INDIANOLA, Iowa - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stoked speculation on Sunday that she was moving closer to announcing a bid for the White House in 2016 as she visited the early-voting state of Iowa to take part in the state's annual "steak fry," a gathering of Democratic activists that often attracts presidential hopefuls. After grilling steaks with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton delivered a populist speech to the crowd of more than 6,000 Democrats at a vast green field a few miles outside of Des Moines. She defended President Barack Obama's signature healthcare initiative known as Obamacare, pushed legislation on a minimum wage and lambasted Republicans as "guardians of gridlock." Clinton focused much of her speech on promoting Iowa's Democratic candidates, including Senate hopeful Bruce Braley, who is vying in a closely watched race in the 2014 midterm elections on Nov. 4. But she was coy as she parried questions about her intentions in 2016. "Too many people only get excited about presidential campaigns," she said. "Look, I get excited about presidential campaigns." "We're just here to support Democrats," Clinton added. Still, 2016 was in the air, particularly when Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, the host of the steak fry, referred to Clinton and her husband as "the comeback couple" and said "there are many more chapters that will be written in the amazing life of Hillary Clinton." It was a reference to the nickname "comeback kid" used by the media to describe Bill Clinton's rebound in his 1992 campaign from early setbacks. In 2008, Hillary suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Iowa caucus, coming in third behind Barack Obama, who went on to win the presidency, and John Edwards. Sunday was Clinton's first time back in the state since her defeat. "It's really great to be back," she said. "Let's not let another seven years go by." Clinton, whom many Democrats consider the frontrunner for the 2016 race, made a series of missteps this summer while promoting her memoir. Clinton said she and Bill were "dead broke" when they left the White House, a comment that was roundly criticized as suggesting she was out of touch with everyday voters. After a summer spent promoting her memoir across the world and relaxing in New York's tony Hamptons, the steak fry event marked the kickoff to a series of events in which she will campaign and raise money for fellow Democrats for the 2014 midterms. While Bill Clinton has campaigned for candidates this year, Hillary has stayed out of the fray up until now. For decades, retiring Senator Harkin's steak fry has provided a platform for Democratic presidential hopefuls to introduce themselves to Iowans, including Obama, who attended the event in 2006. Presidential candidates lavish attention on Iowa because of the importance of its nominating contest that comes at the beginning of the electoral calendar. Many potential Republican contenders, including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, have already visited the state, and possible Clinton rival Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley swung by earlier in September. Vice President Joe Biden, who has also hinted at a White House bid, plans to visit Des Moines on Wednesday. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist who is considering challenging Clinton from the left, stopped by the state on Saturday.
More
Vietnamese freestyle football champion debuts at LaLiga half-time
The spectators reacted with surprise and enthusiasm to the half-time performance by the Vietnamese footballer
Read more
As plastic treaty talks open, countries more divided than ever
A handful of fossil fuel-dependent nations calling themselves the 'Like-Minded Countries' have argued against limiting production or banning certain chemicals
21 hours agoMichelangelo's David gets spa treatment in Florence
David's bi-monthly cleaning, then, is 'a form of respect, a form of dignity that we want to give to every work'
2 months agoIn world first, Venice to trial day tickets
Day visitors will for the first time have to buy a five-euro ($5.3) ticket
21 hours agoAsia hit hardest by climate, weather disasters in 2023:UN
Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said Tuesday, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses
1 day agoMalaysian navy helicopters collide in mid-air, 10 killed
All victims were confirmed dead at the scene
1 day agoHighlights
Hailstorms batter northern Vietnam
The hailstorm in Van Ho District, Son La Province lasted about one hour
Vietnamese firms race to build data centers
22 hours agoVietnam launches first-ever triathlon federation
22 hours agoPhotos
Artist paints murals on house to raise awareness of COVID-19 prevention in Hanoi
He drew the virus, vaccine, and earth on the exterior walls of a house
Latest news
Hailstorms batter northern Vietnam
The hailstorm in Van Ho District, Son La Province lasted about one hour
Battling climate change, Japan looks to seagrass for carbon capture
Japan, the world's fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, covers a surface area smaller than California but has some of the longest coastlines in the world
Air quality in some parts of US worst in 25 years, report says
Cities with the poorest quality air are concentrated in the West
South Korea prepares system to detect illegal stock short selling
All short-selling transactions by institutional investors will be electronically processed and then filtered through a central detection system
Hanoi pedestrian space to stay open during upcoming Reunification Day holiday
The walking space surrounding the iconic Ho Guom will be open for six consecutive days
Severe drought scorches coffee plantations in Vietnam’s Central Highlands
The situation is putting the region’s crops at risk
Breakfast @ Tuoi Tre News — April 25
Good morning from Vietnam!
Vietnam FM Bui Thanh Son enjoys 'pho,' walks with Indonesian counterpart in Hanoi
This is not the first time that Minister Son has invited a foreign counterpart to have breakfast and take a stroll in the Vietnamese capital
Vincom Retail retains name after Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup divests capital
‘Vincom Retail has no intention of altering its name’
Ho Chi Minh City wants to attract remittances for infrastructure development
Incoming remittances to Vietnam totaled US$206 billion between 1993 and 2023