On Monday, former President Bill Clinton was in Antioch campaigning for Hillary ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary in California.
Speaking from Marsh Elementary School in Antioch in front of about 500 people, President Clinton thanked those who already were supporting Hillary Clinton.
(note – full speech posted below)
“I thank you in two capacities, yes I am here as a member of the family, but I’ve also known her longer than anyone else who is out here campaigning for her. I think it tells you something that people she went to elementary school, the people she went to high school with, people she went to college with, have gone across the country campaigning for her. It’s easy to badmouth somebody in the media, but it’s not easy to fool someone you grew up with. If the people who know you and have known you all your life are for you, that is the best recommendation you can get,” said Clinton. “The second thing is I once had this job she is running for. I think it’s really important for our country that she win tomorrow and she be the next president. I think it’s important because she has the best ideas to create more jobs, increase income, increase equality and restore upward mobility which we desperately need in America. She is the only person left with the ability to work with the republicans to get stuff done in a bipartisan congress and that is really important. The third thing, she is taking on Trumps view of the world using his own words because he has said a lot of crazy things. But understand the ideas are being represented all over the world.”
Clinton further stated that American will decide a future with bridges or walls. Whether they embrace diversity or go inside an close the door.
“Are we really going to listen to this Make America Great Again,” asked Clinton. “That is a code word, I know this because I am a southerner. What it really means is I’ll make America great again back to what it was 50-years ago. If we do that, we will lead the rest of the world down the same blind alley. You got to elect a president who can keep us safe enough and give us space enough so we can all grow so we can prove the future is better than the past and that unity is to be found in diversity and not division and that security is to be found in bridges and not walls. California is a litmus test for all of that because there is someone from everywhere here.
Clinton made four stops in the Bay Area at the Get Out the Vote events which includes Antioch. Other cities include Hayward, Oakland, and Richmond.
Congressman Jerry McNerney stated that America needed a strong leader and Hillary Clinton was that leader as she has the experience that is unrivaled.
“Hillary Clinton has gone through the gauntlet and came out standing. Hillary is outstanding,” said McNerney. “We only have 1-day left and we need to get out the vote in California.”
McNerney highlighted that in 2006 he was running a tough campaign and Bill Clinton came out and spoke on his behalf.
“He came out at 10:00 pm and spoke in the rain and helped propel me to victory. Bill Clinton knows how to get people excited. Bill Clinton knows how to be president of the United States of America because he has been the president.”
Debra Vinson, Antioch Unified School District Trustee and member of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party, spoke about what it meant to be “woman leader” and that she knows how Hillary feels.
“The media has not been kind to Hillary, it hasn’t been easy to serve and put yourself out there as a woman but Hillary and I have something in common which is we come from the heart. I am inspired by women like Hillary,” said Vinson. “Why am I supporting Hillary? I am supporting Hillary because it’s time for equality, quality health care, it’s time for equal pay for women, and it’s time we raise the minimum wage so we can make life affordable for America. Tomorrow there can be no comprises, we will draw a line in the sand and we will got the polls and vote for Hillary Clinton.”
Antioch Mayor Wade Harper welcomed President Clinton to Antioch and thanked the crowd for attending. Harper spoke about the many great things Antioch has to offer and how it’s the people of Antioch who make it great.
Here is the full speech by President Bill Clinton.
