Jim Gardner One-On-One with Hillary Clinton: Pennsylvania's working class
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Action News' Jim Gardner spoke to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on the issue of working class Pennsylvanians in part two of our exclusive One-On-One interview.
Hillary Clinton: Well, I think the economy is the number one issue. That's what I've been saying throughout this campaign because a lot of people have not recovered from the Great Recession. I would like to get back to the kind of job creation and incomes rising for Americans that we saw in the 1990s. That's why I've laid out a very specific jobs plan.
We are going to invest more in infrastructure jobs. Those are good jobs, they can't be exported, they provide a good living.
Raising the minimum wage. I know Republicans don't want to do it. Your state legislature doesn't want to do it. I just think that's absolutely wrong because people who work fulltime should be able to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and that has an upward pressure on everybody else which would be to the good.
Equal pay for women, we can't ignore that. It's not a woman's issue alone. It's a family issue and an economic issue.
Watch Part 1: Jim Gardner One-On-One with Hillary Clinton
Jim Gardner: As you know, there are a whole lot of Pennsylvanians who have waited decades to take part in a primary that will have some influence over the selection of a presidential candidate and there is already some angst that the dimensions of your win [Tuesday] night will diminish the importance of the Pennsylvania primary next Tuesday night. Any truth to that?
Hillary: Well, I certainly don't think so. I want Pennsylvania to count because Pennsylvania counts with me. I competed hard here in 2008. I was really honored to win Pennsylvania in that primary. I would be honored to win it this time. I want to be the kind of president who will be a good partner for Pennsylvania.
Jim: Amy Gutman who is the President of the University of Pennsylvania wrote a book about three years ago called The Spirit of Compromise. In it she said, "Compromise is difficult, but governing a democracy without compromise is impossible." Occasionally, I fear we are in a post-compromise world and that governing effectively, as long as there is a split party situation in the Congress and the White House, is impossible. I'm sure you don't feel that way. Why is that not true?
Hillary: I believe compromise is at the heart of our democratic process. I have for my entire public life worked hard to find common ground and I will not rest when I am president to try to find common ground with anyone anytime anywhere.
We have asked the Bernie Sanders campaign for the opportunity to sit down with him before the primary on Tuesday.
