The line to gain entrance to the event had already formed when we arrived two hours ahead of time, and the Nashua North High School gym was already set up with a stage and the largest American flag I have ever seen. When we left for the Secret Service sweep the line stretched the length of the school.
Fitting given its location, the event opened like a sports game with a Clinton staffer warming up the crowd by throwing pom poms and shirts and holding a game of Hillary trivia. (Sample question: Where did Hillary Clinton attend law school? Yale. Boo.) The crowd of around 2,000 was very active, screaming loudly. Hillary arrived about an hour late, accompanied by her daughter. She went straight into her speech without being introduced.
Her speech addressed the issues of change and experience. She used the words change and changes more than 10 times in her prepared speech. The vast majority of her speech was devoted to the topic of healthcare, the issue that has become the defining policy question of the Democratic primary. She indirectly criticized the extent of Obama’s plan, alleging it would leave 15 million residents uninsured. In comparison she brought up her work on the Children’s Health Insurance Program to emphasize her understanding and experience with the issue.
She also took questions from the audience, but often it was difficult to hear the speaker. There were several about healthcare in addition to some about the environment and foreign policy. During the questions audience members in the previously at-capacity crowd streamed out, the first time I had seen such a response. The event was also the longest one we’ve attended at about 80 minutes of Clinton speaking.
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