Hillary Clinton in Sanford: I will protect America
SANFORD — Hillary Clinton drew sharp contrasts between herself and Republican rival Donald Trump on an array of issues — including national security and terrorism — during a Tuesday night rally in Sanford.
"I know what happened not far from here at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. I was in New York City on 9-11 as one of the two senators," Clinton said.
"I will defeat ISIS. I will protect America," she said, drawing cheers from the jam-packed Sanford Civic Center crowd.
The Democratic presidential candidate traveled Tuesday to the Central Florida city during the middle stop of a three-site tour of the key battleground state. The tour began in Dade City near Tampa, and she was scheduled to wrap up the evening with a speech in Fort Lauderdale.
Clinton spoke on a stage flanked by two large vertical blue banners bearing the slogan "Stronger Together." Cheering attendees waved blue signs: "Hispanics for H," "Students for H," "Millennials for H," and so on.
During her roughly 34-minute speech, she pledged to combat gun violence and supported raising the national minimum wage, guaranteeing equal pay for women workers, and offering free public college tuition for families earning less than $125,000 per year.
Clinton criticized Trump on a variety of fronts, including Trump's refusal to release his tax returns, the $900 million-plus business loss he reportedly claimed in 1995, a move that let him avoid paying federal income taxes for 18 years.
"He took everything. He took everything our great country has to offer. He scooped it up with both hands. And then paid nothing to support us," Clinton said.
"And then he has the nerve to call our military a disaster and insult POWs — and he doesn't pay a penny to support the people who put on the uniform of the United States of America," she said.
Clinton did not mention in the renewed scrutiny of her use of a private email server as secretary of state. Last week in a letter to members of Congress, FBI director James Comey indicated that federal agents uncovered emails on computer owned by disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner that might be relevant to that issue. Weiner is the estranged husband of Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
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Before the rally, many attendees cooled themselves with handheld cardboard fans while standing in line outside in the afternoon sunshine. Occasional chants arose: "Hillary!" and "When they go low, we go high!"
Vendors sold Clinton campaign buttons, caps and T-shirts bearing slogans like "I'm With Her" and "Hillary 2016" featuring the candidate striking a Rosie the Riveter pose.
Karen Wedekind traveled from Titusville to Sanford to listen to Clinton's speech. The retired teacher supports Clinton's positions on NASA, the space industry and the environment, among other topics.
"She's worked all her adult life for children, education, the list goes on and on," Wedekind said while standing in the entry line.
"I supported her in '08 and voted for her husband both times. And I used to be a Republican," she said.
Why did Wedekind switch political parties? George Bush, she replied.
Hunter's Creek systems administrator Richard Hall said he considers Trump "unacceptable."
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"He's totally unqualified in so many aspects: temperament, knowledge of the job, his track record in business, and personal decisions. He's better at whipping up a crowd — so you can give him a plus in that category. But that's about it," Hall said.
Carolyn Selsor of Winter Springs volunteered during the Sanford rally, passing out Clinton signs and encouraging people to vote. She moved to the Sunshine State from her native Brazil at age 8, then became a U.S. citizen at 16. Now 19, she is a freshman nursing student at Seminole State College of Florida.
"It took time, and it's really expensive. But America gave me so much opportunity," Selsor said of attaining citizenship. "And I don't feel as if (Trump) represents me. If I want to find to find someone who's my voice, I would say it's Hillary."
Contact Neale at 321-242-3638, rneale@floridatoday.com or follow @RickNeale1 on Twitter