From The Road
February 13, 2008 9:16 PM

Clinton vs. Obama: Listen To the Crowd Noise

By
Dean Reynolds
Topics
Hillary Clinton
(CBS)
From CBS News National Correspondent Dean Reynolds:

SAN ANTONIO, TEX. -- One of the things you notice about Hillary Clinton's rallies is the tonal difference from the events Barack Obama holds.

With Obama you get a deep, thunderous roar -- fed by the many thousands he draws, but also by the many men in the audience.

At Clinton's events, the response is high-pitched. You hear the voices of women because there are so many in the audience. The sound to my ear is more plaintive, a room or gym or arena willing her to win.

On this night in San Antonio it is that way. Yet the crowd is perhaps more energized. There is a symbiosis between candidate and crowd. A shared belief that for Hillary, it's now or never.
She takes a few shots at Obama's obsession with change and his gauzy references to hope.

"The question is not whether we have change the question is whether we will have progress that makes a difference in people's lives," she says to the 4,000 or so in attendance at St Mary's Catholic University.

"This does not happen by wishing for it, it doesn't even happen by hoping for it. People live in hope. We have hope, what we need is help and help is on the way!"

Her message brims with practicality. "Solutions for America," says the sign behind her. Good government earnestness is on display. Quality health care, good jobs, decent wages, the disgrace of No Child Left Behind -- the same points Obama makes, though she takes issue with Obama's plan that is not universal, or not as universal as hers.

She stands up there on stage in her gold-colored jacket. Wide-eyed as she makes her points. Her voice breaking every so often as she shouts over the cheers.

She is trying hard. You can see it. She makes her points crisply and explains them compellingly. Her cadences are rhythmic. She feeds off the applause.

Could she be just now hitting her stride so late? Is it too late?

The crowd loves her. There is real affection in the air. It may be sisterhood, but it feels like more. In her way, Clinton's rallies are as distinctive as Obama's.

They're just not as loud.

CBS News' Fernando Suarez contributed to this report.

  • Dean Reynolds

    Dean Reynolds is a CBS News National Correspondent based in Chicago.

