Clinton looks to capture voters support

Hillary Clinton will debate her fellow Democratic presidential candidates Tuesday at the inaugural Democratic debate. She has actively attempted to appear relatable to the public and snag the millennial vote. Using a variety of public relation strategies and opening herself up during interviews, Clinton has once again won over the hearts of voters.

Last week, Clinton made an appearance on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) where she played a bartender named Val who chatted with Kate McKinnon’s acclaimed imitation of Clinton. McKinnon has been portraying Clinton since March, but this is the first time they have met. The duo took a jab at Clinton’s delayed stand on the Keystone Pipeline and the joke that is Donald Trump’s candidacy.

SNL is just one of many entertainment platforms Clinton has recently made appearances on. Last month, the former secretary of state appeared on the “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and interviewed with both Refinery29 and Lena Dunham for her website lennyletter.com.

Clinton told Dunham about the insecurity that came with graduating from college and trying to forge her own path in life. She talked about being anxious over losing her identity in her then-fiance’s spotlight and her apprehensions about marriage. By sharing anecdotes from her life, Clinton reminded voters of her personable nature.

She also spoke on the overwhelming issue of college debt and shared her plans to help eradicate the issue and make college affordable for all citizens. 

She addressed the same issue Monday on the “Today Show’s” town hall-style meeting. Clinton laid out the details of her New College Compact plan, which will make community college completely free, in hopes that everyone who attends a public college or university will be able to do so without having to borrow loans for tuition. 

Unlike her main Democratic competitor, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton does not believe completely free education is logical. Instead, she argues for debt-free tuition. She believes people who work 10 hours a week at their university should receive extra help in the form of tuition discounts. The same idea applies for those going into a public job like teaching or a national service. 

If a young parent wishes to pursue higher education, Clinton wants campuses to offer early childhood programs so “young parents can afford to have their children safely looked after while they are studying.” She also plans to tackle student loans by making it possible to refinance the $1.2 trillion already owed by students.

When the email scandal boiled to the surface of her candidacy, many voters began to reassess their support for Clinton. In March, it was revealed that Clinton used a personal email in lieu of a government email to conduct official business. 

When the State Department asked for all of her professional emails she handed over 30,490 work correspondences and deleted 31,830 messages she claimed were personal. What appeared to be a shady affair ended up revealing nothing incriminating about the former secretary of state. 

However, it did offer a surprisingly refreshing look at the often-stoic candidate. 

Whether it’s wishing her friends a happy holiday, asking her assistant to remind her to grab extra tea cups from home or showing her love of the television show “Parks and Recreation,” the emails released to the public showed Clinton holds many of the same interests and passions as the average American.

While Clinton faces intense competition from Sanders, her attempts to regain favor with the public have not been futile. 

Only time will tell who the American people believe is their best option for president, but it would be foolish to believe Clinton is anything but a top contender. 

Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.