Hillary Clinton: ‘What Happened in Flint Is Immoral’

Clinton telling residents gathered at a community meeting inside a Baptist church on the city’s north side, that she will fight for the residents and clean water “as long as it takes”.

“Our Democratic candidates have run spirited campaigns focused on how to best move our country forward, and our upcoming debate in Flint, Michigan, is a critical setting to highlight what’s at stake in these elections”, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement distributed by CNN.

Speaking from the pulpit at House of Prayer Memorial Baptist Church, Clinton told a largely African-American audience that what has happened in Flint, where untreated water has been contaminated with lead, is not just an environmental crisis, but one deeply imbued with race. Before her remarks, Clinton said she met with two mothers whose kids health had worsened because of the water. She also pressed Democrats to schedule a presidential in Flint in March ahead of Michigan’s primary. “As I said weeks ago, if what had been happening in Flint had happened in Grosse Point or Bloomfield Hills, I think we all know we would have had a solution yesterday”, Clinton added, referencing two wealthy, largely white Detroit suburbs.

“I’m not a politician… but Hillary Clinton is on the waiting list”, Stewart said. “I will not for one minute forget you or forget about your children, because what happened here should never have happened anywhere”. “It’s going to take time, hoping that everyone will come together and do right by the citizens and the city”.

Clinton is set to return to New Hampshire and resume campaigning on Sunday evening.

Thomas reported from Manchester, New Hampshire.

In recent days, she’s been using the state as a testing ground for new campaign messages targeted at specific demographic groups, alluding to her gender with vows to break “the highest and hardest glass ceiling” and promising young voters that she’d “be for them” even if they support Sanders.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People charged that action to change the water supply would have been quicker if Flint wasn’t such a poor community. Rather than attack a Republican governor from a neighboring state, Ohio Gov. John Kasich pivoted when asked about Flint during the January 28 debate in Iowa to talk about his own handling of a water problem in Toledo. On Saturday night, he left the state for an appearance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” with comedian Larry David, whose imitations of Sanders on the show have quickly gone viral.

“This to me a personal commitment”, Clinton said.

“This is a humanitarian crisis”, Sanders said.