CLEVELAND: Seven-year-old Sophia Hardy wanted to go to Cleveland on Monday to see presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — and to rewrite history.
“I want her to sign my Constitution,” said Sophia, the daughter of Akron Deputy Mayor James Hardy, as she displayed her pocket-sized book with a pen clipped inside.
She opened the book to show off Article II, Section I, the portion of the Constitution that addresses the president’s term. Sophia had scribbled out “he” and replaced it with “she.”
The proud father said his daughter asked why there were no girl presidents in her studies at school.
“I’m just Dad today,” Hardy said. “I’m here for my daughter. I took the day off so I could get her here.”
The Hardys were among a crowd of about a thousand supporters at the Cleveland Industrial Innovation Center for Clinton’s campaign stop in Northeast Ohio.
As she started to speak, a few hecklers shouted “H is for hypocrisy,” but were drowned out by Hillary supporters with cheers of “Hill-a-ry, Hill-a-ry.” The three or four protesters were escorted out by security.
Clinton focused her message on the deadly shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando and talked about a plan to step up action to fight ISIS by working with government across the board, the private sector, law enforcement and an intelligence specialist team to “get on top of this urgent challenge.”
She also talked about recent gains in a coalition effort in Syria and Iraq and the need to keep pressure on partners in the region to do more to counter efforts by ISIS and other international terrorist networks to recruit from the United States and Europe. She said it was past time for Saudi Arabia and other countries to stop their citizens from funding extremist organizations.
“The Orlando terrorist may be dead, but the virus that poisoned his mind remains very much alive,” she said. “We must attack it with clear eyes, steady hands, unwavering determination and pride in our country and our values.”
Better job needed
Clinton said the U.S. has to do a better job of intercepting ISIS’ communications online, tracking and analyzing the social media pulse and propaganda online and promoting credible voices who can provide alternatives to radicalization.
In comments about the shootings, Clinton said the attack against gays in Orlando was done out of bigotry and hatred, and that the LGBT community has a lot of allies — including her.
She said in the days ahead everyone will learn more about the suspected killer in Orlando and more about the “many lives he viciously cut short … sons and daughters, brothers and sisters who all had one thing in common — they all had a lot more to give.”
She said this is a time where all Americans need to stand united.
“We face a twisted ideology and a poison psychology that inspires the so-called lonely wolf syndrome … efforts to defeat ISIS on the battlefield must succeed, but it will take more than that … We have to be just as adaptable. … As president I will make identifying and stopping any lonely wolves a top priority.”
She said law enforcement or first responders have to get it right 100 percent of the time, but terrorists only have to get it right once.
Clinton called on the United States to make it harder for people to get weapons of war, including assault rifles.
“An assault weapons ban and background checks will not stop every shooting or every terrorist attack, but it will stop some and it will save lives,” she said. “I believe weapons of war have no place on our streets.”
Clinton said there are early reports that the suspect in those killings was under the FBI’s radar.
“If the FBI is watching you as a suspected terrorist you shouldn’t be able to go out and buy a gun and you shouldn’t be able to exploit loopholes and evade criminal background checks by buying online or at a gun show. If you’re too dangerous to get on a plane you are too dangerous to buy a gun in America,” she said.
She urged unity in the wake of the mass shooting, saying the United States has always been a country of “we” and not “me.”
She recalled the days after the 9/11 attack and how Democrats and Republicans put their political differences aside and united.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.