(Radio Iowa) — Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar visited Emmet, Kossuth and Humboldt Counties Friday, then spoke to a crowd of about 500 people in Des Moines Friday night. “I made this promise to visit all 99 counties before I may knew just how far apart some of them really were, but the point of this is you should learn something about me: I kept my promise,” Klobuchar said, to applause and cheers. “More than that, it was a statement of purpose for me and that is believe we need someone for president who’s going to be the president for not half of America, but all of America.”
Klobuchar says her record in passing bills as a U.S. Senator shows she can do the “unglamorous work” of striking compromises to advance key policies, but she also emphasizes the need for the next president to make a rhetorical shift. “Just imagine if we had a president who works to heal this country instead of harming it,” Klobuchar said. “…A president sets more than policy for this country, but also the tone, the civility for this country.”
Klobuchar drew cheers when she mentioned the Affordable Care Act and called for a “return to sanity” in U.S. foreign policy. She delivered a 30-minute speech, sketching out some of her ideas for addressing mental health care needs and the high cost of prescription drugs. “Real plans, not pipe dreams,” Klobuchar said. She closed by telling the crowd she’s a progressive with a practical streak. There will be other 2020 presidential candidates will be campaigning in Iowa this weekend and through New Year’s Eve.