New York: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Photo: Mohammed Jaffer/IANS)
New York, June 8 (IANS) Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday proclaimed herself the victor of the Democratic primaries which were held in recent months in the US as part of the electoral race for the White House.
"For the first time in our history, a woman will be chosen as presidential candidate for a major political party," said Clinton at a rally in Brooklyn, New York in front of her supporters.
"Thanks to you, we've reached a milestone," she said in a speech which began with clear signs of emotion by the historical moment.
The speech was delivered on the same day that the primaries were held in six states from New Jersey to California with her number of accumulated delegates having significantly surpassed those of her Democratic rival Senator Bernie Sanders.
The confirmation of the nomination for the presidential candidacy will be made at the Democratic convention scheduled to be held in Philadelphia between July 25 and 28.
Clinton said her victory on Tuesday is the result of "generations" who have been fighting for progressive ideas in the US and also highlighted the struggle of women.
She took the opportunity to congratulate Sanders for his "extraordinary" campaign and for his "very good" ideas that he has brought to the Democratic Party and the US.
"We know that we are stronger together," Clinton said in an attempt to close the Democratic ranks as the internal election process is coming to an end.
Clinton said she will take a few days to "absorb the history" that has been done but said there were still more important steps to "keep making history" in the country.
She delivered her speech after she already won in New Jersey and New Mexico and shortly before the close of polling stations in California, where Clinton is currently front runner.
In her speech, the Democratic candidate took the opportunity to criticise the message of division promoted by the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, the only remaining candidate of his party.
"The choice is clear," said Clinton, and Trump "is temperamentally unfit to be President".
Clinton intensified her assault on Trump, laying out a case that his values and rhetoric are incompatible with American principles.
"He is not just trying to build a wall between America and Mexico. He is trying to wall of Americans from each other. When he says let's make America great again, that is code for let's take American backwards," she said.
She hit Trump hard for his recent attacks on a judge with Mexican ancestry along with mocking a disabled reporter and "calling women pigs".
