In Pittsburgh, Clinton and Kaine Call on Americans To Reject Trump’s Disdain for Our Democracy and Divisive Rhetoric
At a rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump’s recent refusal to commit to accept the results of the election unacceptable, saying “We know in our country the difference between leadership and dictatorship, right? The peaceful transition of power is one of those things that sets us apart. And whether you support me or you support my opponent, together we must show that we support American democracy.” Clinton said Trump’s disdain for our democratic decisions dovetails with his divisive rhetoric against women, minorities and immigrants, as well as his policy proposals that favor the wealthy over working families. Clinton contrasted Trump’s plans with her and Tim Kaine’s commitment to build an economy that works for all, not just those at the top. She added, “We’re going to grow this economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. And we’re going to make sure we produce enough good jobs with rising incomes so that every single person, especially every single young person, in America can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you.”
Clinton also asked Pennsylvanians to send Katie McGinty to the U.S. Senate to be her partner in Washington, D.C. The daughter of a police officer and one of 10 children, McGinty would be a steadfast ally to working families there, Clinton said.
Tim Kaine criticized Trump for his praise of authoritarian leaders, use of Chinese steel and aluminum instead of American-made metals and attacks on our military even though he paid no federal income taxes for years to support it. Kaine also reflected on why Clinton’s historic candidacy resonates with him personally, saying “I wouldn’t have gotten very far – in fact, I wouldn’t have gotten into my first office – without a whole lot of really amazing women who have lent me their strength along the way so that I could be the candidate. […] that’s why I’m just so proud to be a strong man supporting a strong woman who will be the next president of the United States.”
Clinton and Kaine’s remarks, as transcribed, are below: HILLARY CLINTON: “Thank you! Thank you all so much! Wow. Oh, man, I’ll tell you, it is so great to be back here in Pittsburgh. I don’t think it gets any better than to be accompanied out onto the stage by Dan and Pat Rooney. I am a big admirer of the Rooney family, and I was so honored to serve with Dan when he was our ambassador to Ireland. And the Rooney family commitment to Pittsburgh is really extraordinary, and it’s not just the amazing commitment to the Steelers, as special as that is, but to their roots, what they believe in, their values and their deep concern for future generations. So I am incredibly humbled to be supported by Dan and Pat and the Rooney family. It means a great deal to both Tim and me.
I also want to thank Congressman Mike Doyle, who is here with us. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who is here; Mayor Bill Peduto; Mayor John Fette; Pennsylvania Attorney General Bruce Beemer; and all the other elected officials. It means a lot for you to be here with us. If all goes well, in 17 days we are looking forward to working with you on behalf of Pittsburgh.
Some of you know that I have a special place in my heart for Pennsylvania, and I am excited about helping in any way that we can for Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania to keep moving forward with confidence and optimism about what’s possible for the future we want to create together. And I am thrilled to be here with Tim Kaine. I asked him to be my running mate because I knew he would be one of the smartest, toughest, most qualified vice presidents we have ever had. And I also knew he had never lost an election. I kind of figured that might rub off on me a little bit. And now that I’ve gotten to spend more time with him and with his wonderful wife Anne and their family, I’m even more confident that he will be such an extraordinary leader for our country. He’s not just smart and tough and qualified. Tim Kaine is as good and decent a person answer you’ll ever meet. And I am deeply honored to have him by my side in this campaign.
Now, Tim and I are excited by all the energy and enthusiasm that we’re seeing across the country, and particularly here in Pennsylvania. But both of us, both of us, unlike our opponent, do not believe we can do this alone. We believe that we’re going to do this by working with all of you, and that we’re going to come together in the next 17 days and convince everybody you can to get out and vote because whatever issue you care about, it’s going to be on the ballot. It may not be listed, but it will be on the ballot. Whether you care about new good jobs with rising incomes, or you care about better education, or you care about what we can do to get the cost of prescription drugs down – whatever it is you care about, it’s literally going to be on that ballot. Now, my name and Tim’s name may be the ones on the ballot, but we’re going to be representing everything that you and we hope we can do together in our country.
