Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton championed middle-class economics, affordable health care and racial justice at a campaign stop at the Louisiana Leadership Institute in Baton Rouge on Monday.
The speech was part of an event to organize and recruit volunteers in Louisiana for Clinton’s presidential campaign, drawing a crowd of more than 1,200 people, said Hyma Moore, communication manager for New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.
Clinton advertised her tenure as Secretary of State for the Obama administration in 2009, following a disastrous recession she said was caused by Republican leadership.
“I don’t think President Obama gets the credit he deserves for pulling us out,” Clinton said.
She dropped Obama’s name several times to a warm reception from the Baton Rouge crowd and characterized her husband’s presidential tenure as financially successful. She said former president Bill Clinton brought the country a balanced budget with a surplus of funding and millions of new jobs.
“When we just look at the facts, things work better when there’s a Democrat in the White House,” Clinton said.
She also attacked the expansive GOP field of presidential candidates, including Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has been kept out of prime-time debates so far because of his low-ranking poll numbers.
“Your governor turned away federal dollars that would have paid to expand Medicaid,” Clinton said. “He put ideology ahead of the well-being of people and families in this state.”
Clinton criticized the recent three-hour GOP debate featuring leading Republican candidates. She said none of them discussed important issues, such as college affordability, equal pay for equal work and childcare.
She returned to the issue of health care throughout her speech, reiterating her support for the Affordable Care Act and berating Republican presidential candidates who aim to repeal it.
“I’m not gonna let them tear up that law,” she said. “Not on my watch.”
She said Jindal’s refusal to expand Medicaid cost Louisiana thousands of jobs and contributed to racial inequality, as half of the people who are unable to get health insurance are ethnic minorities.
Clinton received applause from the largely African-American crowd when she touched on racial injustice.
“We need to say, loudly and clearly, black lives matter,” Clinton said.
She said race plays a significant role in determining who gets ahead in the United States and pointed to systematic problems in the criminal justice system. She added Louisiana has the highest incarceration rate in the country and said criminal justice reform would be a priority of her presidency.
Clinton reflected on her low-income background, growing up with a mother who worked as a maid. She said her mother sometimes received her only meal of the day from a generous first-grade teacher who would share with her.
Clinton said her mission in the White House would be to pull middle and low-income families up and increase stagnant wage growth.
“I believe in America,” Clinton said. “If you work hard and do your part, you should be able to get ahead and stay ahead.”
She said wages are staying low, but the costs of college and living expenses are rising — factors caused by republican leadership. Teachers are struggling to educate students who are too hungry to learn, she said.
“In this election we have to remember what works, and be ready to call out those who want to go back to failed economic policy,” Clinton said.

Gallery • 12 Photos

Zoe Geauthreaux

A member of the audience films Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's speech to supporters on Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, during a grassroots organizing event in Baton Rouge.