Hillary Clinton photo

Remarks at Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

October 22, 2016

Secretary Clinton: "Thank you! Thank you all so much!

Wow. It is so great to be back here in Pittsburgh.

I do not think it gets any better than to be accompanied out onto the stage by Dan and Pat Rooney.

I am a big admirer of the Rooney family and I was so honored to serve with Dan when he was our ambassador to Ireland.

The Rooney family commitment to Pittsburgh is really extraordinary, and it's not just the amazing commitment to the Stealers. As special as that is, but to their roots, what they believe in, their values, and their deep concern for future generations. So I am incredibly humbled to be supported by Dan and Pat and the Rooney family. It means a great deal to both Tim and me.

I also want to thank congressman Mike Doyle who is here with us. Allegheny and county executive Richard Fitzgerald who is here. Mayor Bill Peduto. Mayor John Federman. Pennsylvania attorney general Bruce Beemer. And all the other elected officials, it means a lot for you to be here with us. If all goes well in 17 days, we are looking forward to working with you on behalf of Pittsburgh.

Some of you know that I have a special place in my heart for Pennsylvania, and I am excited about helping, in any way that we can, for Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, and western Pennsylvania to keep moving forward with confidence and optimism about what is possible for the future we want to create together. I am thrilled to be here with Tim Kaine.

I asked him to be my running mate because I knew he would be one of the smartest, toughest, most qualified vice presidents we have ever had. And I also knew he had never lost an election.

I kind of figured that might rub off on me a little bit. Now that I have gotten to spend more time with him, and with his wonderful wife Anne and their family, I am even more confident that he will be such an extraordinary leader for our country. He is not just smart, tough and qualified, Tim Kaine is as good and decent a person as you will ever meet.

I am deeply honored to have him by my side in this campaign. Tim and I are excited by all of the energy and enthusiasm we are seeing across the country, and particularly here in Pennsylvania.

But both of us, unlike our opponent, do not believe we can do this alone. We believe that we are going to do this by working with all of you. And that we are going to come together in the next 17 days and convince everybody you can to get out and vote because whatever issue you care about, it's going to be on the ballot. It may not be listed, but it will be on the ballot.

Whether you care about new, good jobs with a rising incomes or you care about better education or you care about what we can do to get the cost of prescription drugs down. What ever it is you care about, it is literally going to be on that ballot.

Now, my name and Tim's name may be the ones on the ballot, but we are going to be representing everything that we can do that you hope for our country. And we're going to need help doing that after the election, and that is why I hope you will do everything you can to elect Katie Mcginty, your next senator.

You know, Katie is the daughter of a Philadelphia police officer. I think she is one of 10 children, right? One of 10 children. She has devoted her professional life to protecting working families. I have known her now for more than 20 years, when she was really young, and I have seen that same can-do spirit. She just gets up every day, and asks what can she do to fight for healthier neighborhoods, to keep our kids and healthy, to fight for cleaner air and cleaner water, to help people make the most out of their own lives.

Now she is running for the senate, because like Tim and I, she believes our economy should work for everyone, not just those at the top.

Katie is exactly the kind of partner we need in the senate. But more importantly, she is exactly the kind of senator that Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania needs in the senate. We have got to get things done for the people of Pennsylvania and America, and Katie will help us break through the gridlock, actually make a difference in people's lives, help us create more good jobs with rising incomes, guarantee equal pay for women, defending planned parenthood.

And I think it is pretty clear when you look at Katie's opponent -- he still refuses to stand up to Donald Trump.

A lot of republicans have. They have had the grit to stand up and say 'he does not represent me'.

But Pat Toomey heard Donald attack a grieving gold star family who lost their son in Iraq. He heard Donald called Mexican immigrants rapists, he heard him say terrible things about women. He heard him spread the lie that our first black president wasn't really born in America -- how much more does Pat Toomey need to hear? If he doesn't have the courage to stand up to Donald Trump after all this, then can you be sure he will stand up for you when it counts against powerful interests?

So, you know, when I look at this, I'm thinking to myself, we have work to do in Washington. And I know it's not easy. I understand we have some real challenges. I believe we can do it. I would not be standing here, Tim would not be with me -- but we need people in Washington who put you first, who get up every day thinking about middle-class families, who worry about where you are going to get the money to send your kids to college, how you are going to take care of your mom or dad because they are failing and what are you going to do for them? How are you going to deal with all of the challenges? That is what I try to do my entire life. That is who you should be electing, people who care about you, your families, your children.

Now, as Tim said, he asked if any of you watched the debate on Wednesday. Well, I will tell you, that was the third and last time I will ever have to debate Donald Trump.

