friday, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack -- who also is running for president -- criticized Clinton and another potential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for their stances on the war.

Vilsack told the Associated Press that capping the level of troops in Iraq -- as both Clinton and Obama have proposed -- amounts to "nothing more than staying the course."

Corralling Voters Young and Old

Clinton has not been to Iowa in three years, and has rarely set foot there since her husband ran for president in 1992.

While Clinton is the frontrunner in early national polls, former Sen. John Edward, D-N.C., has been a popular early favorite in Iowa.

This weekend, Senator Clinton hopes to convince Iowans that she is best suited to "hit the ground running in January '09." She praised the state for being so active in the early months of the presidential contest.

"I think it's important because of what it represents in our democracy," she said. "It is truly grass roots democracy in action, where people are involved in the debates, where candidates come and subject themselves to the people, the questions, the concerns that people in Iowa have."

School principal Mike Zelenovich says at least a couple hundred of his students will be in attendance today.

"It's late enough in the day, they'll be up," he said of the teenagers.

And many of them will be 18 -- old enough to vote -- by the time this election actually rolls around in 2008.

Just as important as the made-for-TV rally in Des Moines will be smaller events across the state. Clinton's campaign is aware that she needs to have conversations with voters and key political operatives.

On Friday night, Clinton attended a small private dinner party with prominent local Democrats at the home of an influential Des Moines doctor.

This morning she will take questions from members of the Iowa Democratic Party at their Central Committee meeting. Most of that meeting will happen behind closed doors, with limited access for reporters.

Clinton will also host a party-style "conversation with Iowans" in Cedar Rapids tonight and another "conversation" in Davenport on Sunday morning.