(Updated) Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton finally did what many Democrats and many women have been hoping she’d do: she announced she’s running for president in 2016. The video announcement features representatives of the middle class and the Democratic coalition—historically including gay and lesbian couples—who are “getting ready to do something.” Clinton then says:
I’m getting ready to do something too: I’m running for president. Americans have fought back from tough economic times. But the deck is still stacked in 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.
So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote. Because it’s your time. And I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
Embedded in the video (:50 in) are shots of two men holding hands walking, with one saying: “I’m getting married this summer to someone I really care about.” UPDATE: The Human Rights Campaign has identified the gay couple as Jared Milrad and Nathan Johnson, who plan to marry this summer.
A later montage shows two lesbians.
Additionally, Mother Jones reports that Clinton has hired a gay campaign manager, Robby Mook.
Married gay Los Angeles County Democratic Party Chair and California Democratic Party Vice Chair Eric C. Bauman immediately came out with a personal endorsement:
“Hillary Clinton is an exceptional leader and fierce fighter whose outstanding work in restoring America’s image abroad and standing up for everyday Americans make her extraordinarily qualified to be our President. That’s why I stand with Hillary as she shatters the ultimate glass ceiling of our nation to become our next President of the United States.”
Equality California, California’s largest statewide LGBT civil rights organization—which already endorsed Clinton last month —also quickly released a statement.
“We asked her to run, and now that she has entered the race, Equality California will pull out all the stops to help her win,” said Equality California executive director Rick Zbur. “Electing Hillary Clinton as our next President is one of the most important things we can do to advance LGBT equality and acceptance. Throughout her career, Sec. Clinton has been a champion for the LGBT community. Not only is the Supreme Court at stake, but her election is crucial to backstop the potential targeting of our community by the current anti-equality Congress.”
Here’s Hillary’s new website and on Facebook.
Right wing radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt rejected on NBC’s Meeting the Press Sunday, April 12, that Hillary Clinton had not been vetted, as New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Clinton’s campaign manager for her 2000 New York Senate campaign insisted. Interestingly, despite de Blasio’s longtime close relationship the Clintons, he has not endorsed her.
But barring some major shift in the economy or an unforeseen tragedy that might force her out of the race, Clinton is expected to not only win the Democratic presidential nomination but the presidency, as well. Here’s Jonathan Chait in New York Magazine:
“Unless the economy goes into a recession over the next year and a half, Hillary Clinton is probably going to win the presidential election. The United States has polarized into stable voting blocs, and the Democratic bloc is a bit larger and growing at a faster rate. ….
The argument for Clinton in 2016 is that she is the candidate of the only major American political party not run by lunatics. There is only one choice for voters who want a president who accepts climate science and rejects voodoo economics, and whose domestic platform would not engineer the largest upward redistribution of resources in American history. Even if the relatively sober Jeb Bush wins the nomination, he will have to accommodate himself to his party’s barking-mad consensus. She is non-crazy America’s choice by default. And it is not necessarily an exciting choice, but it is an easy one, and a proposition behind which she will probably command a majority.”
This is a developing story.