An energized Hillary Clinton made it clear Saturday night in Iowa that she’s riding high after Vice President Joe Biden’s decision to not run and the positive reviews of her handling of the Benghazi hearings.
“I’m just getting warmed up,” Clinton said to a raucous crowd reaction. “Everybody gets knocked down in life, but that doesn’t mean you stay down,” bellowed a triumphant Clinton.
“I’m fighting for everyone who’s ever been knocked down, but refused to be knocked out,” Clinton said, affirming her support for Democratic positions on environmental protections, workers’ rights and gun control.
Perhaps most notable was the level of enthusiasm for Clinton in the crowd. Clinton entered to a movie-star welcome, the final speaker at Iowa’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner, an historically important event in the Democratic primary schedule. Clinton supporters waved large glowsticks and chanted her name throughout her speech.
Clinton was subtly criticized for waffling on positions by the previous speakers, rival candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley.
Many Sanders supporters apparently left the event after he spoke, before Clinton appeared, according to multiple reports.
Despite the perception that she easily survived the latest Benghazi hearing, Republicans said Clinton continued to evade questions about the scandal, and said the latest hearing showed voters still can’t trust her.
“President Obama laid out the reasons Iowans can’t trust Hillary Clinton at this same event eight years ago … things have only gotten worse. The Hillary Clinton of 2015 is no different than the Hillary Clinton from 2007 who at the time, refused to be straightforward with Iowans,” said Republican National Committee spokesman Fred Brown. “Things haven’t changed.”
