Clinton focuses on ‘economy that works for everyone’ in speech

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hit hard on the themes of economic fairness and equal pay in her speech to a group of pro-choice Democrats on Tuesday night, outlining the likely themes of her nascent presidential campaign.

{mosads}Clinton, who hinted at her likely run throughout her speech, focused on calls for more women in office and more economic fairness in her address to a crowd of 1,700 Democratic office holders, donors and activists gathered for the 30th anniversary of EMILY’s List, a group that supports pro-abortion-rights female Democratic candidates.

Clinton made no mention of her use of personal email while she was in office, ducking a fracas that dominated Tuesday’s headlines.

Clinton’s less-than-rousing speech didn’t elicit much forceful applause from the friendly crowd, which had been sitting more than an hour longer than originally planned when she took the stage after 10 p.m. But she got a roar of applause by teasing about a presidential bid.

“Along life’s way, you get a chance to make millions of decisions. Some of them are big, like do you run for office?” she said, pulling the crowd to its feet.

Clinton used the speech to argue for economic fairness, a central theme of her early speeches, warning the current economy was disproportionately benefitting Republicans and making a full-throated argument in favor of unions.

“We’re fighting for an economy that works for everyone and includes everyone. That is the only way to achieve broad-based growth and prosperity in a world that is growing more competitive and interdependent by the day,” she said. “If there is not a balance of power in the workplace, everybody will suffer, so we have to get our economy to reflect the realities of 21st century America, and we’re not doing that.”

The former secretary of State was careful to praise President Obama, her onetime opponent and boss, for his work helping the economy. But she argued that America has far to come, before slamming Republicans for “their newfound interest” in the issue with a reference to the movie “Casablanca” that fell flat with the audience.

“It’s like watching the end of Casablanca. … Round up the usual suspects,” she said to a few laughs. “We’re not buying the old trickle-down economics that didn’t work before.”

Much of the speech was spent praising the organization and the women it’s helped elect. Clinton singled out Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), the first woman elected in her own right to the Senate, who announced her retirement Monday. She also had kind words for a woman some on the left are pushing to run against her, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), saying Warren is fighting “to hold Wall Street accountable.”

Clinton also touted equal-pay legislation for women, tweaking those who complain that she talks too much about it.

“I’m going to beat this drum as long and loud as it takes to be part of the chorus that so many of you have been for so many years,” she said. “If any parent is shortchanged, the whole family is shortchanged, and if you go all the way up the ladder, the economy is shortchanged. … We’re not just standing up for women but for all people.”

The former secretary of State strode onstage in a purple pantsuit, which she was quick to joke about with a pop culture reference.

“Over the years, people have read a lot of different things into my pantsuits. … Despite what you might think, this outfit is not actually white and gold,” she said to laughs.

Clinton was the focus of attention throughout the night. Candidates and office holders hinted at and encouraged her campaign, expected to launch within a month or so, getting some of the night’s loudest cheers.

“Hillary, you heard us, just give us your word, and we’ll be right at your side,” former EMILY’s List head Ellen Malcolm said to roars during her speech.

“Elect that first woman president, and you know who I’m talking about,” Mikulski said in her own raucous address.