Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., shakes hands at a campaign event in Dover, N.H. Monday, Jan. 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
by John McCormick
More Top Picks Reverse Osmosi
Dover, N.H. – After misting up over a question about her campaign trail appearance, the tougher side of Sen. Hillary Clinton reemerged here this afternoon at a rally where she continued to stress her experience.
“I will be a much better president because I have had experience on both [ends] of Pennsylvania Avenue,” she said.
Later, she raised the specter of a terrorist attack or other incident where experience will matter. “There will be things that none of us could predict,” she said.
The New York Democrat suggested terrorists seek to take advantage of changing governments.
“They watch our elections as closely as we do, maybe more than some of our fellow citizens do,” she said. “Let’s not forget…you’re hiring a president to be there when the chips are down and the problems are piling up…I hope I don’t face any of those in my first 100 days, but if I do, I think I’ll be ready.”
Clinton also called out her leading rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, for his past support of giving driver’s licenses to those who are not citizens.
“He’s been on record quite some time favoring licenses for illegal immigrants,” she said. “That’s a big difference between us. I think that is a privilege and should be given to people who have legal status.”
Clinton also mentioned another popular name in New Hampshire right now, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who she said she has traveled with and worked with on matters of global warming.
But it was the experience message that continued to be central to her responses to questions from voters.
“I’m not asking you to take a leap of faith on me,” she said, later adding another reference to Obama: “Words, no matter how beautifully delivered, are gone.”