And we’re going to need help doing that after the election, and that’s why I hope you will do everything you can to elect Katie McGinty your next senator. Katie is the daughter of a Philadelphia police officer. I think she’s one of 10 children, right? One of 10 children. She has devoted her professional life to protecting working families. I’ve known her now for more than 20 years, when she was really young, and I’ve seen that same can-do spirit. She just gets up every day and says what can she do to fight for healthier neighborhoods, to keep our kids healthy, to fight for cleaner air and cleaner water, to really help people make the most out of their own lives.
And now she’s running for the Senate because, like Tim and I, she believes our economy should work for everyone, not just those at the top. Katie is exactly the kind of partner we need in the Senate, but more importantly, she’s exactly the kind of senator that Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania need in the Senate. We have got to get things done for the people of Pennsylvania and America, and Katie will help us break through the gridlock, actually make a difference in people’s lives, help us create more good jobs with rising incomes, guaranteeing equal pay for women, defending Planned Parenthood.
And I think it’s pretty clear, when you look at Katie’s opponent. He still refuses to stand up to Donald Trump. Now, a lot of Republicans have. They have had the grit and the guts to stand up and say, ‘He does not represent me.’ But Pat Toomey heard Donald attack a grieving Gold Star family who lost their son in Iraq. He heard Donald call Mexican immigrants rapists. He heard him say terrible things about women. He heard him spread the lie that our first black President wasn’t really born in America. Now, how much more does Pat Toomey need to hear? If he doesn’t have the courage to stand up to Donald Trump after all this, then can you be sure he’ll stand up for you when it counts against powerful interests?
So when I look at this, I’m thinking to myself, ‘We’ve got work to do in Washington.’ And I know it’s not easy. I understand we’ve got some real challenges. I believe we can do it. I wouldn’t be standing here. Tim wouldn’t be with me. But we need people in Washington who put you first, who get up every day thinking about middle class families, who worry about where you’re going to get the money to send your kids to college, how you’re going to take care of your mom or dad because they’re failing and what are you going to do for them, how are you going to be able to deal with all of the challenges. That is what I have tried to do my entire life. That is who you should be electing: people who care about you, care about your families, your children.
Now, as Tim said, he asked if any of you watched the debate on Wednesday. Well, I’ll tell you that was the third and last time I will ever have to debate Donald Trump. I mean, think about this. I have now spent four and a half hours on stage with Donald, proving once again I have the stamina to be president and commander-in-chief. And after every one of those debates, people have said, ‘How did you do that?’ And, really, you just have to be of good cheer when you find yourself in a situation like that. You’re in front of 50, 60, 70, 80 million people. And so, no matter what he was saying, I just kept thinking of all the people I’ve met throughout this campaign.
Just earlier today, I met Henry, who is over there. Henry is on top of his dad’s shoulders. And Henry gave me a note saying he hoped I’d be president. And I really want to be president for all of the kids in America to do everything I can to help you.
I also did have a chance to talk about some of the important concerns that people have shared with me. From the very first day I started this campaign back in April of 2015, people have been telling me what’s on their minds. And it is one of the greatest honors. Sometimes it’s just fleeting. I’ll be in a coffee shop shaking hands or I’ll – later on, I’ll come down and shake hands on a rope line or just running into somebody. And that person, that man or woman or that young person, takes a moment to stop, looks into my eyes. I can tell they’re trying to take my measure. And I am grateful that they take their vote, their choice so seriously. And then they might say something like ‘I have a really terrible problem in my family. My son’ or ‘my daughter has gotten addicted to opiates’ or ‘to heroin. What are you going to do about it?’ or maybe they’ll say, ‘My brother has schizophrenia. And we can’t afford to get them – get him the kind of consistent care he needs’ or maybe they’ll say, ‘I am a diabetic. And the drug company has just raised the cost of insulin. And I can’t afford it. What are you going to do about it?’ That is the right question to ask anybody running for president because at the end of the day, this is about you.
As I said the other night, we’re going to invest in the middle class. We’re going to grow this economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. And we’re going to make sure we produce enough good jobs with rising incomes so that every single person, especially every single young person, in America can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you.
