Kai F. McNeil
Hillary Clinton, democratic presidential candidate, speaks during a rally on March 10 at Durham Hillside High School. Cars began to roll into the parking lot of Hillside as early as 1:30 p.m in preperation for the influx of people at Hillside. Clinton, the leading contender for the democratic nomination, spoke later that afternoon on several issues including to climate change, raising minimum wage, combating pharmecitucal companies and used education as the major platform for this rally. “I am not a one-issue candidate because this is not a one-issue country,” said Clinton
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke during a rally on Thursday at Durham Hillside High School, five days before the North Carolina primary. Cars began to roll into the parking lot of Hillside as early as 1:30 p.m in preparation for the influx of people. An estimated 1,000 people attended the event, overflowing the high school parking lot.
Bill Bell, who has served as the mayor of Durham since 2001, was one of the first speakers at the rally. Bell publicly endorsed Clinton, giving high praise to her and her campaign, and encouraged all Durham residents to vote in the primaries.
Bell was followed by several other speakers, including Representative G.K. Butterfield, who introduced Clinton. Butterfield chairs the Congressional Black Caucus. He reiterated the importance of voting in the primaries, calling for a “100 percent turnout in Durham County.”
Clinton, the leading contender for the democratic nomination, took the stage at 5:30 p.m. — nearly two hours later than the originally scheduled time — to discuss several issues including to climate change, raising minimum wage, combating pharmaceutical companies. She used education as the major platform for this rally.
“I am not a one-issue candidate because this is not a one-issue country,” Clinton said.
She focused on how the Republican legislature in North Carolina has undermined education by cutting millions of dollars from public education and the UNC System.
Clinton drew on her experiences of working to improve of education, such as when her husband served as the governor of Arkansas and the fact that she is a product of the public school system.
Clinton explained the meaning behind what she referred to as “the Chelsea test,” a test named after her only child that she used to determine if a school was suitable for a child.
“I would ask, ‘Would I send my child here?’” Clinton said.
Clinton expressed the necessity for improvement in the U.S. education system.
“There should not be a public school in this country where any person would not want to send a child,” Clinton said. “Look in a mirror and say, ‘Would you send your child or grandchild to this school?’ And if the answer is no, do something about it!”
The North Carolina primary is Tuesday, March 15. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. More information can be found on ncvoterguide.org.
For coverage of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’s Friday rally in Raleigh, click here.