Clinton sets out to win working-class hearts
Democratic nominee to enter Trump towns in bid to undermine rival and raise own popularity
HILLARY CLINTON launches into the US general election campaign today with a tour promoting jobs in America’s industrial heartland, in a bid to undercut support for Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Appearing for the first time since winning the Democratic presidential ticket, Mrs Clinton and Tim Kaine, her running mate, are due to hold a victory rally in Philadelphia before boarding the bus for the three-day trip through Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Visiting towns affected by job losses as factories move abroad, Mrs Clinton will vow, as president, to “make the largest investment in jobs since the Second World War”.
It is a direct attack against Mr Trump, who won his party’s nomination in large part due to the support of bluecollar Americans. While Mr Trump promises to “Make America Great Again”, Mrs Clinton is rolling out a $10 billion (£7.6bn) plan to strengthen the country’s manufacturing industry to help citizens “Make It America”.
Barack Obama championed Mrs Clinton as his political heir in a speech at the Democratic convention, asking voters to do for her “what you did for me”. The President, who broke with tradition earlier in the primary race to come out in opposition to Mr Trump, said that with Mrs Clinton’s help America would prevail over it’s “homegrown demagogues”.
Joe Biden, the vice president, described Mr Trump as a selfish reality television entertainer who is crawling his way to the Oval office on false pretences. He derided Mr Trump’s attempts to woo middle-class Americans, dismissing his promises to them as “malarkey”.
“He’s trying to tell us he cares about the middle class?” he said. “Give me a break.” He reminded the convention that while Mr Trump promised to create jobs, he is most famous for saying “you’re fired!”– a reference to his television show, The Apprentice.
The intervention by Mr Obama and Mr Biden was seen as a critical step in Mrs Clinton’s efforts to convince America she should become their leader.
The former first lady has lacked the soaring rhetoric of Mr Obama or the intimate style of Mr Biden, whom supporters affectionately call “Uncle Joe”.
A new poll showed that despite Mrs Clinton’s unifying message, she is now as disliked by the American public as Mr Trump.
According to a Gallup poll they are both viewed favourably by just 37 per cent of voters, and unfavourably by 58 per cent. Mrs Clinton has particularly low ratings among the white working class, the demographic that analysts say could well decide the election.
To capture this demographic she may need the support of Bernie Sanders, her socialist rival, who fought hard in the primary race but finally endorsed Mrs Clinton in the name of party unity at the convention.
However, yesterday Mr Sanders announced he was leaving the Democratic Party to become an Independent as a US senator from Vermont.
Mr Sanders said he would still support Mrs Clinton, but it is unclear how involved he will be on the campaign trail from now on.