Dylan Brogan
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton used Gov. Scott Walker as a political punching bag during her first campaign stop in Wisconsin. Walker was a convenient foil for Clinton to help demonstrate her focus on addressing income inequality.
Clinton has been a frequent target in Walker’s own campaign, as he generally prefers criticizing Democrats over Republicans challenging him for the GOP nomination. In Thursday’s rally, Clinton fired back that Walker is acting like a “tough guy on a motorcycle” as “he busts unions, starves universities, guts public education, demeans women, scapegoats teachers, nurses and firefighters.”
The event, billed as a "Women for Hillary” grassroots organizing meeting, was held on the UW-Milwaukee campus. UW students made up the majority of the crowd of 2,000, but no particular gender or race dominated the energetic crowd.
The former U.S. senator and secretary of state may be the best-credentialed presidential candidate from either party on global affairs, but Clinton primarily focused on economic issues.
“Raising incomes and supporting families is the defining economic challenge of our time,” said Clinton. “I will make that the mission of my presidency.”
Clinton repeatedly came back to empowering women as a solution to a host of injustices in American society.
“Walker repealed protections for equal pay,” said Clinton. “Maybe he just doesn’t realize that when women are shortchanged, entire families are shortchanged.”
Although she was light on policy details Clinton said she’s ready to take on the complicated issues that “keep us up at night.”
She pledged to create millions of new jobs by making the United States the "21st-century green energy superpower." She also revved up the young audience by promising to make higher education more affordable, and providing financial relief to graduates saddled with college loan debt.
“You can refinance your home, you can refinance your car,” said Clinton. “But you can’t refinance your student loans. That is just wrong...we are going to bring those costs down.”
At one point, it seemed like someone in the audience was trying to interrupt the speech by talking over Clinton. It might have been just an overzealous supporter, but regardless, Clinton quickly pivoted from praising President Barack Obama’s stewardship of the economy to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Clinton vowed to end “the era of mass incarceration.”
“Black lives matter,” said Clinton. “We need to end the violence that has cast a shadow over Milwaukee and too many of our communities across the country.”
Clinton backers at the rally see her as the pragmatic Democratic nominee to compete in general election. Supporters say the battle-tested political veteran can actually deliver on the tough talk heard on the campaign trail.
“There is no one more qualified [for president] running right now,” said longtime Clinton supporter Cindy Vanvreede.
“She stands for what’s right,” said UW-Milwaukee student Steve Nouse, adding: “It’s time for a woman president too.”
However, student Leah Mau says she’s still undecided about who to vote for in 2016.
“I did not think I [would] tear up at the rally, and I did a little bit,” said Mau. “I think that’s powerful and says something about [Clinton.]”
Clinton also attracted a few dozen protesters. Brownsville resident Mark Calderman describes himself as a former fan of Clinton, who actively opposes her candidacy in 2016. He wore a homemade sandwich board that read: "End the Drug War."
“She won’t change her position on marijuana,” said Calderman. “That’s why I’m here today.”
Devin Gatton helped organize the most visible protest against Clinton. Via a Facebook event page, Gatton said an informal and bipartisan group gathered to greet Clinton supporters as they waited in line to be screened by security. They waved pre-printed signs that used the Clinton campaign’s signature "H logo" to spell out hypocrisy.
“We’re letting [Clinton] know that not everybody seems to adore her,” said Gatton. “We just want to let her know that she’s not just going to be able to walk into the presidency.”
Some self-identified supporters of Clinton's Democratic rival Bernie Sanders also attended the rally but not to protest. UW-Milwaukee students Brittany and Rachel — neither of whom wanted to give their last name — questioned whether Clinton’s rhetoric would stand up to her reputation as being the moderate in the Democratic primary.
“Bernie just feels more solid on his views,” said Brittany. “Some of the things that Hillary said, it seemed like she said them because a certain demographic was here.”
“I’m also leaning more towards Bernie,” said Rachel. “But I’d take Hillary over any Republican, to be honest.”
Clinton’s emphasis on addressing income equality did touch on some of the broader points of Bernie Sanders’ populist message. But Clinton refrained from maligning billionaires and using politically charged descriptors like “Wall Street” and “The Big Banks,” which are prevalent in Sanders’ stump speech.
Clinton acknowledged her careful choice of words as a defining feature of her candidacy. One that distinguishes her from the other presidential hopefuls on both sides of the aisle.
“There’s a lot of talk about what’s wrong with America [and] who's to blame for it,’ said Clinton. “I want to focus on what’s right and make more of that happen. There’s is nothing we can’t do if we put our minds to it!”
It may only be because the song was played at least four times during the rally, but the words of pop star Taylor Swift in her megahit “Shake it Off” seem to best capture the present mood of the Clinton campaign.
“Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off.”
In Wisconsin’s April 5 primary, Clinton will find whether voters here are haters or not.