I mean, think about this, I have now spent 4 and a half hours on stage with Donald, proving once again I have the stamina to be President and commander in chief.

And after every one of those debates, people have said, how did you do that? And really, you just have to be of good cheer when you find yourself in a situation like that. You are in front of 50, 60, 70, 80 million people. So, no matter what he would say, I just kept thinking of all the people I have met throughout this campaign. Just early today I've met Henry over there. Henry is on top of his dad's shoulders, and Henry gave me a note saying he hoped I would be president, and you know, I really want to be president for all of the kids in America to do everything I can to help you.

You know, I also did have a chance to talk about some of the important concerns people have shared with me. From the first day I started this campaign back in april 2015, people have been telling me what is on their minds, and it is one of the greatest honors.

You know, sometimes it is just fleeting. I will be in a coffee shop shaking hands or I will come down and shake hands on a rope line, just running into somebody. And that person, that man or woman or that young person takes a moment to stop, looks into my eyes. I can tell they are trying to take my measure, and I am grateful that they take their vote, their choice so seriously. And then they might say something like, I have a really terrible problem in my family. My son or my daughter has gotten addicted to opiates or to heroin. What are you going to do about it? Or maybe they will say, my brother has schizophrenia, and we can't afford to get him the kind of consistent care he needs . Or maybe they will say, I am a diabetic. And the drug company has just raised the cost of insulin, and I can't afford it. What are you going to do about it?

That is the right question to ask anybody running for president, because at the end of the day, this is about you. As I said the other night, we are going to invest in the middle class. We are going to grow this economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.

And we are going to make sure that we produce a enough good jobs with rising incomes so that every single person, especially every single young person in America can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you.

Now, I've got to say, I believe in hard work. That is how I was raised. I believe you've got to work for what you get in life. But I think we have to knock down some of the barriers that stand in the way of people getting ahead and going as far as they should. For me, that starts by believing in our country.

You know, there has been no other place in the history of the world that has given so much opportunity to so many. Do we have problems? We have problems. Do we have challenges? Of course we do. We are human beings. But boy, there is no more blessed place. And Donald Trump did something the other night that no other presidential nominee has ever done of either party. He refused to say he would respect the results of this election.

Make no mistakes about this, my friends. He is threatening our democracy. Look, I have lost elections. You don't feel very good the next day, believe me. But we know in our country the difference between leadership and dictatorship, right?

You know, the peaceful transition of power is one of those things that sets us apart, and whether you support me or my opponent, together we must show we support American democracy. And I believe both Donald Trump and I should be grateful for the opportunities that our country has given us. And the best way to demonstrate that we support our democracy is to turn out and vote. And there is an inspiring story being written by people across America right now. We have just reached a milestone, more than 200 million Americans are registered to vote in this election.

And you know what? That includes 50 -- more than 50 million young people. More than ever before. I find that a very hopeful sign. And here in Pennsylvania, hundreds of thousands of more voters are registered then were in 2012. What does this tell us? I think it tells us no matter how much negativity is out there, something exciting is happening right now. People are coming together -- democrats, republicans, independents -- all to reject hate and division.

And in the states where they can, people are motivated to vote early, to defend core American values, and embrace a future where every person counts, everyone has a place, everyone can contribute. You see, despite what Donald Trump may think, most Americans really believe we can do better. Most Americans really believe women should be respected.

Most Americans really believe that workers should be paid fairly. Most Americans be-lieve that the United States should work with our allies to lead the world and keep us safe.

The energy we are seeing in the final weeks of this campaign is about more than winning an election. It is about standing up to the kind of country that we want for ourselves and our children. And it is about the kind of lessons we want to teach our sons and daughters. I want you to know, if Tim and I are fortunate enough to be your president and vice president, we will work with everyone.

Now I imagine here in allegheny county and if you are from further west, you probably know people who are thinking about voting for Donald Trump. And here is what I want you to tell them. I want you to tell them that I understand that they need a president who cares about them, will listen to them, and I want to be their president, too.

Because whether you agree or disagree with me, whether you vote for me or vote against me, I believe we can disagree without being disagreeable. I have seen that. I know it can happen. And I know there are a lot of people here in Pennsylvania who have a lot of questions. They want to know, how do we move forward better. They want to know about their town where there used to be a lot of jobs and there are not as many any more. They are upset what they see around them. I get that. But anger is not a plan.

