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Sen. Hillary Clinton is campaigning in North Carolina today and due to stop in Winston-Salem late this afternoon. The following are vignettes from today:

7:50 p.m.:

Julie Hamilton of Winston-Salem came to see Clinton with her two daughters, ages 6 months and 7 years. She said she liked Clinton's discussion of children and education.

"She talked about No Child Left Behind and I think that's good," Hamilton said. "It's a program I absolutely abhor so that was nice to hear."

Meanwhile, a large group of supporters who couldn't get into the gym are outside in the courtyard, cheering for Clinton and hoping to get a glimpse of her.

7:38 p.m.:

Clinton just ended her speech.

In closing, she addressed the close primary race, and said she is looking forward to being in North Carolina during the spring.

She then walked into the crowd to greet supporters.

7:20 p.m.:

Clinton addressed health insurance, saying she would give that industry a new business model.

"I think they could make a lot of money if we covered everybody," she said. She proposed a plan where people could get access to the same health care program that members of Congress have.

7:13 p.m.:

She focused on helping manufacturers.

"These are good jobs and these are jobs that people deserve to have again in North Carolina," she said.

Clinton outlined several ways to create jobs here: investing in clean, renewable energy and creating a strategic energy fund; rebuilding infrastructure such as bridges through bonds; and investing in science and research.

7:03 p.m.:

Telling the crowd that they will hire the next president with their vote, Clinton focused on her plan to turn the economy around, which she outlined this morning in Raleigh.

"We've got to get back to fiscal responsibility," she said.

6:55 p.m.:

Julianne Thrift of Salem College introduced Clinton:

"We need a leader who is corageous, decisive and ready for this job ... We need someone who can bring our economy back. Thank God we have somebody like that, and it's Hillary Clinton."

Clinton quickly apologized, saying she knew the UNC basketball game begins soon.

6:52 p.m.:

Hillary Clinton was just announced at Forsyth Technical Community College.

6:22 p.m.:

Lucy Liebenow, 85, and Dorothy Waters, 85, both of Mount Airy, took the bus to Winston-Salem to see Clinton, but didn't have a ride home.

"The bus doesnt run past 4:30," Waters said.

Why would they come anyway?

"We just wanted to see Hillary," Liebenow said. "We're very much for her."

Added Waters: "I want her to be the first woman president."

The two already met somebody at the rally who offered them a ride home.

6 p.m.:

Gary Green, the president of Forsyth Technical Community College, thanked his staff for helping with the event and the Clinton campaign for coming.

"Welcome, certainly thank you all for being here and enjoy the town meeting," he said.

5:40 p.m.:

The crowd is gathered in the auditorium; Clinton has yet to arrive.

4:36 p.m.:

The gymnasium where Clinton is to speak is about two-thirds full already. On stage is a large American flag and four rows of seats.

The basketball hoops inside the school's gym are folded up toward the ceiling. Attendees are sitting in wooden bleachers on either side and folding chairs in the middle.

4:24 p.m.:

Brenda Hutchins, a retired teacher from Winston-Salem, is attending along with her sister, Bonnie Paschal. Hutchins wants to hear Clinton talk about the economy and the home foreclosure crisis, she said.

"I think senator Clinton is someone who tries to speak to the issues although she's not always allowed to," Hutchins said. "Sometimes people are more interested in sensational things than just the economy, although that's pretty sensational right now."

The crowd has begun to be allowed into the gym at Forsyth Technical Community College.

4 p.m.:

Lines of people have gathered at Forsyth Technical Community College on Bolton Street in Winston-Salem in preparation for Hillary Clinton's visit today. She is scheduled to speak at 5:30 p.m.

Katy Llewellyn, 13, of Winston-Salem, and her mom, Susan Faust, arrived about 3 p.m. Katy was holding a Clinton sign and waving it toward passing traffic. The response:

"We've had busloads of kids drive by and yell Obama at us. We've gotten a bunch of go Hillaries, honks and peace signs and thumbs up too," she said.

Faust said she is a Clinton supporter.

"I just feel like I know her, that she is talking from the heart and there is not a speech writer between me and her," Faust said.

Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion was among those attending. She said she's been a Clinton supporter for years and is impressed with her concern with health care and children's issues. She also was pleased that North Carolina voters will have a say in the primary's outcome.

"Who knew a year ago or a year and a half ago that we'd be here entertaining candidates for president in Forsyth and Guilford counties," she said.

Raleigh visit:

By DEVLIN BARRETT and BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writers

At a community college in Raleigh, North Carolina, Clinton focused on job insecurity and said the government needed to step up its responsibility for helping displaced workers. The state holds its primary May 5.

"Our government is more focused on how you lost your job than how you can find a new one," Clinton said. "And while we have been rightly focused on trying to help people who are out of work, there's been too little thought and effort to help people gain new skills while they still have their existing jobs."

Among other things, the former first lady called for a new program to extend federal aid known as Pell Grants to workers enrolled in education programs aimed at updating their skills. She also promoted a pre-emptive training initiative to allow workers concerned about potential threats to their jobs to receive grants to help transition into other industries.

Even before the Democrats delivered their speeches, John McCain said in a statement, "There is a tendency for liberals to seek big government programs that sock it to American taxpayers while failing to solve the very real problems we face."

The political debate comes as a new government report shows the economy nearly sputtered out at the end of the year and is probably faring even worse amid continuing housing, credit and financial crises.

The Commerce Department reported that gross domestic product the value of all goods and services produced in the country increased at a feeble 0.6 percent annual rate in the October-to-December quarter. The reading unchanged from a previous estimate a month ago provided stark evidence of just how much the economy has weakened. In the prior quarter, the economy clocked in at a sizzling 4.9 percent growth rate.