Clinton hunts for urban votes in Philadelphia
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/04/11/art.clintoncrime.ap.jpg caption="Clinton unveiled a new crime fighting plan Friday."]PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) - On the face of things, with its sizeable African-American population, Philadelphia looks to be friendly territory for Barack Obama by the time the Pennsylvania primary rolls around on April 22.
But Hillary Clinton is making a push Friday for the urban vote, holding two policy-oriented events in the city to spotlight the twin issues of crime and the economy.
Appearing at a YMCA in west Philadelphia this morning with Mayor Michael Nutter, who yesterday signed into law a series of controversial anti-gun measures, Clinton unveiled a plan to cut the national murder rate in half.
Introducing Clinton, Nutter urged the federal government to provide more assistance to mayors around the country working to put ex-offenders back to work and protect families from violent crime
“Here in west Philadelphia, we’re worried more about Al Gangsta than al Qaeda,” Nutter joked. “Osama bin laden and some of those other folks couldn’t last five minutes in west Philadelphia.”
Though Clinton did not outline a target date for reducing the murder rate, Clinton said she plans to do so by putting “100,000 new police officers on the beat” in cities nationwide and providing grants for community partnerships, reducing gang violence and after school programs. She said as president she would renew the assault weapons ban, which Congress let expire in 2004.
“It is a sad day in America when the president can find hundreds of billions of dollars to police another country’s civil war, but cuts funding for police officers right here at home,” Clinton said.
Clinton offered praise for a program instituted in New York City by her old rival: former mayor Rudy Giuliani. The program, called COMPSTAT, compiles statistics as a way to hold law enforcement bodies accountable for crime reduction. Giuliani often promoted the program while campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination.
After the speech and before heading to an economic event with Nutter at Drexel University, Clinton roamed the corner of Chestnut and 52nd streets shaking hands with voters, while supporters of both Obama and Clinton jammed the block and cheered for their respective candidates.
"Tell mayor Nutter this is Obama city," yelled one man, needling the African-American mayor for endorsing Clinton. But the Obama fan shouted a caveat: "I still love you, Hillary."
- CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby
Anyone who votes for Hilliary or McCain can only blame themselves when more jobs are shipped overseas, our troops continue to die over a meaningless war in Iraq, and the housing market continues to crash!! Hilliary and McCain will be rich before and after this election is over so make the right choice!! Without a job, the average American worker can't afford healthcare anyway!!
Disgruntled in Florida
Obama is not distancing himself from the Black vote but is trying to reach out to ALL Americans. The media and Clinton campaign have been trying to minimize Barack as the Black candidate becuse of the success he has been enjoying amongst Americans of all backgrounds. Conversely, neither Barack or his campaign have tried to minimize or typecast Hillary as the "white" or "female" candidate. Barack has actively campaigned in every state instead of picking and choosing as Hillary has. He has publicly thanked his supporters and and staff in every state, regrdless whether he won or lost. hillary would thnk those in states that she won and leave dodge without so much of a backward glance for the states that she had lost. She finally stopped this ungrateful practice after several media reports called her out on this.
To everyone...
I think the issue now should be putting the best person for the job out there in November. Even though I would prefer it to be Obama, and if for some reason he does not win the nomination , I will willing put my support behind Hillary.... not because i agree with all her arguments but because she is a much better prospect that someone who does not know squat about the economy and would prefer to keep us in a war that should not have been waged in the first place. And for all those Hillary supporters who plan to vote for the other party if she is not elected think about if you are really doing what's good for the party you all claim to love or the country you all want to save or are just being plain old vindictive
So many plans and little credibility. It is time for us to see the real you Hillary. There is too much hidden behind the make up; and do-overs. This isn't about politics as usual; it is about connecting with people
She sure knows how to pander. Again, this woman will say anything. She will promise you the sun, the moon, and all the stars – if that's what she thinks you want to hear. And of course, she'll deliver none of it. She cannot possibly deliver everything she has already promised. Yet she'll keep right on promising. Everywhere she goes, she makes promises.
I hope most people aren't so gullible.
Okay, CNN, I wrote something positive that would be appreciated. Every positive comment I have made have been dismissed or remain in moderation. My perception is that you are discriminating against me. It is obvious that your preference is to list chaos and not anything else. What is eating you? The Spanish surname?
Boy, the Obamanites are out in full force...One thing to keep in mind, Obama would never and I mean never can win the uncoming general election with out the Hillary supporters. Obama supporters are lacking in the naggin...
HRC couldn't find the Rose Law Firm records in a box on the coffee table in the sitting room of the White House. Now.. How is she going to find votes in Urban PA????
Not to push the envelope too hard but everytime I see a person on these blogs who identifies themselves as African American or Black then pushs so hard for Hillary I always want to ask them for a picture of themselves to prove it. I am not sure Why people feel the need to Identify Race. It is as if we all will say. "well HE/SHE did it so I should too" Well it doesn't work that way. People do not think as a Race they think as Individuals. Hillary is hurting because of her own actions. If Obama was pulling 5 to 7 major Gaffs a week you can BET he would be getting kicked to the curb just as she is.
FYI The WORLD famous APOLLO theater in Harlem is widely known as the TOUGHEST stage in the WORLD where people are routinely Booed off stage. Blacks in my experience are the HARSHEST critics of other Blacks you will find.
Stop talking like people are racial lemmings and lets move on please.