{"id":203711,"date":"2019-02-24T18:45:36","date_gmt":"2019-02-24T23:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=203711"},"modified":"2019-02-24T18:45:36","modified_gmt":"2019-02-24T23:45:36","slug":"booker-preaches-positivity-touts-local-ties-in-las-vegas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/02\/24\/booker-preaches-positivity-touts-local-ties-in-las-vegas\/","title":{"rendered":"Booker preaches positivity, touts local ties in Las Vegas"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Democratic Sen. Cory Booker highlighted his family’s ties to Las Vegas while delivering a Sunday sermon casting his presidential campaign as a movement to bridge American divides through social justice. (File Photo<\/a>: corybooker\/Instagram<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LAS VEGAS \u2014 Democratic Sen. Cory Booker highlighted his family’s ties to Las Vegas while delivering a Sunday sermon casting his presidential campaign as a movement to bridge American divides through social justice.<\/p>\n

The New Jersey senator, speaking to about 500 people at a North Las Vegas job training centre, was visiting Nevada as a presidential candidate for the first time. The state’s early caucus is seen as the first test of a candidate’s viability with a diverse population with politically powerful unions that have been credited with turning the swing state blue in recent election cycles.<\/p>\n

Before discussing politics, Booker introduced his mother, one of several family members living in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

Booker has tried to distinguish himself from the crowded 2020 Democratic field by de-emphasizing the need to run a campaign attacking President Donald Trump. Instead, he pushed for what he called Sunday a \u201crevival of civic grace,\u201d noting that Americans throughout history have come together to push against injustice and bigotry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot do great things if we’re ripping each other apart, if we fail to see the dignity of all Americans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Booker urged quick and aggressive action on climate change, though he didn’t bring up the specifics of the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan backed by some Democratic lawmakers.<\/p>\n

In answering a question about the foreclosure industry that devastated Las Vegas a decade ago, Booker said bad actors in the mortgage industry still need to be held accountable somehow through U.S. courts.<\/p>\n

Throughout his hourlong talk, Booker wove in anecdotes about his upbringing and used buzzy slogans like \u201cleadership is not a title\u201d and \u201cthe power of the people is greater than the people in power.\u201d He also had a playful back-and-forth with members of the audience. At one point, he stopped halfway through answering crowd questions to record a video message on one man’s cellphone for his daughter serving overseas with the U.S. Navy.<\/p>\n

Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said Booker’s visit gives Nevadans \u201ca glimpse at the disastrous policies Cory Booker supports including government-run health care, sky-high taxes and the socialist wish-list known as the Green New Deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pamela Lambey, a 48-year-old Democrat from North Las Vegas who took home a Booker campaign sign, said she was impressed with his message of love.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know the president poo-poos it, you know, acts as if it’s a joke, but I think that’s exactly where we need to be right now.\u201d \u201cI think it’s heartfelt on his part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lambey said she’s leaning toward supporting Booker but is also excited to hear from Sen. Kamala Harris, the California senator seeking the presidency. Harris was expected in Nevada on Friday.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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