General News
Harlem rally for Hillary
Nov 1, 2007 12:35 PM
Sen. Hillary Clinton speaks at the rally.
It was billed as Hillary’s homecoming by Congressman Charles Rangel: a spirited rally for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton at Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church on Oct. 27.
Rangel, a longtime friend and confidant of Sen. Clinton and her husband, organized the rally on his home turf with just over two months remaining before the first votes are to be cast for the Democratic nomination.
More than 1,600 supporters, many of them working people and union members, turned out to cheer Sen. Clinton’s bid for the presidency.
Noting the African American struggle for equality — represented by the very church in which Clinton’s supporters had gathered — UFT President Randi Weingarten addressed the crowd, “When we say we want justice for all, she will help us get justice for all!”
Organizers had originally planned to hold the rally outside the state office building in Harlem; but when heavy rain was forecast, they moved it to Abyssinian, one of the oldest black churches in the country and the former domain of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the first African American to become a powerful figure in Congress.
Although it was Saturday, rally attendees clapped their hands and rocked in their seats as if they were in church, while being treated to a gospel-fest by Abyssinian’s choir.
“We need an economic system that will support the home child care workers we just organized!” Weingarten said, drawing hearty applause from Clinton supporters.
“When we say we want better education, it can’t just be a slogan; it has to be for every child in this city, in this state and in this nation. And there is one presidential candidate who will make that happen!” Weingarten continued.
Sen. Clinton, who was introduced by former President Bill Clinton, addressed Weingarten by name when she offered her plans for education if she is elected president.
“Randi, we’re going to get to work on education,” Clinton promised, drawing cheers of approval from the audience. “We’re going to invest in universal pre-K, starting with children from a disadvantaged background.”
The senator said she was committed to creating educational opportunities to help all children achieve.
The crowd roared when Clinton declared that “we’re going to fix No Child Left Behind” and secure the funding needed to support the law’s mandates.
Also present at the morning rally were City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Rep. Joseph Crowley, Lt. Gov. David Paterson, Assemblyman Keith Wright, City Councilwoman Inez Dickens and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat.
