Hillary Clinton kicks off campaign with rousing populist speech

(Image credit: Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

last updated 13 June 2015

Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton gave her first big campaign speech Saturday to a crowd of thousands on New York's Roosevelt Island. She drew on her mother's history as the inspiration for her campaign's vision.

"My mother taught me that everybody needs a chance and a champion," Clinton said, describing how her mom worked as a maid starting at age 14.

Clinton repeatedly criticized trickle-down economics and big paychecks for CEOs as the economy recovers from the recession. She expressed support for environmental reform, women's reproductive rights, gay rights, and lessening student debt, universal preschool and childcare, universal healthcare, automatic voter registration, and paid sick days.

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"Now there may be some new voices in the presidential Republican choir, but they're all singing the same old song," she said. "A song called 'Yesterday.' You know the one."

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Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.