New York, NY —

Senator Hillary Clinton made her first public appearance as a Democratic candidate for president yesterday. She visited a health care center on Manhattan's West Side to promote medical coverage for all uninsured children. WNYC's Arun Venugopal was there.

REPORTER: The event started ominously, with the sound system failing to work. But Senator Clinton didn't need a working microphone, not when she had two adorable children on stage with her.

And every time one of the kids poked the Senator in the back, or tugged on the Senator's finger, you could hear the cameras - dozens of them from around the world - frantically clicking away. When asked why she she's running for President, she said she was well-positioned to restore America's leadership in the world.

CLINTON: I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a great contest, with a lot of talented people. And I'm very confident, that I'm in. I'm in to win. And that's what I intend to do.

REPORTER: The Senator said her proposal to expand the state's Health Insurance Program would help move uninsured children out of emergency rooms, and toward preventive care providers. And that it was a first step to the day the country would provide affordable health care for all Americans. For WNYC, I'm Arun Venugopal.