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Just an hour afterannouncing that she would be running for president, Hillary Clinton hit theground running… well driving. Instead of jetting off to start campaigning acrossthe country, the former First Lady has set up shop in a van to drive the 1,046miles to rural Iowa for her first appearances.
Hillary is driving cross-country to start campaigning for president in Iowa Photo: Getty Images
"I’m hittingthe trail to earn your vote. Headed to Iowa. –H," she announced on Twitter after posting a link to a videoannouncing her presidential bid. "I'm running for president," said the 67-year-old witha smile near the end of a two-minute video released just after 3 p.m."Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion,"she said. "So I'm hitting the road to earn your vote — because it's yourtime. And I hope you'll join me on this journey."
Joined bypolitical aides, a three van caravan has set out to travel across the countrymeeting with average citizens along the way. Penn State Altoona student Chris Learn, 19, told CNN thathe saw Clinton at a gas station, and that she even chatted him up withquestions marking one of her first unofficial engagements. She later posted apicture to her 3.3 million Twitter followers of a family she met with along theway saying, "Road trip! Loadedthe van & set off for IA. Met a great family when we stopped thisafternoon. Many more to come. –H."
The less than luxurious travel was actually Hillary's idea. "When Hillary first told us that she was ready to hitthe road for Iowa, we looked at her and said, 'Seriously,"' senior aideHuma Abedin said, according to the Associate Press. "And she said, 'Seriously.' This was her idea, and she has beenreally excited about it. We've been driving for a good part of today." And the van is affectionately nicknamed "Scooby" after the hit 1970s animated television series The Scooby-Doo Show.
But it'sdoubtful we'll see the former Secretary of State behind the wheel any time soonas she hasn't driven in years. "I have to confess that oneof the regrets I have about my public life is that I can't drive anymore,' she said last year in New Orleans at a car-dealer trade show. "Last time Iactually drove a car myself was 1996 and I remember it very well. Unfortunatelyso does the Secret Service, which is why I haven't driven since then."
Hillary will meet with students and educators in Iowa on Tuesday Photo: Getty Images
While inIowa, Hillary will tour the Jones CountyRegional Center of Kirkwood Community College and participate in a roundtablewith students and educators Tuesday followed by a businessroundtable meeting after touring Capital City Fruit in Norwalk, Iowa on Wednesday.
Theannouncement of Hillary running for President has brought an end to years ofspeculation over whether Bill Clinton's wife would make a second bid to becomethe first female U.S. president and secure a place in history by interrupting aline of 44 male commanders-in-chief.
Hillary previously served as secretary of state and U.S. senator for New York, as well as first lady when her husband, Bill, served two terms at the White House in the 1990s. She was defeated by Barack Obama in the contest for the Democratic nomination in 2008.
Hillary lost in her 2008 presidential campaign to Barack Obama Photo: Getty Images
Hillary's announcement comes just two days before National Equal Pay Day, which falls on Tuesday, and represents the point in the year when, on average, a woman's pay for working in 2014 and 2015 would equal a man's pay just for 2014.
Pay equity is an issue that Hillary's candidacy will focus on, along with others important to many women, such as paid family and medical leave, a higher minimum wage and affordable access to child care.
Watch Hillary's video announcement below: