In Harrisburg, Clinton Highlights Bipartisan Praise for Her Jobs Plan
In Harrisburg on Friday, on the final stop of the first day of a bus tour pushing for the largest investment in American jobs since World War II, Hillary Clinton highlighted a study released today by Mark Zandi, a former economic advisor to John McCain, that claims more than 10 million jobs would be created in her first term if her plans were implemented, while his earlier analysis found Donald Trump's plans would lose 3.5 million jobs. Clinton said, "We are going to have the biggest job creation program that we’ve had in our country since World War II. We’re going to be investing in infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, clean energy technology."
Clinton reiterated the four key parts of her plan to make the largest investment in American jobs since World War II in her first 100 days in office: rebuilding infrastructure; boosting manufacturing; growing clean energy jobs and encouraging small businesses to grow and prosper. Clinton argued that American manufacturing like the auto industry brought us back from the recession and will be the backbone of an American economy that is built to last.
Tim Kaine praised the ticket's jobs plan, saying "we are on a tour that we started this morning, Pennsylvania and Ohio, to talk about jobs. To talk about jobs and the economy. Because we know that America’s been through tough times – the biggest recession since the 1930s – and while the economy is coming back, there are still communities and individuals and industries and families that are counting on us to take us farther so that we can build the economy – an economy that works not just for a few but for everybody, and we’ve got the right leader in Hillary Clinton to do just that."
Clinton and Kaine's remarks, as transcribed, are below:
TIM KAINE:
“I want to thank the Governor and Frances Wolf. Boy, Pennsylvania knows how to put on a Democratic Convention. You guys are great. And seriously, that convention was not just important for our party as we’re unifying to win in November behind a spectacular presidential candidate in Hillary Clinton – that’s important, but it was also important that we show to the nation and to the world who America is, and that’s what we did in Philadelphia this week.
Wasn’t it different than Cleveland? Oh, my gosh. Cleveland was – it was a dark and twisted journey through the mind of Donald Trump, a very scary place to be. But in Philadelphia, we showed the optimistic, can-do spirit that is the spirit of the Democratic Party and that is the spirit of our presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and that’s what America and that’s what the world needs to see.
I am so honored to be on this ticket, I just can’t put it into words. I’m so honored.”
AUDIENCE: “Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!”
TIM KAINE: “When Hillary Clinton called me precisely one week ago at 7:32 – but I mean, who’s counting – 7:32-ish to ask if I would be part of this ticket, and I just was just stunned and humbled and so excited, because it’s just rare that you get a chance to partner up with somebody who is as talented and public-minded, who has such a track record of achievement and such prospect for success for this country as Hillary Clinton, and I just want to say to her here and to President Clinton and to thank my wife Anne for all her support. I’m just glad to be part of this great team, folks. Glad to be part of the team, glad to be part of the team.
There’s a lot at stake. There’s a lot at stake, and we are going to win. We are going to win. We have to win. We have to win. I’ve been – we are on a tour that we started this morning, Pennsylvania and Ohio, to talk about jobs. To talk about jobs and the economy. Because we know that America’s been through tough times – the biggest recession since the 1930s – and while the economy is coming back, there are still communities and individuals and industries and families that are counting on us to take us farther so that we can build the economy – an economy that works not just for a few but for everybody, and we’ve got the right leader in Hillary Clinton to do just that.
We’ve been going to manufacturing firms today, and we’re going to be talking to folks at businesses and firms and workers, meeting with labor folks right after this meeting to talk about this economy that works for everybody, where we train our workers with debt-free college and apprenticeships and community college investments in career and technical and trades. (Cheers.) Where we invest in infrastructure – bridges, roads, ports, airports – to put people to work and then raise the platform for economic success for decades to come. These are the kind of investments that we’re going to make.
And then we talked about the policies that we have to put in place to make sure people are treated fairly: a tax system that doesn’t reward investors and punish workers; minimum wages so that you don’t have to work full-time and live under the poverty level, but you can be paid a living wage and get ahead; and so many other policies. And you know that the differences are stark, and I’ll just – I’m going to say this for a sec and then introduce you to Secretary Clinton, our next president. The differences are stark. The differences are stark.
You no doubt followed a lot of what Donald Trump has been talking about. I call our candidate – I call our candidate the ‘you’re hired’ president and Donald Trump the ‘you’re fired’ president. And when this campaign is all over and everybody’s forgotten every last thing about the Donald Trump campaign, the one thing they will remember about Donald Trump is, ‘You’re fired!’ Yeah.
