IOWA CITY – “I don’t think there’s a woman more confident than Hillary Clinton!” pop star Demi Lovato told a packed ballroom at the University of Iowa after she performed her single “Confident” at a Clinton campaign stop Thursday evening.
Policy and contrasts to Sen. Bernie Sanders took a back seat at the event. Instead, the Clinton campaign worked to recruit volunteers and turn cheering supporters into caucus-goers by the Feb. 1 caucuses.
More than 1,000 people packed into a ballroom in the university’s Memorial Union, where senior Carter Bell took the stage and directed the crowd to register for the campaign’s caucus text message system and volunteers circulated volunteer sign-up forms.
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Clinton herself spent less time on stage than pop star Demi Lovato, who performed a short set and introduced the candidate by praising of Clinton’s support for women and her experience as Secretary of State. Earlier in the day, Clinton was on the offensive at a campaign stop in Indianola, Iowa. There she criticized her main opponent for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders, for having unrealistic foreign policy positions.
In Iowa City, though, Clinton’s short remarks focused on the importance of beating Republicans in the 2016 general election, and in convincing Iowans to sign “commit to caucus” pledge cards.
Iowa City resident Mary Brown said she plans to caucus for Hillary, but not without reservations.
“I guess my main question is the fact that Hillary has received large amounts of money from big business and big banks,” Brown said before the event. “I wonder how can we trust her to promote the regulations and policies needed to stop the flow of money up to the top 10 percent and instead direct it back to the majority of the U.S. public.”
Brown’s words sounded much like some of Sanders’ criticisms of Clinton, and Brown acknowledged that she’s not anti-Sanders as much as she’s pro-Clinton.
“Bernie says a lot of great things, and he’s also a very attractive candidate, except of course he’s not female,” Brown said, adding that Clinton’s experience also drew Brown’s support.
"I'm going to take them on, whether they're insurance companies, or banks, drug companies or the gun lobby! We're not going to let them have their way!" - Hillary Clinton
Still, when she took the stage at the University of Iowa on Thursday evening, Clinton – absent specific details about the plans – said she would challenge moneyed interests.
“I’m going to take them on,” Clinton told the cheering crowd in a slightly hoarse voice, “whether they’re insurance companies, or banks, drug companies or the gun lobby! We’re not going to let them have their way!”
Neither Lovato nor Clinton directly mentioned mental health issues, which Lovato has openly struggled with and which Clinton said last year would be a major focus of her campaign.
Lovato’s visit to the Hawkeye State comes as a wave of big-name supporters are scheduled to stump for Clinton here ahead of the caucuses. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and former tennis champion Billie Jean King are holding campaign events for Clinton before the end of the month.
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker are also stumping for Clinton in Iowa before the caucuses.
VPR’s coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign is made possible in part by the VPR Journalism Fund.
