Clinton delivers jobs program message - #lakewoodnews

The crowd of 2,000 that packed into the Adams City High School gym and overflowed into a second nearby viewing area was ample enough for Hillary Clinton to speculate she'd need to start considering bigger venues for future visits.But, Clinton said, she respected the decision to cap attendance at last week's rally in Commerce City."I do want to say, I actually really like fire marshals," she said, referring to Donald Trump's earlier visit to Colorado Springs, where he criticized a fire marshal's decision to cap attendance per fire code.It wasn't close to the last swing she'd take at her outspoken opponent, though it was perhaps the most subtle.Jobs talk, more jabsComing in to the Aug. 3 event, the Clinton campaign had promised a discussion on jobs. And the rally delivered, starting with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper who -- in his introduction -- said there was nobody with a better grasp on job growth than Clinton."I understand what it takes (to run a small business), and I have not known yet, or talked to someone, who has the details of what it's going to take as much as Hillary Clinton," he said.Clinton returned the compliment to the Colorado governor and one-time potential running mate candidate, holding up Colorado's job climate and economy as proof. She also used the mutual praise as a way to contrast an apparently united Democratic jobs plan with what she said were her opponent's counter-business tendencies."(Hickenlooper) has used his own experience as a small business man ... not to turn his back on what it took, but to help more people get the tools they need to start those businesses, to grow those businesses," she said. "What a stark contrast with Donald Trump, who has spent his career stiffing small businesses, refusing to pay his bills."The daughter of a small businessman herself, Clinton said she took exception to that."What kind of man does business by hurting other people?"A common goalOver the next 25 minutes or so of her speech, Clinton alternated between delivering a message of unity among Democrats with similar job-related goals -- free community college, accessible broadband internet and other improved infrastructure, more job training and better education, equal pay based not on gender -- and a message of divisiveness among the Trump-led Republican party."When I think about our convention last week ... what we tried to do is to make clear we're not satisfied with where we are as a country, but we think we know how to make progress together," she said.Clinton played on the theme of unity by praising prominent Colorado Democrats, 7 District Congressman Ed Perlmutter and former Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, the latter of whom also served as President Barack Obama's Secretary of the Interior from 2009 to 2013 -- the same years Clinton was Secretary of State."You will not find a better person," she said of Salazar, "somebody who's always thinking of how he can help somebody else."Then, following the glad-handing and more talk on the jobs program, Clinton went back on the offensive. She used the story of an electronics business in Pennsylvania that was "bringing jobs back from China" -- and a scarf she had purchased in downtown Denver from small business Knotty Tie -- as opportunities to discuss Trump's outsourcing."When Donald Trump was asked about where he makes things -- he makes them anywhere else but America -- his ties, his suits, his shirts, his furniture, made all over the world (in) Bangladesh, Turkey, Slovenia, Mexico ... he said, `Well, they don't make that stuff in America.'"I'm here to tell you, Donald, you are wrong."'Stronger together'Speaking later on Colorado's growing transportation infrastructure, Clinton again highlighted contrasts she saw between the two major political parties."When people say to me, we can't (build transportation infrastructure) in America, I don't know which America you're looking at," she said. "In fact, I can't figure out what America the Republican Convention was talking about. A negative, pessimistic view of America -- that's not who we are. We can be stronger together, and that's what we will be doing."Clinton said unity relies on an economy "that works for everyone" -- which she added begins with more funding toward better education, more affordable higher education and a renewed focus on technical education necessary for manufacturing and skilled labor.Prosperity also requires livable wages and equal pay for women -- and all genders, Clinton said."When I began talking about (equal pay) more than a year ago I could see kind of quizzical looks out in the audience. And then I realized I've got to explain: This is not just a women's issue," Clinton said. "If you have a working mother, wife, daughter or sister, it's your issue."Then, speaking of the collective "we," Clinton said there was much to be excited about in the future."I believe with all my heart that America's best years are still ahead of us," she said, causing the crowd to break into a chant of "Hillary! Hillary!"

from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Clinton-delivers-jobs-program-message,233436