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| Hillary Clinton rally puts spotlight on inequality and progressive causes | Hillary Clinton rally puts spotlight on inequality and progressive causes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| After two months of quiet campaigning, Hillary Clinton took the podium on Roosevelt Island on Saturday seeking to answer one key question: why should American voters elect her president? | After two months of quiet campaigning, Hillary Clinton took the podium on Roosevelt Island on Saturday seeking to answer one key question: why should American voters elect her president? |
| Against a backdrop of the East River and the Manhattan skyline, addressing thousands of supporters who braved sweltering summer heat, Clinton portrayed herself as a fighter and champion of progressive causes as she laid out the themes that will define her second bid for the White House. | Against a backdrop of the East River and the Manhattan skyline, addressing thousands of supporters who braved sweltering summer heat, Clinton portrayed herself as a fighter and champion of progressive causes as she laid out the themes that will define her second bid for the White House. |
| The presumed Democratic presidential nominee concentrated much of her speech on economic policies designed to help the middle class and bridge the growing wage gap among Americans, despite gains made under Barack Obama since 2008. Although she praised her predecessor for lifting the country out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, Clinton acknowledged the struggles that many Americans continue to face. | The presumed Democratic presidential nominee concentrated much of her speech on economic policies designed to help the middle class and bridge the growing wage gap among Americans, despite gains made under Barack Obama since 2008. Although she praised her predecessor for lifting the country out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, Clinton acknowledged the struggles that many Americans continue to face. |
| “You brought our country back, now it’s time, your time, to secure the gains and move ahead,” Clinton said, adding that she was running for president to make the economy work for “every American – for the successful and the struggling”. | “You brought our country back, now it’s time, your time, to secure the gains and move ahead,” Clinton said, adding that she was running for president to make the economy work for “every American – for the successful and the struggling”. |
| “It’s America’s basic bargain,” she said. “If you do your part, you ought to be able to get ahead, and when everybody does their part, America gets ahead too.” | “It’s America’s basic bargain,” she said. “If you do your part, you ought to be able to get ahead, and when everybody does their part, America gets ahead too.” |
| Clinton unveiled a decidedly progressive agenda, listing a bevy of issues on which she pledged to lay out specific proposals in the coming weeks. Among the issues she mentioned were paid sick and family leave, equal pay, improving infrastructure, college affordability, raising the minimum wage, reforming Wall Street and fighting climate change. | Clinton unveiled a decidedly progressive agenda, listing a bevy of issues on which she pledged to lay out specific proposals in the coming weeks. Among the issues she mentioned were paid sick and family leave, equal pay, improving infrastructure, college affordability, raising the minimum wage, reforming Wall Street and fighting climate change. |
| Sounding like the populist skeptics on the left have called for,Clinton knocked her GOP opponents for “trickle-down economics” and cautioned that another Republican president would only steer the country back toward the brink of collapse. | |
| We’re still working our way back from a crisis that happened because time-tested values were replaced by false promises,”she said. | We’re still working our way back from a crisis that happened because time-tested values were replaced by false promises,”she said. |
| “Instead of an economy built by every American, for every American, we were told that if we let those at the top pay lower taxes and bend the rules, their success would trickle down to everyone else.” | “Instead of an economy built by every American, for every American, we were told that if we let those at the top pay lower taxes and bend the rules, their success would trickle down to everyone else.” |
| After the early stages of Clinton’s campaign had been spent on a low-key “listening tour” with Americans in early voting states, the former secretary of state used her first official campaign speech to launch her most aggressive rhetoric yet against the Republican Party. | After the early stages of Clinton’s campaign had been spent on a low-key “listening tour” with Americans in early voting states, the former secretary of state used her first official campaign speech to launch her most aggressive rhetoric yet against the Republican Party. |
| “There may be some new voices in the Republican presidential choir, but they’re all singing the same song – a song called Yesterday,” Clinton said, proceeding to recite some of the lyrics of the 1965 Beatles classic. | “There may be some new voices in the Republican presidential choir, but they’re all singing the same song – a song called Yesterday,” Clinton said, proceeding to recite some of the lyrics of the 1965 Beatles classic. |
| She went on to assail the record of her Republican challengers on immigration, women’s health and LGBT rights. | She went on to assail the record of her Republican challengers on immigration, women’s health and LGBT rights. |
| “They shame and blame women rather than respect our right to make our own reproductive health decisions,” Clinton said, in a clear swipe at former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who has been under fire this week for writing in 1995 that women should be shamed for having children out of wedlock. | “They shame and blame women rather than respect our right to make our own reproductive health decisions,” Clinton said, in a clear swipe at former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who has been under fire this week for writing in 1995 that women should be shamed for having children out of wedlock. |
| Related: Hillary Clinton to set out her vision by invoking her heroine Eleanor Roosevelt | |
| “They turn their backs on gay people who love each other.” | “They turn their backs on gay people who love each other.” |
| Fully embracing the historic nature of her candidacy, Clinton also hit back at the generational argument some Republicans – namely Florida senator Marco Rubio, a top-tier pick among the GOP’s presidential hopefuls – have made against her. | Fully embracing the historic nature of her candidacy, Clinton also hit back at the generational argument some Republicans – namely Florida senator Marco Rubio, a top-tier pick among the GOP’s presidential hopefuls – have made against her. |
| “I may not be the youngest candidate in this race. But I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States,” she said, a line that elicited some of the loudest cheers from the audience. | “I may not be the youngest candidate in this race. But I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States,” she said, a line that elicited some of the loudest cheers from the audience. |
