Hillary Clinton, who's served as first lady, New York senator and secretary of state, will reintroduce herself as a Democratic presidential candidate Saturday by focusing on the role her family – and especially her mother – had in shaping her public life.
The official launch of her campaign on New York's Roosevelt Island will start with a speech that begins with the story of the abusive and traumatic childhood of her mother, Dorothy Rodham,
Politico reports, citing a preview obtained from campaign officials.
The highly personal speech will be followed by a biographical video about Clinton’s career as a fighter for the middle-class, dating back to her work for the Children’s Defense Fund after she graduated from law school, Politico reports.
"We're starting from scratch here," communications director Jennifer Palmieri told Politico. "We’re going through all the paces and explaining why [Clinton is] motivated to have been an advocate in the first place. We think it’s an important part of the process."
According to Politico, the speech will cover how Dorothy Rodham’s parents shipped her off to live with her grandparents in California when she was 8, though they proved no more capable of caring for the youngster.
By age 14, Dorothy Rodham had left her grandparents home to live with a family for whom she worked as a housekeeper for $3 a week, the speech will say, Politico reports. It was there, Clinton will say, that Dorothy Rodham saw what a functional family acted like.
And Clinton will say it's her mother’s surrogate family who first motivated Dorothy Rodham to be a champion for those who need help achieving a better life.
"Her story is wanting to be an advocate for other people. Where does it all come from? That’s where it all comes from," Palmieri told Politico, referring to Dorothy Rodham’s story.
"We think that’s an important thing for people to understand. Some people know it, we think a lot of people don’t."
Clinton also will hit a populist economic theme, with the message of middle-class families that "It is your time," Politico reports.
Campaign officials told Politico the speech is a "foundational document" that will be followed up with detailed policy proposals to start in July, including on issues involving college affordability, early childhood education, national security and wages.
"The question of the campaign is, who is the candidate in the race who understands what my life is like, what the problems are, has solutions and is going to hang in and fight for me everyday and get things done," Palmieri said.
"There’s not any candidate that’s better qualified than her to be that fighter for people."
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