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Hillary Clinton pushes for unity post-election at Grand Valley rally

November 7, 2016
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton makes her appearance on Nov. 7, 2016 at the Grand Valley State University Fieldhouse in Allendale, Mich.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton makes her appearance on Nov. 7, 2016 at the Grand Valley State University Fieldhouse in Allendale, Mich. —
Photo by Nic Antaya | and Nic Antaya The State News

Fifteen hours before the polls open in Michigan, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton made her final case to a boisterous crowd of more than 4,600 on Monday afternoon at Grand Valley State University.

Before taking the stage, Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D) welcomed the crowd and offered a look ahead for Tuesday's election.

Stabenow appealed to the crowd asking for them to get out and vote. She took aim at Republican nominee Donald Trump’s “zero credibility” on jobs.

"The only change Donald Trump cares about is the change in his own pocket," Stabenow said.

Clinton entered the Grand Valley Fieldhouse as "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey echoed in the background.

She touched on her family, her prior struggles growing up in a lower class household and took a turn to mention bipartisanship post-election.

"The choice in this election could not be clearer and I know for many people you have gone back and forth and thought about what to do and I respect that," Clinton said "This election is between division and unity."

Clinton went on to bring up her college days working with Republican president Gerald Ford and her internship with the House Republican Committee.

"I didn't agree with everything they did or said, but I never doubted that they were fit to serve as our president," Clinton said.

Clinton mentioned her endorsements from Republican party members and their denouncements of Trump.

"We must put country ahead of party," Clinton said.

Clinton frequently returned to the relevance of Tuesday's presidential election.

"The awesome responsibility that is housed in one person is something I want you to think about between now and the time you vote," Clinton said.

Clinton brought up her different plans to appeal to the crowd including equal pay, jobs and raising the national minimum wage.

"I will pledge to you that I will exercise the greatest care and responsibility in all of the powers invested in the office of the president," Clinton said.

She went on to bring up Trump's alternative plans for all of her own.

"The presentation (Trump's presentation at debates) of a dark and divisive vision of America," Clinton said. "We've got challenges, but America has always had challenges."

She said, "anger is not a plan" in reference to Trump.

Clinton has largely attacked Mr. Trump’s business ventures and his rhetoric surrounding the economy.

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"I often didn't recognize the country that Donald Trump was describing," Clinton said.

In addition to other plans, Clinton discussed college affordability by bringing up college debt.

She even went as far as to elicit responses from the crowd on their student loan rates getting responses ranging from 12 percent to nearly 15 percent.

"The federal government should not be making money off of sending kids to college," Clinton said.

Currently student loan debt sits at more than $1 trillion.

She concluded by asking the crowd to consider what their families would expect from them in the future and what they would ask they did during the 2016 election.

"I want to be a president for all Americans ... not just the people who support me, but everybody," Clinton said. 

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