Clinton Hits Economy And Student Debt At Nashville Campaign Stop

A campaign rally for Hillary Clinton at Fisk University was crowded despite the start of Thanksgiving break. Fisk students were joined by hundreds from Vanderbilt, Belmont and Tennessee State University to welcome the Democratic front-runner.

During the Friday night event, Clinton received the loudest applause when talking about her program for greater funding for the nation’s historically black colleges and easing the load of student debt.

“If you can refinance your home or your car, you ought to be able to refinance one of the biggest obligations you will ever have, which is mainly paying for your education,” she said.

On Friday, Clinton also stopped by LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, another HBCU.

Clinton talked about raising the minimum wage, closing tax loopholes and creating new jobs. On the state of the economy, she said, “We are standing, but we aren’t yet running.”

She discussed expanding Tennessee’s Medicaid program by looking at other states that have done it. “I’m just saying, Tennessee. It would help a lot of people,” she said. Clinton pledged support for Planned Parenthood and marriage equality.

She took jabs at candidates in the GOP presidential primary on issues such as climate change.

“When you ask some of the Republicans about climate change, you know what they say? They say, ‘well I’m not a scientist.’ Well, they could talk to some,” she said. “There are some here at Fisk they could talk to.”

Clinton shied away from commenting directly on the swirling debate around Syrian refugees in Tennessee and elsewhere. But she did speak briefly on immigration, saying she wants to provide a path to citizenship for those in the country.

This was Clinton’s first formal campaigning in Tennessee this year. Her message has resonated with voters in the past. In 2008, she won the state’s Democratic primary against then-candidate Barack Obama by a wide margin.

Vanderbilt student Sumaiya Delame liked what she heard, but she also wanted more.

“She didn’t go into any specifics and she kept in general,” Delame said. “I think that’s a good way to attract supporters but I think that’s a problem with any candidate at these things. They don’t go too much in depth.”

There weren’t just students at the Fisk event. Misha Maynard lives near campus and supports Clinton. 

“I am going to support her,” Maynard said. “But I wouldn’t mind getting other people to join the band wagon as well.”