"She has 'it'," said Ray Buckley, vice chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Some people don't; some people do."

Activists gathered for the meeting were talking tough on fighting terrorism, calling for a larger Army and new protections for children through a uniform media rating system.

Clinton says she's focused solely on winning another term in the Senate, but her every move is closely watched because polls show she's the leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

Some have suggested that Clinton has carefully tacked a course toward the political center as the speculation about 2008 grows.

In January she used an appearance before abortion-rights advocates to call for "common ground" on the issue.

In addition, Clinton joined with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to push for health care legislation like a single system for medical billing that all insurers and providers would use to save time and money.

Clinton has also taken a tough stand against violence in video games and on television, and against illegal immigration. She sought out a seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which allowed her to take high-profile trips to Iraq and put a foreign policy arrow in her quiver.

"It doesn't surprise me that she's becoming more moderate," said Leroy Comrie, a city councilman in the New York borough of Queens. "I think the country is becoming more and more moderate, more and more conservative."

Al From, founder of the DLC and a close ally of both Sen. Clinton and former President Clinton, disputes that view. He says Hillary Clinton hasn't changed much at all.

"She hasn't done anything that's changed what she's done for 15 years," said From, arguing that Clinton has always been every bit the moderate her husband was.

On abortion, "she's always been for legal, safe and rare," said From. "She was a strong supporter of welfare reform."

In addition, From said, she pushed Arkansas into the lead in establishing charter schools while her husband was governor.

"She was the leading education reformer in the country," said From. "She has been steadfast on national security."

In From's view, Clinton suffers from something of an identity crisis nationally. After her husband was elected president, she headed an effort to overhaul the nation's health care, an unsuccessful move that opponents characterized as putting the country on a road to a government-controlled national health system.

For most voters, that failed health care effort was their introduction to her, said From, who sees her recent moves as simply moving the focus back to her traditional issues.

Though Clinton was joined at the meeting by three other potential Democratic 2008 presidential candidates, most of the buzz focused on her.

Peter O'Malley, a candidate for a congressional seat in the Chicago suburbs, said Clinton's message - and her star power - is exactly what the party needs.

"She's one of the shining stars of the party," he said. "She energizes the room. She energizes the party."

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack gets his opening scene on a national stage by taking over leadership of the DLC on Monday.

"I think she helps to reinforce the message, and she helps shine the focus on the Democratic Party," said Vilsack, a potential 2008 contender who was appealing Monday to "the core values of our party, the core values of our country."

"She's always a huge presence," said Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, another possible 2008 candidate who was making his pitch to the "sensible center" on Monday.

"It's a fact, she is a very strong front-runner," said Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, himself the subject of 2008 speculation.

But Pat Gerard, vice mayor of Largo, Fla., who thinks Clinton has "a solid set of values," warned that a lot can change.

"Star power doesn't always mean everything," said Gerard. "Sometimes the early star is the one that gets shot at the most."

© 2005 The Associated Press

Editor's note:
The Stunning Truth About Hillary in Ed Klein’s New Book – Check Out our FREE offer!

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Sen. Hillary Clinton