Campaigns roar after debate
A raucous rally for Sen. Hillary Clinton followed the rather cordial meeting of Democratic presidential candidates that passed for Tuesday night's debate.
Clinton took the stage at Desert Pines High School flanked by some of Nevada's female political stars, her daughter, Chelsea, and America Ferrera, star of TV's "Ugly Betty."
The New York senator was greeted by chants of "Hillary, Hillary" by at least 400 supporters and Desert Pines students, some of whom said they were to receive extra credit in their U.S. government class for attending.
The 60 or so high school students shrieked when Ferrera was introduced at the school near Pecos and Bonanza roads.
Clinton hammered away at President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
"It was a disgrace the way the president handled that terrible disaster," she said.
Stealing a page from her husband's campaign playbook, Clinton launched into her version of the "it's the economy stupid," focusing on the mortgage foreclosure crisis.
Clinton told the crowd she wants to freeze interest rates for five years and put a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures. The crowd responded with what seemed to be its loudest applause.
After the rally, Nancy Burton, a precinct captain in Saturday's caucus, said Clinton is her choice because of her experience with issues such as health care.
James and Alice BanWey, who have been married for 50 years, agreed that health care was their biggest concern, but not for themselves, for their grandchildren who can't afford coverage.
"The cost of medicine out there is enough to break people," said James BanWey, a retired member of the military.
