The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Hillary's Run

California Governor Jerry Brown Endorses Hillary Clinton

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Editor’s Note: Citing her insurmountable lead, the challenges of climate change, and threat of nuclear proliferation with a Donald Trump presidency, Governor Jerry Brown endorses Hillary Clinton for POTUS. Gov. Brown’s “Open Letter to California Democrats and Independents” letter was shared by Hillary for America Press:

Governor Jerry Brown
Governor Jerry Brown
“On Tuesday, June 7, I have decided to cast my vote for Hillary Clinton because I believe this is the only path forward to win the presidency and stop the dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump.

I have closely watched the primaries and am deeply impressed with how well Bernie Sanders has done. He has driven home the message that the top one percent has unfairly captured way too much of America’s wealth, leaving the majority of people far behind. In 1992, I attempted a similar campaign.

For her part, Hillary Clinton has convincingly made the case that she knows how to get things done and has the tenacity and skill to advance the Democratic agenda. Voters have responded by giving her approximately 3 million more votes – and hundreds more delegates – than Sanders. If Clinton were to win only 10 percent of the remaining delegates – wildly improbable – she would still exceed the number needed for the nomination. In other words, Clinton’s lead is insurmountable and Democrats have shown – by millions of votes – that they want her as their nominee.

But there is more at stake than mere numbers. The Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has called climate change a “hoax” and said he will tear up the Paris Climate Agreement. He has promised to deport millions of immigrants and ominously suggested that other countries may need the nuclear bomb. He has also pledged to pack the Supreme Court with only those who please the extreme right.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Our country faces an existential threat from climate change and the spread of nuclear weapons. A new cold war is on the horizon. This is no time for Democrats to keep fighting each other. The general election has already begun. Hillary Clinton, with her long experience, especially as Secretary of State, has a firm grasp of the issues and will be prepared to lead our country on day one.

Next January, I want to be sure that it is Hillary Clinton who takes the oath of office, not Donald Trump.

With respect,
Jerry Brown”

Hillary Clinton: Trump Wished for the Housing Crisis

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According to a release from the Hillary Clinton Campaign:

Hillary Clinton has twice called out Donald Trump for wishing for the housing crisis that left millions without a home so that he could enrich himself. At both stops, Clinton urged Trump to release his tax returns because Americans deserve to know the details of Trump’s finances. In Riverside, California, as Clinton spoke of the millions jobs lost during the Recession, an audience member revealed, “I lost mine.”

Clinton responded to the attendee, “When we look at what happened in that Great Recession, 9 million people lost their jobs. And you were one of them. You were one of them. And 5 million homes were lost. Anybody lose their home? Well, I got to tell you, Trump said the other day – and we saw him doubling down on comments he made a couple years ago – because he said that a mortgage crisis would have been good for his business. And I’ve got to tell you, why on Earth would we elect somebody president who actually rooted for the collapse of the mortgage market?”

Image Supplied to The Inside Press from Independent Source. Photo by Ari Bennett
Image Supplied to The Inside Press from Independent Source. Photo by Ari Bennett

“He goes around saying, ‘Well we’ve got to have a stronger military,’ but he sure doesn’t want to pay a penny to protect our men and women in uniform and make sure we are ready to defend our country…. Everyone else has had to turn over their tax returns, who has been the nominee of a party running for president. So we’re going to keep asking. Let’s see what you’ve got there,” Clinton said at the IBEW Local 11 in Commerce, California.

Hillary and Bill Clinton have released the past 38 years of their tax returns, with eight years available on her website here.

Bill Clinton in California: “Do we Want a Wall? Not on your Life!”

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“Hillary will help us all rise,” the former President tells a diverse group of attendees.

By Fran Goldstein

May 21, Chula Vista–Hillary Clinton has the best ideas for leading the country forward, former President Bill Clinton told an enthusiastic crowd in Chula Vista, California.

“We need a doer and a change maker, and there’s only one person with a record of getting things done as first lady, as a senator, as secretary of state, with Republicans in Congress,” Clinton said as the crowd cheered. This was Clinton’s second campaign stop in San Diego in advance of the California primary on June 7.

