Hillary Clinton Rallies Large Audience in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, April 20 -- With the outcome of the much anticipated Pennsylvania primary just two days away, Hillary Clinton returned to the state to amp up her supporters in a race that could be a large boost for her claim on the Democratic nomination. Bethlehem, PA, was the first stage in a whistle-stop last minute blitz across the state, with four major appearances scheduled Sunday. (Abington, State College, and Johnstown were the other stops.)

Long lines wound around the blocks and the athletic stadium at Liberty High School in this neighborhood of middle-class and blue-collar homes. Many Clinton enthusiasts were impatient as they waited for the doors to open, waving signs and shouting out their support at passing drivers, many of whom honked their horns and shouted back.

Inside the gymnasium, a team of energetic campaign supporters warmed up the crowd with political cheers and by tossing free Hillary tee-shirts to the anxious and impatient crowd. Tom Petty's "American Girl" boomed from the loudspeakers, followed by John Mellencamp's "Small Town" and a play list of other evocative and well-known American rock anthems. The usual local politicians appeared briefly to introduce themselves, and then Hillary Clinton took the stage to loud acclaim with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell making the introduction.

With more than a month since her victories in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island, Hillary had plenty of time to touch all the bases in this diverse state. Bethlehem Steel, once a mainstay of the state's manufacturing economy, now lies rusting in the Lehigh Valley awaiting implementation of a development plan. Hillary connects with this, she tells the crowd, having just toured a similarly defunct Bucks County steel mill which is being converted to "green" environmentally friendly new industries. The crowd cheers. Indeed, there is little the crowd doesn't cheer. This is her base, and the cheers are a matter of degree. I am surprised by the number of young mothers and fathers in the crowd, all tidy and hopeful, toddlers cradled in their arms.