Clinton, Sanders rock Iowa Democrats

CLEAR LAKE - The historic venue that hosted the final performance of legendary rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper was rocking and rolling Friday night.

Filled at least to - and probably beyond - its capacity of 2,100, the Surf Ballroom was rocked by Democratic activists who clearly feel good about the candidates seeking their party's nomination for president.

Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley and Lincoln Chafee all spoke Friday night at the Iowa Wing Ding, an annual fundraiser hosted jointly by 23 northern Iowa counties.

Jim Webb was the only candidate not to attend, citing a scheduling conflict.

The line to get into the building snaked for two blocks, the ballroom was standing-room-only, and the applause lines and standing ovations were plentiful as the candidates attempted to earn favor with activists in this first-in-the-nation caucus state.

Fighting big money in politics, addressing wealth and income inequality, promising paid time off work for new mothers - these issues were touted by multiple candidates and welcomed vociferously by the excited crowd.

Clinton and Sanders drew particularly enthusiastic reactions during portions of their speeches.

The candidates also made clear efforts to differentiate themselves.

Clinton, the former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state - and the Democratic front-runner - began her remarks by reminding the crowd that former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who is wildly popular with Iowa Democrats, recently endorsed her campaign.

Clinton then jumped right into a defense of the multination agreement on a program to restrict Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons. She accused Republicans of politicizing her time as secretary of state, in particular the 2012 attack on a U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and the fact she used a personal, private email server during that time.

'It's not about Benghazi, and you know it's not about emails or servers, either. It's about politics,” Clinton said.

Clinton raised her voice multiple times during her address; at one point her voice became scratchy, causing her to slow down and drink from a glass of water.

'You guys are getting me fired up,” she joked.

Earlier Friday, Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke at a news conference arranged by the Republican Party of Iowa to challenge Clinton's credentials.

'I believe Iowans' message to Hillary Clinton is clear, and it's, ‘Hillary, because of your action and inability to be truthful to Iowans to Americans, how can we trust you to lead this nation and be our commander in chief,' ” Reynolds said.

Sanders hit on many of his campaign themes and touted the large crowds his events have been drawing.

Sanders, who is second to Clinton in most primary polls - although he finished first in a recent New Hampshire poll - also talked about a few issues in a way that differentiates him from Clinton. He called for a $15-per-hour minimum wage, said he opposes construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, and noted his vote in the U.S. Senate against the Iraq War.

Sanders also said his campaign has been financed by thousands of small-dollar donors. He said he has rejected Super PAC support, and the average contribution to his campaign is $31.21.

'That is what this campaign is about, is saying loudly and clearly it is not just about electing Bernie Sanders for president, it is about creating a grass-roots political movement in this country,” Sanders said.

O'Malley, the former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland, touted his executive experience.

In a possible attempt to differentiate himself from Clinton, O'Malley said the nation needs 'new leadership,” and he added some local flavor while blasting trade deals that he said have been bad for U.S. workers.

'We traded away good manufacturing jobs like the ones at Maytag in Newton,” O'Malley said, referring to the 2007 closure of the plant there.

Chafee focused his remarks on his time as a U.S. senator and governor of Rhode Island. In what may have been a swipe at Clinton, he said he was most proud that during those times, he 'never had any scandals.”

Chafee also noted his vote against the Iraq War and said the nation must avoid getting tangled in similar conflicts in the future.

'Let's work hard on ending the wars,” Chafee said.