LAS VEGAS
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton focused on her experience and years of public service Thursday when asked the question: “Are you black enough?”
At a conference of black journalists meeting in Las Vegas, CNN reporter Suzanne Malveaux asked Clinton, “Are you black enough? What makes you the better candidate over a black man in representing the issues confronting African Americans?”
The New York senator, who is competing with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the support of black voters, cited her years of public service and advocacy, and described herself as the more experienced candidate.
“My attitude is, I don’t deserve anyone’s vote. I have to earn everyone’s vote. I think that I can make a very strong case that my experience and my ideas, going back into the White House, is exactly what we need at this point in history,” Clinton said.
Clinton used the appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists conference to outline her youth opportunity agenda aimed at a handful of issues affecting urban and black America.
Clinton is proposing a $10 billion investment in universal preschool, and $100 million for internships giving middle-school and high-school students job skills. She said she would increase funding for the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and reverse proposed federal cuts in child support enforcement.
