Joe Biden, Vice President to the President of the United States, made a visit to Sinclair in a campaign stop for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for President.
About 2000 eager supporters showed up and waited in line just for a chance to see Biden and hear him speak.
Biden praised community colleges like Sinclair and touted his wife’s career as a professor at a community college. He also spoke on the campaign’s desire for a free college education.
“If we just eliminated one loophole, we could pay for every single, solitary person at a community college for free and we could lower the debt by another 11 billion dollars, increasing productivity. That’s what Hillary’s about. That’s what she’s about. About giving people in this a fight[ing] chance,” Biden said.
Biden encouraged the attendents to get out and vote. He reminded them that the election is only two weeks away.
Biden said that Trump is not the fit person to lead our country.
“Donald Trump, both the way he has demonstrated his character and his absolute paucity of knowledge about anything having to do with running this country, should on its face be disqualifying,” Biden said.
Biden also spoke for former Governor and candidate for the Senate Ted Strickland and encouraged voters to go out and cast their vote for him. Strickland appeared with Biden for a part of the speech. He is running against the current Senator, Republican Rob Portman.
Clinton is currently leading by about five points in most national polls.
There were several protesters present outside of the gates, however they protested peacefully and did not cause any disruptions.
Trump campaigned on Thursday, October 27 in Springfield.
Sinclair also hosted Congressman John Lewis. On October 28, Lewis, who represents Georgia’s Fifth District, campaigned for Clinton. As a long-time Congressman, Lewis is known for his commitment to Civil Rights. Lewis is known as one of the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
Dedicated to a philosophy of nonviolence, Lewis has been a central figure to Civil Rights since his early years. His visit to Sinclair marks the third Democratic campaign event on campus during these last months leading up to the election.
Republican candidates have not elected to speak at Sinclair as of recent on the campaign trail, but are welcome to as the institution is one that is nonpartisan.
On October 25, Sinclair hosted Dr. Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize winning Professor at Columbia University and prestigious historian. Foner spoke on the subject of Constitutional changes during Reconstruction in America. The speech was nonpartisan and timely during the busy election year. Foner spoke in Smith Auditorium to a large group of students as a part of the Second Annual History Symposium coordinated by Sinclair Professor Dr. Yufeng Wang.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor