New York Sen. Hillary Clinton brought her presidential campaign to GM?s Allison Transmission plant in White Marsh on Monday, emphasizing her appeal to working-class voters through her backing of universal health care, fairer trade agreements and environmentally sound green-collar jobs.
In a discussion with about 30 workers, surrounded by an even larger number of local and national reporters and photographers, Clinton said: “Some of GM production is going to move to Canada because of health care costs. ? We can?t be competitive [on manufacturing] till we deal with health care.”
In response to a worker?s question about the Iraq war, Clinton said she was disappointed by comments that morning from Defense Secretary Robert Gates that there “would probably be a pause in the withdrawal of our troops.”
“That?s a big mistake,” the senator said. If she becomes president, “I will start to withdraw our troops within 60 days,” she said, drawing applause from the workers. But “it?s really imperative that we do this the right way. We cannot continue to referee the Iraqi civil war. The only way to pressure them is to begin to withdraw.”
Related to the war, Clinton also said, “Veterans have not been given the support they deserve. ? We?ve got visible and invisible injuries” to be treated, including traumatic brain injuries.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Clinton?s national co-chairwoman, suggested the campaign visit to the plant, which is manufacturing hybrid transmissions for SUVs that will get gas mileage similar to a Toyota Camry. The highly automated plant has about 400 employees. “It really exemplifies what I?m talking about” in terms of creating green-collar jobs, Clinton said.
“Sen. Clinton is particularly popular with the night-shift crowd,” Mikulski said. She believes there may be “a silent vote” from working families to counter what appears to be a surge for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama among the heavily African-American Democratic voters.
“Sen. Clinton is very, very competitive in Maryland,” Mikulski said.
Pressed by reporters, Clinton declined to speculate about the outcome. “Let?s have the election,” she said. “Let?s let the voters decide.”
Asked by a worker what distinguished her from Obama, Clinton laughed and said, “I?m battle-scarred, and I?m proud of those scars.”
With her experience, she said, “I believe I can go toe-to-toe with” Sen. John McCain, the likely Republican nominee.