Bill Clinton speaking in Chula Vista, CA Photo by Fran Goldstein
Bill Clinton speaking in Chula Vista, CA Photo by Fran Goldstein

He spoke at Bonita Vista High School to a diverse audience in this middle-class city about seven miles from the Mexican border. Hundreds of supporters, many of whom had waited on line more than six hours on a crisp spring morning, were packed into the school gymnasium and hundreds more were in an outdoor overflow area where his remarks were broadcast. The school’s scoreboard was set at 45 for the home team and 42 for the visitors.

What the numbers really referenced was the number of Bill Clinton’s American presidency (42) and the hoped for number of Hillary Clinton’s presidency (45).

An array of local officeholders spoke before the former president, and the high school student band played for more than an hour as Clinton’s arrival was delayed. By the time U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez took the podium to introduce the former president, the audience was exasperated. Perez, rumored by some to be on Hillary Clinton’s short list for vice president, was greeted with groans, boos and shouts for “Bill!”

Undeterred, Perez spoke for a few minutes, praising Hillary Clinton for being a “dreamer and a doer.” By contrast, he called presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump a “train wreck for basic American values.” And the biggest difference between the two candidates, Perez said, is that Clinton stands for “we” and Trump stands for “me.”

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez Photo by Fran Goldstein
U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez Photo by Fran Goldstein

Bill Clinton’s entrance to the gymnasium was greeted with cheers and applause. He spoke for about 30 minutes, and listed three arguments for electing the former secretary of state and New York senator. “First, she’s been a change-maker all her life… And she’s better at it than anybody I’ve ever known,” her husband said. “She was always the first person in the room to say, ‘What are we going to do about it?’”

She also has the best ideas about how to grow the economy and how to improve the country’s educational system, Clinton added. He said her plans for education, equal pay and better pay will “help us all rise together.”

He spoke for some time about the former first lady’s focus on improving education. “She believes everybody ought to graduate from college debt-free,” he said. But her approach is different from Senator Bernie Sanders’ proposal to make college completely free. “When people can pay something, they ought to pay what they can.” In general, she wants to enable students to graduate debt free from college by offering tuition reimbursement, allowing students to pay off their debts with public service, and permitting older generations to refinance their loans at lower interest rates.

Bill Clinton also focused on the need for acceptance and uniting people. He alluded to the idea proposed by Trump to build a wall along the length of the U.S.-Mexico border. “Do we want a wall? Not on your life,” he said, as the crowd consisting of many Mexican immigrants erupted in applause. He pointed that a wall would hurt the economy and “destroy the very idea of what it means to be an American.”

Hillary Clinton would do the best job of helping the country welcome people regardless of where they are from and who they are, he said, noting that immigrants have built the American economy. While progress has been made in extending rights to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender individuals, Clinton said it is still true in America that “you can get married on Friday and fired on Monday. We need to eliminate that discrimination too.” He then spoke about the importance of ending discrimination in the workplace against people with disabilities, whom he said get fired from jobs “for which they are qualified even though they have perfect attendance (and) high productivity.”

In closing, Clinton reinforced his wife’s foreign policy and political experience. “We have two threats facing us,” he said. “One is political gridlock in Washington and second is turmoil abroad. And only one person who has a remote chance to both keep us safe in a dangerous world and make good things happen and give us the space we need to grow and lead the world out of this mess we’re in and all these crazy conflicts that are interfering with you living your future.”

He briefly referenced her Democratic opponent in a positive light, when he said, “she and Senator Sanders are having the most honest, honorable, decent debate about the right steps to take to move this country forward.”

After his remarks, Bill Clinton took off his jacket and spent some time chatting, shaking hands and taking selfies with people in the audience.

Hillary Clinton will be in California in coming days as she continues her campaign to clinch the nomination before the summer Democratic convention in Philadelphia. California is the largest of the state primaries. During the 2008 Presidential primary against Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton won in 39 of the 58 counties in California, winning the state with 52 percent of the vote. In the current campaign, she has a substantial number of endorsements from California officials, including Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

A former New Yorker, Fran Goldstein now lives in San Diego, where she works as a freelance writer and communications/marketing consultant to a nonprofit organization.

Hillary’s List of Conservatives who’ve Said NO to Trump

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Just Between Us: With so many within the GOP and other conservative ranks speaking out against the prospective Republican nominee, the message is clear that a Trump candidacy is being considered a dangerous development from both sides of the political aisle.