Now, I’ve got to say I believe in hard work. That’s how I was raised. I believe that you’ve got to work for what you get in life. But I think we’ve got to knock down some of the barriers that stand in the way of people getting ahead and going as far as they should. And for me, that starts believing – by believing in our country. There has been no other place in the history of the world that has given so much opportunity to so many. Do we have problems? Yeah, we have problems. Do we have challenges? Of course we do; we’re human beings. But boy, there is no more blessed place.
And Donald Trump did something the other night no – no other presidential nominee has ever done, of either party. He refused to say that he would respect the results of this election. Now, make no mistake about this, my friends. He is threatening our democracy. Look, I’ve lost elections. You don’t feel very good the next day, believe me. But we know in our country the difference between leadership and dictatorship, right? The peaceful transition of power is one of those things that sets us apart. And whether you support me or you support my opponent, together we must show that we support American democracy. And I believe both Donald Trump and I should be grateful for the opportunities that our country has given us. And the best way to demonstrate that we support our democracy is to turn out and vote.
And there is an inspiring story being written by people across America right now. We have just reached a milestone: more than 200 million Americans are registered to vote in this election. And you know what, that includes 50 – more than, actually – more than 50 million young people. More than ever before. I find that a very hopeful sign. And here in Pennsylvania, hundreds of thousands of more voters are registered than were in 2012.
So what does this tell us? I think it tells us no matter how much negativity is out there, something exciting is happening right now. People are coming together, Democrats, Republicans, independents, all to reject hate and division. And in the states where they can, people are motivated to vote early to defend core American values and embrace a future where every person counts, everyone has a place, everyone can contribute. Because, you see, despite what Donald Trump may think, most Americans really believe that we can do better. Most Americans really believe women should be respected. Most Americans really believe that workers should be paid fairly. Most Americans believe that the United States should work with our allies to lead the world and keep us safe.
So the energy we are seeing in the final weeks of this campaign is about more than winning an election. It is about standing up for the kind of country we want for ourselves and for our children. And it’s about the lessons we want to teach our sons and daughters. I want all of you to know that if Tim and I are fortunate enough to be your president and vice president, that we will work with everyone. Now, I imagine here in Allegheny County, and if you’re from further west, you probably know people who are thinking about voting for Donald Trump, and here’s what I want you to tell them. I want you to tell them that I understand that they need a president who cares about them, will listen to them, and I want to be their president too.
Because whether you agree or disagree with me, whether you vote for me or vote against me, I believe we can disagree without being disagreeable. I’ve seen that. I know it can happen. And I know there are a lot of people right here in Pennsylvania who have a lot of questions. They want to know, how do we move forward better? They want to know what’s going to happen to their town where there used to be a lot of jobs and there aren’t as many anymore. They’re upset about what they see happening around them. I get that. But anger is not a plan.
And we need to work together. We need plans that will help us deal with the legitimate concerns and questions that people have here in Pennsylvania. I think that’s what our whole country needs right now. That’s what I will try to do. I’m not going to pretend that we can just snap our fingers and solve our problems. That doesn’t happen in the real world. But I know we can make progress together. And the choice we face in this election is stark, especially when it comes to the economy.
Tim and I believe that when the middle class thrives, America thrives, and when we invest in working families, in the middle class, in small businesses, we can make the economy work again for everybody.
Now, I think it’s fair to say that both Donald Trump and Pat Toomey have a different perspective. They believe – and they believe this – that if you give trillions of dollars, that’s trillion with a ‘t,’ trillions in tax cuts to the wealthy, to millionaires, to billionaires, to corporations, it will all trickle down to everybody else. Hasn’t worked before, and it’s caused us a lot of messes that we’ve had to clean up. And I’ve been privileged to see presidents up close and personal, right? Married to one. That’s right. Worked for one. And here’s what I know. That when you focus on helping the middle class, you end up lifting everybody. When you focus on helping the top, you help the top. That is not good enough.
