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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Clinton Jabs Trump in First Stump as Nominee

PHILADELPHIA (CN) — Fresh off the triumph of her historical nomination at the Democratic National Convention, Hillary Clinton hit the ground running Friday with a rousing campaign rally at Temple University.

Clinton's appearance marked the first official event of her campaign, after wrapping up the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Thursday night with a triumphant speech accepting her party's nomination.

Less than 24 hours later and several miles to the north on Broad Street, Clinton once again brought down the house as she discussed grand plans for her potential presidency and skewered Republican opponent Donald Trump.

Spontaneous chants of "USA! USA!" occasionally broke out among the audience, particularly when the former senator referenced Philadelphia's legacy as the birthplace of American democracy and rallied supporters to help her "continue the work that started down the road from here" in 1776.

"You know a little something about history, about making history," Clinton said to the crowd composed largely of Philadelphians. "What better place to kick off this campaign than where it all started 240 years ago?"

Not only did the speech officially kick off the Clinton-Kaine campaign, it was the first stop on a three-day bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio — both considered swing states that are up for grabs come November.

Conjuring images of her working-class roots in nearby Scranton, Clinton discussed the importance of manufacturing communities — "places that make things," she said — to the economy. She pledged to undertake an economic rebuild that "works for everyone, not just those at the top."

Amid massive cheers, Clinton outlined her recently unveiled plan to "break through the gridlock in Washington and make the biggest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II" within the first 100 days of her presidency.

She vowed to create jobs in all sectors, from clean energy to advanced manufacturing, adding that the dream of making a good living should be attainable to everyone, not just college graduates.

"Anyone willing to work in America should be able to find a job, to get ahead, to stay ahead," she said.

In a surprise move, Clinton and her running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, were joined by their families onstage. The crowd roared as former President Bill Clinton walked along the perimeter of the stage shaking hands with astonished onlookers.

Kaine addressed the crowd first, praising the "optimistic, upbeat" messages of unity and hope that have permeated his Clinton's campaign speeches.

On both their bus tour and subsequent campaign stops, Kaine promised that Clinton would "lay out why she's going to be such a fantastic president." Her "plans for America" stand in stark contrast to Trump's "empty promises," he said.

In a nod to the venue and to Clinton's recent promise to work with one-time presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders to make college tuition more affordable, Kaine asked, "Is there anyone at Temple University that likes the idea of debt-free college?" His rhetorical question elicited huge roars from the crowd.

Donald Trump was routinely roasted throughout the afternoon. From state senators and congressmen who delivered introductory remarks, no one could resist taking their shots at the brash Republican.

Clinton ripped the "negative, dark, divisive picture" painted by Trump of "a country in decline." The businessman's assurances that "he alone can fix" America's woes "set off alarm bells," she said, and ran counter to the true meaning of democracy.

"Trump talked for 75 minutes and did not offer one solution," she said.

"He talks about making America great again; well, he doesn't make a thing in America, except bankruptcies," she added to the roar of the approving crowd.

She continued the trend of injecting her campaign with optimism by quoting a line from one of her husband's old presidential speeches — "There's nothing wrong with America that can't be cured by what's right with America."

While introductory speeches were rife with references to Clinton's historic run as the first female presidential candidate from a major party, the former Secretary of State herself did not invoke her potential smashing of gender stereotypes until the end of her speech.

"Every time we knock down a barrier, it liberates everyone in America," Clinton said. "Now every parent in America can look at their daughter and say, 'You too can be the President of the United States!'"

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