Clinton Campaign to Participate in Wisconsin Vote Recount

On Saturday, Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced that it will take part in a vote recount in Wisconsin. The recount was initiated on by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein. The recount comes in light of fears that voting technology may have been tampered with in the state. In a post on Medium, Clinton lawyer Marc Elias wrote that, while their internal investigations did not reveal an evidence of vote tampering, the campaign will take part in the recount.

A number of prominent politicians and Clinton supporters have called upon the Clinton campaign to challenge the results in battleground states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. There is a building frustration among Clinton’s supporters for a lack of comment from the former presidential candidate’s campaign, especially as Clinton’s lead in the popular vote count remains close to 2 million. Elias says that the campaign appreciates the support, but they have not felt the need to push for expensive recounts. He wrote, “The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities. While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.” Read Elias’s full post below:

Listening and Responding To Calls for an Audit and Recount

Over the last few days, officials in the Clinton campaign have received hundreds of messages, emails, and calls urging us to do something, anything, to investigate claims that the election results were hacked and altered in a way to disadvantage Secretary Clinton. The concerns have arisen, in particular, with respect to Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania — three states that together proved decisive in this presidential election and where the combined margin of victory for Donald Trump was merely 107,000 votes.

It should go without saying that we take these concerns extremely seriously. We certainly understand the heartbreak felt by so many who worked so hard to elect Hillary Clinton, and it is a fundamental principle of our democracy to ensure that every vote is properly counted.

Moreover, this election cycle was unique in the degree of foreign interference witnessed throughout the campaign: the U.S. government concluded that Russian state actors were behind the hacks of the Democratic National Committee and the personal email accounts of Hillary for America campaign officials, and just yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the Russian government was behind much of the “fake news” propaganda that circulated online in the closing weeks of the election.

For all these reasons, we have quietly taken a number of steps in the last two weeks to rule in or out any possibility of outside interference in the vote tally in these critical battleground states.

First, since the day after the election we have had lawyers and data scientists and analysts combing over the results to spot anomalies that would suggest a hacked result. These have included analysts both from within the campaign and outside, with backgrounds in politics, technology and academia.

Second, we have had numerous meetings and calls with various outside experts to hear their concerns and to discuss and review their data and findings. As a part of this, we have also shared out data and findings with them. Most of those discussions have remained private, while at least one has unfortunately been the subject of leaks.

Third, we have attempted to systematically catalogue and investigate every theory that has been presented to us within our ability to do so.

Fourth, we have examined the laws and practices as they pertain to recounts, contests and audits.

Fifth, and most importantly, we have monitored and staffed the post-election canvasses — where voting machine tapes are compared to poll-books, provisional ballots are resolved, and all of the math is double checked from election night. During that process, we have seen Secretary Clinton’s vote total grow, so that, today, her national popular vote lead now exceeds more than 2 million votes.

In the coming days, we will continue to perform our due diligence and actively follow all further activities that are to occur prior to the certification of any election results. For instance, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania conduct post-election audits using a sampling of precincts. Michigan and many other states still do not. This is unfortunate; it is our strong belief that, in addition to an election canvass, every state should do this basic audit to ensure accuracy and public confidence in the election.

Beyond the post-election audit, Green Party candidate Jill Stein announced Friday that she will exercise her right as a candidate to pursue a recount in the state of Wisconsin. She has indicated plans to also seek recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Because we had not uncovered any actionable evidence of hacking or outside attempts to alter the voting technology, we had not planned to exercise this option ourselves, but now that a recount has been initiated in Wisconsin, we intend to participate in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides. If Jill Stein follows through as she has promised and pursues recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan, we will take the same approach in those states as well. We do so fully aware that the number of votes separating Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the closest of these states — Michigan — well exceeds the largest margin ever overcome in a recount. But regardless of the potential to change the outcome in any of the states, we feel it is important, on principle, to ensure our campaign is legally represented in any court proceedings and represented on the ground in order to monitor the recount process itself.

