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WATERLOO - President Bush is ignoring the wishes of the American people by threatening to veto congressional funding proposals tying funding for the Iraq war to phased troop withdrawals, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. told a crowd of 1,000 at East High School Tuesday.

"That is extremely unfortunate. That is a threat not to veto just what the Congress passes, but the will of the American people," Clinton said.

The Democrat presidential candidate said the president no longer has a Congress which will do whatever he wishes, as a result of the November elections.

"I think we should stand firm in the Congress and say to the president, 'Now look. We're back to the way the government is supposed to work,'" she said. "For six years the Republicans would do whatever the president wanted them to, wouldn't they? They didn't ask questions. They didn't hold hearings. They didn't hold him accountable. It wasn't all what the president did, but what he let other people do. All those no-bid contracts to Halliburton and everybody," she said to cheers.

"Those days are over. We're back to a balance of power. It's the way our country works better. We're a co-equal branch of government. So Mr. President, come and talk to us," she said.

It was one of several enthusiastic responses the senator received during a hour-long talk and question-and-and answer session, which focused on topics ranging from repeated calls for universal health care, to immigration, to the war.

Clinton also invoked her husband's administration when she said the country needed to return to economic policies that work for everyone, as she said was the case during the 1990s.

Many in the audience, while reserving judgment on who they'd support for president, respected Clinton based on her experience in the Senate and in the political arena. But many also still fondly recalled her husband's presidency and hoped she would bring a return to those times.

"We think her husband was one of the better presidents we've ever had," said Marlene Kruger, former Machinists union president at Waterloo Industries, which closed its Waterloo manufacturing operation in 1997. "But really, as being a senator, she's got so many things going as a woman herself."

However, Kruger and her husband, Bernerd - who backed former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack for president until he threw his support to Clinton - are reserving judgment on who they'll back for president. "We're going to hear them all," she said.

"I'm especially excited to be running this race as a woman candidate for president," Clinton said.

One questioner drew whoops of approval when she asked Clinton how she'd defend herself against those men who will not support a woman for president, "not because you're not qualified, or not because they don't like your politics, but because they're so old-fashioned they can't see past your gender."

"Are there really men like that?" Clinton said as a comeback. "It's my responsibility in this campaign to reach out to everybody and to demonstrate to people that I am experienced and (have the) qualifications to be president and that I am the best person for the job.

"A lot of other countries have had women leaders. We're kind of behind the curve on this," she said. "You go through the list, Great Britain and Israel… I hope both men and women will look at qualifications and experience, my plan, what I want to do. I'll do my very best to present that positive campaign.

"What the country needs right now is someone who will go into the Oval Office in January 2009 and begin to repair the damage that has been done to our country that's been done the last six years," Clinton said. "Most women I know, we're pretty good at cleaning up after people."

Immigration issues

Clinton said the U.S. needs to protect its borders and put sanctions on businesses employing undocumented workers. Also, the U.S. needs to take a stronger negotiating stance with its neighbors to the south, "because it's long past time for them to create jobs in their own country to put people to work."

Also, she said, "We have about 11 or 12 million people here" illegally.

"I do not believe we're going to have enough money and enough police to round up 11 or 12 million people. And I want those people out of the shadows, because I want to know who is here. They're not going to come out of the shadows if they think they're going to jail or be sent back to where they came from. I think it is in America's interest to say 'Come out of the shadows. Get registered.' If we find criminals we deport them; we imprison them. But to the vast majority of people, you're going to have to pay fines, you're going to have to pay back taxes, you're going to have to learn English," drawing whoops and applause. "I think we need to do all of that simultaneously."

Former State Rep. Don Shoultz, D-Waterloo, said Clinton's personal qualities came through .

"She made good contact with the audience, and I think that's very important," he said. "When you talk to her, she's not looking over your shoulder looking for the next person to talk to. I was impressed."

Still, Shoultz wouldn't commit himself to her. "We have a lot of good candidates and we have a long way to go. I think she's in it for the long run. I think she still is qualified and would be a very good president."

"She talked about a lot of issues, and she had a plan," said Don Darrow of Cedar Falls, a retired teacher at Malcolm Price Laboratory School. "She has a lot of experience that other candidates don't have. She's very concerned about health care. I think she's really been tested. I really do think she's probably the best prepared to take that position." He said he likely will support Clinton in the January caucuses.

"Like our congressman (Bruce Braley) said" in introducing Clinton, "she's bright and articulate. I don't think that's going to be a disadvantage," Barrow said.

Contact Pat Kinney at (319) 291-1484 or Pat.Kinney@wcfcourier.com