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.