Republicans used Hillary Clinton’s first presidential campaign rally Saturday as an occasion to attack her as out-of-touch and closed off to questions.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush struck first, hitting Clinton with a video touting his own presidential bona fides before she even took the stage Saturday morning.
The new clip – titled “Jeb: Today and Tomorrow” – featured a quiet dig at Clinton’s transparency.
{mosads}“We’re probably around 800 to 900 questions asked and hopefully answered,” he said in the spot, a sly jab at Clinton’s media availability.
Critics argue Clinton has avoided news reporters and their questions about her policy positions thus far on the campaign trail.
Bush also sought to distinguish himself from the same potential attacks.
“If I’m going to go beyond the consideration of running for the highest office in the land, I need to share my heart to show a little bit about my life experience,” said Bush, a possible 2016 GOP contender, in the video.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, another possible candidate, pounced shortly after Clinton’s speech ended.
“Hillary Clinton’s re-launch of her campaign doesn’t change that her views are out-of-touch with mainstream America,” he said in a statement.
“Clinton would be a third term of Obama’s failed policies,” Walker added. “Instead, we need new, fresh solutions.”
The Republican National Committee (RNC) predicted Clinton’s rally would not help her actually win the presidency in 2016.
“Hillary Clinton’s announcement speech was chock full of hypocritical attacks, partisan rhetoric and ideas from the past that have led to a sluggish economy leaving too many Americans behind,” said Allison Moore, the RNC’s national press secretary.
“Next year, Americans will reject the failed policies of the past and elect a Republican president,” Moore added.
An RNC analysis of Clinton’s campaign kickoff criticized the topics she focused on during her address.
Clinton spent four minutes criticizing Republicans overall, the RNC argued, at one point doing so and then praising bipartisanship within nearly the same minute.
The former secretary of State also spent just two minutes on foreign policy issues, constituting a mere 5 percent of her overall remarks, according to the RNC.
Clinton largely struck a populist tone during her campaign event Saturday.
The heavy favorite for next year’s Democratic nomination repeatedly called for social justice reforms and economic prosperity during her remarks.
“It’s America’s basic bargain – if you do your part, you ought to be able to get ahead,” Clinton said. “When everybody does their part, American ought to be able to get ahead too.”