Nation/World

Clinton prepares to deliver highest-profile address of her career

PHILADELPHIA — Hillary Clinton prepared Thursday to formally accept the Democratic Party's nomination for president and deliver a speech in which she was expected to say that the nation is in a "moment of reckoning."

According to excerpts of her prepared remarks released by her campaign, Clinton plans to say that her "primary mission" will be "to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States."

She also will address security threats to the nation and mention recent terrorist attacks.

"The choice we face is just as stark when it comes to our national security," she intends to say. "Anyone reading the news can see the threats and turbulence we face. From Baghdad and Kabul, to Nice and Paris and Brussels, to San Bernardino and Orlando, we're dealing with determined enemies that must be defeated. No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance — looking for steady leadership."

[On convention's final day, it's Hillary Clinton's turn to convince voters]

Clinton plans to say that in the country's "moment of reckoning," there are "powerful forces" that "are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. And just as with our founders there are no guarantees. It's truly is up to us. We have to decide whether we're going to work together so we can all rise together."

Clinton's campaign manager Robby Mook said Thursday afternoon at a Washington Post-sponsored event that the speech would "wrap up and crystallize" many of the week's themes, while "narrating that lifelong mission she's had to fight for kids and families." He said her remarks would also touch on her Methodist faith as part of an effort to help voters "understand a little more about her core motivations."

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"She's a work horse and not a show horse," Mook said. Acknowledging that Clinton's unfavorable ratings have climbed as the campaign has worn on, he said Clinton plans to "acknowledge that some people are skeptical."

Clinton's daughter Chelsea Clinton will introduce her Thursday night. Leading up to Clinton's speech, a list of supporters is warming up the crowd, some well-known and some with lower profiles.

Early Thursday evening, transgender rights activist Sarah McBride joined Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-New York, and members of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus to address the convention.

McBride, who works as the national press secretary at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, said she learned the urgency of achieving equal rights and protection for all people after the death of her husband Andrew from cancer four days after their wedding in 2014.

"His passing taught me that every day matters," McBride said. "Hillary Clinton understands the urgency of our fight."

Several Democratic women in the Senate came to the convention stage, painting a picture of an empathetic, effective candidate. Sen. Barbara Boxer (California) described a "humble, steady, ready to learn" senator from New York, who fought to help the families of those who were victims of the 9/11 attacks.

In a speech that several times cited his late father Mario Cuomo, who gave a famous keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic convention, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo denounced the dark tone of the Trump campaign, saying, "Fear is not strength, fear is weakness. No matter how loud you yell, our America is never weak."

Republican nominee Donald Trump released a statement hours ahead of Clinton's speech in an effort to undercut his rival by arguing that she and her top surrogates have glossed over the country's most pressing problems.

"At Hillary Clinton's convention this week, Democrats have been speaking about a world that doesn't exist," said Trump. "A world where America has full employment, where there's no such thing as radical Islamic terrorism, where the border is totally secured, and where thousands of innocent Americans have not suffered from rising crime in cities like Baltimore and Chicago."

Here in Philadelphia, those awaiting the final night of the four-day gathering had different suggestions for what Clinton's speech should look like.

"I think that she has to convey to not only the people at the convention, but she has to convey to the TV audience that she's trustworthy and that she can do the job," said Murray Roth of Philadelphia. "She has to explain why she should be elected in November and she has to explain herself."

Speaking on ABC News's "Good Morning America" Thursday, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Clinton's running mate, said Clinton will seek to earn voters' trust in contrast with Trump's plea that they simply "believe" him. Kaine emphasized that theme in his Wednesday night speech.

While Democrats continue to try to heal wounds from a bruising primary, Kaine said he expects supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to get behind Clinton because Trump represents a "threat to everything they care about."

The latest Real Clear Politics average of polls shows that the share of Americans who think the country is on the wrong track is nearly 46 percentage points greater than those who think it is on a favorable course.

That has fueled the anti-establishment mood that helped deliver the GOP nomination to Trump and made Sanders a formidable primary challenger to Clinton.

Democrats will try to sharpen their contrast with Trump and the Republicans in the hours leading up to Clinton's speech. Delegates will hear from Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. In Cleveland last week, Ohio Gov. John Kasich declined to attend the Republican convention because he strongly opposes Trump.

"Hillary Clinton has dedicated her life to serving the needs of others. Donald Trump, on the other hand, well, Donald Trump has dedicated his life to serving himself," said Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton in his speech Thursday afternoon.

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Pop music star Katy Perry, who has campaigned for Clinton, will perform before Clinton takes the stage.

Retired Marine Gen. John Allen will be joined by a group of veterans to highlight Clinton's work on veterans issues, the Clinton aide said.

In an effort to reach out to GOP voters who are not thrilled with Trump, former Reagan administration official Doug Elmets and the co-founder of a Republican Women for Clinton group, Jennifer Lim, will speak.

The Washington Post's Kelsey Snell, Karen Tumulty, John Wagner and Alexandra Laughlin contributed to this report.

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