Donald likes to say he’s on the side of American workers, but his actions tell a different story. Yes, he’s bought cheap Chinese steel and aluminum for his construction projects. He should be buying good American-made steel that supports good American jobs. I’d like to hear Donald explain to American steelworkers filing for unemployment why he put Chinese steelworkers to work instead of steelworkers here in Pennsylvania. And for all of his talk about putting America first, he’s made many of his products in 12 different countries. So if he wants to make America great again, why doesn’t he start by making things in America again?
And we now know he hasn’t paid a dime in federal income taxes for years. He says that makes him smart. Well, I don’t know how smart you have to be to lose a billion dollars in a year in the first place. Especially answer me this: How do you lose a billion dollars when you’re in the casino business? Never could figure that out. But what it means is that every one of us here has paid more in federal income taxes than a billionaire has. That is wrong, and we’re going to end those kinds of loopholes and gimmicks.
I’ll tell you what, it also means that Donald has contributed zero – zero for our military, zero for our vets, zero for Pell Grants to help young people go to college, zero for our highways, zero for everything. And yet he stands up on the stage and he criticizes America. Well, it’s unfair and it’s wrong. With your help, we’re going to make the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II – jobs in infrastructure. Our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, our ports, our airports, our water systems all need help, and those are a lot of good jobs waiting to be done – jobs that can’t be exported out of Pennsylvania.
I believe we can bring advanced manufacturing back to the United States. That’s why we will invest $10 billion in make it in America partnerships that bring together workers and unions and businesses, universities and community colleges. Some country is going to take the lead with precision machining. Some country is going to take the lead with 3D printing. We invented both of those technologies. We should take the lead and we should have the jobs.
We’re also going to fight climate change with clean, renewable energy jobs. And we’re going to help small businesses which will create two-thirds of all the new jobs in America. And we’re going to defend your right to organize and bargain collectively for higher wages and benefits. Don’t let anybody fool you, my friends; assault on worker rights and on unions is an assault on the middle class. It is time to say loudly and clearly right to work is wrong for workers and wrong for America.
So I’ve set some big goals. I’m excited about what we’re going to do, and it’s all going to put people to work right here. And sometimes folks say to me, ‘Well, how are you going to get that done? You go to the Congress.’ I said, ‘Well, first of all, I hope we’re going to elect some more Democrats.’ That would be number one. But number two, I think it’s going to be a very simple question: Are members of Congress, members of the Senate, going to be on the side of the rich, the powerful, and the wealthy, or on your side? And you know what? They’re going to have to answer that question. Because if they stay beholden to the special interests, if they continue to do the bidding of the lobbyists and the lawyers and others who stand there outside their doors – I’ve been in the Senate, I’ve seen it, I know it – if they’re going to continue to do the work of those who are already privileged in America, then I want to make sure that they don’t come back to Washington after the next election.
And look, we’re in a great, great high school here, and I’m so proud to be here. And so we’re going to do more to be a good partner with education, especially with educators. We’re going to start with universal pre-K, we want good schools with good teachers in every zip code so every kid gets a world-class education. And I want us to bring technical education back to high school. I think it was a mistake when we took it out. There are a lot of good jobs that you can be prepared for in today’s economy coming out of high school, maybe going to community college, going into an apprenticeship program, and I want to lift up that work.
A four-year college degree should not be and is not the only way to have a good job with a rising income and a satisfying life. We’re going to make public colleges and universities tuition free for any families making less than $125,000 a year. And we’re going to help you pay down your college debt. It’s going to be great to help you pay it back as a percentage of your income at your job so you’re never on the hook for more than you can afford. I worked on this with Senator Bernie Sanders, and it’s going to help to save. It’s going to help save people thousands of dollars. In fact, after here, or maybe while you are here, you can go to hillaryclinton.com/calculator to see how much you and your family can save. We want you to know we’re going to deliver results for you.
I mean, ultimately, it’s pretty simple. I think the American dream is big enough for everybody and I want everybody to have a chance to get your piece of the American dream. So there’s a lot of work we’re going to be doing. We need to raise the national minimum wage. People who work full time should not be mired in poverty. We are, as Tim said, going to guarantee equal pay for women. Look, it’s not just a women’s issue. If you have a mother, which all of us do – if you have a mother, a wife, a daughter, or a sister who’s working, it’s your issue. It’s good for the entire family. It’s good for our economy.