The Hillary Clinton campaign office states: “Last night, Donald Trump effectively captured the Republican nomination, successfully bullying his way through a crowded primary field. However, many prominent activists, journalists and elected officials in his own party have figured out what Hillary Clinton has argued all along: Donald Trump is too big a risk for America.

“Take a look at the large group of prominent conservatives who are already promising that they’ll never vote for Trump:
paul ryanRep. Ileana Ros – Lehtinen [R-FL]: “I don’t plan to vote for Donald Trump,” she said. “I don’t feel in my heart that I could support him.”

GOP Senate candidate Chris Vance: Vance, who is challenging four-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, blasted Trump’s views on trade, economics and foreign policy as “naive,” “wrongheaded” and “insane.” As a former state GOP chairman, Vance said he takes “no joy” in refusing to support his party’s presidential candidate, “but I must place conscience and principle ahead of party.”

Former Gov. George V. Voinovich [R-OH]: “I wish we had a better candidate”

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer: “I’m not endorsing Donald Trump. He hasn’t earned my vote.”

Former Gov. Bob Taft [R-OH]: “Personally, I have very deep reservations about Trump.”

Former Lt. Gov. Bruce E. Johnson [R-OH]: “Donald Trump hasn’t impressed me at all with his ‘wall’ nonsense, the trade wars, the nuclear proliferation and his bullying attitude….I think for the sake of Rob Portman and (Westerville-area U.S. Rep.) Pat Tiberi and other state and local officials, I hope (Republicans) go to the polls. Whether they can find it in their conscience to vote for Donald Trump, I couldn’t care less.”

State Sen. Shannon Jones [R-OH]: “said just because Trump is now the Republican nominee ‘that doesn’t mean I have to support him.’”

Ward Baker, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee: “In a new sign of the Republican Party’s reservations about Mr. Trump, the top strategist in charge of defending Republican control of the Senate said in a briefing for lobbyists and donors on Thursday that the party’s candidates should feel free to skip the nominating convention in Cleveland in July.”

Dan Senor, former advisor to Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney: “Dan Senor… said Mr. Trump’s dismissive attitude toward his critics could have crippling consequences in a general election.”

Bill Kristol: “When you embrace the endorsement of a rapist… I deplore that. On the day of the Indiana primary he spins this conspiracy story about Ted Cruz’ father being complicit in the assassination of a president… I mean that level of willful disregard of all facts…it was the mocking of the disabled New York Times reporter, which is such a humanely grotesque thing to do.”

Lindsey Graham: “I do not believe he is a reliable Republican conservative…do not believe he is a reliable GOP conservative nor has he displayed the judgment and temperament to serve as Commander in Chief.”

Jeb Bush: “Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed a respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy.”

Jennifer Nassour, former chairwoman of the Massachusetts Republican Party: “I’m hopeful that there will be someone else who is challenging Trump on the Republican ticket at the convention. If not, then write someone in. It’s a shame to just waste our vote, but I cannot see myself voting for Trump.”

Mac Stipanovich, former Chief of Staff to Gov. Bob Martinez: “If I thought the election hung on my vote, I would probably vote for Hillary Clinton, anything would be better than Donald Trump. He would be a disaster for the Republican Party and harmful to the nation.”
Speaker Paul Ryan [R-WI]:”U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday that he can not currently support Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee. “I’m just not ready to do that at this point,” Ryan told CNN, adding that he hopes to be able to do so in the future.”

Rep. Scott Rigell [R-VA]: “My love for our country eclipses my loyalty to our party, and to live with a clear conscience I will not support a nominee so lacking in the judgment, temperament and character needed to be our nation’s commander-in-chief. Accordingly, if left with no alternative, I will not support Trump in the general election should he become our Republican nominee.”

Former Romney staffer Garrett Jackson: “Sorry Mr. Chairman, not happening. I have to put country over party. I cannot support a dangerous phony.”

Former top Romney strategist Stuart Stevens: “I think Donald Trump has proven to be unbalanced and uniquely unqualified to be president. I won’t support him… Everyone has to make their own choice. I think Trump is despicable and will prove to be a disaster for the party. I’d urge everyone to continue to oppose him.’”

Rep. Carlos Curbelo [R-FL]: “I have already said I will not support Mr. Trump, that is not a political decision that is a moral decision.’”

Sen. Ben Sasse [R-NE]: “Mr. Trump’s relentless focus is on dividing Americans, and on tearing down rather than building back up this glorious nation. … I can’t support Donald Trump.”

