Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy for the 2016 presidential run today with a true gesture of the modern age: a YouTube video distilling the message of her campaign through the voices of her would-be voters. That’s a group that Hillary was clearly thinking about broadly when she made her campaign video — particularly when it comes to Latinos. Clinton tweeted her announcement in both English and Spanish.
I’m running for president. Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion. –H https://t.co/w8Hoe1pbtC
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 12, 2015
Estoy postulándome para presidente. Todos los estadounidenses necesitan un defensor. Yo quiero ser ese defensor. –H http://t.co/MnnmLkYqLd
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 12, 2015
Clinton’s video is decisively slated to appeal to the middle class. Single mothers, industrial workers, and a host of ethnic minorities make up the video’s cast, explaining the problems they face as individuals as working Americans. Once Hillary appears near the end of the video to announce her presidential bid, she further highlights this message.
“Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked is still favor of those at the top. Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion. So you can do more than just get by, you can get ahead — and stay ahead. Because when families are strong, America is strong.”
These references to a middle class focus in Clinton’s campaign are also present in other materials that have been circulated in the wake of her announcement. Hillary’s run was first announcement in an e-mail sent to donors by Clinton campaign chairman John D. Podesta. Although many of the recipients of the e-mail were likely wealthy contributors to Hillary’s campaign, Podesta still made a point to end by saying that the middle needs to “ mean something again ,” reported the New York Times .
Being favorable to the middle class, however, hardly defines what Hillary will target in a complex and difficult campaign. Likely to face a competitive Republican candidate in 2016, Clinton will undoubtedly have plenty of time to flesh out her policies. Still, some media, including the Washington Post , noted that this depth wasn’t well-covered in Hillary’s initial video.
“The announcement — designed to be as low-key as anything involving Clinton can be — contains no overarching campaign theme. Nowhere does Clinton succinctly say why she wants to be president or why she would be good at the job.”
Do you think a middle class focus would be enough to secure Hillary Clinton the presidency in 2016?
[Image via Patrick Smith/Getty Images]
