Hugh Rodham Speaks at Local 19's annual dinner dance and scholarship awards. March 20th 2008 Check our photo gallery for photos from the event.

Sen. Clinton Woos Union Workers in Philadelphia Stops

KYW Newsradio Team Coverage
US senator Hillary Clinton made several campaign stops in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

KYW's Mike DeNardo reports that Clinton began her campaign day on Tuesday with a tour of a sheet metal shop in the East Falls section of the city.

"We were just talking about how this is not work you can outsource. This is work that has to be done near the construction..." 

With her campaign cameras capturing every move, Sen. Clinton spent a half-hour walking through the William J. Donovan Sheet Metal Company. She has the backing of Sheet Metal Workers' Local 19.

Union member and shop foreman Henry Hilt (at right in photo below) led Clinton on the tour:

"I have my concerns, like every other redblooded American. We're concerned with health care. You see the rising costs. As a Local 19 member, we actually pay our own health care as a total package, and it dictates everything."

Clinton spent some time talking with worker Bobby Fugelo of King of Prussia about his craft. He says the visit may affect the way he votes:

"It was definitely influenced. I haven't made my mind up yet, but it was definitely influenced."

But Clinton cannot count on Fugelo's vote on Primary Day (April 22nd): he's a registered Republican.

KYW's Steve Tawa reports that Clinton later attended an AFL-CIO convention in center city Philadelphia to address the union faithful.

The ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel at 17th and Race Streets was packed with union folks, against the backdrop of a sign that said, "Proud to be Union."

Clinton (right) promised the union group that she will create three million jobs in 10 years by rebuilding the nation's infrastructure:

"We're trying to run today's economy on yesterday's infrastructure -- our bridges, tunnels, roads, and water systems. I will rebuild America by rebuilding, repairing, and modernizing our infrastructure."

She cited the crack that showed up under I-95 last month, forcing closure of the highway for several days, as an example of infrastructure that needs immediate work.

To her critics pressing her to drop out because Barack Obama leads in the national polls, the popular vote, and the delegate count, Clinton wondered aloud what Rocky would do:

"Could you imagine if Rocky Balboa got halfway up those art museum stairs and said, 'Well, that's far enough'? "

She thanked organized labor for helping to raise the standard of living for all Americans. She said the Bush administration is giving too much to those who already have too much.

Clinton says that Sen. John McCain of Arizona -- the presumptive Republican nominee for president, whom she describes as "a friend" -- would only offer more of the same Bush-style policies.

She told those at the AFL-CIO convention that no one knows better than organized labor how important it is to have a fighter on your side, and said she will "roll up her sleeves and get the job done."