Sen. Hillary Clinton said last night that she does not view Ohio as a must-win firewall to keep Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois from winning the Democratic presidential nomination.

"I really don't think about it like that," Clinton told The Dispatch following a 35-minute speech to 2,600 supporters in Ohio State University's French Field House.

"I think about doing the very best I can. I've got a good campaign here. I've got wonderful, broad support across the state, and we're just going to work like crazy to get as many votes as we possibly can and, hopefully, we'll do well."

Sharpening her contrasts with Obama, Clinton accused him of misleading Ohio Democrats with a mailing that misrepresented her position on the North American Free Trade Agreement, signed into law by her husband, former President Clinton.

"He's running a campaign where he is obviously taking shots at me," Clinton said. "He's got some mailer I've heard about here in Ohio going after me on NAFTA. I wasn't in the Senate, I didn't vote on NAFTA. I've obviously got a record where I've taken on the trade issues time and time again. So we're going to be drawing comparisons and contrasts."

Ben LaBolt, an Obama campaign spokesman, acknowledged that the campaign mailed the piece and said it correctly portrays Clinton's past statements in support of NAFTA. It also notes that Obama "has been a consistent opponent of NAFTA and other trade deals."

Trade is a prickly issue for many in Ohio who have seen factories move overseas. In her OSU speech, Clinton said she would not support any trade deals that give foreign countries an unfair advantage.

Looking for wins in Ohio and Texas on March 4 to regain momentum after a series of primary and caucus losses, Clinton's contention that Ohio is not a do-or-die state for her seemed to counter an observation earlier this week by her chief Ohio supporter, Gov. Ted Strickland. He said it "would be very difficult for her to proceed to eventual victory without winning Ohio."

Although a Quinnipiac University poll yesterday showed Clinton with a 21-point lead over Obama in Ohio, the New York senator who was raised in the Chicago area said the race "will tighten," but she will win.

"I really think the people of Ohio get me and get what I'm about," Clinton said. "We're practical people. I'm from the Midwest. It's kind of like, 'Show me what you're going to do.' The best way to tell what somebody will do is to find out what they have done. There is a big difference between speeches and solutions, and talk and action."

Increasingly, Clinton has drawn contrasts between her accomplishments and experience and Obama's, hoping to diminish his soaring rhetorical flair that has inspired many voters.

During a visit yesterday morning to the General Motors' plant in Lordstown, Clinton complimented Obama for his oratorical skill.

"But speeches," she said, "don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank. Speeches don't fill your prescriptions. My opponent makes speeches. I offer solutions. It's one thing to get people excited. I want to empower you."

In the interview, Clinton refuted notions that a segment of the population has a deep dislike for her and, as a result, Obama would be a better general-election candidate against Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

"I don't believe that," Clinton said. "I think anyone who gets the Democratic nomination will be tested. He's never had a negative ad run against him in all of his political activities. I'm pretty much a known commodity, and I think that once the Republicans get to working on either one of us, I'll be able to withstand that and be much stronger going into the general election."

During a two-day swing through Ohio, Clinton told the boisterous OSU audience that she would take on the special interests, especially the oil companies, which she said have driven Bush administration policies.

"I have not just talked the talk, I have walked the walk and been against the special interests," she said.

Most in the crowd appeared to have made up their minds to support Clinton.

"If Hillary doesn't make it, we'll probably vote for McCain because Obama's got a movement, but I don't see any substance," said Bob Adams, 67, of Blacklick, a retired federal worker.

"She's up against a lot being the first female with a chance to become president, but she has a lot of ideas to help not just the middle class but the poor," said Retunda English, 43, an office manager from Columbus.

Kyle Gordon, 22, an OSU student, said he was "still shopping" between Clinton and Obama. "I've decided to go probably to the Democratic side," he said, and will contrast the candidates' proposals on education, health care, the war in Iraq and national security.

"I want to see some sort of specific plans," Gordon said.

jhallett@dispatch.com