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JLo Campaigns For Hillary At Bayfront Concert In Miami

Pedro Portal
/
Miami Herald
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony watch as Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a concert supporting her candidacy at Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami on Saturday.

What better way to spend a Saturday night in Miami than at a free Jennifer Lopez concert?

There's none -- for Hillary Clinton, at least.

It was a fun-filled evening for most of the 7,500 people who attended the get-out-the-vote, pro-Clinton concert in Miami's Bayfront Park. Clinton spoke briefly, but much of the excitement surrounded actress/singer Lopez, singer Marc Anthony, the group Gente de Zona and other Latin music personalities who took the stage.

"We're really excited she [Lopez] is so close to home," said Rosie Hernandez. It was her first time seeing Lopez live in concert, and she dressed in full-on Halloween apparel -- as a killer clown -- for the event.

 

Waiting in line for a chicken taco from one of the many food trucks at the event, Hernandez was less enthusiastic about Clinton. "I have such mixed emotions on both of them [Clinton and Trump]," she said, describing herself as "kind of afraid about what the outcome is going to be, whether she wins or he wins."

Lopez encouraged voters like Hernandez to cast their support to Clinton.

“This election is one of the most important in our lifetime,” she said in a press release before the concert. “It’s time to unify, support, and vote for the only choice that makes sense not only for Women or for Latinos, but for all Americans. Vote for Hillary."

Wearing various costumes, including a red-and-black miniskirt and top, and black boots that reached mid-thigh, Lopez performed a cover version of "Respect," along with her own hits, "Love Make The World Go Round" and "Let's Get Loud." A screen behind her displayed videos of Clinton speaking, along with other female political leaders like First Lady Michelle Obama, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

When Clinton joined Lopez and Marc Anthony onstage, she used Lopez's song to promote her own message in South Florida.

“We just heard Jennifer perform ‘Let’s Get Loud.’ Well, I say, let’s get loud at the voting booth. You can vote early. Don’t wait another day to vote, ” Clinton said.

Clinton was onstage for under 10 minutes, possibly because of intermittent rain that sent concertgoers scrambling for umbrellas. But her early voting message resonated with supporters.

"My feeling is, I want to vote as early as possible. Like, I want to see the result even before the election," said MD Haque. Haque, who's Muslim, said Donald Trump has caused people he knows -- including a friend at the concert -- to look on him suspiciously because of his faith.

"The world is going crazy," he said. But he added he thinks Clinton would be able to calm unfair suspicions. "She's positive about Muslims. She's saying... 'Here, we're all American, we have bad people, good people.'"

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