The campaign is grateful to all those who have expended time and effort to investigate various claims of abnormalities and irregularities. While that effort has not, in our view, resulted in evidence of manipulation of results, now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

News Source: The Washington Post, CNN, Medium

Hillary Clinton Calls for Unity in Concession Speech

Hillary Clinton delivered her concession speech this morning in New York City. In the speech, Clinton thanked Tim Kaine and Anne Holton, her family, and the Obamas for all their support on the campaign trail. She also thanked her staff, campaign volunteers, and everyone who has supported the campaign by voting or donating. Clinton asked that everyone not be discouraged by the results saying that she hopes Donald Trump will be “a successful president for all Americans.” She urged everyone to keep fighting for what they believe in saying, “This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it. It is, it is worth it. And so we need — we need you to keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives. And to all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me: I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.” A video and transcript of Clinton’s speech is below.

TRANSCRIPT:

Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you so much. A very rowdy group. Thank you, my friends. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you so very much for being here. I love you all, too. Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country.

I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans. This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I’m sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together. This vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life.

I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this.

Our campaign was never about one person, or even one election. It was about the country we love and building an America that is hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted. We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America, and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power.

We don’t just respect that. We cherish it. It also enshrines the rule of law; the principle we are all equal in rights and dignity; freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values, too, and we must defend them.

Let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let’s do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear. Making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top, protecting our country and protecting our planet.

And breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams. We spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American dream is big enough for everyone.

For people of all races, and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities. For everyone.

I am so grateful to stand with all of you. I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey.

It has been a joy get to go know them better and gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front lines of our democracy representing Virginia in the Senate.

To Barack and Michelle Obama, our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude.

We thank you for your graceful, determined leadership that has meant so much to so many Americans and people across the world. And to Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.

You crisscrossed this country, even 4-month-old Aidan, who traveled with his mom. I will always be grateful to the talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country.

You poured your hearts into this campaign. To some of you who are veterans, it was a campaign after you had done other campaigns. Some of you, it was your first campaign. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anybody could have ever expected or wanted.

And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to their neighbors, posted on Facebook — even in secret private Facebook sites.

I want everybody coming out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going forward.

To anyone that sent contributions, even as small as $5, that kept us going, thank you. To all of us, and to the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this — I have, as Tim said, I have spent my entire life fighting for what I believe in.

I’ve had successes and setbacks and sometimes painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public, and political careers — you will have successes and setbacks too.

This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.

It is, it is worth it.

And so we need — we need you to keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives. And to all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me: I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.

Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will — and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

And to all of the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.

Finally, finally, I am so grateful for our country and for all it has given to me.

I count my blessings every single day that I am an American, and I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strengthen our convictions, and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us.

Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that. You know, scripture tells us, let us not grow weary of doing good, for in good season we shall reap. My friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary and lose heart, for there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.

I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.

President Barack Obama also held a press conference today in which he congratulated Trump on his victory and committed to a smooth transition of power. Obama said that he will meet with Trump at the White House on Thursday. He said that he is dedicated to ensuring a successful transition of power because that is how American democracy works. Obama added, “We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country.” A video of his speech is below.

News Source: The New York Times, Vox, NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN

Clinton Wins the Popular Vote, Trump the Presidency?

While the results of last night’s election are not final, the electoral vote was a shock for Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Most polls showed her leading going into Tuesday, so it was a surprise to many, including Republicans, when Donald Trump pulled of the victory. For Clinton, the loss has to be especially painful given that she appears to have won the popular vote. I’ll repeat, Clinton got more votes than Trump, yet he is president-elect. For years, members of both parties have questioned the need for the Electoral College, and last night’s results are sure to bring up those debates again. For the second time in the last two decades, the candidate to receive the most votes is not president. This is not American democracy.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The New York Times, Politico, CNN

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Arizona and Nevada

Hillary Clinton campaigned in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday where she spoke about the importance of the election and electing down ballot Democrats such as Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto. During her speech, Clinton outlined a number of her key platform points including her plans to create jobs, pass comprehensive immigration reform, and build an economy that works for everyone. Clinton attacked rival Donald Trump for admitting that he would only accept the results of the election if he won and for his divisive comments and policies. She concluded her speech by asking everyone to vote. “The question is what kind of change are we going to have? Are we going to build a fairer stronger better America or are we going to fear the future and each other?” she said. A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

