Chad Lundquist/Nevada AppealSen. Hillary Rodham Clinton signs a poster after talking to a crowd of about 300 at the Nevada Appeal following this afternoon's presidential candidate forum in Carson City.
Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York called for sharp reductions in the numbers of government contractors saying the Bush administration's privatization of government services has left the nation with three times the number of contractors as it has civil service workers and military personnel.
She said she would cut 500,000 of those contract jobs.
Clinton still maintains her vote for the Iraq war wasn't a mistake because it was sincere vote based on the facts and the assurances "I had at that time."
But like Dodd, she said the focus should be on the future.
"The most important thing to focus on is to try get this president to change."
She said it is a disgrace to send troops into harm's way who don't have the necessary equipment.
Clinton said she believes the money for Iraqi troops, "because they are not standing up and fighting."
She said an international dialog is needed and that it should include all players.
"The president won't talk to bad people. I don't know what world he lives in but most of us have to talk to people we disagree with."
She also called for dramatic changes to fix the nation's health care system. She said the U.S. spends more money on health care than any other nation and that's not necessary.
"If we don't change the system we have, it's going to continue to hemorrhage money."
She said a key step will be to allow negotiations with the drug companies to lower prices.
Speaking following the forum at the Nevada Appeal, Clinton said "I'm proud to be a woman, but I am not running as a woman. I believe I am the most qualified person to hit the ground running in January 2009."