The Clinton campaign trail cut its way through Cary Friday as former president Bill Clinton talked up wife Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential attributes to a packed crowd at the Cary Senior Center.

"This is the beginning of what I hope will be many visits to North Carolina," Clinton told the crowd of several hundred gathered inside the center off High House Road.

Free and open to the public, Clinton's 5 p.m. speech addressed a crowd of all ages who heard him praise his wife's healthcare vision, attention to budget details and her past experience as a government leader.

"She'll be the best president and she'll never forget who put her there," Clinton said of wife Sen. Clinton, a Democratic presidential hopeful battling other front runner Barack Obama for the party's nomination.

Clinton said his wife would remember who put her in office by establishing more widely available health care, providing government aid for caretakers and decreasing national debt, which would allow for the retention of services in jeopardy such as Social Security.

"She wants an economy based on shared prosperity..." Clinton said.

He said that a Democratic nomination for Sen. Clinton could depend heavily on North Carolina voters.

One person in the Friday crowd will definitely be giving Sen. Clinton her vote — Debbie Salley, a Cary resident in her 50s.

"This really cemented my decision," she said of Clinton’s speech, noting that she appreciates Sen. Clinton's attention to caregivers.

Salley is a caretaker for her 72-year-old mother, whom she would like to keep at home as long as possible.

Others in the crowd were excited at the prospect of having a woman in the nation's top seat.

"Women have tremendous leadership abilities," said Linda Stevens from Smithfield before the speech's start.

Others weren't at the event so much to support Sen. Clinton but to see her husband speak.

"I'm an Obama supporter," said Jim Homolya, a 62-year-old Cary resident. But he was very interested to hear Clinton speak, saying, "I value his service as president."

Homolya and wife Barbara had arrived before 3 p.m. at the senior center but only got a back row seat in the first-come, first-served 250-person seating area inside the facility.

About 250 more people listened to Clinton's approximately hour-long speech outside over speakers.

After his speech Clinton briefly visited the outside listeners who whipped out camera phones and scrambled for a chance to shake his hand.

Cries of "I touched him" and "I think I see him that way" still echoed though the buzzing crowd long after Clinton had departed.

Off to the next campaign stop.