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WINSTON-SALEM — It was a supportive atmosphere outside the west campus of Forsyth Technical Community College Thursday afternoon as several hundred people stood waiting to see Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Outside under blue skies and the warmest weather the area has seen in more than a week, many supporters talked to each other about their concerns about health care and an unsteady economy.

"In '80, when Reagan was elected, I had a job. When he left office, I didn't have a job," Jackie Sizemore said. "When Bill Clinton was in office, I had a job, so I thought I'd vote for her."

Sizemore is a disabled electrician and was the first person in line at 10 a.m.

But with many more women in line, he and the other men attending the town hall meeting were in the minority.

Many of those women shared the feeling expressed by Myra Gore.
"I'd love to live to see a female president in my lifetime," Gore said. She lives in Madison and is an environmental leader with Procter & Gamble in Greensboro.

Whenever Hillary Clinton appears on television, Gore said, she calls her family and friends and tells them to watch because she believes this campaign is historic.

"I remember my daddy saying that about John F. Kennedy," she said.
Once the Clinton faithful were packed elbow to elbow into the gym, they jockeyed to grab "Hillary for President" campaign posters and "Hillary 2008" cutouts of North Carolina.

Upbeat music blared in the background, and they started the wave.
Banners were thrown upward and followed by cheers of "Hillary!"

The gym got warm as Clinton missed her 5:30 p.m. appearance time.
Forty minutes and a dozen upbeat rock songs later, Clinton still hadn't arrived.

The tardiness did little to dampen spirits at the event.

"She's had a long day," Mary Parrish said. "We've waited a long time for a woman president. I can certainly wait here a few more minutes."

Looking over the sea of faces, Parrish said she felt like she was surrounded by "sisters."

"It's like a family here," Parrish said.

But an hour after Clinton was scheduled to arrive, the energy died down. Eyes searched the corners of the gym, and the banners stayed down.
Just after 6:45 p.m., with Sting's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" blaring from the speakers, the crowd lifted to their feet and the chanting began.

"Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!"

But still no Clinton.

A few minutes passed and then there was hope. Men in dark suits were talking into their hands. Clinton was about to charge from behind a curtain and make a grand entrance — fashionably late.

At 7 p.m., the music cut out and was replaced by a voice urging the crowd to welcome "Sen. Hillary Clinton."

The crowd erupted in shrill cheers and chants of Clinton's name. The banners went back up.

After a brief introduction, Clinton took the mic and offered an apology.
"I want to apologize for being late,'' she said. "I really regret that. I've never felt more pressure in my life.

"But I know that Carolina plays in about 30 minutes, so I will not be the least bit offended if all of you need to go see that game," Clinton said.

"Noooo," they shouted. "We love you!"

Camera flashes filled the building. And in no time at all, the delay was forgotten.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com