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March 28, 2024

Bill Clinton says Trump stoking political ‘road rage’ among voters

President Bill Clinton Speaks

L.E. Baskow

Former President Bill Clinton speaks to the crowd on behalf of Hillary Clinton during an event at the College of Southern Nevada on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016.

Updated Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 | 4:27 p.m.

President Bill Clinton at CSN

Former President Bill Clinton talks about the things Hillary Clinton would do if elected president as he stands in for her at a campaign event at the College of Southern Nevada, Cheyenne Campus in North Las Vegas on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016. Launch slideshow »

Stumping for his wife today in North Las Vegas, former President Bill Clinton delivered a wide-ranging criticism of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, accusing him of stoking a type of political “road rage” among voters.

Clinton, speaking to a crowd of about 450 people at the College of Southern Nevada, Cheyenne Campus, said Trump is feeding the anger of people fed up with the status quo.

He acknowledged that not enough has been done in parts of the United States, such as coal country, to help struggling workers combatting a shifting economy. He said he understood why people were angry, but they should choose “answers over anger.”

“We don’t need to feed the road rage,” Clinton said. “We need to slow the car down and think.”

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, was scheduled to be in Nevada today but cleared her schedule until Thursday after her campaign announced on Sunday that she was recovering from pneumonia.

Bill Clinton noted her illness and the internet firestorm it set off over the weekend, with some people questioning her fitness to be president.

“It’s a crazy time we live in, you know, when people think there’s something unusual about getting the flu,” Clinton said. “Last time I checked, millions of people were getting it every year.”

He then launched into a criticism of Trump’s central argument — that America needs to be made great again — without ever mentioning the Republican candidate by name.

While Trump’s campaign is predicated on making America great again, Clinton said, turning the economy back 50 years would hurt Hispanics and African Americans, because life wasn’t so great for them in that era.

“I will give you the economy you had 50 years ago and everything will be hunky dory,” Clinton said, mimicking Trump. “You just got to get me elected at let me beat people up for you.”

Clinton said his wife would fight for everyone, even those who choose to support Trump.

“If you want to vote to make America great like it was 50 years ago, have at it,” Clinton said. “But if she wins, she’s coming back for you.”

He praised the programs at the College of Southern Nevada, saying Hillary Clinton would provide incentives for businesses to support worker training and education and create a stronger economy. He said she would raise taxes on businesses that move overseas and help those that invest in their workers.

“Hillary wants to reward long-term investment, profit-sharing, training and support for programs like yours, investment in research and development so we can have a healthy economy in the long run,” Clinton said.

He also talked about her plan to make it easier to start and get loans for small businesses and cheaper to operate them in the early years.

She also wants to ensure affordable, fast broadband internet access in every community, including in rural areas and on Native American reservations, which would help create an “unbelievable” number of jobs, Clinton said.

On immigration, Clinton said, “All I can tell you is the worst thing we can do is try to break up 11 million people and send them home.”

At one point, a woman interrupted Clinton to say something that was mostly inaudible about immigration. “I’m hard of hearing; I’ll never be able to hear what you said,” Clinton said, telling the woman to come talk to him after the event.

He also noted the Republicans who have endorsed Hillary Clinton, believing she is the strongest candidate on national security. And he dismissed criticism of the Clinton Foundation, referencing a campaign contribution Trump made from his personal foundation to a political action committee supporting Florida’s attorney general.

“If you think it’s OK to make unlawful contributions out of your personal family account and then attack my foundation ... then he’s the guy,” Clinton said.

At the end of his speech, Clinton encouraged supporters to register to vote and get their friends to register. “Go out there and win this election for yourself, your children and your grandchildren,” he said.

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