Daily Caller editor Jamie Weinstein: “If it’s Trump-Hillary with no serious third party option in the fall, as hard as it is for me to believe I am actually writing these words, there is just no question: I’d take a Tums and cast my ballot for Hillary — and I suspect so would many other life-long conservatives, whether they are willing to admit it now or not.”

Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes: “This is what political division looks like. Trump’s claim to be a unifier is not just specious, it’s absurd. This casual dishonesty is a feature of his campaign. And it’s one of many reasons so many Republicans and conservatives oppose Trump and will never support his candidacy. I’m one of them.”

Former McCain adviser Mark Salter: “The GOP is going to nominate for President a guy who reads the National Enquirer and thinks it’s on the level. I’m with her.”

RedState editor Ben Howe: “#ImWithHer”

Billionaire Bush-backer Mike Fernandez: “If I have a choice — and you can put it in bold — if I have a choice between Trump and Hillary Clinton, I’m choosing Hillary.”

Lifelong Republican, foreign policy expert Max Boot: “[Hillary Clinton] would be vastly preferable to Trump.’”

Former NJ Gov., Christine Todd Whitman on a Clinton/Trump matchup: “I will probably vote for her.”

MA Gov. Charlie Baker: “I’m not going to vote for [Donald Trump] in November.”

Former RNC Chairman Mel Martinez: “I would not vote for Trump, clearly.”

Former VA Senate candidate, Ken Cuccinelli on Trump: “When you’ve got a guy favorably quoting Mussolini, I don’t care what party you’re in, I’m not voting for that guy.”

Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman: “Leaders don’t need to do research to reject Klan support. #NeverTrump”

Former Bush spokesman Tony Fratto: “For the thick-headed: #NeverTrump means never ever ever ever ever under any circumstances as long as I have breath never Trump. Get it?”

Former Eric Cantor communications director, Rory Cooper: “#NeverTrump means…never. The mission of distinguishing him from Republican positions and conservative values remains critical.”

Conservative blogger Erick Erickson: “Reporters writing about the “Stop Trump” effort get it wrong. It’s ‘Never Trump’ as in come hell or high water we will never vote for Trump”

Fox News’ Steve Deace: “Apparently @secupp has a #NeverTrump list to see who keeps their word to the end. You can sign my name in blood.”

Republican strategist Patrick Ruffini: “I will never vote for @realDonaldTrump. Join me and add your name athttp://NeverTrump.com . #NeverTrump”

America Rising co-founder and former Jeb Bush communications director Tim Miller: “Never ever ever Trump. Simple as that.”

Former Rep. J.C. Watts [R-OK] said he’d write-in someone before voting for Mr. Trump in November.

Former Director Of NV and MS GOP Cory Adair: “You’ll come around,” say supporters who just got done saying their candidate doesn’t need me. Nah. I won’t. #NeverTrump

Townhall editor Guy Benson: “Much to my deep chagrin (& astonishment ~8 months ago), for the 1st time in my life, I will not support the GOP nominee for president.”

DailyWire editor Ben Shapiro: “Really? #Nevertrump. Pretty easy.”

Wisconsin conservative radio host Charles Sykes: “I suppose I should clarify: #NeverTrump means I will nevereverunderanycircusmtances vote for @realDonaldTrump”

Editor at RedState, Dan McLaughlin: “For the first time since turning 18, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for President.”

George Mason law professor, Republican David Bernstein: “ “I’d rather Hillary Clinton win. I’d rather (and I never thought I’d say this)… If Trump wins the nomination, I will actively seek to prevent him from becoming president.”

Conservative columnist George Will: “If Trump is nominated, Republicans working to purge him and his manner from public life will reap the considerable satisfaction of preserving the identity of their 162-year-old party while working to see that they forgo only four years of the enjoyment of executive power.”

Redstate contributor Leon Wolf: “I will never vote for Donald Trump. I will not vote for him in the general election against Hillary, and I would not vote for him in a race for dogcatcher. Heck, I would not even vote for him on a reality television show.”

Former Romney adviser Kevin Madden: “I’m prepared to write somebody in so that I have a clear conscience.”

Pete Wehner, former speechwriter for George W. Bush: “I will not vote for Donald Trump if he wins the Republican nomination.”

