Former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton took to a Toronto stage Thursday night in front of a cheering audience of thousands, a scene reminiscent of the campaign trail she left behind on Nov. 8, 2016. Her electoral loss was almost a year old, but the sting is clearly still fresh.“There were times when I just wanted to pull the covers over my head,” Clinton said of her failed campaign. The appearance in Toronto was part of a 15-city tour to promote her newly released memoir, What Happened. And, like her memoir, the speech darted between reasons for her electoral loss — including individuals from former FBI director James Comey to WikiLeaks founder Julien Assange — and the “phoney stories and hysterical appeals” of right-wing press outlets. The event itself was tightly locked down. Men and women in black suits, many with tell-tale earpieces snaking up their necks, led media to a cordoned-off area and audience members to their places. RCMP officers were embedded for Clinton’s protection, and maintained a low profile. Instead of their usual scarlet uniforms, they wore suits that blended easily with the crowd of about 5,000 — most of them women, who howled and applauded above Clinton’s comments, which ranged in topic from Donald Trump to HGTV. Read more:Amid endless vilification, Hillary Clinton keeps on going: DiMannoToronto is becoming a sanctuary city for U.S. politicians: MenonWe’ve all become a little too #blessed: TimsonAfter a musical opener warmed up the crowd, playing songs such as “Sway” and “Hold On,” Clinton’s appearance began with a set of opening remarks, which brought the crowd to their feet. From the back of the room, one woman called out: “We love you!” The comment echoed through the room. Clinton beamed, telling the crowd her family had vacationed in Quebec just last year. Veering into politics, she singled out Prime Minister Justin Trudea ...
|
