Hillary Clinton's Bay Area stop draws support, protests

ByWayne Freedman and Laura Anthony KGO logo
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Hillary Clinton's Bay Area stop draws support, protests
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's trip to the Bay Area drew just a few protesters on Friday.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's trip to the Bay Area drew just a few protesters on Friday.



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In the afternoon, she greeted supporters and volunteers at her downtown campaign headquarters and encouraged them to keep up the hard work, right through the California primary on June 7.



Of course Sanders has also set up an Oakland office and pledges to stay in the race right through California.




Clinton eventually headed to an event at Oakland's La Escuelita Elementary School where she spoke to a packed house in Oakland. In fact they had to put some people into an overflow room. Clinton was joined onstage by Senator Barbara Boxer, Mayor Libby Schaaf, and other Bay Area dignitaries.



As she has throughout her campaign, Clinton focused on affordable college tuition, women's rights, and she took particular aim at presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.



"What I'm hearing from him talk about, 'Oh let other countries have nuclear weapons,'" she said. "We've been trying to end nuclear weapons in the world, to try to reduce the numbers to prevent other countries from having them. And he talks about it like it's some real estate deal. Like, 'Oh, let's make a deal and give them nuclear weapons.' That is dangerous it is reckless. So we've got to have an election about who should be in that oval office come January 20th 2017."




There was a brief outburst during Clinton's 20 minute speech. And afterward, those exiting the event were greeted by a very small group of demonstrators, some of them Bernie Sanders supporters.



"I am a human rights and women's rights activist, a feminist, and I feel like liberal feminism that is neo-liberal by Hillary Clinton is unfortunately privileged," said demonstrator Annamarie Enriques.



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It's safe to say that if a political appearance runs late, it's pretty much on time. And that's what we had at San Francisco's Masonic Auditorium for a sold out fundraiser where people paid anywhere from $45 to $5,000 to hear Clinton appear with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Clinton arrived there just before 6 p.m.



Security there was tight but not suffocating. There were more women in attendance than men and there was also a certain fervor as one would expect at a political rally with the three politicians.



We asked one of Clinton's supporters, retired teacher Cathy Nolan, why this year's election is more important.




"It is more important this year because Trump is the Republican nominee, or presumptive, and we can't let him be in the White House," she said.



In the meantime, across the street and on the steps of Grace Cathedral, a quiet protest was held. It was nothing like what we saw Thursday night in Los Angeles.




We asked Erin Brightwell why she was there. Representation, she said, or a lack of it.



"The political establishment does not represent me. It does not represent average, ordinary people," she said. "And if they think they are represented by the likes of Hillary Clinton, you know, unfortunately they are mistaken."



Despite the fact that she appears to be the presumptive nominee, her campaign is saying she still needs the money. Not only in California, but also for the party and for other Democratic candidates.



For full coverage on the 2016 election, click here.

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