Page 3 - Aruba Today
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U.S. NEWS A3
Monday 26 October 2015
Sanders, Clinton Set Tone
for Democratic Caucuses
KEN THOMAS side every step of the way. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clin-
CATHERINE LUCEY “He has fought passionate- ton, walk back to the stage after the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson fundraising din-
Associated Press ly for middle-class families ner, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — and middle-class values,”
Bernie Sanders sharpened she said. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
the contrast with Hillary Former Maryland Gov.
Rodham Clinton on a bevy Martin O’Malley, who trails
of liberal causes, casting both by a wide margin,
himself as a principled pro- reached for a breakout
gressive before thousands performance at the din-
of Iowa Democrats in an ner, presenting himself as a
appearance that could fresh face in the party, who
set the tone for the lead- got things done in his home
off presidential caucuses in state.
February. “We cannot move beyond
Sanders, the independent today’s gridlocked politics
Vermont senator, never by returning to the divisions
mentioned Clinton by of our past,” O’Malley said.
name Saturday night at the “I’m not about that.”
high-profile fundraising din- The speech marked a more
ner but implicitly criticized aggressive turn by Sanders,
her delayed opposition to who struggled at times to
the Trans-Pacific Partner- scrutinize Clinton’s record
ship and Keystone XL pipe- during the first Democratic
line as well as her vote in presidential debate in Las
favor of the Iraq war and Vegas earlier this month.
passage of the Defense In that encounter, Clinton
of Marriage Act during her offered a full-throated re-
husband’s administration buke of Sanders’ record on
that allowed states to re- gun control, noting his op-
fuse to recognize same-sex position to the 1993 Brady
marriages approved under Bill that mandated federal
the laws of other states. background checks on
Sanders vowed “not to firearm purchases and his
abandon any segment of backing of a 2005 law that
American society whether shields gun manufactur-
you’re gay or black or Lati- ers, distributors and dealers
no or poor or working class from most liability lawsuits.
— just because it is politi- This time, Clinton only
cally expedient at a given made a passing reference
time.” to Sanders on gun control,
“I promise you tonight as saying, “I won’t be silent”
your president I will govern on the issue.
based on principle not poll Clinton placed third in the
numbers,” Sanders said, Iowa caucuses in 2008 be-
eliciting roars from his sup- hind Barack Obama and
porters. has since built a formidable
Clinton did not respond organization to power her
in kind, making the case to victory here.
that she would be best Clinton is now presenting
equipped to take on the herself as Obama’s heir,
Republicans. “I hear Don- warning that Republicans
ald Trump when he says would seek to slash taxes
we have to make America for the wealthy and repeal
great again,” Clinton said. the president’s signature
“America is great — we just health care reform law.
have to make it fair and “I’m running as a proud
just.” Democrat,” the former
Clinton and Sanders sit secretary of state said to a
atop a Democratic presi- large cheering section that
dential field that was ef- waved blue neon sticks.
fectively pared down to “We need to defend the
two after Vice President progress we’ve made un-
Joe Biden announced this der President Obama and
week he would not seek build on it until the recovery
the nomination. is secure.”
Clinton made a direct ap- But Republicans insisted
peal to Biden’s supporters, Saturday that today’s Hill-
saying that the vice presi- ary Clinton is the same one
dent has been at Obama’s who ran eight years ago.q
