Hillary Clinton began Monday with a legion of reporters behind him a tour of key states looking to boost his presidential campaign against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
AFP
Clinton will try to solidify his lead over Trump, on a day that both remain encounters with working families Ohio (northern US) on Labor Day.
Democratic candidate maintains lead over Republican standard-bearer in national polls and defeated Trump in fundraising in August.
But the unconventional proposal Trump to reach the White House, including the apparent impermeability of his campaign criticism of his harsh rhetoric, ensures a tight contest in the next 64 days before the election.
The Democrat, relaxed and smiling, candidate welcomed reporters aboard his plane.
He said he was "more than ready" for the next stage of the campaign. "I'm happy to have you all with me. I've been waiting for this moment, "he said.
The new Clinton jet is a Boeing 737-800 has capacity for 100 people, according to his campaign. The white and blue aircraft has the legend "Stronger Together" (Together we are stronger) painted in large blue letters on the fuselage.
Clinton, 68, will participate in events with families of workers in Cleveland (Ohio) and Hampton (Illinois), to celebrate Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of the autumn phase of the campaign for November's presidential election.
Trump, 70, is behind Clinton in the polls but last week dominated the national and global attention with a surprise trip to Mexico, as well as with a fiery speech on immigration and a visit to a church in the black community in Detroit (Michigan).
And while CBS News poll put Clinton ahead in strategic states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, polls show that competition is increasingly closed nationwide.
"Surveys are couples so that Dishonest Clinton is coming out of the bed and will campaign tomorrow," quipped Trump Twitter Sunday.
Just three weeks before the first of three debates between the candidates, Clinton will seek strengthened with multiple acts.
Clinton has been pressed to give more access to journalists covering his campaign. So far he had resisted the press traveling on his plane as often happens in presidential campaigns.
But since Monday for the first time it takes journalists on tour.
Meanwhile the Republican candidate said Monday that it will participate in the three presidential debates with Hillary Clinton.
"I intend to be in all three," said Donald Trump told reporters traveling with him on his campaign plane, adding that only a natural disaster would change his mind.
The first debate will be organized on September 26 at Hofstra University in New York State. The next is scheduled for Oct. 9 on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis and the last will take place on October 19 at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.
"I will prepare as in other debates (during the Republican primaries, editor's note) that went well for me," said the magnate.
- "Hiding Hillary" -
Until now Trump has avoided charging reporters at his campaign plane.
The candidate often provocative answers journalists and makes it to criticize his opponent to do the same.
Trump bellowed field Saturday against her opponent with an email in which he said that "274 days ago that Clinton gave a press conference."
That message was part of a series of emails called "Hiding Hillary" with which aims to show that the Democratic candidate has an aversion towards journalists.
Trump and his running mate Mike Pence, Indiana Governor insisted for months that Clinton must face the press to talk face to face about the private email account you used when he was secretary of state; a scandal that haunts her for more than a year ago.
Clinton also hit Trump after he refused to answer reporters about whether he regretted having led to falsely claimed that President Barack Obama was born outside the United States.
"It is amazing that the Republican candidate refuses to admit that @POTUS born in the United States," Clinton tweeted on Saturday.
@POTUS Is the name of Obama as a user of Twitter.
- In the route -
Three weeks the first of three presidential debates is expected moments largest audience of the election, Clinton seeks to reassert this week.
Also hit the road with his running mate Tim Kaine and current Vice President Joe Biden, who is campaigning for Hillary in Pennsylvania. Her husband, President Bill Clinton, are attending events in Michigan and Ohio.
On Tuesday she will fly to Tampa for a campaign rally at the University of South Florida, then travel on Thursday to Charlotte, North Carolina (southeast).
Both Florida and North Carolina are crucial in the battle for the conquest of the White House.