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Hillary Clinton says “the future is here, it’s in our grasp,” in energetic DNC speech
Washington — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who herself came close to becoming the first woman president eight years ago, said the future is “in our grasp,” on Monday, delivering an energetic speech at the first night of the Democratic National Convention.
“This is our time, America,” Clinton said. “This is when we stand up. This is when we break through. The future is here, it’s in our grasp, let’s go win it.”
Clinton’s speech Monday came as Democrats showed a united front behind Vice President Kamala Harris after she replaced President Biden at the top of the ticket.
Clinton, who took the stage to a lengthy and warm reception of cheers from the crowd, said “Something is happening in America — you can feel it,” calling it “something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time.”
Eight years after she accepted the party’s nomination for president at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, Clinton said “we are writing a new chapter in America’s story” with the nomination of Harris — who is the first woman of color to be nominated as a major party’s presidential candidate.
In her remarks, Clinton took the audience through a short history of women shattering glass ceilings in politics — from gaining the ability to vote to her nomination in 2016, which she said called the “honor of my life.”
“Nearly 66 million Americans voted for a future where there are no ceilings on our dreams,” Clinton said. “And afterwards, we refused to give up on America … we kept our eyes on the future.”
“Well, my friends, the future is here,” she added, urging Americans to send Harris to the White House.
Like many other Democrats before her on Monday, Clinton painted a stark picture of the future of the nation under Harris versus a second Trump administration. She told voters they face a choice between uniting as “we the people” or fracturing into “us versus them.” And she said, “Kamala has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward.”
Clinton, who lost her presidential bid to former President Donald Trump in 2016 and has been the target of Trump’s ire for years, said it “is no surprise” that the former president “is lying about Kamala’s record, he is mocking her name and her laugh.”
“Sounds familiar,” she quipped with a shrug. “But, we have him on the run now. So, no matter what the polls say, we can’t let up.”
The former secretary of state said Harris’ victory would have meaning far beyond just one individual, saying it would uplift the nation by “opening the promise of America wide enough for everyone.”
“Together we put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling,” Clinton said. “And tonight, tonight so close to breaking through once and for all, I want to tell you what I see through all those cracks, and why it matters for each and every one of us.”
“I see freedom,” she said. “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as the 47th president of the United States.”
The convention comes less than a month after Mr. Biden dropped out of the race and promptly endorsed Harris as his replacement at the top of the ticket. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, quickly endorsed Harris’ bid for the presidency.
Clinton celebrated Mr. Biden as well on Monday, saying he “brought dignity, decency and confidence back to the White House.”
“He showed what it means to be a true patriot,” Clinton said. “Thank you. Joe Biden, for your lifetime of service and leadership.”
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Tupperware files for bankruptcy amid slumping sales
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
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JD Vance echoes Trump, blames Democrats for apparent assassination attempt
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