Clinton pushes unity in first speech after Sanders endorsement

Hillary Clinton appealed to the history of the Republican party and called for unity among voters from both sides in the era of Trump.
(Image credit: Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

Hillary Clinton on Wednesday offered a message of unity in her first speech since Bernie Sanders endorsed her the day prior, addressing supporters from the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois — notably, the place where Abraham Lincoln delivered his House Divided speech in 1858. She did, however, mention police brutality and the tragic shooting of five police officers in Dallas, Texas, last week. "Recent events have left people across America asking hard questions about whether we are still a 'house divided,'" she said.

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Clinton zeroed in on Donald Trump for "fanning the flames of racial divisions," citing both his controversial Muslim ban proposal as well as his racially charged comments about the Mexican-American judge presiding over the Trump University case. "This man is the nominee of the party of Lincoln. We are watching it become the party of Trump," she said. "That is not just a huge loss for our democracy. It is a threat to it."

But Clinton emphasized unity as a potential solution to the country's ills. "We're in this together, even if it isn't always easy," Clinton said.

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"If we do the work, we will 'cease to be divided,'" she said, channeling Lincoln's original words. "We will be indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.