Clinton at UWM: “I Need You,” Hillary Clinton Tells Crowd at UW-Milwaukee Campus

Milwaukee— Hillary Clinton spoke in the Wisconsin Room at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she said young people have a stake in the upcoming election particularly when it comes to college tuition and student loan debt.

“I have a plan that will allow any person to go to a four- year college or university to not have to pay a dime,” Clinton said to the crowd of many college students.

She added that if people can refinance homes and cars, they should be able to refinance their student loan debt and not pay an 8 percent interest rates.

Clinton also went after the home state governor who is running for president. She criticized Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s recent positions against Planned Parenthood, strict anti-abortion laws, and cutting unions, saying the governor likes to act tough because “he gets marching orders from the Koch Brothers.”

“But you know what,” Clinton said, “Leadership means fighting for the people you’re representing.”

Walker’s campaign sent Media Milwaukee a response statement in an email, saying, “Hillary Clinton could learn a few lessons from the bold reforms we’ve enacted in Wisconsin since I took office.”

Clinton frequently mentioned women’s health and equal gender pay as top concerns.

“The Republicans often say there she goes playing the gender card,” said Clinton. “If advocating for equal pay for equal work is playing the gender card, deal me in.”

Clinton came to Wisconsin as new polls show she has a tougher battle in her own primary. The New Quinnipac Iowa Poll released today puts Bernie Sanders over Clinton for the first time in Iowa, at 41 percent with Clinton at 40 percent.

Professor Thomas Holbrook, a political scientist who researches campaign and elections, said that even though Clinton’s numbers have dropped over the last several months, it does not mean the numbers cannot go back up.

“The key is how many show up to vote,” said Holbrook.

The event was originally scheduled to take place in Spaights Plaza but moved to the Wisconsin Room due to possible rain.

A crowd of several hundred filled the Wisconsin Room. An overflow crowd had to be held in a spare room where they could only hear Clinton speaking, not see it.

Moments before appearing on stage, the black back drop collapsed, making the crowd gasp and pull out their phones to take photos.

Supporters in the crowd talked about how they were glad she made the stop in Milwaukee. Many were excited to see her full speech instead of just getting sound bites from the news.

While it seemed major support was inside the Wisconsin Room, outside, there were also many anti-Hillary supporters.

In fact, Clinton’s appearance at UWM was organized by a group of non-Clinton supporters, according to Devin Gatton.

Gatton, a history and political science major, said he is the leader of the group of students that brought Clinton to campus. He said they did not organize the event through any student organization but rather booked it through social media.

The students had a table set up on the steps in the Student Union with fliers on why Clinton should not be elected President of the United States.

“She believes that because she has a last name of Clinton she should be entitled to the seat,” said Gatton. “In addition to that, her positions on a number of issues really have made it so that we don’t want this party as president.”

While some may not feel as strongly as Gatton, others are still weary.

Karlet Negrete, a junior at UWM studying public health and global security, said she attended the rally to learn more about Clinton because she is still unsure whom she will vote for.

Among all issues, health care is the most important to her.

“I work in public health care. People don’t know where to go to get help,” said Negrete.

Negrete also said immigration is an important issue to her since she is originally from Mexico.

Clinton acknowledged Dontre Hamilton’s mother, who was present at the rally.

“I just want to say as a mother and a grandmother my heart breaks for the family of Dontre Hamilton,” said Clinton. Hamilton was shot and killed by a Milwaukee police officer in 2014.

Clinton said there needs to be gun law reform and plans to work on one if elected president.

“We need to end the violence that has cast a shadow over Milwaukee and many of our communities,” said Clinton.

However, not everyone cheered for Clinton’s ideas.

During her speech, protestors started chanting against Clinton when she talked about the economy and jobs.

The chants were quickly laid to rest when Clinton started talking louder over them to make her point eventually leading supporters to chant “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary.”

“I need you,” said Clinton to the crowd.