Clinton speech displays shift to general election mentality

PHILADELPHIA — Bernie or bust-ers be damned.

Hillary Clinton pivoted away from the far-left protesters last night, instead crafting her historic general election bid toward an angry electorate hungry for change while unloading on GOP opponent Donald Trump.

“Don’t let anyone tell you that our country is weak, we’re not. Don’t let anyone tell you we don’t have what it takes, we do. And most importantly don’t believe anyone who says, ‘I alone can fix it,’ ” she said, in a nod to Trump’s convention speech last week. “Americans don’t say, ‘I alone can fix it.’ They say, ‘We’ll fix it together!’ ”

Sure, she thanked the surly supporters of her primary opponent Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for their input, but Clinton’s message was far from the extreme progressive values that overshadowed the beginning of the convention.

“I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans and Independents. For the struggling, the striving and the successful. For those who vote for me and those who don’t. For all Americans,” she thundered, as supporters shouted down lingering protesters with chants of “Hillary.”

Clinton clearly sought to woo independents and moderate conservatives who have been turned off by Trump.

“We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid,” she said. “We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have.”

The final night of the rocky Philadelphia convention — which had been roiled all week by sulking Sanders backers — ended with a hawkish focus on foreign policy.

Her campaign distributed flags throughout the audience and supporters drowned out any outbursts with chants of, “USA!”

A patriotic lineup of speakers addressed a chief attack in the past week from Republicans, who had criticized the lack of American flags on the stage as well as the fact that many speakers didn’t name the terrorist organization ISIS.

“I’ve laid out my strategy for defeating ISIS,” she said. “It won’t be easy or quick — but make no mistake, we will prevail.”

Clinton also sought to stoke any voter concerns that Trump is too unpredictable to lead the country, especially when it comes to national security.

“A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons,” she said.

So move over, Elizabeth Warren-style lefties. Clinton’s taking on Donald and making more room in the tent.