Daily Skiff

Media Credit: Andrew Chavez Sen. Hillary Clinton speaks briefly in downtown Fort Worth on Friday, Feb. 22, 2008. Clinton spoke for about five minutes before canceling a scheduled rally, citing the death of a Dallas police officer in her motorcade. [Click to enlarge]

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton promised to return to Fort Worth after she canceled her rally today because of the death of a police officer who escorted the candidate's motorcade in Dallas.

Clinton called the officer's death "deeply, deeply tragic."

The rally was supposed to take place downtown Fort Worth in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse this morning.

Clinton took the stage about 11 a.m. and spoke for approximately five minutes, expressing her sympathy for the officer's family and to the Dallas Police Department. She thanked her supporters for coming but said it would be inappropriate to continue with the rally as planned.

"It is important to express our appreciation for public service. It's at the core of who we are as Americans," the New York senator said.

Among supporters in attendance were former House Speaker Jim Wright, head of Clinton's Fort Worth steering committee, and Tarrant County Constable Sergio De Leon, who rallied the audience after the former first lady left.

Leon thanked the crowd for coming on such short notice and said Clinton would be back in Fort Worth soon.

Although a few young people could be spotted in the crowd, most in attendance were middle-age and older members of the Fort Worth community.

Brynne West, a senior political science major who attended to learn more about the issues, said she noticed the crowd was different from the demographic that the Obama rallies seem to attract.

"More young people seem to support Obama because he's got that rally, concert mentality," West said.

Micheal Swartz, a senior at Country Day High School in Fort Worth, said although he is leaning toward supporting Obama, he attended Clinton's rally because he wants to remain open-minded.

"Washington needs someone new with new ideas," he said. "We need someone who is not yet owned by the system."

Kelly Minor, a Tarrant County volunteer with Clinton's campaign, said the way Clinton handled the situation today makes her a class act.

"She's just above everybody else," Minor said. "With what happened today, no one can say anything negative about her."

Watch Clinton in downtown Fort Worth

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