Both former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton made stops in Broome County this weekend to campaign on behalf of Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Clinton spoke to a crowd of about 1,800 people in Binghamton University’s West Gym on Saturday evening, and Ms. Clinton spoke at the Lost Dog Cafe on Water Street to around 100 people on Sunday afternoon.
This was Mr. Clinton’s third visit to Broome County in the past 16 years; in 2000 he campaigned in support of Mrs. Clinton’s New York Senate campaign, and in 2010 he supported U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey. Now, he said, he was here to encourage New Yorkers to “get out the vote.”
“I came here more than anything else to thank those that are supporting her, to try to persuade those who aren’t, and for goodness’ sake show up and be counted, because a lot is on the line for America,” he said.
Mr. Clinton was introduced by Broome County Democratic Committee Chair Jim Testani, and New York state Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, who both voiced their support for Clinton and her campaign. Lupardo also introduced Ms. Clinton at Sunday’s event.
“I’m personally very grateful for her work on women’s issues, protecting women’s rights and a woman’s right to choose, and encouraging more women like me to run for public office,” Lupardo said. “We will finally in our lifetime get to see a woman president for the first time in American history.”
In her opening remarks, Ms. Clinton said that she felt this election was one of the most important ones of her lifetime, because all of the progress made in the past 50 years was now at stake for both her and her children’s generations.
“Now that I’m a parent, this election feels so much more personal to me, because I know that whoever I elect will play a profound role in shaping the country, the world, the future that my children and their generation will grow up in,” she said. “I’m deeply passionate about my mom’s campaign, and I’m incredibly proud to be her daughter.”
Mr. Clinton spoke about his wife’s plans to create domestic jobs and pay workers more fairly, and reflected on her achievements as a U.S. senator to create renewable energy in the Southern Tier by granting research funds to the University and supporting green energy buses in Broome County.
“She did a lot of work to make sure the Southern Tier would be a leader in alternative energy and [have] a green economy,” he said. “If she did all this as a United States senator with a Republican Congress, a Republican Senate and a Republican president, just think what she could do if she were president.”
In response to one attendee’s comments on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, Mr. Clinton interrupted his speech to address the concern before the attendee was escorted out.
“At every other rally where I’ve been protested by Republicans or protested by Democrats, I’ve given them all a chance to talk,” he said. “I’ll let you talk if you’ll let me answer.”
Mr. Clinton spoke about the necessity to increase the female population of the workforce by raising the minimum wage, making childcare more accessible and affordable, providing paid family leave and creating equal pay for all people. Ms. Clinton stressed the importance of women’s rights in the election.
“I find it troubling that my mom’s Democratic opponent has dismissed women’s issues as being a distraction, because I don’t think these are distractions,” she said. “By the end of 2016, more than 50 percent of American women will have fewer reproductive healthcare choices than we had in 2010. This is not a small issue, this is not a distraction.”
The former president also mentioned Mrs. Clinton’s plan to combat student debt and the drug epidemic facing the nation by emphasizing that she is looking to treat the drug problem as both a public health problem with increased mental health services and as an economic problem.
Ms. Clinton also noted her mother’s efforts on both creating gun control legislation and working toward universal healthcare during her father’s presidency, by creating the Children’s Health Insurance Program and up through today by continuing the Affordable Care Act.
Community members and students alike said they came out to the weekend’s events to both show their support and learn more about the Clinton campaign. Kristian Stukes, a sophomore majoring in economics, said he knew from the start who he was voting for.
“I’m inspired,” he said. “Hillary definitely has my vote, she’s a change-maker. [Former President Clinton] just reaffirmed what I thought, and portrayed her in the light I’ve always viewed her.”
Ultimately, both Clintons urged attendees to vote in Tuesday’s primaries to show their support in helping Mrs. Clinton first win New York, and then possibly the general election in November.
“I get the young people who are supporting her opponent, everybody wants to be idealistic,” Mr. Clinton said. “I know both these candidates, I like them both. But if you want to get anything done, you’d better make Hillary the president.”