Clinton talks inequality, gender in first campaign speech

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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who has struggled to relate to middle class voters, used her first campaign speech to tell Americans she was just like them.

After two months of choreographed talks with voters, Mrs. Clinton addressed her first largish crowd with plans to even the playing field for average Americans.

"You see corporations making record profits, with CEOs making record pay. But your paychecks have barely budged," she said.

Mrs. Clinton loosely sketched out policies ranging from providing paid time off to rewarding businesses that invest in long-term value as opposed to short-term profits.

Her comments underpinned the nascent liberal agenda that she has unveiled so far, including raising the minimum wage, expanding voter rights and allowing illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens.

She took special aim at the wealthiest without singling out Wall Street or specific companies, saying "prosperity can't be just for CEOs and hedge fund managers."

"While many of you are working multiple jobs to make ends meet, you see the top 25 hedge fund managers making more than all of America's kindergarten teachers combined," she said.

The irony is that Mrs. Clinton's daughter, Chelsea and her husband, have worked for hedge funds. Mrs. Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, have also earned millions giving speeches, including to big banks.

The rally was held at a small park on Roosevelt island, a narrow patch of land beside Manhattan that has views of the United Nations and the new World Trade Center. Mrs. Clinton's daughter and husband stood on the sidelines as she spoke for about 40 minutes.

Some of the loudest cheers came when Mrs. Clinton talked about rectifying gender inequality.

Mrs. Clinton, the former senator and secretary of state, sought to present a softer and more empathetic side as she vies for the presidency for the second time – a change that has not been lost on her supporters.

"It helps. She didn't appeal the way Obama did in 2008," said Andre Anderson, who supported Mrs. Clinton's first presidential bid.

Mrs. Clinton highlighted her mother's difficult childhood – she was abandoned by her parents and working as a housekeeper by the age of 14.

And said it taught her that everybody needs a chance and a champion.

At 67, Mrs. Clinton is one of the older candidates among the handful of Democrats and dozen or so Republicans. She acknowledged her age, saying she may not be the youngest candidate in the race but that she would be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States.

Eight years ago, she was also the front runner to become the Democrats' presidential candidate, only to lose to the less experienced Barack Obama, now the U.S. president.

Mrs. Clinton said she has been called many things by many people in her life, but quitter was not one of them.

Mrs. Clinton's competitors, former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, senator Bernie Sanders and former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chaffee, trail her in the polls and do not command the same kind of name recognition.