DES MOINES – Hillary Clinton, flanked by former President Bill and daughter Chelsea, made a final pitch ahead of Monday’s caucuses, portraying both “dangerous” Republicans and her Democratic opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders as threatening to undermine the liberal progress of the Obama era.
Speaking to a large and enthusiastic crowd at Abraham Lincoln High School on Sunday night, Clinton said, “We need to build on the progress that we have made, we need to prevent it from being ripped away and undermined by the other party whose views and values are opposed to what I believe.”
She said, “When I hear these Republican candidates say what they say about American Muslims, it’s not only shameful and offensive, it’s dangerous.”
Clinton provided a laundry list of policies on which she’d try to continue the unfinished business of the Obama era on issues including: infrastructure spending, clean energy, women’s wages, paid leave, financial regulation, immigration, gun control and healthcare.
On the later point, she was especially emphatic, noting that on one hand, Republicans wanted to repeal Obamacare, and on the other hand, Sanders wants to pursue a single-payer plan that would cause a massive political fight instead of making more incremental gains such as on prescription drug costs.
“It’s a lot harder to get from zero to 100 percent than from 90 to 100 percent,” she said. “So, stay with the Affordable Care Act. Stick with making it better.”
She highlighted her experience as secretary of state as evidence of her readiness. “I want you to think of the hours I spent in the situation room advising the president about whether or not to go after Bin Laden.” Borrowing a phrase from her book, she said, “It was a tough, hard, choice. I was on the side that said yes, we could do it.”
She said, “You need somebody who knows that there are a lot of hard choices out there and who knows the people who can advise and help make those hard choices.”
In contrast, in a clear reference to Sanders sweeping economic agenda, Clinton said, “I don’t think America can wait. I don’t think we can wait for ideas that sound good on paper that can’t get through the gridlock.”
The final Des Moines Register/Bloomberg poll showed Clinton clinging to a narrow 3-point edge heading into the caucuses.
