Clinton Blasts Rauner In Bronzeville Campaign Speech
By aaroncynic in News on Feb 17, 2016 11:24PM
Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, introduces Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally in Bronzeville. Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton blasted Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner at a campaign stop in Bronzeville Wednesday afternoon prior to appearing at several high-dollar fundraisers in Chicago.
“This is material for some kind of sitcom,” said Clinton. “He’ll be speaking without actually having a budget. He’s refused to start budget negotiations unless his so-called ‘Turnaround’ agenda gets passed first. His plan would turn Illinois around alright, all the way back to the time of the robber barons of the 19th century.”
The former Secretary of State’s speech came as Rauner was giving his 2nd annual state budget address in Springfield, despite Illinois going without one for more than 8 months because of a deadlock between him and legislators. Clinton mentioned out low income college students receiving MAP grants, families receiving state subsidized child care, and those receiving treatment for drug addiction—all groups who have been hit hard by cuts from state-funded agencies due to the budget impasse. “They need a governor who will actually pass a budget,” she said.
Clinton appeared on a crowded stage at the Parkway Ballroom for a “get out the vote rally.” She was introduced by Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, an African American woman from Naperville who died in a Texas Jail cell after being arrested during a routine traffic stop.
"As Sandra Bland's mother, I know a little bit about frustration,” said Reed-Veal. “You have to stand and push through it, even when you want a vacation."
The two women embraced before Clinton took the podium to address the crowd. In addition to specifically mentioning Sandra Bland, she also mentioned Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times and and killed by Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke, as well as many other people of color who have been killed by police like Eric Garner, Walter Scott and Tamir Rice. Clinton said:
"Looking at pictures of their children, hearing the stories, and the resolve in their voices that they want to do everything they can to help prevent any other mother from going through what they have gone through...We owe it to them to reform police practices to make sure that no other young woman like Sandra Bland is ever pulled out of a car for no good reason and thrown into a jail where she is found dead.”
Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign rally in Bronzeville. Photo by Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist
Clinton, who was born in the city and raised in suburban Park Ridge, played up her connection to Chicago and Illinois. “It’s exciting to be competing again in Illinois because I have so many friends here still literally from elementary school," she said. They can travel around the country telling people ‘guess what, I really am a real person,’” she said.
She also made reference to her opponent for the Democratic nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, bringing up several economic issues that have become centerpieces of both campaigns:
“We’ve heard a lot in my campaign with my opponent Senator Sanders about Washington and Wall Street and we both agree we need to get secret unaccountable money out of politics. In fact, we need to get rid of Citizen’s United. We agree that Wall Street can never be allowed to wreck main street again, no bank is to big to fail, no executive is to powerful to jail. We agree on that as well.”
The most recent poll of the two candidates in Illinois, published by the conservative website The Daily Caller puts Clinton ahead of Sanders 36.4 percent to 25.5, with 38 percent of voters polled still undecided.