| Many of the proposed policies Clinton laid out were geared to helping women and families, such as equal pay, paid family leave, and raising the minimum wage – the latter, she pointed out, having a disproportionate affect on women of color. | Many of the proposed policies Clinton laid out were geared to helping women and families, such as equal pay, paid family leave, and raising the minimum wage – the latter, she pointed out, having a disproportionate affect on women of color. |
| Clinton also highlighted her advocacy for children and workers, as well as her role as a former New York senator after the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. | Clinton also highlighted her advocacy for children and workers, as well as her role as a former New York senator after the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001. |
| As she reintroduced herself to voters, Clinton also highlighted her personal story and emphasized the influence of her mother, Dorothy Rodham. | As she reintroduced herself to voters, Clinton also highlighted her personal story and emphasized the influence of her mother, Dorothy Rodham. |
| Rodham, who passed away in 2011, was abandoned by her parents at a young age, forced to live with strict relatives, ran away at the age of 14 and earned only $3 a week. Clinton used the story to highlight her mother’s resilience. | Rodham, who passed away in 2011, was abandoned by her parents at a young age, forced to live with strict relatives, ran away at the age of 14 and earned only $3 a week. Clinton used the story to highlight her mother’s resilience. |
| “My mother taught me that everyone needs a chance and a champion,” Clinton said. | “My mother taught me that everyone needs a chance and a champion,” Clinton said. |
| Even as questions over a perceived enthusiasm gap for Clinton linger, her path to the Democratic Party’s nomination for president is historically clear – and this time there is no Obama-esque insurgent. | Even as questions over a perceived enthusiasm gap for Clinton linger, her path to the Democratic Party’s nomination for president is historically clear – and this time there is no Obama-esque insurgent. |
| Bernie Sanders, the progressive independent senator from Vermont who has drawn large crowds in some early voting states, is the only primary opponent who registers double-digits against Clinton. But Clinton, polling at 60% in the Democratic primary, still blows Sanders and two other declared challengers, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee, out of the water. | Bernie Sanders, the progressive independent senator from Vermont who has drawn large crowds in some early voting states, is the only primary opponent who registers double-digits against Clinton. But Clinton, polling at 60% in the Democratic primary, still blows Sanders and two other declared challengers, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee, out of the water. |
| This is despite a rocky couple of months, in which Clinton has faced relentless attention from both the media and Republicans over the financial dealings of her family’s foundation and her use of a private email server while secretary of state. | This is despite a rocky couple of months, in which Clinton has faced relentless attention from both the media and Republicans over the financial dealings of her family’s foundation and her use of a private email server while secretary of state. |
| Related: Hillary Clinton's unpaid intern limbo: a grassroots campaign of 'free help' | |
| She has not emerged entirely unscathed – polling has found drops in her trustworthiness, and her lead over prospective GOP rivals has begun to narrow in hypothetical match-ups. But she remains a formidable opponent for Republicans, who have struggled thus far to articulate, beyond pointing to controversy, their case for why Clinton lacks the qualifications to be president. | She has not emerged entirely unscathed – polling has found drops in her trustworthiness, and her lead over prospective GOP rivals has begun to narrow in hypothetical match-ups. But she remains a formidable opponent for Republicans, who have struggled thus far to articulate, beyond pointing to controversy, their case for why Clinton lacks the qualifications to be president. |
| As Republicans look to make foreign policy a central issue of the campaign, accusing Obama of failing to stop the advance of Islamic State militants and warning against engagement with Iran and Russian aggression, Clinton responded by touting her successes as Secretary of State. | As Republicans look to make foreign policy a central issue of the campaign, accusing Obama of failing to stop the advance of Islamic State militants and warning against engagement with Iran and Russian aggression, Clinton responded by touting her successes as Secretary of State. |
| “I’ve stood up to adversaries like Putin and reinforced allies like Israel,” she said. “I was in the situation room on the day we got Bin Laden.” | “I’ve stood up to adversaries like Putin and reinforced allies like Israel,” she said. “I was in the situation room on the day we got Bin Laden.” |
| The crowd was largely receptive, and a diverse group of supporters had lined up for hours to hear Clinton speak. Many were younger voters who praised Clinton on social issues and seemed excited about the prospects of the first woman president. | The crowd was largely receptive, and a diverse group of supporters had lined up for hours to hear Clinton speak. Many were younger voters who praised Clinton on social issues and seemed excited about the prospects of the first woman president. |
| Malik Henry and Emma Hoarty, classmates who are graduating high school this month and attended the rally together, said they believed Clinton was the most relatable candidate because of her position on issues such as same-sex marriage, pay equality, raising the minimum wage and making education affordable. | Malik Henry and Emma Hoarty, classmates who are graduating high school this month and attended the rally together, said they believed Clinton was the most relatable candidate because of her position on issues such as same-sex marriage, pay equality, raising the minimum wage and making education affordable. |
| “With her push to increase minimum wage, she understands that people need to make ends meet,” said Henry, who is preparing to begin university at Iona College in New York this autumn. “I feel she’s very relatable, especially to young people.” | “With her push to increase minimum wage, she understands that people need to make ends meet,” said Henry, who is preparing to begin university at Iona College in New York this autumn. “I feel she’s very relatable, especially to young people.” |
| Hoarty said she was happy her first vote cast in a presidential election would be for Clinton. | Hoarty said she was happy her first vote cast in a presidential election would be for Clinton. |
| “It kind of falls perfectly that in my first election I’m going to possibly, hopefully, get to be able to get the chance to vote for the first woman president,” she said. | “It kind of falls perfectly that in my first election I’m going to possibly, hopefully, get to be able to get the chance to vote for the first woman president,” she said. |
| Clinton ended her speech with a similar hope. | Clinton ended her speech with a similar hope. |
| “An America where a father can tell his daughter: ‘Yes, you can be anything you want to be. Even president of the United States.’” | “An America where a father can tell his daughter: ‘Yes, you can be anything you want to be. Even president of the United States.’” |