At New York Rally, Hillary Clinton Focuses on Income Inequality

Thousands of supporters attend rally on Roosevelt Island in New York City.

Hillary Clinton used the first public rally of her presidential campaign to align herself with the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, saying she wanted to ease income inequality and would push for expanded paid family leave, universal preschool and other liberal priorities.

“You know by now I’ve been called many things by many people,’’ she told the crowd. “Quitter is not one of them.”

Mrs. Clinton’s speech, to a crowd of thousands on New York City’s Roosevelt Island, marked an effort to reintroduce her to voters two months after formally starting her White House campaign. During that time, she has continued to face questions about foreign donations to her family’s charitable foundation and about her exclusive use of a private email account to conduct official business as secretary of state. Her campaign appearances have often been before small audiences.

After her remarks on Saturday, she was joined on stage by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, who did not address the crowd but watched from the audience in a bright red polo shirt.

Mrs. Clinton said she would push for a range of policies at the forefront of the Democratic agenda, including paid family leave and universal preschool—a continuation of her effort to endear herself to the party’s energized left flank.

In response, Allison Moore, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said after the speech that the address “was chock full of hypocritical attacks, partisan rhetoric and ideas from the past that have led to a sluggish economy leaving too many Americans behind. Next year, Americans will reject the failed policies of the past and elect a Republican president.”

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