Hillary Clinton Visits New Hampshire for First Time as 2016 Presidential Candidate
In her first visit to New Hampshire since she made her 2016 presidential candidacy official, Hillary Clinton struck a friendly, pragmatic tone at the panel discussion in Keene on Monday afternoon. The conversation ranged from the rural opiate crisis to the need to improved technical job training.
Before leaving the factory, Clinton went out of her way to talk to reporters about an anticipated book that alleges foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation and payment for her husband’s speeches were made in return for favors from the State Department, according to BuzzFeed’s Ruby Cramer.
Clinton called the book one of many “distractions’’ inherent in running for president, though did not address the allegations specifically.
Though she did not take any public questions, Clinton spoke with a roundtable of Whitney Brothers furniture factory employees in front of a small gathering of pre-credentialed media. The former first lady, senator and secretary of state reminisced about her father’s drapery and marveled at the companies advanced manufacturing technology (compared to her dad’s).
However, she lamented the fact that most of the machines in the factory were imported from Europe as an indicator of a national decline in manufacturing.
“We have stalled out,’’ said Clinton, emphasizing that Europe also has a relatively high-wage labor market.
“Why aren’t we producing those machines?’’ she went on. “What do we need to do to jump start high-quality manufacturing?’’
David Stabler, the owner of Whitney Brothers, told Clinton it was difficult to get young employees with good technical skills for his business. Clinton said she supports President Barack Obama’s proposed plan to make community college “as free as possible.’’
“We need to persuade young people that this is an opportunity,’’ she said.
Clinton also addressed panel members’ concerns about the opioid crisis that has affected rural New England. In June 2014, the five governors of the region convened to address the increase in overdoses from heroin, painkillers, and other drugs.
Clinton said it was a “hidden epidemic’’ made worse by cuts to state resources to deal with the issue. She also cited aspects of the Affordable Care Act that she said addressed the problem and added that mental health issues would play a big part in her campaign.
After the formal Q&A ended, Clinton hugged and talked to familiar faces who were watching in attendance.
Clinton said the first time she visited New Hampshire in 1991 — during her husband Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign — she celebrated her 44th birthday at Kristin’s Bistro and Bakery, where she had visited again before the panel discussion. CNN reports she had a black tea.
The then-Arkansas governor Bill Clinton went on to be nicknamed the “Comeback Kid’’ after he placed second in 1992 New Hampshire presidential primary. Despite the fact Sen. Paul Tsongas from neighboring Massachusetts won, Clinton’s relatively close runner-up finish was treated as a win by the press.
The Clintons had since remained close with the Granite State, as well as its important political players. Most recently, during the 2014 election, both ofthe Clintons visited New Hampshire to campaign for Gov. Maggie Hassan, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, and Reps. Annie Kuster and Carol Shea-Porter.
Clinton’s 2016 national campaign manager Robby Mook managed Shaheen’s winning 2008 senatorial campaign. Mike Vlacich, Shaheen’s 2014 re-election campaign manager, joined Clinton’s campaign as the New Hampshire state director, along with multipleother former 2014 Shaheen campaign alums.
Clinton is scheduled to tour New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord and hold roundtable discussion there Tuesday morning. According to a press release from the campaign, Clinton’s two-day New Hampshire return also includes private meetings with elected official, activists, and community leaders.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com