Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, told UW Oshkosh students and other community members their participation in the political process is vitally important.
Clinton, who spoke in Reeve Memorial Union on Wednesday evening for an early voting event, told the audience this election was more meaningful than any she had ever seen because she is now a mother.
“We have six more days to go,” Clinton said. “I just don’t want any of us to wake up a week from today and think we could have and should have done more. Because I think this is without question the most important presidential election of my lifetime.”
UWO senior Jimmy Lundquist said the event showcased Chelsea Clinton’s ability as a speaker for her mother’s campaign.
“I thought she was very well spoken, and unlike other surrogates, she didn’t pivot away from questions,” Lundquist said. “She answered each question and went more in-depth than the person actually wanted.”
Clinton said she worried about the normalization of hate speech as a result of the coverage of things Trump has said.
“I don’t think we can ever compromise on hate speech,” Clinton said.
Black Student Union president and UWO student Kevin Cathey said he tries to remain neutral in politics to ensure fair treatment to members of the BSU.
“I try to remain as nonpartisan as possible because I can imagine that some of our members won’t side with what specifically I would side with or what our executive board would side with,” Cathey said. “So we don’t specifically support one candidate or one party.”
Clinton said this election matters more to her because the issues that are decided will impact the future her children grow up in.
“I think everything is on the ballot this year,” Clinton said. “I think our values are on the ballot this year. I think our economy is on the ballot this year. I think fighting climate change and believing in science is on the ballot this year.”
Clinton said there are big differences between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on several issues, including minimum wage.
“If you believe that we need to raise the minimum wage and finally get to equal pay for equal work, you have to support my mom,” Clinton said. “If you believe that wages are too high, which is what Donald Trump had said, well then maybe if you agree with that you would support him.”
Clinton said climate change is another issue where her mother and Trump vastly disagree, even regarding its existence.
“If you think that climate change is real, and a real threat but also a real opportunity to make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century, you have to support my mom,” Clinton said. “If you believe that it’s a hoax created by the Chinese, which is what Donald Trump has said, well then that leads you in a different direction.”
Clinton said the contrast between her mother and Trump is severe, which makes it even more important.
“This election has to be about standing up to a bully, and proving that love trumps hate, and also about electing a woman who has spent her life fighting for and delivering for children and families,” Clinton said.
A press release sent out by the UWO College Republicans said the group condemned the event.
“OSA, an organization which prides itself on inclusivity and being open to all viewpoints, has shown its true colors and they are deep blue,” the press release stated.
OSA President Austyn Boothe said OSA did not invite Clinton, or any other political candidate, to campus.
“While I haven’t read the criticism in full yet, I would just like to say that OSA and the university have a long tradition of hosting political events like this here on campus,” Boothe said. “OSA did not reach nor does it plan on reaching out to any of the campaigns, but if a campaign does reach out and would like to be hosted on campus OSA would gladly host that or be a co-host.”
Cathey said he thought Clinton’s stop was a good event because it showed what was real about the Clintons.
“I think it’s always good to hear the actual normal person inside of these candidates,” Cathey said. “Especially someone like Clinton, we get to see the laid-back version of Hillary”
Clinton said residents of Wisconsin are fortunate because of relaxed restrictions on early voting compared to other states.
“Here in Wisconsin you’re really lucky,” Clinton said. “It is easy to vote here. You can register to vote on the same day, and you can do that early or wait until election day.”
Clinton took questions from the audience for the second half of the event. One person in the audience, who identified themselves as a Vietnam veteran, asked about the US Department of Veterans Affairs cutting off their healthcare due to the Affordable Care Act and questioned Clinton on the legislation.
“I just want people to know what they’re getting,” the audience member said.
Clinton asked the audience member to give her his information to help resolve his problem, and said the system should not work that way.
“The VA is not living up to its bargain with you,” Clinton said.
While Clinton continued to take questions from other people in the audience, the audience member later interrupted her answer.
“He can keep talking about whatever he wants to talk about, and we’re going to talk about what is at stake in this election,” Clinton said.
When asked about the future of climate change and if the world is in danger because of the damages of global warming, Clinton said the election is vital in determining if that is true.
“It really depends on what we do in this election,” Clinton said. “I do have this old-fashioned view of believing in science, and in scientists.”
There were a few protesters outside of Reeve standing near Elmwood Avenue after the event. Former UWO student Nate Nelson stood with them holding a sign that read “Hillary For Prison.”
When asked about the sign, Nelson said the reasoning behind it was simple.
“Basically the lady has broken the law and I believe she belongs in jail,” Nelson said.
Nelson said his problem with the event was that the Oshkosh Student Organization was involved, while they are supposed to be a non-partisan organization.
“I knew that the Oshkosh Student Association helped organize and promote this event, which I found to be partisan event,” Nelson said. “As a former student at UW Oshkosh and an active member of OSA I was upset that they have taken the organization down by engaging in partisan politics.”
According to [Chelsea] Clinton, the country must realize that Hillary Clinton’s slogan is more than just empty speech.
“I don’t think we can afford to go backward, and I don’t think we can afford to think that ‘Stronger, Together’ is just a campaign slogan when it has been the bedrock belief of our country,” Clinton said.
