Earlier in the evening Saturday, Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary. Mrs. Clinton congratulated him on the win in her town hall meeting Saturday night. She told the standing room only crowd that she wanted the meeting to be an exchange, a conversation instead of a lecture.
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Keeping her word, she gave a 22 minute speech and then opened the floor for questions. Mrs. Clinton didn't hold back, putting down the current administration, saying for the last seven years the wealthy and connected had a president. Mrs. Clinton is vowing a fair tax code, a better minimum wage, universal health care, universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds, more affordable college, and helping Americans stay in their homes.
Mrs. Clinton got a resounding round of applause when she said the best days for America are ahead.
"Americans know that we can't keep going down the path that we're on. We got to have a new path. We got to have a fresh start, and that includes ending the War in Iraq, and bringing out troops home as quickly and responsibly as we can," said Mrs. Clinton.
One member of the audience asked Mrs. Clinton if America is ready for a female president. She answered by laughing and saying, "Of course." She pointed out many great female leaders around the globe.
Clinton stepped off of the platform and began answering questions face to face.
A fellow democrat backing Barack Obama instead of Clinton, Congressman Jim Cooper, said this is all about health care.
In the early 1990's Cooper sponsored an approach to health care reform, an idea he said, was getting widespread bi-partisan support. He said the Clintons quickly rejected that idea and didn't want any support from Republicans.
He said Obama will be more unifying in the Whitehouse.
"Barack Obama offers a different kind of approach. He's a more unifying force, a force to bring people together. And you don't look back into the past with Barack. It's more looking into the future and bringing people together in the right direction. So that's why I'm even more excited about his candidacy," said Cooper.
Cooper said 47 million Americans today are without health care coverage.