In the News

Angela Johnson came to the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex armed with a notepad to take notes during former President Bill Clinton’s speech.

He was in Miami Gardens on Sunday stumping for his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He and local officials pushed for people to vote early, ahead of the Presidential Preference Primary Election, which is March 15. Registered Democrats and Republicans may vote in the primary. So far, statewide more than 500,000 people have cast absentee ballots.

“I just want to hear what he has to offer Black people, what do I have to look forward to,” said Johnson.

What Clinton had to offer in his speech centered around criminal justice reform; reducing the cost of higher education; and encouraging people to vote, despite challenges.

Early in his speech he acknowledged mothers whose children had died under tragic circumstances. The women, including Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton, had been crisscrossing South Carolina with Hillary, who handedly won the state with 74 percent of the vote, picking up 39 delegates.

A University of North Florida poll released Feb. 29 shows that 54 percent of voters would vote for Clinton versus 24 percent for Bernie Sanders in the presidential primaries.

Florida plays an important role in the presidential election. Over the state, registered Black Democrats number more than 28 percent. In the tri-county area, more than 33 percent of registered Democrats are Black.

Sunday, before President Clinton came on stage, Miami Commission Chairman Keon Hardemon, Vice Mayor of Miami Gardens Felicia Robinson and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson spoke. Also in attendance were Kendrick Meek and his mother Carrie Meek, who both had Wilson’s seat in the past.

Locals played a big role at the rally. The Alliance for Musical Arts -Youth Drum Line and the 93rd Street Baptist Church Community Choir entertained between speeches. Songstress Rochelle Lightfoot sang the “Star Spangled Banner” to open the event.

“Fired up, ready to vote; fired up, ready to vote; fired up, ready to vote;” chanted Wilson with the crowd.

“We have the opportunity to elect the first female president,” Wilson said. “She deserves to be back in the White House, this time as commander in chief.”

Wilson said if people allowed Donald Trump to be elected “all of Obama’s work will be wiped out and we will be in trouble.”

Wilson acknowledged the Women of Murdered Kids movement, a local, growing group of mothers who have lost their children to gun violence -- some of the crimes unsolved. Wilson said Clinton will address the problem of gun violence, “will not be intimated by the gun lobby” and that she will “take on the NRA.”

“We will work for justice. We can’t keep burying our young people. That’s why she is endorsed by Sybrina Fulton,” Wilson said.

When Clinton took to the stage, he was hoarse and hard to understand. Still he gave his speech to about 400 people. He started by addressing the youth gun violence in South Florida. The rally came a day after King Carter’s funeral, a 6-year-old boy who was shot in cross fire on his way to buy candy.

“We need to stop our children like 6-year-old King Carter from dying before their time,” said Clinton.

“We need police reform,” he said. “We need the right kind of police. I remember when all of those people were killed in San Bernardino, and I saw the police department trying to save people from all races, all religions, and I thought, ‘That’s what we want.’ We came together.”

Clinton mocked the Republican ticket and a recent debate, saying that it was “three people screaming at each other and calling each other liars. It was a reality show.”

“We don’t need to make America great again; we need to make America whole again,” the former president said.

After the rally, Miami Gardens resident Stephanie Madison was firmer that she was a Hillary Clinton supporter. A Democrat “from my grandmother,” Madison said by electing Clinton, voters get “two for one,” referencing Bill Clinton’s experience as the 42nd president.

She said Black Democrats didn’t know anything about Bernie Sanders but everyone knows the Clintons.

“Where was Bernie? Nobody knew anything about Bernie,” Madison said. “Can’t you tell they are afraid of her? She is woman; let her roar.”