I have noticed she is the only one so far that has not critisized anyone from the Democrat side. Is that a woman thing to not critisize, no, usually it is the woman doing the critisizing. Well, most of the time! This post does not mean I am voting for her, but wow, there are a few on the board who have made me take a good look at her.
Clinton deflects heat from rivals
By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer Sun Nov 4, 2:57 AM ET
OSKALOOSA, Iowa - Two months before Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday she's comfortable with the heat she's taking from rivals for the party's nomination.
She quoted former President Harry Truman's dictum that "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
"I feel real comfortable in the kitchen," said Clinton
She said the increased criticism wouldn't sway her message to voters.
"I want to stay focused on what I want to do as president," said Clinton. "It's going to be exciting. It's going to be a very fast ride. It's never started earlier. It's never been more intense."
Clinton, who is beginning a four-day trip through Iowa, said she would intensify her efforts in the state, where polls show her with a narrow lead.
"We're going to be covering a lot of ground," said Clinton. "We need to have even more people involved."
On this visit to Iowa, Clinton plans to focus on developing clean energy alternatives and rural development efforts, both of which she will flesh out in a speech on Monday. She headed to a farm museum about 60 miles southeast of Des Moines to tout her ties to the nation's rural areas and her commitment to improving the economy there.
"We can be more creative about how to grow the economy in rural areas," said Clinton. "We need a whole strategy on rural economic development."
She called for increasing the production and use of alternative fuels, and improving rural access to high-speed Internet services.
Clinton noted Iowa's success with creating new jobs at ethanol plants, and the high corn prices sparked by the ethanol boom.
"We can create millions of good jobs if we do this right," said Clinton. "Look at what's happening in rural Iowa. It could happen all over rural America if we do this right."
Clinton also noted the need for alternative fuels at a time when oil costs more than $90 a barrel, a situation she blamed in part on oil companies. She called for an investigation to ensure the oil companies are operating fairly.
Clinton noted that politicians have been talking about ending the country's reliance on foreign oil for 35 years, but almost nothing has been done.
"We've got to take this on, we don't have a choice any more," said Clinton. "We're not being smart about this."
During her swing, Clinton was also formally collecting some key endorsements. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees announced its endorsement of Clinton earlier in the week and she visited the local headquarters of the powerful union Saturday afternoon to collect that backing.
The union is an important force in Iowa Democratic politics, with about 30,000 state workers who give Clinton many volunteers ready to hit the street on her behalf. The union's track record is not perfect, however. Four years ago it endorsed Howard Dean just before his third-place showing effectively derailed his campaign for the nomination.
Clinton said Saturday that the union would be a key player in her caucus effort.
"The caucuses are going to be two months from tonight and you will be there," she told union activists, "and I will need you to be there."
She said the union endorsement ratifies her efforts to boost the middle class.
"I believe you can't have a strong country if you don't have a strong middle class," Clinton said.
Danny Homan, AFSCME's Iowa president, said the union was offering its full support to Clinton.
"The labor movement means something to Hillary Clinton," Homan said.
On Sunday, Clinton will collect the endorsement of former Vice President Walter Mondale. He won the state's precinct caucuses in 1984 on his way to the Democratic nomination before losing to President Reagan.
Clinton wrapped up her day campaigning with a town hall meeting in front of about 250 people in Indianola, where she predicted a heavy turnout in this winter's precinct caucuses.
"There is a seriousness and intensity about this election that is unusual," Clinton said. "More and more people want to
participate."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071104/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_iowa