Clinton then spoke at a rally in Tempe, Arizona. She appeared at the event with former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly. During her speech, Clinton spoke about a number of platform points including passing common sense control, creating jobs, and building an economy that works for everyone. She also went after Trump saying, “Imagine a president who demeans women, mocks the disabled, insults Latinos, African Americans, Muslims, POWs, who pits people against each other, instead of pulling us together. Someone with a very thin skin, who lashes out at anyone who challenges him, who praises adversaries like Vladimir Putin and picks fights with our allies and even insults the Pope.” Clinton concluded by asking everyone to vote on November 8th turn “turn Arizona blue.” A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, The Arizona Republic

Tim Kaine Encourages Early Voting in Ohio

Tim Kaine returned to the campaign trail in Ohio today after attending last night’s World Series baseball game played between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs. He began the day at a rally held at Lorain High School outside of Cleveland. Campaigning with Senator Al Franken, Kaine spoke about the importance of ensuring Democrats win the Senate, and he encouraged voters to not only support Hillary Clinton but Senate candidate Ted Strickland too. Kaine also spoke about Hillary’s platform points and her plan to bring jobs to Ohio, the dangers of electing Donald Trump, and the importance of voting and the importance of Ohio to the campaign saying, “If we win Ohio the race is over. Hillary Clinton will be president.”

Kaine then went to a rally outside Columbus in Gambier. He spoke about a number of Hillary’s policy proposals including her plan to make college more affordable, create jobs, and raise the minimum wage. Kaine attacked Trump for his refusal to not only accept the results of the election unless he wins, but also for refusing to take responsibility for his own actions. “He’s losing and he will not be able to accept responsibility … He’s going to try to blame it on something else — the media is against me, they rigged the election … If we can win big, he can whine all he wants,” he said. Videos from today’s events will be added when/if available.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Fox8, Cleveland.com, The Columbus Dispatch

Hillary Clinton Returns to Florida to Encourage Early Voting

Hillary Clinton spent her birthday campaigning in Florida. Her first event was on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth. During her speech, Clinton spoke about a number of plans including her proposals to grow the economy, create jobs, and make college more affordable. She also went after Republican Donald Trump and his rhetoric during the campaign cycle and for saying he will not accept the results of the election unless he wins. Clinton called this statement “horrifying” and called it an attack on American democracy. She then spoke about the importance of the election not only for the presidential race, but the down ballot races as well. She encouraged voters to send candidate Patrick Murphy to the U.S. Senate and kick out Senator Marco Rubio. Clinton then asked everyone to vote on November 8th or to take advantage of early voting adding, “Ten million people have already voted, and two million of them right here in Florida. That means Florida has already cast 20 percent of the votes that are in the ballot box. Don’t let anyone tell you they don’t have time to vote.” Watch a video of Clinton’s speech below.

Clinton then traveled to Tampa where she urged voters not to become complacent given current polling numbers. “With 13 days left in this election, we cannot stop for a minute. No complacency. Nobody flagging. We’ve got to get everybody out to vote,” she told supporters. Clinton spoke about a number of her platform points including her plans to raise the minimum wage, ensure equal pay for women, and guarantee paid time off for families. Clinton criticized Trump for his campaign rhetoric saying that she thinks that America’s diversity is one of it’s strongest assets. She said, “I am proud to have support from Republicans and independents here across Florida and across America who agree with me that we should reject hate and division. We have seen Donald Trump insult nearly every person in America, and I just find that so intolerable because — look at this diverse crowd, look at Tampa. It’s a cosmopolitan city.” She concluded by urging everyone to vote. A video from the event is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Sun Sentinel, WTSP, Tampa Bay Times

