Hillary Clinton rebooted the launch of her presidential campaign with a well-choreographed event and speech on Roosevelt Island Saturday morning. Formerly known as Welfare Island, it was renamed in honor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1971. In her remarks, Clinton lauded both F.D.R. and Eleanor Roosevelt, and cast her campaign in the mold of a new New Deal, saying she would fight for the middle class. In the speech’s most moving moment, she referred to her mother, who was left on her own as a teen and had to work as a maid to survive, and who clearly helped instill determination and drive in her daughter. Although some called Clinton’s speech a “laundry list” of standard Democratic fare, her campaign said that, starting in the weeks to come, she will start rolling out more detailed positions on specific individual issues. In that vein, Mayor Bill de Blasio — who has not endorsed for president yet — did not attend the speech, saying he is still waiting for Clinton to outline her plan to combat income inequality.