Add a Comment See all 74 Comments
by anna_ma February 16, 2008 6:32 AM EST
great comments storysue, lovehillary, progress08,lisa cochran, mary p, patrick and many more especially ethnoy, zbkt, ls481 and bigpool1 I share your concern.
lately I find Obama with less potential, but rather hopelessly arrogant.
on the question by a reporter regarding the argument of lack of experience, O: why experience? did not Google surpass experienced internet companies behind? reporter was so stunned he/she (I don''t remember) did not continue that experience for presidency of the USA may present different challenges...same question by another reporter. O: I think running my campaign brings some good experience.the reporter did not go further -running the campaign comparing to actual presidency.
we were at a Hillary rally in Maryland and I must say we found her very inspiring. She knows what''s ahead, has tremendous depth of understandin of the issues with detailed plans. the health care plan the most exciting for me. Her political positions during the years are consistent. no opening for flip flop.
I do fear the ""independents" who might pile up for Obama after the republican nomination is settled, and the next three primaries are all open primaries. I get the impression that Hillary is compassionate and has a great service attitude to this country. my 7 y/o daughter came to a rally and agrees with me, we love hillary. what about obama, the man who wrote his memoirs at age 40, thinks he right on the path of martin luther, jfk, google ...
anna
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by shirlin1-2009 February 16, 2008 3:49 AM EST
What "solutions" has Hillary created for U.S. problems? Besides making the Clinton family incredibly rich, the Clinton dynasty gave us NAFTA and the loss of thousands of good jobs through outsourcing, gave us a failed health care plan, and eight years of a Republican Congress and Bush II. Check Hillary''s Senate information on what bills she has passed. Nada of any worth. Senator Obama has a track record of brilliant achievement throughout his life, from his success in Harvard Law School, to his successes in community organizing in Chicago''s South Side, to a slew of important bi-partisan acions in the Illinois legislature, to his work on important committees in the Senate, to a very successful campaign. Contrast that alone with Hillary''s campaign. She has run through multi-millions of donor dollars; has been flip-flopping her messages, has sent her husband out to race and gender-bait Senator Obama, has used her staff to smear Obama''s character, etc, etc. She is not only not poetry, she is not even competent prose. Her campaign has been tone-deaf and now HOPES to beat Senator Obama by lying on his record.
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by shesourprez February 16, 2008 2:38 AM EST
Hillary is one of the hardest working people for her state there ever was. She gets the job done. She won the praise of the Northern New Yorkers, which she had to do and succeeded in lots of accomplishments up there. Obama knows how to reve up the audience with trying to see how great a speaker he is, which he is, BUT HE DOES NOT SPELL OUT HIS AGENDA. Hillary does just read her accomplishments in Congress.
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by nm4teach February 15, 2008 11:51 PM EST
Please Wait Senator Obama!
We have had 232 years as a nation and for each Presidential election, we have elected a man as President. Sometimes we have not had much of a choice. This election is very different. We have two wonderful candidates. I wish there was some way "not to waste" one of these gifted people on one election. I am for Hillary but I wish, because Obama is still young, that he was not running for President. He has a lot of time to continue his good works in the Senate and continue the refining that will lead to maybe one of the greatest Presidency of our time. At sixty, Hillary is at the peak of her political career. She has the energy, the intelligence, political connectedness, and in-depth answers to our country%u2019s challenges. There will not be another four or eight years of waiting for her. Her day is now! As she historically wins primaries; she is modeling the opportunity that each American girl/woman has in our nation. Her presidency would be a milestone of greatness for the equality of women. I think the %u201CSuperdelegates%u201D should think of that. We could have sixteen magnificent years of unprecedented growth and prosperity as a nation under the leadership of these two candidates.
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by rrlieberma February 15, 2008 2:20 AM EST
ELECTABILITY: It is Hillary who has won twice against the full brutal force of the Republican Attack Machine whereas Obama beat, um, Alan Keyes. It is Hillary who has a proven record of bringing together winning coalitions of Democrats, Indepedents and Republicans, winning 58 of 62 counties including the reddest of red New York. To win in November, we need deeds and accomplishments not just florishes and vague
Reply to this comment
by junehilary February 15, 2008 1:54 AM EST
OK Hillary supporters! IT''S OUR TIME! Our candidate has been smeared by the media and by the Obama campaign! The exit polls show that Obama gets the wealthy upper class voters! Then he sneers ay Hillary because she does not raise as much as him from her voters! We are the ones that NEED OUR VOICES HEARD! We have to invest in our country''s future! Please don''t let this arrogant hateful man buy his way into the White House while saying that Hillary gets bought by BIG MONEY LOBBYIST! IT DOES NOT RING TRUE! When all this is over and his campaign finance is investigated I think we will see a very different story told! Let''s don''t let it be to late!
IF YOU CAN DONATE ANY AMOUNT PLEASE DO! IF YOU CAN NOT DONATE THEN PLEASE VOTE! AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO VOTE! I am making calls ,you can too ,go to www.hillaryclinton.com and donate your money and your voice!
Thank you!
June Hutson
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by kyle6281 February 15, 2008 1:39 AM EST
I could not agree more. Obama is a motivational speaker with little behind it. Hillary actually gets the job done time and again. She and Bill have faced the Republican attack machine and won every time. Is that something American''s should ignore? I don''t think so. Hillary is about Change so people should not get so excited about Obama rhetoric that isn''t backed up with decades of service like Hillary''s experience is. She is a tireless advocate for ALL.
Reply to this comment
by kyle6281 February 15, 2008 1:36 AM EST
I could not agree more. Obama is a motivational speaker with little behind it. Hillary actually gets the job done time and again. She and Bill have faced the Republican attack machine and won every time. Is that something American''s should ignore? I don''t think so. Hillary is about Change so people should not get so excited about Obama rhetoric that isn''t backed up with decades of service like Hillary''s experience is. She is a tireless advocate for ALL and that is why her healthcare plan covers EVERYONE. Notice to Obama lies coming out he is as bad as the republicans.
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by susaninok February 15, 2008 12:59 AM EST
I agree, although I like Obama''s message he is not even close ready to be our president. I have always voted for the democrat in presidential elections, but if Obama gets the nomination (God forbid) and McCain gets the republican nomination, I will feel compelled to vote for McCain. With the gravity of the problems our country faces we need all the experience we can get, Obama just doesn''t have it.
Reply to this comment
by rrlieberma February 15, 2008 12:39 AM EST
ELECTABILITY: It is Hillary who has won twice against the full brutal force of the Republican Attack Machine whereas Obama beat, um, Alan Keyes. It is Hillary who has a proven record of bringing together winning coalitions of Democrats, Indepedents and Republicans, winning 58 of 62 counties including the reddest of red New York. To win in November, we need deeds and accomplishments not just florishes and vague
Reply to this comment
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