Third visit allow voters to get acquainted with Clinton campaign

When the day began, Delia Valdez didn’t expect she’d be hoisting a Hillary Clinton sign, hollering her approval for Bill Clinton.

Valdez, a foster care case worker from Harlingen, had jury duty early Monday morning. She had never been to Dean Porter Park and she was certainly unaware that Clinton would even be visiting.

To her surprise jury duty let out early and she dashed to the park to take in Clinton’s stump speech.

“I wanted to see Hillary when she was here, but I have kids and I wasn’t going to drag them to Brownsville and the McAllen event was too early in the morning,” Valdez said. “But, I’m here, so I guess it’s meant to be.”

While Valdez had no idea she’d attend the Clinton rally, Cristian Carabello had been anticipating the event since hearing Clinton’s last speech in Austin. Only this time she wanted to actually see Clinton.

“I’m a short person and I was surrounded by 6-foot-5 guys,” Carabello said. “I heard him speak, but I couldn’t see him, just the tip of his hair.”

Carabello, a court interpreter from Chattanooga, Tenn., has been following the candidates on the campaign trail off, including Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Georgia, Virginia and Texas.

In Texas she has been accompanied by her mother, Irma and friend, Felipe Bravo.

When Hillary announced her candidacy, Carabello began saving. With her savings, and money raised from a couple of fundraisers, Carabello tucked away nearly $10,000.

Carabello embarked on her journey, following her dream and Hillary in the historic run for the White House.

So dedicated to Hillary’s campaign is Carabello that she even set up residency in Iowa so she could caucus.

Nothing against Barack Obama, she said, but in Carabello’s opinion, Clinton has a significant experience advantage.

“We all have good judgement when we have time to think,” she said. “But, its like Tom Cruise said in ‘Top Gun,’ when you’re under pressure and you have to make a snap decision you don’t have time to think. You just have to make a decision.”

At the event, Carabello unraveled a cardboard sign with the message “It’s 3 a.m. The phone rings in the White House I’m votin’ 4 Hillary to pick up that phone.”

Clinton hit on several key issues of the campaign, including the war in Iraq and the economy, but it was his attention to affordable health care that struck a chord with Valdez.

“I know from experience how expensive health care can be,” Valdez said, a mother of two. “A few years ago my premium went up $700.”

Carabello didn’t need any convincing on whom to vote for. She’s even convinced several family members to switch their votes from Obama to Clinton.

She called Clinton’s speech “awesome,’ but she’d hoped he’d talk more about NAFTA.

Depending on what happens today in the Texas caucus, Carabello could take her remaining $3,000 and continue her journey to Pennsylvania.

“We don’t have time to get to know (Obama) right now,” she said. “Maybe next time.”