Bill Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard: “Donald Trump should not be president of the United States. The Wall Street Journal cannot bring itself to say that. We can say it, we do say it, and we are proud to act accordingly.”

Undersecretary of State under George W. Bush, Eliot Cohen: “I will oppose Trump as nominee. Won’t support & won’t work for him for more reasons than a Tweet can bear.”

Former Jeb Bush digital director Elliott Schwartz: “In case there is confusion about #NeverTrump.”

Doug Heye, Former RNC communications director: “I cannot support Donald Trump were he to win the Republican nomination.”

Former IL GOP Chairman Pat Brady said he’d back a third-party candidate or “just stay home” if Mr. Trump is the nominee.

Washington Examiner’s Phillip Klein: “I have officially de-registered as a Republican.”

Hypeline News’ Kyle Foley: “I’m willing, if need be, to vote Hillary. That’s how strong my disdain is for Trump #NeverTrump”

Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson: “I registered Republican when I was 18 because I thought free markets and liberty were important. Not sure what “Republican” means today.”

RI Rally for Hillary Clinton at Central Falls High Elicits Emotional Response

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From an attendee: “Best Day of My Life”… A campaign volunteer—and a long time journalist now living in Rhode Island—reports for The Inside Press.
“Loudest applause line was for equal pay for women.”

Story and Photos By Susan Youngwood

The line started forming in front of Central Falls High School well before 1 pm, more than 90 minutes before doors opened, 3 ½ hours before the event was scheduled to start.

Central Falls is a poor, heavily Hispanic city in Northeast Rhode Island. The Clinton campaign opened its second Rhode Island office here, and chose this location for a rally on Saturday afternoon. The headliner: Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Rhode Island 2
As a volunteer, I staffed this event–assigned to the ADA-accessible entrance. I helped each person fill out a form with their name and contact information, and urged them to chose a volunteer shift to either phone bank or canvass over the next three days. This form was their ticket into the event.

Rhode Island votes on Tuesday: this rally was a way to get volunteers to support the campaign effort.

The most touching exchange I had was with an African-American woman who was beyond excited to see Hillary Clinton. A longtime supporter, she closed her eyes and swayed gently from side to side as she crooned her enthusiasm. “What a beautiful woman,” she said about Clinton. “I can’t wait for her to be president.” When I took her picture, so I could remember her, she started crying.

A Clinton supporter waits outside the high school before entering the rally. "“What a beautiful woman,” she said about Hillary Clinton. “I can’t wait for her to be president.”
A Clinton supporter waits outside the high school before entering the rally. ““What a beautiful woman,” she said about Hillary Clinton. “I can’t wait for her to be president.”

About 1,000 people crushed into the small gym, standing shoulder to shoulder; late-comers went into an overflow room. There was a heavy union presence; many members of SEIU wore purple buttons supporting Clinton.

Rhode Island’s top Democrats spoke first to express their support – Gov. Gina Raimondo brought her 11-year-old daughter Ceci on stage with her, saying they had spent the morning phone-banking for Clinton as a mother-daughter team. Clinton was introduced by the Central High’s Latina valedictorian, Helen Magana.

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo talks to Hillary Clinton supporters at a rally in Central Falls, RI, with her 11-year-old daughter Ceci at her side.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo talks to Hillary Clinton supporters at a rally in Central Falls, RI, with her 11-year-old daughter Ceci at her side.

Clinton spoke for about 30 minutes. Her loudest applause line was her call for equal pay for women–the crowd cheered and laughed when she noted that women don’t pay 78 percent of prices at the cash register.

She touched on many of her campaign’s themes: stricter gun controls, college affordability, reviving labor unions, supporting the middle class.

Rhode Island’s primary is semi-closed–residents can declare their party affiliation at the polling place. The last poll was conducted in February, where Clinton led Sen. Bernie Sanders 49-40. While there has been no recent polls, the sense is that the race here is much tighter, and that Sanders has a good chance of edging Clinton. Pres. Bill Clinton is paying his second visit to Rhode Island on Monday.

As the rally ended, Clinton taking selfies with dozens of supporters–I ran into my new friend outside the high school. “Best day of my life,” she declared, giving me a hug.

Susan Youngwood was a journalist for 25 years, for publications in Vermont and Pennsylvania. She now lives in Providence, RI, and is volunteering for the Clinton campaign.