Amy Klobuchar visits Nashville as she tries to woo moderates, independents to her Democratic campaign – Tennessean
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota made a stop in Nashville on Friday, a rally that came amid a swarm of Democratic presidential campaign events around the state this week in the lead-up to Super Tuesday.
A few hundred supporters braved downtown traffic Friday afternoon, holding green “Amy for America” signs as she sought to portray herself as one of them, a person from Middle America who understood what it’s like to come from a family facing struggles.
Klobuchar, who remains on the Democratic debate stage but has not carved out a place as one of the top-polling candidates, made appeals Friday to a wide spectrum of voters.
“There are independents and moderate Republicans who don’t like our president who are watching and want a change, and I remember that every day,” Klobuchar said.
Carl Appelt of Mount Juliet identifies as one of those moderate unaffiliated voters.
In 2016, he couldn’t bring himself to vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, but has also cast votes for Mitt Romney, John McCain, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, among others, he said.
Appelt wasn’t familiar with Klobuchar before she visited Nashville last spring for a fundraiser. He talked to her one-on-one there for around 10 minutes and was sold.
“I think she’s got the best platform,” Appelt said. “It’s a shame she’s not getting more traction. As long as she’s running I’ll support her.”
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Appelt, a retired insurance broker, said he is voting for what he sees as someone with a proven track record and ability to get things done more than Klobuchar.
Klobuchar also repeatedly announced that Trump should be subject to “decency checks” and “patriotism checks,” telling stories of Middle American people she had met — cattle ranchers, Eagle Scouts, miners — who had demonstrated those qualities in ways she argued the president has not.
She said the president needed courage, which means being “willing to stand next to some people you don’t always agree with for the betterment of our country.”
Janice White also hadn’t heard of Klobuchar before her presidential bid. She liked when Klobuchar announced her run for president outside in a snowstorm in Minneapolis in February 2019, but had initially supported Biden.
It wasn’t until a February Democratic debate when White, a retired English professor living in Nashville, was won over by Klobuchar’s performance.
“She sounded like she really could beat Trump,” White said. “She understood what had to be done.”
White came to the Friday evening event — her first ever political rally — with friend Dolores Loutzenhiser, a retired nurse.
“We’re worried Bernie can’t get elected,” Loutzenhiser said.
Klobuchar received an introduction from at-large Metro Nashville Councilman Bob Mendes, who the campaign announced earlier in the day was endorsing her.
“She knows how to stand her ground, but when there’s common ground to be had, she’ll take it, and that’s something we really need in America,” Mendes said.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ wife Jane Sanders made multiple stops in Nashville. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg came back to Tennessee on Friday, visiting Memphis, Clarksville and Blountville.
Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is scheduled to hold a town hall event at 2 p.m. Saturday in Public Square Park, outside of the Metro Courthouse. Klobuchar will also have an event in Knoxville on Saturday.
Jill Biden, wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, will hold a rally in Memphis on Sunday, followed by a private fundraiser in Nashville.
Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.
Published 7:46 PM EST Feb 28, 2020
