NEW YORK, NY February 21, 2007 —Candidate Clinton today heads west for the first time since announcing her presidential bid. Yesterday, she was in Florida raising money and trying to cement contacts with the African-American community. WNYC's Fred Mogul was in Miami.

REPORTER: Congressman Kendrick Meek enthusiastically introduced Clinton to a mostly black audience in north Miami, but afterwards emphasized he wasn't endorsing her - yet.

MEEK: I was with Barack Obama on Sunday in Nevada. I'm encouraged by all the candidates and what they're doing -- the issues, and they're actually starting to engage the American people so early. And I'm excited by it.

REPORTER: The 40-year-old Meek is a rising star on Capitol Hill. He and his mother - and Congressional predecessor - Carrie Meek are among Florida's most powerful black politicians. Like many in the audience, mother and son both say they like what Clinton said about education, healthcare, services for veterans and the elderly, and other issues.

Clinton won some of her strongest applause for criticizing President Bush's planned troop escalation in Iraq, and she also caught a break. Unlike most other audiences so far, no one in this group challenged Clinton's vote to authorize the war or admit it was a mistake.

In Miami for WNYC, I'm Fred Mogul.