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Hillary Clinton Talks Trump, Russians and Women in Ann Arbor

Reginald Hardwick
/
WKAR Public Media
Former presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right in the blue) waves to crowds after speaking in Ann Arbor on October 24, 2017.

During an hour and half discussion about her new memoir What Happened, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton urged the crowd of mostly supporters to not be discouraged by her loss to Donald Trump in the presidential race last year. 

"The outcome in Michigan was not what I hoped or worked for," said Clinton. She said in addition to cleaning out closets, doing yoga and meeting with friends after her defeat, she's forming a new organization called Onward Together.

"To encourage the outpouring of activism and engagement that we are seeing right now," said Clinton. "Nothing makes me feel better than channeling my frustrations into action and I hope many of you have come to the same conclusion because our future depends on it."

Clinton, who served as a Secretary of State under President Barack Obama, discussed at length how Michigan voters were targeted by Russian linked social media articles.

She took President Trump to task for not doing enough to stop interference in upcoming elections.

"Even Attorney General Sessions himself says the administration is doing virtually nothing to prevent future attacks," said Clinton. "If you are an American, this should alarm you. It is shameful. The President swore an oath to faithfully execute the law and defend our Constitution and he should start doing his job."

Clinton said sexism in politics can only be driven out by more women running and winning office.

"I hope women of all ages will read this book and be inspired to run for office, to compete, to get into the public arena," said Clinton  as the crowd cheered. "And I intend to do everything I can to help."

It’s a message that resonated with some attendees we talked with in the lobby of Hill auditorium after Clinton’s appearance.

Simrun Buttar is a computer engineering major at the University of Michigan. Politics may be on the horizon.

'[The speech] showed a lot of things that I as an individual and as a college student can do to make my voice more heard," said Buttar. "Especially as a woman too... ways that I can contribute to my community on local levels, like with grassroots organizations and just different groups on campus that I can join." 

94 percent of African-American women voted for Clinton and physician Helen Byrd of Detroit said there is good reason for that.

"I think she knows how hard it is to be a woman and to be a black woman and what women have to face," said Dr. Byrd. And she has hopes Clinton is thinking about one more presidential run.

"Love her. I hope she runs in 2020. She's wonderful."

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