So my friends, there’s a lot for us to do in the next 17 days, because we’ve got to get the word out. We’ve got to tell everybody what we’re doing and why this election is so critically important, and that’s where all of you – all of you – come in. If you do know people who are thinking about voting for our opponent–”
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “Nope.”
HILLARY CLINTON: “– well, you may – I hope you will stage an intervention – and I do hope you’ll talk about the reality versus the demagoguery of what we’ve seen in this campaign. We need to come together around all of the issues that are important to everybody, and as I said in the beginning, whatever issue you care about, it’s going to be on the ballot. I care a lot about making sure that women and girls are treated with dignity and respect that they deserve in our country. I care a lot about making sure that we save Social Security and we ensure that everybody has the benefits that they need in order to be able to live a decent life in retirement.
And boy, do I care a lot about our Constitution. And maybe it’s because on your behalf I went to 112 countries as your Secretary of State – and I met a lot of people who envy us because we’ve been so steady and so committed to our constitutional system and our values. And what I hope is that you care as deeply as our founders did, as our parents and grandparents did, because maybe they came from somewhere else where they weren’t treated right, maybe they saw firsthand what it meant to be deprived of the rule of law.
Every time Donald Trump says he wants to jail his opponent, meaning me – I think to myself, we don’t do that in America. We actually have laws and courts and an independent judiciary. Or when he blows up at a journalist or criticizes the press and goes on and on and on. I get criticized by the press. I know that’s part of our democratic system. We believe in a free press, and boy, if you go to countries where there isn’t one, you will understand why that is so important.
And when he says there should be a religious test, a religious test for people at our borders – a country founded on religious freedom – you have to ask yourself who’s going to conduct the test. Are we going to get a quiz? And what if the border security official doesn’t believe you? Who gets to decide whether you come in or out based on your religion? And if you haven’t seen it yet, I hope you will go and look at the extraordinary statement by Mr. Khan on YouTube in a new video that we have put out. You remember he pulled out a Constitution at our convention. And he reveres our Constitution, and for good reason, because he too came from a place where there was no rule of law to speak of.
So whatever issue you care about, this is an issue that will be decided by this election, and that’s why I’m reaching out to Republicans, Democrats, Independents, everyone. I know that if we bring our talent, our energy, and our ambition to the work of building our country, we’re going to see the best days of America ahead of us. And when your children and your grandchildren ask what you did in 2016 when everything was on the line, I hope you’ll say you voted for a better America.
So here’s we go. Just remember you got to get out and vote. You got to get everybody you know to get out and vote. If you don’t know where you’re supposed to go vote, please go to iwillvote.com. You can put your information in and it’s the magic of the internet; they’ll tell you where you’re supposed to vote. You can go to hillaryclinton.comand sign up to volunteer, or you can take your phone out right now and text J-O-I-N, ‘Join,’ to 47246.
And if we can get all of you and everybody you know involved in these next 17 days, I will tell you this. It’s easy to forget how far our country has come. There are a lot of people here, as I said, whose parents and grandparents came as immigrants. My grandfather, Hugh Rodham, came as an immigrant as a young boy and settled in Scranton. And he went to work in the Scranton lace mills; went to work when he was still in his teens. He worked there until he retired at the age of 65. He believed in our country. He believed in the kind of future that he could get through his hard work.
That’s what I want everybody in our country to believe again. We’re going to unleash the talents, the innovation, and the energy that brought people like my grandfather here, but which we will harness for the future. Don’t let anybody tell you America’s best days are behind us; don’t believe that for a minute. We’re going to pull together. We’re going to make it clear that confidence and optimism, respect for each other, bringing folks together who may disagree but can begin to try to find common ground, is what’s always worked and it will work again. Help us. Help us create that kind of future and help us prove once and for all that love trumps hate. Thank you all.”
TIM KAINE:
“Hillary, this energy must be a Pittsburgh thing. This just must be a Pittsburgh thing. Hillary and I are so glad to be with you this afternoon. We came right out of that great convention in Philadelphia and did a – and did a huge rally here right at the beginning of August. It is so great to be back together with 17 days to go to a wonderful victory.
