Clinton on election: ‘Stakes don’t get much higher’

Detroit — Beyond the choices of different political parties and vision, the presidential election represents something more fundamental, Hillary Clinton told thousands who gathered Sunday at Cobo Center for the Detroit Branch NAACP 61st Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.

“It’s about unity versus division, compassion versus selfishness, love versus hate,” said Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner. “The stakes don’t get much higher.”

Clinton appeared in Detroit for the first time since she lost the Democratic presidential primary in Michigan to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders last month by 17,168 votes, capturing 49.7 percent of the primary vote; since then, Clinton’s campaign has surged.

During a 31-minute speech, Clinton wove a narrative about Detroit, Flint and the rest of America, and how she was the candidate to best unite the nation and prevent progress under President Barack Obama from being “torn away.” She touched on that progress, but also on the work still needed, she said, particularly on issues of concern to African-Americans.

When she talked of Detroit, she pointed to the rebound of the automotive industry and the resurgence of many parts of the city such as Midtown. But she also emphasized that she was aware that many neighborhoods and residents in Detroit are not feeling the recovery.

“We can’t be satisfied until the economic revitalization we are seeing in some of Detroit’s neighborhoods is felt in all of Detroit’s neighborhoods,” Clinton said. “We can’t be satisfied until every parent has a good paying job, and every grandparent has secure retirement.

“We can’t be satisfied until all of Detroit’s children are learning in good schools, with good classrooms with good teachers with no crumbling ceilings or mold or rats scurrying across the floor,” she said, referencing Detroit Public Schools.

Referring to Flint, where water has been tainted by elevated levels of lead, she said the nation can’t be satisfied until all Americans have safe, clean drinking water.

“There are too many Flints in America, places where the water children are drinking is not safe, where the air they breath is not clean,” Clinton said. “We cannot get distracted, not until all of our children have what they deserve in every community that has been left out and left behind.”

The issues are challenges of politics and policy, she said, but they point to whether America believes that everyone needs to be treated with dignity and respect.

“Or do we think some children are less worthy, some families less valuable, some people less than because of their race, religion, income, gender, identity or some other ugly excuse,” Clinton said. “Do we want America to be a place where, as Langston Hughes put it, the quality is in the air we breathe.”

Clinton wrapped up her speech by calling on Detroiters to help her bring unity to America, and build on Obama’s legacy.

“We cannot let Barack Obama’s legacy fall into Donald Trump’s hands,” she said.

Clinton is 218 delegates short of clinching the Democratic nomination, with 2,165 delegates to Sanders’ 1,357, which includes her 520 superdelegates. Superdelegates include party leaders and members of Congress.

Clinton’s themes were echoed by others throughout the dinner.

Imam Hassan Qazwini opened the evening with prayers and referenced the election season, where, he said, hatred, division and bigotry are widespread.

“(For) all those who tirelessly work for good ... we say God bless them and support them and enable them,” said Quazwini, former leader of the Islamic Center of America. “But for those who seek to divide our nation, and we say, ‘God disavow them and make their request for power futile.’ ”

NAACP President Wendell Anthony said he was pleased to have guests at the dinner from all corners of the globe.

“All roads lead to Detroit at this time of year,” Anthony said.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan highlighted legislation aimed at rescuing Detroit Public Schools from insolvency and debt, saying that lawmakers needed to approve a $715 million plan that was passed last month by the state Senate and is under debate by the House.

“Detroit will never be truly be great again until it includes our children, all of our children,” Duggan said.

Among those honored at the dinner was a 94-year-old Detroit native who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for heroic service and meritorious achievement during World War II.

Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson was presented the award by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Stabenow said Jefferson is one of the few remaining Tuskegee Airmen still alive. It was the first African-American unit to fly combat airplanes in World War II.

In 1944, he was shot down on his 19th mission in Europe and taken prisoner by the Nazis. His prison camp was liberated in 1945, but he saw atrocities at the Dachau concentration camp.

In 2007, Jefferson and other Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal — the nation’s highest civilian honor.

NAACP President Wendell Anthony also touched on issues involving Detroit and the nation, from the public education system to neighborhoods to the Black Lives Matter movement. Then, Anthony, a reverend, introduced the former first lady and secretary of state with the fire normally seen in a Sunday morning sermon.

“Americans have always worked harder and smarter,” he said as she took the stage. “We learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating them and we do not shirk from the challenges ahead. Thank you, Secretary Clinton, for not shirking, but for persisting.”

kkozlowski@detroitnews.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report.