EAST CHICAGO | Chelsea Clinton brought a relaxed, conversational brand of campaign rallying to East Chicago on Sunday.

(Visit our election special section.)

(View the slideshow.)

Less than two weeks after U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., stumped through Hammond on March 28, the former first daughter took questions for an hour at a community center packed with about 200 people. Clinton -- casually clothed in blue jeans and a sweater -- cast herself as a concerned voter, a concerned voter who has chosen to vote for her own mother.

"I do believe this is the most important election of my lifetime," Clinton said.

"I hope you all vote. I hope you vote for my mom."

Clinton, 28, offered extemporaneous responses to questions from the mostly Hispanic crowd at the Association de Hijos de Borinquen exactly one month before Indiana's Democratic primary. Clinton displayed encyclopedic knowledge of her mother's political positions, answering questions on health care, immigration, security and the economy, then pulling the conversation toward endorsements of her mother's main policy ideas. She avoided direct assaults on her mother's Democratic opponent, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, of Illinois, and her mother's potential foe, presumptive Republican nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain, of Arizona.

Instead, she chastised the Bush administration as fiscally irresponsible and incompetent in foreign policy.

Clinton said her mother would push for an investigation of foreign oil suppliers and high gas prices. She said her mother would seek to end tax breaks for oil companies. Clinton noted that her mother voted against a 2005 energy bill that was criticized as an excuse to float subsidies to large energy companies. Obama voted for the bill. Clinton said her mother would invest in clean coal technologies and programs to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars and buildings.

Clinton slammed the Bush administration for borrowing money from Social Security and Medicaid. She argued that the programs can be solvent if their funding is left untouched.

"We know that we need to get back to financial responsibility," Clinton said.

Clinton praised her mother's plan for "truly universal affordable health care." She noted her mother's vote against Bush's prescription drug plan, and said her mother would fight to legalize the importation of cheaper prescription drugs. Clinton pointed out that the uninsured are more likely to die prematurely.

"I think that's immoral in the 21st century," she said.

Clinton talked about her mother's opposition to the troop surge in Iraq. She called for more support for Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai.

Clinton called for more funding for job training programs "eviscerated" by the Bush administration. She said her mother would aim to repeal the No Child Left Behind Act. She would replace the program with funding for public education of 3-year-old children and programs that set "aspirational standards."

Clinton said her mother would push immigration reforms that would "invite out of the shadows" illegal immigrants who would face penalties for breaking immigration laws, but would then be allowed to line up for citizenship.

East Chicago Mayor George Pabey, a Hillary Clinton supporter, joined other local politicians at the rally. He predicted the Democratic primary will be "tight."

East Chicago City Council President Richard Medina said he thinks Clinton can carry Northwest Indiana on May 6.

"I'm supporting Hillary knowing that she has the experience to deliver," Medina said.

Teresa Bautista, of East Chicago, stood at the back of the room with campaign signs attached to curtain rods. Bautista voiced concern over an economy that has pushed up grocery prices. She thinks Clinton can fix the economy.

"She is such a strong woman. She has so much potential," Bautista said.

"She is my hero."