You heard him say he’s going to fix everything – ‘I alone can fix it.’ Hillary did a great job of puncturing that balloon last night. But unlike Hillary Clinton, when Donald Trump talks about fixing it, no details, no plans. It’s just, ‘It’s going to be great, believe me.’ ‘Everybody is going to be rich, believe me. We’re going to beat ISIS, believe me.’ Does anybody here believe him? How about this? Does anybody here believe one word of what he says? Not one word, folks. Not one word! Not one word! Not one word! Not one word!
And I’ll tell you why, the reason we shouldn’t believe even one word, is he’s got a track record of people believing him and then getting stiffed and getting hurt. From contractors that work on projects and do all the work and end up not getting paid and having to go bankrupt, to students who get bilked out of their dollars to get a worthless education from Trump U and they find out that the certificate is worth less than the paper it’s written on. Again and again and again – to retirees who give him money for condos in Florida and then end up finding out that the money’s gone and there’s no condos. When people believe in him, people get hurt, and that’s why we’re not going to believe in one word.
Good news is we’ve got a candidate we can believe in. We’ve nominated for president somebody who has been, with her husband and with so many others, a lifelong battler, especially for families and children, and nothing is more important to Harrisburg, to Pennsylvania, to Virginia or the entire nation than the fate of our families and children. You saw Chelsea introduce her last night and talk about the battles that she’s been in, and didn’t Chelsea Clinton just do an awesome job? Awesome. Awesome. And so we need somebody who’s been battle-tested, who’s gotten results, who doesn’t mind telling us how she’s going to get things done. We’ve got 100 days tomorrow to campaign and win this election. Everybody in this country and people all around the world are counting on us to do what we know how to do, to carry out politics like Pennsylvanians know how to carry it out. The races may not be easy, but we never asked for easy. This thing is tough, but we don’t mind tough. And we’re going to have to show that we’re willing to do everything and be tough because people are depending on us to elect as 45th president of the United States and to make history for this country, our friend, Hillary Clinton.”
HILLARY CLINTON:
“Hello, Harrisburg! Hello! Whoa. We are so excited to be here with all of you and to have this chance to travel around Pennsylvania. I want to thank the Governor, Frances. Thank you both for being part of this bus trip, but also for the great job you’re doing trying to bring commonsense policies that will help the people of Pennsylvania to the state capitol. Thank you both.
What a beautiful night it is. Oh, it is so exciting to be here and it’s so wonderful to have this chance to talk with all of you. I think I made the right choice when I called Tim Kaine last week at 7:32. Tim and Anne have become great partners already. We are looking so forward to working together to win this campaign, but most importantly, to go into the White House next January to get to work for you.
Now, when you think about it, when you think about it, this is like a big job interview. We’re here to tell you what we want to do if you hire us. We’re here to lay out our plans, to tell you what we think our country can do, because we believe we are stronger together. And so that’s what our convention was about. We laid out over four days what we believe in, and why we think we can produce results for you.
We know that there’s another candidate who’s gotten a lot of attention and who has a very novel way of running for president, because he doesn’t tell you what he’s going to do. But slowly it is becoming clear. It’s becoming clear what the differences between us are.”
AUDIENCE: “Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!”
HILLARY CLINTON: “I have to tell you – I have to tell you that we’re starting to get information. Some people don’t want to know what the facts are. That’s okay. But I think most people do, and here’s what I want you to know. Today, today an economist, a Republican economist, actually, an economist who worked for John McCain said that, after analysis, my plan will create millions, millions, more jobs than Trump’s.
I didn’t even know about this until I got off the bus. And I don’t know what – who’s doing analysis. I don’t have any way of knowing what Republicans or Independents or Democrats or economists or anybody else are doing. But here is what they found. Under the plans I’ve laid out, our economy would create over 10 million jobs in our first term and probably even more. Now, this is – this is not me saying it. It is not Tim saying it. It’s an Independent, a Republican, who advised John McCain, saying it.
And you know what he said about Trump’s plans? What he said about Trump’s plans is they would lose our economy three and a half million jobs.
Now, look. I understand that there are people who feel like the economy is not working well for them. Maybe that gentleman was one of them. I don’t know. And I understand that because I’m not satisfied with the status quo. Are you?”
AUDIENCE: “No.”