And we need -- we need to work together. We need plans that will help us deal with the legitimate concerns and questions that people have in Pennsylvania. I think that is what our whole country needs right now. That's what I will try to do. I am not going to pretend that we can snap our fingers and solve our problems. That does not happen in the real world. But I know we can make progress together. The choice we face in this election is stark, especially when it comes to the economy.

Tim and I believe when the middle class thrives, America thrives. And when we invest in working families, in the middle class, in small businesses, we can make the economy work again for everybody. I think it is fair to say that both Donald Trump and Pat Toomey have a different perspective. They believe -- and they believe this -- if you give trillions of dollars -- and they mean trillion with a t -- of tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires, corporations, it will all trickle down to everybody else. It has not worked before and it has caused us a lot of messes we have had to clean up, and I have been privileged to see presidents up close and personal -- right. Married to one, that's right. Worked for one.

And here is what I know. That when you focus on helping the middle class, you end up lifting everybody. When you focus on helping the top, you help the top. That is not good enough. Donald likes to say he is on the side of American workers, but his actions tell a different story. Yes, he has bought cheap Chinese steel and aluminum for his construction projects. He should be buying good American-made steel that supports good American jobs.

I would like to hear Donald explain to American steelworkers filing for unemployment why he put Chinese steel workers to work, instead of steelworkers here in Pennsylvania. And for all his talk about putting America first, he has made many of his products in 12 different countries. So if he wants to make America great again, why doesn't he start by making things in America? And we now know -- we now know he hasn't paid a dime in federal income taxes for years. He says that makes him smart. Well, I don't know how smart you have to be to lose a billion dollars in a year in the first place. Especially -- answer me this -- how do you lose a billion dollars when you are in the casino business?

Never could figure that out. But what it means is that every one of us is paying more in federal income taxes than a billionaire has. That is wrong and we will end of those kinds of loopholes and gimmicks.

I will tell you what. It also means Donald has contributed zero -- zero for our military, zero for our vets, zero for pell grants to help young people go to college, zero for our highways, zero for everything. And yet he stands up on stage and criticizes America. Well it's unfair and it's wrong. With your help, we will make the biggest investment in new jobs since World War II, jobs in infrastructure. Our roads, our bridges, our tunnels, our ports, our water systems all need help, and those are a lot of good jobs waiting to be done, jobs that can't be exported out of Pennsylvania.

I believe we can bring advanced manufacturing back to the United States. That is why we will invest $10 billion in a make it in America partnerships that brings together workers and unions and businesses, universities, and community colleges.

Some countries are going to take the lead with precision machineries. Some countries is going to take the lead with 3-d printing. We invented both of those technologies. We should take the lead and we should have the jobs.

We are also going to fight climate change with clean, renewable energy jobs. And we are going to help small businesses which will create two thirds of all of the new jobs in America. And we are going to defend your right to organize and bargain collectively for higher wages and benefits. Don't let anybody fool you, my friends. assault on worker rights and unions is an assault on the middle class.

It is time to say loudly and clearly, right to work is wrong for workers and wrong for America.

So, I have set some big goals. I am excited about what we are going to do. And it's all going to put people to work right here. And sometimes folks say to me, how are you going to get that done? You go to the congress —well first of all, I hope we will elect some or democrats. That will be job number one. Number two, I think it will be a very simple question. Our members of congress, members of the senate going to be on the side of the rich, the powerful, and the wealthy, or on your side? And you know what? They are going to have to answer that question. Because if they stay beholden to the special interest, if they continue to do the bidding of the lobbyist and lawyers and others who stand outside their doors -- I have been in the senate. I have seen it. I know it. If they are going to continue to do the work of those who are already privileged in America, then I want to make sure that they don't come back to Washington after the next election.

We are in a great, great high school here, and I am so proud to be here.

And so, we are going to be a good partner with education, especially with educators. We are going to start with universal pre-k. We want good schools with good teachers in every zip code so every kid gets a world-class education.

And I want us to bring technical education back to high school. I think it was a mistake when we took it out.

There are a lot of good jobs that you can be prepared for in today's economy -- coming out of high school, maybe going to community college, going into an apprenticeship program, and I want to lift up that work. A four-year college degree should not be and is not the only way to have a good job with the rising income and a satisfying life.

We are going to make public colleges and universities tuition free for any families making less than $125,000 a year. And we are going to help you pay down your college debt.

It's going to be great. To help you pay it back as a percentage of your income at your job, so you are never on the hook for more than you can afford. I worked on this with Senator Bernie Sanders, and it's going to help save -- it's going to help save people thousands of dollars.

In fact after a year, maybe after you are here -- you can go to hillaryclin-ton.com/calculator to see how much your family can save. We want you to know we are going to deliver results for you.