President Obama Campaigns for Hillary in Las Vegas

President Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail on Sunday and spoke at a Democratic Party rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his speech, Obama blasted Republican Donald Trump for his rhetoric and refusal to accept the results of the election should he lose. Obama encouraged everyone to vote for Hillary Clinton because she has a clear plan, and, as he put it, “We can’t afford the other guy.” Obama also spoke about the importance of voting for Democratic candidates in other races down the ballot as well, especially in the Senate. He urged those in attendance to support candidate Catherine Cortez Masto because she will fight for them in the Senate and work with Clinton to ensure that important work is done. He summed up his speech by asking everyone to vote on November 8th and to take advantage of early voting. “I need everybody here to not just vote yourselves, but you’ve got to get your friends, your neighbors, your cousins to vote,” he said. A video of Obama’s speech is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun

Image Source: Corine Lesnes

Hillary Clinton Campaigns with Mothers of the Movement in North Carolina

Hillary Clinton returned to North Carolina on Sunday where she spoke at a Sunday morning church service and two campaign events. At each of the events, she appeared with Mothers of the Movement, a group of women who have lost children as a the result of gun violence. She began this morning in Durham where spoke at Union Baptist Church. Clinton spoke about the importance of reducing violence, reforming the criminal justice system, and working to end the racial divide in our country. A video of Clinton’s remarks is below.

Clinton spoke to a crowd of supporters at St. Augustine’s University in Raleigh about her plans as president, but she also turned the focus of her message away from herself and on candidates running for office down ballot. She spoke about the importance of electing Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross in North Carolina, and Clinton encouraged voters to support Ross in addition to supporting her and Tim Kaine on November 8th. While in Raleigh, Clinton also met with voters outside of an early voting center. Watch a video of Clinton’s speech from the rally below.

Clinton then traveled to Charlotte where she spoke to a group of supporters at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. During her speech, Clinton went after Donald Trump for his pledge to not accept the results of the election saying that he is a “direct threat to our democracy.” Clinton then spoke about a number of her key platform proposals including a plan to invest in the infrastructure, increasing investments in the economy, and her plan to make college affordable for everyone. Clinton said that she understands that not everyone supports her and there will be people that vote for Trump, but she wants to be a president for everyone. “I want to be the president for every American – Democrats, Republicans, independents. We have to bring this country together. We have to have everyone pulling in the same direction. I understand some people are angry, but anger is not a plan,” she said. Watch a video of her speech below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: WNCN, News & Observer, NBC News, The Charlotte Observer

Hillary Clinton Campaigns in Cleveland

On Friday, Hillary Clinton returned to the campaign trail with an event in Cleveland, Ohio. Clinton did reference Wednesday night’s debate saying that her three debates with Donald Trump more than prove that she has the stamina to be president. Speaking at Cuyahoga Community College, Clinton focused on her plans to help the middle class and ensure that everyone in America has an equal opportunity. She also addressed Trump’s refusal to say that he would accept the outcome of the election saying, “Make no mistake, by doing that, he is threatening our democracy. We know in our country the difference between leadership and dictatorship. The peaceful transition of power is one of the things that sets us apart.” She concluded by talking about what winning Ohio would mean to hear and urged everyone to take advantage of early voting or to vote on November 8th saying, “I want to earn your vote.” A video of Clinton’s speech is below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Columbus Dispatch, Cleveland.com

Michelle Obama Campaigns for Hillary in Phoenix

On Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton in Phoenix, Arizona. Obama spoke to a crowd of over 7,000 about the optimistic vision for America offered by Clinton and her campaign platform. She condemned Donald Trump for his hateful rhetoric, and she blasted his refusal to say that he would accept the results of the 2016 election, regardless of the outcome. She said, “You don’t keep American democracy in suspense.” Obama then spoke about the importance of voting and how Arizona will play a vital role in this election. She admitted that this election cycle has been rough, but she said, “Do not let yourself get tired or frustrated or disgusted by everything you’ve seen in this campaign. Please, be encouraged. I have traveled the world, and I am telling you we still live in the greatest country on earth. We have every reason to be hopeful. Remember that in difficult times, we don’t give up. We don’t discard our highest ideals. No! We rise up to meet them. We rise up to perfect our union. That is the power of hope!” Watch a video of Obama’s speech below.

For all the latest, follow our Scheduled Events page and follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Also, be sure to subscribe to the campaign’s official Podcast, With Her.

News Source: The Arizona Republic, NBC12, The Washington Post