Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton hosted a Tuesday rally at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh—her first rally following her showdown with opponent Donald Trump the day prior.
To kick off the event, Raleigh mayor Nancy McFarlane told the crowd that Clinton made all women proud with her performance at the debate Monday night. She said Clinton was the only candidate fit for job who, unlike Trump, “doesn’t need to follow a learning curve” upon taking office. Anna Squeri, a Wake Tech student ambassador, said Clinton's values are appropriate for the college setting.
"We exist for the people and the community," said Squeri, who helped coordinate the rally. "So we want to eliminate barriers so that students can come out meeting all of their goals, which is something that Hillary is fighting for.”
Clinton's arrival on stage was preceded by speeches from Deborah Ross, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, former Democratic governor Jim Hunt and Democratic State Senator Dan Blue, Jr., Law '73. They touched upon income inequality, childhood education and the importance of North Carolina as a "purple" swing state.
Taking aim at Trump's performance during the first presidential debate Monday, Clinton emphasized her policy background while suggesting "the fact-checkers had a lot of work to do last night" responding to some of Trump's statements. She also called into question how much Trump cares about the American people, citing statements he made in anticipation of the 2008 housing crash.
“What kind of man is okay with nine million people losing their homes," Clinton asked. "Not one who should be president, that’s for sure.”
Turning toward North Carolina, Clinton also took aim at the state's controversial House Bill 2.
“[HB2] has hurt people,” she said. “It tells them, ‘you are not wanted, and are not part of us.’”
As for how she would tackle income inequality and poverty, Clinton said she was going to raise the minimum wage and push for women to receive equal pay. She pointed to Mark Cuban, a billionaire businessman who has been critical of Donald Trump, as evidence of the value of corporate profit-sharing.
"[Cuban] made 300 of his employees billionaires overnight,” she said.
Addressing the crowd, Clinton said that she will will soon be releasing a debt-free college plan with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. One method for financing it, she suggested, was raising taxes on millionaires and billionaires.
Also on her to-do list: gun control, combatting racial profiling and making America a clean energy superpower of the 21st century, partially by planning to install more than half a million more solar panels during her first term in office.
Clinton concluded her rally, which coincided with National Voter Registration Day, with a plea for people to go vote.
“America is already great, but it is our responsibility to make it greater," she noted.
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