We are not taking anything for granted in the next 17 days. And one of the things we want to do is ask for volunteers. Who is already volunteering for the campaign? All right. If you are not volunteering yet and you just have a whole lot of free time in the next 17 days, there are folks going around with clipboards. You can sign up. And you can also text TOGETHER to 47246. And they will bring you on board as we make history by electing Hillary Clinton as our president.
Hey, can I – can I just ask you guys, how fantastic was Hillary in the last debate?”
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “All the debates.” TIM KAINE: “You’re right, not just the last debate, all three debates. All three debates.
Donald, Donald Trump, had been talking a lot about stamina. But, boy, at the end of those debates, he really looked like he was on the ropes. And Hillary looked like she would have said, ‘Yes.’ If they had said, ‘Why don’t we do five more debates?’ She would have said, ‘All right. I’m ready to go. I’m ready to go right now.’ When the – when the debate finished, Hillary was excited to get out and keep talking about her plans and her vision for this country. And Donald just couldn’t wait to get back to start tweeting out more insults. That’s what – that’s what he was focusing on.
Those debates showed so much. They showed Hillary’s preparation and her experience and judgment. But I think what they really showed was the temperament and the compassion and the grace and the poise that we want to see in our next president. In fact, I think if you had even watched those debates with the sound off, you still would have known there is only one person on this stage that we want to be president of the United States.
Now, you guys all know that Pennsylvania doesn’t vote until Election Day, but – but I want to tell you this. In states where early voting has already begun, we’re already seeing huge spikes at the polls in activity behind our ticket. Support for the Clinton-Kaine ticket is surging, even in red states like Arizona, because Americans have locked on and know that this election is about what kind of country we want for our children and they trust a stronger together vision that Hillary has laid out throughout this campaign. And they have also seen the kind of campaign that Donald Trump has run. And they’re wondering how somebody who wants to be president of the United States is running a campaign that demonstrates almost every day what a low opinion he has about the United States and about the voters of the United States.
I’m a – my wife, Anne, and I have a boy in the Marines. Donald says our military is a disaster. But Hillary got him to admit, Hillary got him to admit, basically on the stage of the first debate that he doesn’t even pay federal income taxes to support America’s troops.
Donald likes to trash-talk where the economy is, but we found out that he makes all of his products overseas. And he’s bought Chinese steel and aluminum to build his hotels, instead of buying American steel right here in Pennsylvania.
For some bizarre reason, for some bizarre reason, he praises authoritarian leaders, like Vladimir Putin, every chance he gets. And he even promises that he will seek political and legal retribution against his enemies if he is president. He shouldn’t –”
AUDIENCE MEMBER: “He’s a loser.”
TIM KAINE: “Well, maybe – maybe he’s running for something else. And – and during the last debate, he even warned that he might not accept the results of American democracy. Folks, it was – it was like he ran a campaign and started and he insulted every group he could: Mexican Americans; immigrants; African Americans; Muslims; women; POWs, for gosh sake; Gold Star families. And he’s gotten to the end of campaign, and he’s insulted every possible group. Who’s left to insult? What he’s decided is, why don’t I insult the pillars of American democracy? We cannot let this guy be president.
And I don’t know if you’ve – if you’ve heard this thing because he seems to really like to say this thing, especially when he’s in Pennsylvania, that the election is going to be rigged. He’s losing, and he knows it. And he’s not a guy who would ever accept responsibility and say, ‘Oh, I lost an election because I ran the most divisive campaign in American history.’ He’s not going to accept responsibility. So it’s got to be somebody else’s fault, just like when The Apprentice didn’t win an Emmy award one year. And he said it was clearly rigged. This guy can’t take responsibility for anything, anything.
I think it proves that Mr. Khan, the Virginian from Charlottesville, the father of Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed as he protected the lives of his comrades-in-arms, Mr. Khan was right to ask the question, has Donald Trump even read the United States Constitution?
