NEW YORK | BY JONATHAN ALLEN
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton promised on Saturday to fight for ordinary Americans who have been left behind as the economy recovers, appealing to working families at the first major rally of her 2016 White House campaign.
Speaking on New York's Roosevelt Island, within sight of Manhattan's skyscrapers, Clinton promised would "make the economy work for everyday Americans, not just those at the top" if elected president.
The gathering of several thousand people cheered as Clinton said working people are asking why wealth is reserved for chief executives and hedge fund managers.
"You have to wonder, when does my hard work pay off? When does my family get ahead? When? I say now," she said.
The big outdoor rally marked a change in gear for Clinton.
The former secretary of state, who launched her election campaign in low-key fashion in April, has so far held small events with selected participants. Her focus has been on states such as Iowa that hold early contests in the party process of picking a candidate for the November 2016 election.
Clinton, who is running to be America's first woman president, trumpeted her record on women's rights and talked about her mother's tough upbringing.
"I may not be the youngest candidate, but I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States," said Clinton, 67.
She named President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidents Bill Clinton, her husband, and Franklin D. Roosevelt as examples of the kind of leader she admires.
Clinton, a former New York senator, has started the race with huge name recognition. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders and former Democratic Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley are challenging her from the left for the nomination as party candidate.
Although Clinton is well ahead of the pair in polls, Sanders appears to be gaining traction in Iowa. He has called on Clinton to say clearly whether she supports OBAMA'S PLANSfor a free trade deal with Asia.
Trade is a divisive issue for Democrats, and members of the president's party rebelled at a vote in the House of Representatives on Friday, impeding passage of a measure to give Obama fast-track authority to reach the Asia trade deal.
Clinton avoided the controversy on Saturday but did address concerns about trade.
"For decades Americans have been buffeted by powerful currents. Advances in technology and the rise of global trade have created whole new areas of economic activity and opened new markets for our exports but they have also displaced jobs and undercut wages for millions of Americans," she said.
The Republican nominating battle is off to a crowded start, with 10 candidates who have formally declared they are running and several others likely to launch White House bids. They include former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is set to jump into the race on Monday.
(Additional reporting by Lisa Lambert in Washington; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Frances Kerry)
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