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Clinton Focuses On Childcare During Latest Ky. Campaign Swing

Associated Press

Leading Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton chose Lexington’s Family Care Center off Red Mile Road to highlight her childcare agenda Tuesday.

Falling relatively late on the calendar, Kentucky’s Democratic primary doesn’t usually attract quite so much attention, but this is no ordinary election year. Both the Clintons and rival Bernie Sanders have leapfrogged across the newly christened battleground state in search of votes in recent weeks.

Tuesday during an invitation-only roundtable, the Democratic frontrunner outlined her strategies for lowering childcare costs for families with remarks that echoed the message of her 1996 book It Takes a Village.

"I think there's this myth that has really outlived its usefulness about how basically you're on your own," she told the gathering. "I just don't buy that. I don't think that's who we are. I don't think it was ever true."

For her part, the former secretary of state is promoting the expansion of “home visiting” programs which stress personalized, in-home care for at-risk children over office visits. Clinton also wants to bump up pay for childcare workers.

"One of the things that obviously I'm really focus on in this campaign is elevating these issues because I think they are just as important as any other issues that may be talked about in a presidential campaign. And that's kind of unusual, but for me, having done this work for so long I know what a difference it makes," she said.

The erstwhile first lady toured Central Kentucky on the same day former Gov. Steve Beshear announced his endorsement of her campaign, saying, "Having worked aggressively and in a collaborative fashion as Kentucky’s governor to improve life for our people, I know that she is committed to the same key issues - partnering with others to create jobs and expand access to affordable health care."

Responding in a statement, Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Tres Watson said, “Between their embrace of Obamacare, support for job-killing coal regulations and the fact that scandal now engulfs their previous administrations, they have a lot in common.”

Clinton is scheduled to rally supporters at Louisville’s Slugger Field tonight while former president Bill Clinton is set to return to Central Kentucky on Thursday.

Kentucky Democrats go to the polls to select a nominee on May 17.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.
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