HILLARY CLINTON: “I think we can do better.”
AUDIENCE: “Yes.”
HILLARY CLINTON: “I believe – I believe we had to recover from the recession that we inherited from the last Republican administration. I love it when Republicans criticize us as though they want everybody to have amnesia and forget that when Barack Obama became President, we were losing 800,000 jobs a month. 9 million Americans lost their jobs during the Great Recession. And I don’t think President Obama gets the credit he deserves for digging us out of the ditch we were in.
And so since they can’t really argue with the facts that it was Republicans in charge when that all happened, sometimes you’ll hear them say, ‘Well, but the recovery is slow.’ Well, we would not have needed a recovery if they hadn’t driven our economy into the ditch in the first place.
So I know we can do better, but I am glad that we are stable. We’re on firm ground. Now we’ve got to figure out, what do we do next? And this election will be, in large measure, about what each of us says we can do to try to get the economy moving.
And along comes this analysis from this Republican, who worked for John McCain, saying, ‘Whoa. Just looking at the plans, the Clinton-Kaine Administration will create at least 10 million jobs.’ ‘Mr. Trump will cost you three and a half million jobs.’ Now, why should that be a surprise? He has cost people jobs all over our country. And I find it pretty much the height of something or another, not quite sure what when he talks about ‘Make America great again’ but he doesn’t make a single thing in America.
So here is what we are going to do. And I also have to say I feel like I have a very good idea about how a president can help create jobs because over the 8 years my husband was president, we created 23 million new jobs.
So we’re going to be – we’re going to be working really hard. And I told Bill if he thought he was going to get to retire, he was wrong. It’s all hands on deck. So here’s what we’re going to do. We are going to have the biggest job creation program that we’ve had in our country since World War II. We’re going to be investing in infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, clean energy technology.
And I love the idea of infrastructure because it will create millions of jobs, but, equally importantly, it will lay the groundwork for millions more because it will be not only about our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, our ports, our airports, our water systems. It will also be about a new electric grid that will be able to use the clean renewable energy that we’re going to be creating across America. It will be about making sure we connect up every home in America to high-speed broadband so that every American is connected to the global economy.
Did you know that in a recent survey, 70 percent of teachers said that, yes, they assign homework that required students to use the Internet? Well, that makes sense because most jobs require people to use the Internet. But 5 million of our children don’t have access to high-speed Internet. So, even at their earliest ages, kids are being left out and left behind. So we are going to finish the job and make sure that everybody is connected.
We are also – as we grow our economy, we’re going to be making it fairer. That is why we are going to raise the national minimum wage so people are not living in poverty. That is why we are going to do more to help small businesses, because too many small businesses are stalled. They can’t get access to credit. There’s too much red tape, too much bureaucracy. We know two-thirds of the new jobs are going to be created by small businesses.
My dad was a small businessman. As Tim said, he was born and raised in Scranton, went to Penn State, played football as a Nittany Lion. So I know how important it is to support small business.
And you know the fastest way to raise incomes in America? It’s pretty simple. Pay women equal pay for the work we do. And this is not – this is not a woman’s issue. This is a family issue. If you have a working mother, wife, daughter, sister, you want them to be paid equally, too. That helps everybody.
We’re also going to double down on education and training. I want to start with early childhood education because I want every kid to have a good chance to get to school prepared to learn. And I am going to support our teachers. I am going to stand with our teachers.
And we're going to provide more options. As I said in my speech last night, it's great. It's great to try to provide college. And that’s why we’re going to make tuition debt-free for everybody, and why we’re going to help people pay back their debt. I can’t believe Donald Trump gets to be forgiven from his debts. Students and families can’t refinance college debt. That is a gross injustice. A man who has gone bankrupt six times? Well, we’re going to be fair to the students and families of America. We’re going to help you refinance your debt, and we’re going to put a limit of the number of years you have to pay back your debts. And if you do national service or public service, you’ll be forgiven of your debt.
And we’re also going to emphasize that getting a four-year college degree is not the only way to get a good job and make a good living. We stopped at a wonderful business in Hatfield on our way here, and we were talking to the people who run it. It’s a family business. They make things like Lincoln Logs and other great toys and pieces of plastic and other parts for things. And they were telling me that they have jobs, but they need people who have the skills. And I looked. There’s 1 million jobs in America right now that aren’t being filled, jobs for machinists and welders and tool-and-die makers and coders, and all kinds of jobs. We’re going to make community college free. We’re going to make it possible to have more apprenticeship programs. We’re going to have more technical education. And we’re going to give more people a chance to do well.
