Clinton Draws on Celebrity Support As Trump Goes It Alone

In what has become an increasingly competitive race, Hillary Clinton sent celebrities from politics and the music industry across battleground states Friday to try to revitalize Democrats. Meanwhile, Donald Trump preserved his go-it-alone approach.

The Democratic presidential nominee concluded a day of campaign stops at a crowded, star-studded concert in Cleveland. Clinton showered praise on rapper Jay Z and his wife, singer Beyonce, asking thousands of cheering fans for their votes as she stood beside the celebrity couple on a brilliantly lit stage at the Wolstein Center.

“Please take this energy out with you,” she said. “Help us win Ohio.”

On the other hand, Trump boasted that he didn’t need stars to lure thousands to his events.

He told a packed rally Friday night in Hershey, Pennsylvania that he didn’t have to bring J-Lo or Jay Z. “I am here all by myself. Just me. No guitar, no piano, no nothing.”

Trump’s campaign has been a contentious one and has split the Republican Party. He has appeared with a ragtag group of backers including former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight. A scheduled event with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for Saturday was canceled after a couple of his top aides were found guilty Friday on all counts for their roles in the “Bridgegate” scandal.

On Saturday, Trump and Clinton will be campaigning in Florida. Both are on last-ditch efforts to win support in a state where early voting have already surpassed 2012 levels. Strong Latino numbers, particularly around Miami, boosted Clinton’s team. However, the Democrats have seen their odds drop in Ohio, a crucial battleground state that’s been tilting toward Trump. Clinton’s numbers are also weakening in New Hampshire.

Clinton’s campaign has held a succession of free concerts intended to create enthusiasm for her bid, particularly among minority and millennial voters. While singer/actress Jennifer Lopez took the stage in Miami, R&B singer Ne-Yo and rocker Bon Jovi rallied voters in North Carolina. Steve Wonder was performing in Philadelphia.

Clinton will host a concert on Saturday night with pop star Katy Perry in Philadelphia. After the event, she would return to the city on Monday for a collaborative rally with her husband Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, and first lady Michelle Obama. Pennsylvania is a state where Clinton has sustained a solid lead; In six presidential elections, it has not voted for a Republican.

Clinton’s celebrity supporters complement an already deep line-up of political backups eager to campaign for Clinton. On Friday, President Obama in campaigned in North Carolina, Vice President Joe Biden in Wisconsin and Sen. Bernie Sanders in Iowa.

On the other side of the campaign trail, Trump spent Friday on a visit of rural areas. He hopes to encourage turnout among the voters attracted to his pledge to bring back a lost America. He started his day in Atkinson, New Hampshire, wherein according to the Census Bureau, has a population 6,800 and nearly 98 percent white. From there, he was bound for Wilmington, Ohio, another predominantly white community where only 13 percent of its 12,500 inhabitants have a college degree.

In a rally more than 2,000 miles from the Mexican border, Trump elicited loud cheers in Atkinson. This was when he promised to build an immense wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The crowd jeered when he argued that Clinton supports open borders.

“Her plans would mean generations of terrorism, extremism and radicalism spreading into your schools and through your communities,” Trump proclaimed.

Nearing the Finish Line

Despite a close race in national polling, Trump’s road to victory remains slim. His campaign seems to be more and more about making up for losses among suburban voters, specifically college-educated women, by enticing new voters in remote places.

However, Democrats are taking little for granted with polls tightening across battleground states. On Friday, Hillary Clinton made an afternoon stop in Detroit, Bill Clinton worked to raise turnout in Colorado, and Vice President Joe Biden was heading to Wisconsin — all states Clinton was assumed to have a sure win weeks ago.

 

The post Clinton Draws on Celebrity Support As Trump Goes It Alone appeared first on Newsline.