Former President Bill Clinton, continued making the rounds this week in Brooklyn today on behalf of his wife in shoring up the couple’s already huge support in Brooklyn’s large and active Black community.
The former President met with a number of minsters at Bedford-Stuyvesant’s Restoration Plaza today, just a day after Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, and her mother, Former City Councilwoman Una Clarke hosted him at St Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, 331 Howthorne Street in Flatbush.
The Clarkes’ have long been close to the Clintons, and Una’s Progressive Democrats Political Club, is serving as a vital hub to Hillary’s Central Brooklyn campaign. Additionally, Hillary Clinton forged solid relationships with many political operatives in Brooklyn – both black and white – including Kings County Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio during her short tenure as the New York Senator.
Speaking of that tenure, Clarke recalled how, “she drilled me on how to know the hearts and minds of every New Yorker,” and later added “she recognized that we were challenged with gun violence when others were protecting the manufacturers of those guns,” referring to the fact that Senator Sanders previously voted against the Brady Bill multiple times.
The Brady Bill was a gun control measure that provided for increased background checks while increasing liabilities from gun manufacturers and sellers.
Clarke then introduced Bill Clinton, who outlined Hillary’s campaign, focusing on equal pay, reproductive rights, criminal justice reform, and sustainable energy, while taking a few indirect shots at her Democratic Primary opponent, Bernie Sanders.
“Hillary is a change maker. She’s the best change maker I’ve ever known,” said Bill Clinton, indicating that Sanders’ policies are unrealistic, or unimplementable.
Bill Clinton also spoke at length about criminal justice reform, maintaining his wife’s campaign has worked extensively to establish herself as the best candidate positioned to take on racial disparities, police violence, and justice reform.
“Too many people are in jail for too long for nonviolent offenses. There should be education, training and job placement. We want to give people a second chance. We need police. But we also need police reform,” said the former president.
According to the most recent CNN poll, Clinton is leading by double digits, but her lead is considerably less than it was before. She is hoping to seal the deal for her nomination in Pennsylvania and New York by winning by large majorities.
