Everything that happened at Hillary’s rally yesterday

Hillary compared her campaign to ‘big job interview’

It’s one thing to see political rallies on TV, and another to be in the midst of one.

The grandiose atmosphere of such an event was evident from the line that wrapped around Frew Street two hours prior to show time. Both supporters and oppositions alike were present, along with students who simply came along for the ride.

Photo by Angela Liu

Of course, it wouldn’t be politics if there weren’t acts of PDA – Public Displays of Animosity. Ardent Bernie supporters stood their ground across the building in lamentation of the wrong candidate showing up, so they brought their own candidate, but in enlarged paper mache form.

“I’m personally a Bernie fan,” said Catherine Mondoa, sophomore in CIT. “I just want to hear what our next potential President has to say.” Truth to be told, many in the crowd held similar sentiment.

Bernie supporters across from Skibo Gym

“I think it’s more important to be a part of the scene, and to get involved,” said Hannah Avery, sophomore in CIT. Quite a few students were wavering in their decisions and were there to be informed.

Ever since the political scene at CMU became a little feisty since last week’s painting of the fence, students are becoming more engaged in this conversation, but with friendly and open mentalities.

Political activism at the fence last week

In regards to the political atmosphere on campus, Student Senate Chair Julia Eddy feels she is in the minority in her support for Hillary. “I understand why students find [Bernie’s] idealism really appealing, and he’s been very important for this election to bring his really progressive policies to the forefront,” she acknowledged.

Like most Hillary supporters, Julia found her to be more practical. “We have a Republican Congress right now, and most likely it’s going to stay that way. Frankly, his policies will not be able to pass Congress,” she reasoned. “His voting records are good… but I’m not sure he knows how to form bipartisan initiatives … whereas Clinton is a more practical candidate who really understands how to leverage bipartisan support.”

Photo by Angela Liu

After some performances that showcased CMU’s inarguable talents, the gym was embalmed with positive energy as Hilary was welcomed onto the stage with appropriately chosen soundtrack, “Fight Song”.

She opened her rally with powerful statements which captured the most profound experiences of being a student at CMU.

“Our diversity is our greatest asset,” Hillary declared to the colorful gathering before her, “It makes us the luckiest nation in the world.” The audience’s resounding approval is not a surprise. Diversity has traditionally been an area in which CMU excels with its percentage of international students hovering around the forties and an equally diverse faculty population.

To begin, Hillary compared her campaign to “a big job interview,” another topic that struck home for the students, for better or for worse.

“You want to know, who are these people running for President? Where do they come from? What do they believe? What have they, not just said, but what have they accomplished?” Hillary clearly turned the situation around and put the students in the driver’s seat, giving them the opportunity to evaluate her throughout the rest of her rally. And she didn’t disappoint. She sailed through every issue with empowering personal anecdotes that rendered resounding cheers that clearly touched the soft spots of every member in the crowd.

“I care passionately about [climate change] because I actually listen to the scientists,” Hillary said to loud applause. “If you ask the Republicans who are running, they all say ‘Well I’m not a scientist’. Well I bet Carnegie Mellon could help teach them about climate change.”

Photo by Angela Liu

With regards to employment, she declared that she “[has] a very specific plan to do this” by establishing a “national infrastructure bank.”  Hillary continued to appeal to the crowd when she announced her “ten billion dollar plan that will invest in the kind of inventions and productivity that can come right out of this great university!”

She continued on the issue by shedding some impressive statistics. “Carnegie Mellon has the best return on federal dollar research money coming to any high end institution in the country,” she noted, and “we’ve got to do more for small business, especially for young people… to follow their dreams”.

In regards to women’s issues, she made the stark statement that “when [your mother or sister are] at the store, the cashier doesn’t say, you only have to pay 78 cents on the dollar! Or if you are an African American woman, you only have to 68 cents on the dollar! Or if you are a Latina woman, you’ve only got to pay 58 cents on the dollar!” The reaction from the crowd was vehement. “There’s no woman’s discount for failing to get equal pay in the first place,” she concluded on that issue as she promised to strive for equal pay.

Hillary continued onto the economy, where she paid some snarky compliments to the Republicans. “You can give the Republicans credit for consistency, and they are consistently wrong when it comes to the economy!” After a little history and statistic lesson that addressed the increase of family income during the administrations of Democratic presidents, she finally spent a good amount of time addressing student debt. “I want to end your debt after a certain number of years… even if you still have unpaid debt. We are going to end the practice of the government making money off of lending money to students!”

Photo by Angela Liu

By this point, many wavering minds before the event were on board. Hillary concluded her rally by touching on her work to reconcile differences with an Republican Congress and  the importance of National Security. “It is essential to do everything we can to lead the world… to advance our values, and to keep us safe at home.”

When Hillary concluded her speech with a glorious promise to fight for a better future, it was clear that students didn’t regret giving up a few hours of their studying time by the roaring echos of applause and cheers.

Junior Business Major Brian Walsh critically commented that “a lot of candidates don’t talk about gun control.” It is an issue that is low on the priority list, and in comparison to the Bernie rally he’s attended earlier last week,  Hillary also “brought up different pay and women’s rights, which Bernie failed to mention.”

The crowd quickly dispersed after Hillary stepped down. People rushed to either return to their busy schedules, or to the front of the stage to fight for that precious selfie with the potential next President of the United States. Others rushed out to take selfies with Mache Sanders across the street.

And if you’re lucky, you got a rare snap with a Hillary-supporting Trump running around with a campaign poster.

Photo overseen on Overheard at Carnegie Mellon. Photo contributor: Patrick Jennings

No matter which candidate you cast your vote for, this event proved that Carnegie Mellon is a progressive community that is tolerant of all political views, and most can agree that this rare occasion added some positive awareness to our academic community.

Taking heed of Hillary’s concluding statement, don’t forget to vote on April 26th at the Pennsylvania Primary and cast in favor of a future that you believe in.

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