I mean, ultimately it's pretty simple. I think the American dream is big enough for everybody and I want everybody to have your chance to get your piece of the American dream.

So, there's a lot of work we are going to be doing. We need to raise the national mini-mum wage. People who work full-time should not be mired in poverty. We are, as Tim said, going to guarantee equal pay for women. You know, look, it's not just a woman's issue. If you have a mother, which all of us do -- if you have a mother, a wife, a daughter, or a sister who's working, it's your issue. It's good for the entire family, it's good for our economy.

So my friends, there is a lot for us to do in the next 17 days. Because we have got to get the word out. We have got to tell everybody what we are doing and why this election is so critically important. And that's where all of you come in. If you do know people who are thinking about voting for our opponent.

Audience Member: Nope!

Secretary Clinton: Well, you may. You know, I hope you will stage an intervention.

And I do hope you will talk about, you know, the reality versus the demagoguery of what we have seen in this campaign.

You know, we need to come together around all of the issues that are important to everybody and as I said in the beginning, whatever issue you care about, it's going to be on the ballot. I care a lot about making sure that women and girls are treated with dignity and respect that they deserve in our country.

I care a lot about making sure that we save social security and we ensure that everybody has the benefits that they need in order to be able to live a decent life in retirement.

And, boy, do I care a lot about our constitution.

And maybe it's because on your behalf I went to 112 countries as your secretary of state. And I met a lot of people who in the us because we have been so steady and so committed to our constitutional system and our values. And what I hope is that you care as deeply as our founders did, as our parents and grandparents did, because maybe they came from somewhere else where they weren't treated right. Maybe they saw firsthand what it meant to be deprived of the rule of law.

You know, every time Donald Trump says he wants to jail his opponent, meaning me, I think to myself, you know, we don't do that in America. We actually have laws and courts and an independent judiciary.

Or, you know, when he blows up at a journalist or criticizes the press and goes on and on and on.

You know, I get criticized by the press. I know that is part of our democratic system. We believe in a free press. And boy, if you go to countries where there isn't one, you will understand why that is so important.

And when he says there should be a religious test -- a religious test for people at our borders, a country founded on religious freedom. You have to ask yourself, who is going to conduct the test? Are we going to get a quiz? What if the border security official does not believe you? Who gets to decide whether you get to come in or out based on your religion?

And if you haven't seen it yet, I hope you will go and look at the extraordinary statement by Mr. Khan on Youtube in a new video that we have put out. You remember, he pulled out a constitution at our convention. And he reveres our constitution. And for good reason. Because he, too, came from a place where the was no rule of law to speak of.

So, whatever issue you care about, this is an issue that will be decided by this election, and that is why I'm reaching out to republicans, democrats, independents, everyone. I know if we bring our talent, our energy, and our ambition to the work of building our country, we are going to see the best days of America ahead of us, and when your chil-dren and your grandchildren ask what you did in 2016 when everything was on the line, I hope you will say you voted for a better America.

So, here we go. Just remember -- you've got to get out and vote, you've got to get everybody you know to get out and vote. If you do not know where to vote, please go to iwillvote.com. You can put your information in and, it is the magic of the internet. They will tell you where you are supposed to vote. You can go to hillaryclinton.com and sign up to volunteer. Or you can take your phone out right and text join to 47246. And if we can get all of you and everybody you know involved in this next 17 days, I will tell you this -- it is easy to forget how far our country has come.

There are a lot of people here -- as I said, whose parents and grandparents came here as immigrants. My grandfather, Hugh Rodam, came as an immigrant, as a young boy and settled in Scranton. And he went to work in the Scranton lace mills, he went to work in his teens, he worked there until he retired at the age of 65. He believed in our country. He believed in the kind of future he could get through his hard work. That is what I want everybody in our country to believe again. We are going to unleash the talent, the innovation, the energy that brought people like my grandfather here, but which we will harness for the future. Don't let anybody tell you America's best days are behind us. Don't believe that for a minute.

We are going to pull together. We are going to make it clear that confidence and opti-mism, respect for each other, bringing folks together who may disagree but can begin to find common ground is what has always worked and it will work again. Help us. Help us create that kind of future, and help us prove once and for all that love trumps hate.

Thank you all."

NOTE: Remarks as delivered. Both Secretary Clinton and Tim Kaine were introduced by Dan and Pat Rooney, members of the Rooney family who are known for immigrating from Ireland in the 1880s and forming roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are also known for having extensive connections within the political, athletic, and entertainment communities.

Hillary Clinton, Remarks at Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/319034

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