Riding a wave of rising poll numbers and fresh from a firey televised debate on Sunday night, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton told an Ohio State University audience last night about her plans to improve the economy if elected. Alison Holm reports.
"Any of you see that debate last night? I tell you what, I'm not sure you'll ever see anything like *that* again."
Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd estimated at 18,500 people packed into the South Oval of the Ohio State campus, Clinton strove to ride the momentum her campaign claimed after the second presidential debate. The release Friday of a 2005 video of the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump talking about women in a lewd and predatory way figured prominently in Sunday's debate. Monday night, Clinton described it as part of a pattern of discrimination and contempt.
"Yes, he's insulted and demeaned women; we've seen it over and over again. But he has targeted others as well. He's disrespected and denigrated African Americans and Latinos. Muslims and POWs. People with disabilities and immigrants. He is an equal opportunity insulter if there ever was one."
But Clinton spent most of her 30 minute speech talking about her own proposals. She repeated her oppostion to the Trans Pacific Partnership, and called for increased spending on education, from universal pre-K to technical training and vocational programs. She got a rousing reception when she brought up a plan developed with her one-time rival Bernie Sandersl to make college tuition at public schools free for families earning less than $125,000 a year, and to help all students graduate debt free. And Clinton also had a proposal for students currently saddled with student loans:
"We're gonna make it possible for you to refinance that debt. If you can refinance your home mortgage or a car payment, or if Donald can refinance his airplane, you ought to be able to refinance your student debt. And then we want it to pay it back as a percentage of the income you make. And have a limit on that, 10 percent."
Clinton opened and closed her comments by encouraging the audience to make sure they are registered to vote. Today is the last chance for Ohioans to register; absentee and early in-person voting begins on Wednesday.