News / Politics

Martin O’Malley announces presidential run

Saturday, 30 May 2015 3:40 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 30 May 2015 4:00 PM ]

Former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley

Former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley has announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"The American Dream seems for so many of us to be hanging by a thread," O'Malley said in his official announcement on Saturday, embracing what could be an uphill battle against Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in 2016 elections.

O'Malley touted his "executive experience" and pledged “new leadership” for America during his announcement speech at a hill top park in Baltimore, the city where he spent seven years as mayor.

"Our economy isn't money," he told a supportive crowd. "Our economy is people."

The 52-year-old also said that the nation can learn from "the anger and the rage" that erupted in the streets of Baltimore this year to improve its race relations and police conduct.

O’Malley also phoned Clinton to personally inform her of his intention to run for the White House.

He was one of the first Democratic governors to endorse Clinton’s candidacy in the 2008 election cycle, and was a major fundraiser for the then-senator.

However, as a presidential candidate, O’Malley appears to be positioning himself to the left of Clinton on a host of policies, including trade, Wall Street reform and immigration.

“Tell me how it is that not a single Wall Street CEO was convicted of a crime related to the 2008 economic meltdown,” he said. “Not a single one.”

Clinton was the secretary of state during Obama’s first term and his primary opponent before that in the 2008 presidential election.

In a video on her campaign website on April 12, the former secretary of state said she wanted to be a “champion” for ordinary Americans fighting their way back from tough economic times.

HRJ/HRJ

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