Now, I know we all think this has been a long election season and you can hear from my voice that it has been a long election season. And I only joined in the last 100 days. She’s had to do it for two years. Right? And I know that sometimes – and this is unfortunate, and this is a challenge that we have to embrace should we – should we have the honor of winning and serving. Sometimes it can seem like during this election cycle that we’re seeing the worst that our country has to offer. But let’s remind ourselves and feel good about that we’re also seeing something special, something good about our country. And that’s what brings you here tonight, something that – we’re seeing – we’re seeing something that doesn’t get mentioned nearly enough. It was right here in Pennsylvania that Hillary and I accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party. You guys put us on our way with a fantastic convention. And – and after she finished her acceptance speech on that Thursday night, that powerful night, the Clinton and Kaine families, we walked out on the stage together as that massive –” AUDIENCE MEMBER: “Balloons.” TIM KAINE: “– group of balloons – yeah, the balloons. We had a – we’ve got some fans of the balloons here. And as we were standing out on that stage with our spouses and kids and nieces and nephew and kind of trying to absorb what it meant, I saw my 21-year-old daughter, Annella, trying to kind of take in what it meant. I saw my wife Anne, wife of 32 years come November 24, who’s been with me – been with me through thick and thin, trying to take it all in. And then my mom, Kathy, who’s 82, who was standing onstage with me and turned to me as the balloons were coming down and said, ‘Tim, this is the best night of my life.’ Hey, at least – at least for the next day and a half I got no criticisms or suggestions. I bought myself a little window that night.
And as I was standing there with Annella and my mom and so many others, something really started to hit home. Really started to hit home. And I’ve been thinking about this the whole campaign. I’ve been in public service for 22 years, since I ran for the Richmond city council in 1994 and won my first race by the landslide of 97 votes. And let me tell you something, I wouldn’t have gotten very far – in fact, I wouldn’t have gotten into my first office – without a whole lot of really amazing women who have lent me their strength along the way so that I could be the candidate. I could have my name on the bumper sticker or on the yard sign or on the ballot.
And that night – and that night in Philadelphia, that city of history, I wasn’t just thinking about the love and support of the strong women in my family. I was also thinking about women campaign managers and cabinet secretaries and agency heads and staff and volunteers and donors. And I was thinking about women voters who have enabled me to serve because let’s not forget, beginning with the presidential election of 1964, in every presidential election, women have made up the majority of the American electorate.
In other words, while I’m probably no more free of patting myself on the back than anybody in politics, if I really think about it I know that I’ve only gotten the positions of leadership and responsibility because I’ve had a lot of strong women who were willing to support me so that I could be the person getting the headline and doing the job. So when Hillary asked me three months ago today, the 22nd of July, if I would be her running mate, I was honored to have the chance to play the role for her that so many strong women have played for me.
Now, make no mistake. Women in America have come an awful long way. Even 50 years ago, women couldn’t get a credit card – couldn’t get a credit card – without a man to cosign for them. They needed a husband’s permission to start a business. They needed a husband’s permission or cosigner to rent an apartment. And in some states in our lifetime, women were even barred from serving on juries. So we’ve come a long way, but so much of the progress that we’ve made, progress that we should feel good about, is at stake in this election.
Instead of turning back the clock on women like Donald Trump wants to do, we should be doing everything we can possibly do to keep pushing forward because, folks, it’s 2016. Isn’t it time that women were paid the same wages and salaries as men? Isn’t it time that women should be able to take off work to care for a child or relative without losing their job? I didn’t tell Hillary this – Hillary, I went out and shook some hands with some folks who weren’t able to come in because you guys turned out in such numbers that some were outside.
And a woman holding a 3-and-a-half-year-old daughter in her arms, I said, “Tell me about your son” – it was a daughter – ‘Tell me about your daughter.’ And she said, ‘When my daughter was born, when I was at the hospital I got fired from my job. I got fired from my job because there was no maternity leave.’ And she started to cry. This was 3 and a half years ago. And I said, ‘Well, we’ve made a commitment that we’re going to do somebody about that, and not just for women, either. Women and men ought to be able to take off time when their kids are born or to care for a sick parent.’ And I told her, ‘You may not be able to get into the rally, but because you said that to us, Hillary and I will even have more energy because this is one of these things that we need to fix. It’s about time.’
And how about this: After 240 years of American history, isn’t it about time that a woman can serve as president of the United States and commander-in-chief? Of course it’s time. Of course it’s time. Of course it’s time. Of course it’s time. Well, I think you can tell from the reaction that it’s not only strong women but also strong men who feel that now is the time. Now is the time. Now is the time.
Is there anybody out in this audience – is there anybody out in this audience who’s tried to do something for the first time? In your house, in your family, in your neighborhood, maybe in your workplace, in the school, tried to do something that hasn’t been done before? And you know how hard that is? Is there anybody out there that when you’ve tried to do that or tried to do something hard, you’ve had people say to you, ‘Hey, I don’t think that’s going to happen,’ or ‘I don’t think the time is right for you,’ or ‘Somebody else is probably more qualified,’ or ‘Somebody else is ahead of you?’ And sometimes the voice that says that to you is the voice of an adversary who wants to get in your way. And sometimes it’s the voice of a friend who says, ‘Don’t get your hopes up. I don’t want you to be disappointed.’ And sometimes that voice isn’t even an external voice. It’s a voice inside because let’s face it, we all carry a little bit of doubt inside of us. And at that moment when we’re most going to reach for our dreams, that headwind, that voice that you can’t do it or it’s not your time, whether it’s from the outside or the inside, kicks in. Everybody knows this. Everybody’s experienced this.
Let me tell you something about Hillary Clinton. She has heard that her entire life. She’s heard it her entire life that maybe the time isn’t right, or if you’re going to be in this profession, no, that’s more for guys than – she has heard this her entire life. She’s heard it repeatedly during this campaign. She’s heard it during this campaign. But guess what? Hillary Clinton has never let that voice stand in her way. She’s never let it stand in her way. Never let it stand in her way. And as your next president, Hillary Clinton is not going to let anyone stand in your way. She’s not going to let anybody stand in your way. Just think about this. Just think about this. Hillary’s mom was born before women had the right to vote. And Hillary’s daughter Chelsea will now get to vote for her mom to be president. That’s the kind – that is the kind of generational progress that this country holds for all of us when we do our best work.
So that’s why we’ve got to do our best work for the next 17 days because in just 17 short days, we can forever – and I mean forever – change the way little girls and little boys look at their future in this country. Because if you can be president of the United States, you can do anything. And that’s what Hillary Clinton’s election – that’s the message that her election will send.
So Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, my friends here, that’s why I’m just so proud to be a strong man supporting a strong woman who will be the next president of the United States. And she will show that in America, we really are stronger together. Please join me in welcoming our next president, Hillary Clinton.”
In other news: You may have encountered what was variously being touted as "Trump's 100 Day Speech" and "Trump's Gettysburg Address." On Gettysburg's hallowed ground, Trump vowed to prosecute his accusers (a new one surfaced after the speech), remove environmental regulations, abolish Obamacare (of course), and impose term limits on members of Congress.
Christina Reynolds at HFA offered this statement.
Trump's plan ignores the fact that the USA shares the earth with other countries. Whatever pollution his deregulation releases into the atmosphere endangers all life on earth. We only get one earth. This is it. This is the one planet we get. We are the stewards not the owners. It is among the more troubling aspects of the Republican attitudes and policy planning.HFA Statement on Trump’s Closing Argument
HFA Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds offered the following statement on Trump’s “closing argument” speech today in Gettysburg, PA:
“Today, in what was billed as a major closing argument speech, Trump’s major new policy was to promise political and legal retribution against the women who have accused him of groping them. Like Trump’s campaign, this speech gave us a troubling view as to what a Trump State of the Union would sound like—rambling, unfocused, full of conspiracy theories and attacks on the media, and lacking in any real answers for American families.”
Trump's vindictive agenda in his own name and paltry menu for the American people is in stark contrast to Hillary's plans. On the tarmac in Pittsburgh prior to leaving for Philadelphia, Hillary and Tim held a press gaggle in which they both discussed Trump's self-centered, mean-spirited postures.
