With less than 24 hours until the polls opened at the Wisconsin primary, former President Bill Clinton took the stage at Turner Hall Ballroom Monday afternoon to stump for the former First Lady and current Democratic presidential nominee frontrunner.

Despite the big name on the marquee, however, the event drew a surprisingly sparse crowd to Turner Hall Monday afternoon – maybe 200 – a turnout more typical of an unknown band’s Turner Hall weekday night gig rather than a pre-primary visit from one of four former Commanders in Chief still alive.

Perhaps it was a sign of a strong Bernie Sanders showing in Wisconsin to come Tuesday. Perhaps it was the quick turnaround for the event, announced over the weekend when folks maybe weren’t paying attention. Perhaps it was the timing of the event, in the middle of the day during work hours. No matter the reasoning, it was a less than optimal turnout for the Clinton campaign less than a day away from the Wisconsin primary.

Those few in attendance – a mix of all races, ranging much older in average age than the last week’s Bernie Sanders rally – were still excited and enthusiastic both for the Clinton to the take the stage as well as the Clinton on Tuesday’s ballot. One attendee, for instance, decorated the back of his coat with blue Hillary stickers to create a large version of the candidate’s logo. Gary Johnson, 58, was half at Turner Hall to support Hillary and half simply to see Bill speak.

"He’s a great orator and speaker," he explained. "When you can see Bill Clinton in your own backyard, you go see him."

Talking to people in the crowd, most were optimistic about Hillary’s chances in Wisconsin and overall – though with a tinge of concern.

"I’m real curious to see what Wisconsinites have to say," said self-employed Milwaukee hairdresser Tracy Grundy, 35. "Honestly, I’m feeling really good about it, but my Facebook feed doesn’t show Hillary very often at all."

Even so, Grundy was hopeful those in attendance would spread the word for Hillary Clinton, who she called "the absolute most influential woman of my time."

"She was already in the White House when I was the ages of 12 to 20, obviously some of my most formative years, and when I turned 22 years old, I opened my first business in part because of the inspiration that Hillary gave all women across the country and across the world," Grundy explained.

Asking others in attendance Monday afternoon, the potential for Hillary to become the first female president of the United States seemed to be a major reason for people’s votes. Several attendees noted that "it’s time for us to have a woman in the White House," while others noted her experience made her the most qualified in their eyes. And as for her current close competition?

"I love Bernie Sanders; who’s not feeling the Bern on the Democratic side," Grundy said, "but at the end of the day, I vote with my head and not always with my heart. And while I love Bernie’s ideological approach to our democracy, I feel like we need somebody in the office who can stand a little bit stronger on the issues. But I love Bernie, I do."

Most others in the crowd had the same appreciation for Hillary’s current primary competition, though some weren’t impressed with the Vermont senator’s rapid rise to legitimate Democratic nominee. 47-year-old retiree Shenena Adkisson "never heard of him until this year," while construction worker Brian Kane, 24, said it was "embarrassing that so many Democrats are voting for someone who joined the Democratic party just last year." Even so, most polls expect a Sanders victory in Wisconsin Tuesday.

After talking Hillary and Bernie with attendees, however, it was time for Bill to take the stage. After Congresswoman Gwen Moore pumped up the crowd and an introduction by Mayor Tom Barrett, the former president took the podium, giving a shout-out to Bucks shooting guard Jerryd Bayless and Alexander Lasry, son of Bucks owner Marc, before beginning his stump speech, noting some of America’s recent accomplishments – increased health insurance coverage, for instance – and talking about how "we can all rise together," a repeated theme during his comments.

"I believe in progress. I believe we can do this. And I believe we are just this close to an explosion of opportunity which will allow us once again, for the first time since the ’90s, to all rise together. And I believe the president’s done a way better job than he’s gotten credit for," Clinton told the crowd to cheers. "If you don’t (believe that), you can vote for four more years of pitched battles and cheer for our side boo theirs. But if you believe we’re really close to coming back, you’ve got to elect the best leader, the best change-maker, the person with the ideas most likely the help the largest number of people, and that is Hillary."

Clinton then elaborated on plans to help create balanced growth and new jobs, starting with modernizing the nation’s infrastructure – including creating fast and affordable universal broadband and fixing the rusty pipes throughout America. The former president also brought up focusing on bringing clean energy jobs to the country, as well as keeping jobs in America, as a part of Hillary’s plan. He also brought up the importance of small businesses as employers and how they can be helped.

"The real problem with the banking system is not what happened at the top; it’s that we got so spooked over what happened at the crash that too many banks are not making enough loans at home," Clinton said. "Hillary wants to reinforce and make clear that the United States has a law on the books that I vigorously enforced called the Community Reinvestment Act, which requires you to make loans in any community where you make deposits."

As his stump speech continued on, former President Clinton discussed the nation’s current problems with student debt, wage equality ("You have got to make it possible in an advanced economy for people to succeed in raising their children and in the work force; if you make them choose, you're beat, because there's no more important job than raising our kids.") and helping those imprisoned for nonviolent offenses – as well as young people struggling to find work and stay afloat – receive job training and education.

"Everywhere in the world I’ve been, as president and 15 years running my foundation, where they have inclusive economics and inclusive societies and inclusive politics, good things are happening," Clinton said.

After diving into the late Justice Scalia’s vacant Supreme Court seat, Obama's nomination for the spot – a move the former president called "very smart," not only because he was the one who put Judge Merrick Garland on the Court of Appeals by a 97-0 confirmation vote – and voting rights, Clinton brought up several stories labeling Hillary as a person for change and leadership, not a part of the establishment – clearly combating the Sanders campaign’s narrative, although the Vermont senator’s name was never directly used.

One of his anecdotes explained how Hillary received 93 percent of the African-American vote in Alabama, going back to Hillary's post-law school days working to dismantle all-white academies' tax exemptions. Another story involved Hillary helping to convince former Republican Rep. Tom DeLay to help increase and endorse the adoption of children. In each case, he framed Hillary's experience in politics as "leadership, not establishment."

"The only thing that's disappointed me in this primary campaign is every time the Congressional Black Caucus or big hispanic groups or the League of Conservation Voters or Planned Parenthood or Barney Frank or Tammy Baldwin ... when they all endorsed Hillary, they were just dismissed as a part of the establishment," Clinton explained. "That would come as a great surprise to those Planned Parenthood people.

"This is not about new versus old or establishment versus reform; they voted for leadership. They're in the change business, every one of these people, and they know she's always been there."

Will Wisconsinites agree with the former Commander in Chief on which side of that debate Clinton falls on? The nation will find out Tuesday night.