This is the latest report from the National Journal/NBC reporters embedded with the campaigns of top presidential contenders and in two key states.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talked up her proposal to provide health insurance for everyone in a live webcast Tuesday night, calling it a "uniquely American solution" to a lack of affordable health care. She also stressed the challenges ahead in turning her plan into law.

The Democratic frontrunner answered a dozen questions from participants around the country who were asked to sign up online. In a nod to the new media for the new millennium, one question was submitted by text message.

The webcast was the latest installment of a major rollout for the plan. Clinton's campaign also debuted a television ad in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire , touting her record on health care. While the webcast was billed as interactive, it wasn’t exactly a conversation. Clinton's campaign blogger, Crystal Patterson, moderated the forum, reading the questions chosen.

Clinton said thousands of people had logged on to hear her talk about the $110 billion a year "American Health Choices Plan" she unveiled Monday in Des Moines, Iowa. The proposal would require that everyone have health insurance, give them a choice of plans and provide tax credits to help subsidize coverage. All of the initiatives would be paid for in part by repealing tax cuts for the wealthy.

Clinton called the plan her highest domestic priority and said she has the experience to work with Congress to get it passed, but she also sought repeatedly to manage expectations for how quickly it could become law.

"I't's not a decision for the president alone to make," she said. "I have to work with the Congress, and I look forward to doing that. I know the members. I feel very comfortable with what I believe to be the commitment of many of them, on both sides of the aisle, to try to lower costs, improve quality and cover everyone, but hammering out the details is what we're going to do in the congressional process starting as soon as I’m elected president."

For the most part, Clinton reprised her previous speeches and television appearances, stressing themes like the importance of having a choice of plans, covering pre-existing health conditions, and focusing on disease prevention and individual responsibility. She also talked about the need to do more to help improve women’s health.

Clinton said America needs to get generic drugs to the market more quickly and might try to reduce prescription costs by looking abroad. "We've got to drive a tougher bargain, and we have to even open up the possibility of re-importation of the drugs that we as taxpayers help to fund," she said.

Clinton talked about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and about the need to take care of veterans, making an apparent reference to the scandalous conditions at Walter Reed Medical Center reported earlier this year.

"I've got additional work that I'm doing in the Senate now to try to make sure that we fund the VA, that we take care of the special needs of our returning veterans and that we never ever leave them in decrepit facilities, without care, waiting months for an appointment,” she said.

In response to a question about how she would deal with criticism from Republicans, Clinton took the opportunity to try to set herself apart from her Democratic rivals, arguing that she has experience to handle it.

"I am absolutely confident that I will be able, and I know I will be ready, to take on any attack that comes my way," she said. "Whoever our nominee is, and I certainly I hope it will be me, they will face the full effect of the Republican attack machine."

Twice Clinton mentioned what she termed successes during her husband’s administration, making reference to the strong economy of the 1990s and the changes made to increase efficiency in the Veterans Administration, such as making medical records electronic.

-- By Athena Jones