Hillary Clinton Speaks to Crowd 12,000 Strong in El Paso

Last night in El Paso, Texas, Hillary Clinton received a rock star welcome at a rally of supporters that was 12,000 strong. Anne Kornblut claims in the WaPo that Hillary was "booed" when she mentioned her "differences with Obama over health care and the mortgage crisis." If she was booed it sure as hell could not be heard over the screaming of support for what Clinton was saying. Kornblut's piece in the WaPo is highly indicative of the hit pieces the media is known for when it comes to reporting on Hillary Clinton.

The exuberance of the crowd in El Paso, Texas last night could not be mistaken when I watched the video of Hillary's speech below. Watch the video here:

There's a vast difference between Hillary Clinton's speeches and Barack Obama's. I have said that here more than a few times. While Obama talks about creating a movement, Clinton talks in concrete terms about getting things done that need to be done: health care, environmental jobs, fixing the economy, ending the dependency on foreign oil, doing away with NCLB, ensuring that students can go to college. Clinton barely mentions Obama in her speech and when she does, it is only to draw contrast between their plans.

Hillary spoke in Texas again today, congratulated Obama on yesterday's wins and stressed that she is ready for the coming contests:

"I'd like to congratulate Senator Obama on his recent victories and just tell him to meet me in Texas," Mrs. Clinton said. "We're ready. We go on, and we are ready for the contests ahead. There are hundreds of delegates in play on March 4. We are organized and well positioned. This is a long journey to the nomination. Some weeks one of us is up and the other is down. And then we reverse it. ... It's a long and winding road."

After Texas, she intended to fly to campaign in Ohio. But Wednesday, she said she would return to Texas next week and plans to stage a large rally in the Valley that the campaign hopes will attract up to 50,000 people.

"As we go into this incredibly important primary in Texas, we need to be comparing and contrasting," Mrs. Clinton told her supporters.

"I am confident and optimistic that the people of Texas want real solutions," she said.

Her message over all last night and today was positive and not at all divisive as Obama frequently claims. I have to wonder if the Obama team ever listens to her stump speeches, because clearly she's not politicking in the way either Barack Obama, his surrogates or supporters claim she is. That is incredibly apparent in every stump speech she gives.

The full text of Hillary's speech is here.

The El Paso Times has a few quips from an interview with Hillary that will run on Sunday.

Finally, contrary to Hillary's incredible welcome in El Paso last night, Obama spokesman David Plouffe showed the true colors of the Obama campaign today by claiming they are on the "verge of wrapping this thing up." Note to Plouffe... It ain't over until the voters all have a chance to vote their conscience for the nominee of their choice and the votes are all tallied.

This post first appeared on The Democratic Daily.

Comments

[SamThornton]

I can imagine trying to be uplifted by one of Sen. Clinton's speeches, I really can. But it's tough, especially when she's reading the speech and it seems to have been interlarded with stage directions such as [PAUSE HERE FOR APPLAUSE], [SHAKE RIGHT FIST TO EMPHASIZE POINT], etc.

Let's just say that spontaneity is not one of the Senator's strong suites and let it go at that.

This post does provide added proof, however, that some things are entirely in the eye of the beholder.

[sky2evan]

Ms. Leavy:

You're not seeing the forest for the trees. Ms. Clinton is not divisive in her speeches and rallies - she's divisive outside of them.

She (and Bill) pissed off the black vote right before SC, and continued to do it after LA when she said she lost because of the African-American electorate. (It's really strange how Mr. Obama did not say he lost NH because of a white American electorate, or he lost CA because of the Latino electorate.)

She pisses off caucus voters when she said caucuses are "dominated by activists" (sure, Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho, Alaska, etc. are all famous for those) and "don't represent the electorate". (How strange she didn't complain when she won the NV caucus, and how strange Mr. Obama doesn't complain when he loses primaries.)

Then she pisses off Red State Democrats when she says, "It is highly unlikely we will win Alaska or North Dakota or Idaho or Nebraska... but we have to win Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Michigan" (all states which she 'won', of course).

Ms. Clinton is singlehandedly dividing and dismissing blacks, caucus voters, and Red State Democrats.

Sounds pretty divisive to me.

[JB2]

"While Obama talks about creating a movement, Clinton talks in concrete terms about getting things done . . . "

Well, that's just the point. Hillary's crappy speeches are filled with bullet point after bullet point of boring policy details.

[SeanGardner]

"Obama talks about creating a movement, Clinton talks in concrete terms about getting things done that need to be done"

You obviously haven't gove to BarackObama.com and clicked on "ISSUES". Obviously.

But I must admit, you're right about this: "Clinton barely mentions Obama in her speech..." You're right. When Hillary won both New Hampshire and Nevada, Obama congratulated her. And while Clinton did a short congrats to Obama in Tennessee on the night of the South Carolina Primary, she has been contemptible and classless in acknowledging Obama's 8 contest winning streak. Its like nothing has even happened. She can't even congratulate him? And she wants to be president? Hillary is polarizing and night ready for prime time.

Oh, yeah, Hillary did get 12,000 people, who were no doubt shipped in to swell the crowd. Its about time she pulled in a big crowd - something Obama has been doing weekly since last April, when he pulled in 20,000 at The University of Texas.

Obama has pulled in:

20,000 in Deleware

15,000 in Boise, Idaho (at 9am in the morning)

21,000 in Seattle

14,000 in Omaha, Neb

I can go on and on and on.

Both candidates are smart. Both know the issues. But only Obama has the rhetorical gifts to passionately and movingly articulate his postive, action-orienten plan for change.

So Ms. Leavey, its stacked against Clinton right now. But that's no reason to hate on Obama. He is playing on the field of caucus and primary dates set up by Clinton's fundraiser Terry McAuliffe, who organized the contests when he was DNC Chairman.

Or as my girlfriend said to a complaining friend who supports Clinton (and trashes Obama): "don't hate the player, hate the game!"

[bauersox]

Why should we have to get the issues from Obama's freaking website? Why doesn't he discuss them in his speeches? Does he even know what's on the website?

[shockinaw]

"But that's no reason to hate on Obama."
You're right Sean, at the moment, the only good reason people have to hate Obama might be the natural reflex they have to the irrational-republican-like-hate coming from the Obamanistas in reference to Hillary...I'm considering "flip flopping" and rescending my pledge to vote for Obama if he wins the nomination because of this crap, it would be a first, but I'm leaning that way. You guys need to take a pill, Hillary is not the enemy.....even though I'd never vote for a republican, I have been voting the democratic ticket faithfully for 26 years, and I just want to see Obama get elected WITHOUT my vote, it aint gonna happen. Stop the hate, or else, some of us just might stay home in November.

[Countess]

Here we go with the victim crap again. Clinton was very disrespectful not only to Obama last night but even to her own supporters in the three contests she lost. Someone should teach these people some manners.

[lgillooly]

Stop the petty foolish talk. This is an important election and everything she says gets spun to mean something bad. Sadly,we will lose a great chance to have her as President. This in NO time for on the job training!

[ayc]

Your last few sentences confuse me. All of the candidates, Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama would need on the job training. I am pretty sure that none of them have been POTUS before.

And Hillary's experience in the WH did not include a National Security Clearance or sitting in on daily briefings, so to say she would need no on the job training is a bit, okay maybe more than a bit, disingenious.

[dtd]

On one other note, where was your outrage when Senator Clinton said she would have the nomination wrapped up by Super Tuesday when only one state, IA, had voted?