Clinton assured the crowd that health care would be among her top priorities, along with addressing declining wages across the country and investigating the financial debacle associated with the country's mortgage lending industry. She singled out the conduct of a former Countrywide Financial Corp. executive who left the company with a $110 million severance package and laid some blame for the crisis at the doorstep of an address in her home state of New York ... Wall Street.

Clinton criticized the handling by the President Bush's administration of recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina and the current war in Iraq. She promised to initiate a plan, within 60 days of taking office, to get troops out of Iraq.

Additionally, she would like Congress to send her "every bill that Bush has vetoed."

Elko resident Mary Walters, who described herself as a lifelong Democrat, was attending the rally to show her support for Clinton. She said she had "seen a lot of changes" in Nevada and felt Clinton would do the best job of addressing current problems in education and health care.

Obama entered the packed Elko High School gymnasium after an introduction by his wife, Michelle Obama, and accompanied by the Elko High Pep Band. About 1,500 people were in attendance, many holding banners with Obama's campaign slogan, "Stand for Change."

Obama began the rally with a Martin Luther King Jr. quote that he has used throughout the campaign, telling the audience he decided to run because of the "fierce energy of now," explaining that now is the time for urgent change, a "defining moment in our history."

Obama visited his campaign issues, promising a plan for universal health care, income tax reform and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. He noted that addressing climate issues could have both environmental and economic advantages through the creation of "green jobs." He also pledged a foreign policy approach that will "keep us safe and maintain our standing in the world."

Obama dismissed criticism that he hasn't spent enough time in Washington and said his detractors would love to "season him, stew him ... and boil all the hope out of him."

In response to a question from the audience asking "where is our government and who is our government," Obama said, "Right here in this room." The response drew a standing ovation.

Paul Hughes, Elko resident and self-described Democrat, said he attended both Clinton's earlier rally and Obama's. Hughes said he was "impressed very much" by Clinton's presentation but had decided he would be caucusing for Obama after Obama's rally.

There were more cowboy hats than baseball caps among the 200 or so local residents who came to hear Romney speak at a rally in the auditorium of the new Adobe Middle School. He told the approximately 200 people that his approach to the economy was better for them that what the Democrats are proposing.