Bill Clinton Promises Prosperity, Scoffs at Trump’s Outreach to Black Voters

DETROIT, MI — Appearing in Detroit two days after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made a direct appeal to black voters, former President Bill Clinton said his wife, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, has worked hard for black interests, said prosperity will return under her administration and said the auto industry would return to a perilous position under Trump, according to media reports.

Vintage Bill Clinton, who has always connected well with crowds, showed up for the annual Labor Day parade through Corktown and the United Auto Worker’s picnic following the parade. The 42nd president marched for several blocks with his Secret Service escorts, hugged and lifted children and posed with selfies as an adoring crowd of all backgrounds shouted, “We love you, Bill.”

Hillary Clinton was in Ohio with her running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, on Labor Day.

“I know the last time we had the same economic policies that (Donald Trump) is recommending — cut the taxes like crazy on the richest people in America, double the debt and have no money left over to invest, stop regulating financial institutions, repeal the health care law with nothing to replace it, stop enforcing all these environment laws, global warming is a hoax invented by China — the last time we did that kind of stuff, it didn’t work out so well for us,” Clinton said t the picnic at UAW’s Solidarity House in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported.

In an interview with The Detroit News, Clinton dismissed Trump’s claims that Democrats and the Clintons take African-Americans for granted, citing his wife’s work to get black children out of adult prisons in South Carolina, her efforts stop segregated academies “from getting illegal tax exemptions” and her outreach in Flint.

“First of all, if we have to do something else to counter it, then you assume that the entire African-American community is suffering from amnesia,” Clinton said. “After what Hillary did for Flint, the work I did with Detroit to try to help Shinola, to try to help the mayor develop a mortgage program so people can move in and the work that I’ve been doing since the 1990s.”

Speaking at the picnic, Clinton scoffed at Trump’s pitch to black voters in a campaign appearance in Michigan last month, when he suggested Democrats and Hillary Clinton have failed African-Americans.

“Hillary’s opponent said the other day something interesting ... ‘Vote for me, what have you got to lose’,” Clinton said. “But here’s what I know. I know the last time we fought the same economic policies he’s recommending, cut the taxes like crazy (for) all the richest people of America, double the debt, stop regulating the financial institutions ... stopping enforcing the environmental laws. The last time we did that kind of stuff, it didn’t work out too well for us.”

Hillary Clinton’s economic plan will mean more jobs for Michigan, her husband said.

“... She’s got a way better plan. Even Sen. (John) McCain’s economic adviser said if her plan were enacted we’d get 101/2 million new jobs quick and if (Trump’s) were enacted, we’d lose 31/2 million. And that’s what a Republican said,” Clinton said.

He also brought up Trump’s business failures and “contractors that were never paid.”

“A lot of his supporters think that’s fine because they think that’s the way all business people behave,” Clinton said. “And that is not true. How would you feel if all of a sudden ... you don’t have enough money to sue me, so I think I’ll pay you half what I told you I would. There’d be a riot, wouldn’t it?”

Clinton told autoworkers their jobs would be in jeopardy under a Trump presidency because his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, opposed President Barack Obama’s bailout for General Motors and Chrysler when he was in Congress.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan compared Bill Clinton’s visit with Trump’s stop two days earlier, according to The Detroit News.

“Donald Trump had to be locked up with a controlled crowd, and Bill Clinton walks down a public street and everybody comes up and talks to him,” Duggan said.

In a statement, Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ronna Romney McDaniel said Bill Clinton’s appearance is proof that “Michigan is in play this election.”

“Bill Clinton’s campaign trip is a desperate effort to rebuild trust in Hillary. However, he can’t hide the fact that her plans will fail to rebuild our national economy the same way President Obama’s are failing now. Her campaign can offer no solutions, only continued pandering. She has proven time and time again that she isn’t prepared or fit to serve as Commander-in-Chief, and her husband’s stop does nothing to change that.”

In Michigan, RealClear Politics’ average gives Clinton a 7.3 point advantage over Trump. However, the Ipsos/Reuters poll released last week suggests the race may be tighter in Michigan than the aggregate of polls suggests. It gives Trump a 1-point lead over Clinton, 44 percent to 33 percent, in Michigan. He also holds leads in New Hampshire (14 points), Wisconsin (3 points) and Maine (1 point) in that poll.

A new Fox News poll released last week also shows Clinton’s lead is evaporating and has just a 2-point lead in the first survey of a four-way matchup that includes Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who siphon more votes from Clinton than from Trump.

For more, including crowd reaction, go to The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.

Photo: File photo of Bill Clinton by Gage Skidmore via Flickr Commons