Hillary Clinton: CAP put health care on agenda - Politico

Hillary Clinton on Thursday praised the Center for American Progress, noting her own long commitment to the organization and highlighting the group’s policy successes on issues like health care.

“In particular, CAP’s efforts put the cause of affordable, quality health care for every American back on the national agenda,” said Clinton, who as First Lady faced major political fights over health care.

Clinton took the stage at the Andrew W. Mellon auditorium in Washington at an event marking the organization’s 10th anniversary, where the top possible 2016 contender received an enthusiastic reception. She spoke only briefly, but noted her long ties to the organization, referencing early talks with the people who eventually went on to found the organization.

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”At the end of the Clinton administration, I knew that if we didn’t have an infrastructure in place to continue to build on what had been accomplished and to hold the line on any efforts at retrenchment, we would not be doing our job,” said the former secretary of state.

As she has done before, Clinton blasted the “scorched-earth” nature of modern politics, adding that the country is “careening from crisis to crisis” but that today’s challenges highlight CAP’s importance.

The Center for American Progress has deep ties to the Clintons: its president, Neera Tanden, was a longtime aide to Clinton, while CAP founder John Podesta was President Bill Clinton’s chief of staff. If Clinton runs for president, she will need to energize the progressive constituency that’s drawn to the organization.

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“Progressive ideas have helped make this country the greatest force for human liberty, dignity and opportunity the world has ever known,” she said. “And I know that CAP will continue leading the way.

Earlier Thursday, Tanden penned a piece in POLITICO describing Clinton’s “tenacity” and leadership skills, as well as her work on women’s and children’s issues.

“Believe it or not, none of her longtime friends know whether she’ll run for president in 2016,” she wrote. “We can hope though. But no matter what she decides to do, we know she will be tenacious and continue to make progress every way she can to get these things done.”

She effusively introduced Clinton at the event, painting her as a determined fighter for important values, and Clinton in turn peppered her speech with several references to her personal relationship with Tanden.