In Central Florida, Happy-Face Hillary Clinton seeks contrast with Donald Trump

Ahead in the polls, dominating electoral map projections and now weeks past her FBI investigation announcement debacle, Hillary Clinton put on a happy face in Kissimmee seeking to contrast her optimistic outlook with Republican Donald Trump‘s angry warnings of America in decline.

“It’s a choice between two different views of who we are as Americans and the vision we have in our future,” Clinton said.

Much of Clinton’s 27-minute speech before about 5,000 people in Osceola County’s Silver Spur Arena aimed to draw contrasts between Trump’s economic plan, which he rolled out in part in Detroit Monday, and her own. The contrast she sought to draw could be summed up in her declaration that she wants to build highways, bridges, ports, airports, water systems, internet networks and other economic infrastructure, while “Donald wants to build a wall.”

“With your help, we’re going to rebuild America,” she said.

But this speech — in substance much the same as one she gave in Tampa earlier Monday and similar to economic talks she’s given since rolling out her plans last fall — appeared to be more about contrasting styles than substance.

Clinton was far more exuberant than the last time she spoke in Kissimmee last December, and the crowd far more engaged. Time and again, she drew attention to Trump’s demeanor and messages.

“I’m pretty excited about what we are going to do. I am. I am confident. I am optimistic. I’m enthusiastic about our first 100 days plan,” she said. “But I gotta tell you, we have to contrast it with what we are hearing from Donald Trump.”

And she did so with a frequent smile, and occasional attempts at humor, traits missing last year. In talking about Trump’s 12 economic advisors, she said, “He’s got three Wall Street money managers, an oil baron, a former chef economist with one of the big banks at the heart of the financial crisis. He’s got six guys named Steve.”

Clinton also paid homage to Orlando’s recovery from the June 12 Pulse nightclub massacre, something Trump did not do when he spoke in nearby Daytona Beach last week. She noted her visit to Orlando two weeks ago.

“I just have to tell you how grateful I am for the leadership and the people of Orlando and Central Florida for the love and compassion,” she said. “And I know how many people, family members and friends, are still grieving, and I want you to know we will be with you as you rebuild your lives, as you rebuild hope for the future. Because we can’t ever let that kind of hatred and violence break the spirit, break the soul of anyplace in America.”

And later in the speech she responded to conservatives’ accusations that she and other Democrats were seeking to take away people’s guns.

“Yes, we are going after the gun lobby, and try to get commonsense gun-safety measures” she said. “Here’s what I want you to know. We are not going to repeal the 2nd Amendment. We are not going to take anybody’s gun away. We are going to try to prevent somebody who shouldn’t have a gun from shooting you or someone you care about.”

Clinton also offered comments about Puerto Rico, in the heart of Florida’s Puerto Rican diaspora, east Kissimmee, promising help, though offering no specific ideas.

“I was a senator from New York. I paid a lot of attention to Puerto Rico. We had a big population from Puerto Rico just as you do here in Central Florida. It’s really important to me that we do what we can to help the people of Puerto Rico get the kind of support that they deserve to have.”