Now, we’re going to provide the opportunity because we know that those are the jobs of today and tomorrow. Donald Trump is offering the false promise that he can somehow turn the clock back to the jobs of yesterday. Those days are over. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do a better job in making it possible for everybody else to get prepared to take the jobs that will be here. And that is exactly what we’re going to do.
And we are also going to make sure we get the cost of health care down, copays, deductibles, and we’re going to finish the job to make sure everybody can have quality, affordable health care. We’re going to get the cost of prescription drugs down. And we’re going to do more to help people who are suffering from mental health and addiction problems.
I’m pretty excited about what we could do together. And I am excited that we are going to run a campaign for the next 100 days that will take this message to the country because I know that if we set forth our plans and you vote on them, then you will hold us accountable. And that’s what I want. I’m telling you what we will do because I want you to say, okay. She came here with Tim Kaine for their job interview. They told us what they will do. Now, what did the other guy offer? Nothing.
And what he has said about cutting taxes for millionaires and billionaires will cost three and a half million jobs, according to the Republican economist. So people then can compare because I want, when you vote in in November, to know that we are going to work toward the future that you deserve, and that when we take that oath of office next January, we are doing it because we know we can make life better. We know we can create more good jobs.
But there’s a role for everybody. We can’t do this alone. We’re not like Donald Trump, saying, oh, I can fix it alone. No. That’s not how America’s ever worked. I don’t think one person built that building. No. We are in this together. We have been for 240 years, since our founders met in Philadelphia and had the audacious idea that they could break away from the greatest empire of that time, that they could form a new nation, that they could embody the values of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity in that new nation.
I believe with all my heart that we can do that. We can build on that tradition. But we can go even further. As I look at this crowd and see people of all ages, people of all different backgrounds, that is what makes us unique. There is no country in the world (cheers) that has our diversity. And I want us to embrace that and to find a place for everybody in it.
So here’s what I’m asking, everybody. I’m asking you to join this campaign. Tim and I want this to be our campaign, yours and ours. Here’s what I want you to do. Text ‘join,’ j-o-i-n, to 47246, or go to hillaryclinton.com. And I want to also tell you we are hiring organizers here in Pennsylvania. So if you go to hillaryclinton.com, if you’re interested, you could find some information because we want to register three million more people, and we want people to commit that they will vote because at the end of the day, every rally, every speech, none of it matters if folks don’t vote.
I was thinking as we got on the bus, the first time I campaigned on a bus and came to Pennsylvania was way back in 1992. Looking at this crowd, there are a bunch of you who weren’t even born in 1992. But we got on that bus, and we started driving through Pennsylvania. And as we stopped to talk to people, do events like this, it was exciting because we knew that if we worked together, we could get results for people. We could cut through all of the rhetoric and all of the insults and all of the attacks and do the job that needs to be done.
Well, I feel exactly the same way. This is a moment of reckoning for our country. This is one of the most important election choices that you will ever make in your life. I have so much confidence and optimism about our country. I don’t recognize the country that Donald Trump describes. I don’t recognize the mean-spiritedness, the bigotry, and the blustering and the bullying. I don’t recognize that because that is not who we are as Americans.
And what I hope you will do is get involved in this campaign for the next 100 days. Do everything you can to talk to your friends and neighbors. And if somebody is not interested in voting, if somebody has given up on politics, if somebody says it won’t make any difference, ask them to give us a chance. By the time Bill finished eight years in the White House, we not only had 23 million new jobs, incomes went up for everyone. The median family income went up 17 percent. Now, I don’t say this just because I’m proud of him. I say this as an American. We were on the right track, my friends. We even had a balanced budget and a surplus in our federal government.
And I went to the Senate in 2001 representing your neighbor, New York. And I watched as a different philosophy was applied. Cut taxes on the wealthy. Get out of the way of regulating Wall Street. We saw what happened, didn’t we? We went broke, and people went broke. People lost their homes, their jobs, their savings. So now we’re coming back, but we need to build on what we have achieved, not allow the Republican nominee to take us in the opposite direction.
So please, join us in this campaign. Let’s work because we’re stronger together to make an America that is strong, confident, and optimistic! Thank you!”
Be a part of it! Do what you can!
