Thu 8/27
Hillary Clinton spoke at Case Western Reserve University at what was billed as a volunteer recruitment event but was actually more like a campaign rally (Attendees were asked if they wanted to sign up to volunteer but there was no pressure). The event was moved outside from the Tinkham Veale student center to the field outside due to the size of the crowd, which was heavily weighted with students, especially young women.
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge and former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland spoke before Clinton, with Fudge garnering an especially strong response. Clinton was introduced by a young Cleveland woman, a former foster child who had been through 13 placements before aging out, and who said that Hillary had inspired her in her fight to succeed.
After recalling with fondness her relationship with former Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones and paying tribute to her successor, Fudge, and her predecessor, Lou Stokes, who was buried this week, Hillary opened by focusing on her dedication to supporting all children and providing opportunities for them. She talked about making it easier for people to vote, one of the main themes of her campaign, referencing Ohio’s 2004 election when college students and minority voters had exceptionally long wait times.
She also referred to yesterday’s shooting of two TV news staffers in Virginia, echoing another constant theme of her campaign: stronger gun control laws. She segued into a reference to 12-year-old Clevelander Tamir Rice, shot by police last November, saying “Tamir Rice isn’t here. He should be. He should be heathy. He should be alive.”
“We need to come to terms with racial justice in America, just as we need to come to terms with gun violence,” she said. “We need to stand up and say black lives matter.”
The crowd responded enthusiastically throughout but the big winner, not surprisingly, was when she advocated for the need to make sure students weren’t burdened down with debt for decades.
After her speech, she came down from the stage and worked the fence, shaking hands and obliging audience members who wanted to snap a selfie with her.
View the PHOTOSTREAM here.
One Response to “PHOTOSTREAM: Hillary Clinton Rally at CWRU”
bob
FIRST! (to reply. OR do anything.