Hillary Clinton Using Demi Lovato To Pander To Young Women? Fans Demand Policy Talk At Iowa Concert

Hillary Clinton’s attempt to appeal to young women in Iowa Thursday night left some voters feeling shortchanged — they had come to hear a presidential candidate speak about the issues and instead got a Demi Lovato concert. While this might seem like a good thing to the popstar's fans, the Guardian reported that women at Clinton’s Iowa City event seemed angry, and unconvinced, by the lack of substance.

After some voters waited for more than an hour in the cold temperatures to see Clinton, the candidate spoke for less than five minutes, according to the Guardian. Clinton focused on general talking points and encouraging voters to support her, but did not give her usual stump speech.

“I’d be so thrilled and honored if you can caucus for me,” she said at the event. She also promised to “work as hard as I know how to take it to the Republicans” and win the White House, the Guardian reported.

The crowd was largely made up of young women and several told the Guardian they were expecting more from the candidate to convince them to caucus for her.

“It was very short,” Jennifer Marks, 22, told the Guardian. “There were a lot of statements. Like: ‘We are we going to make things happen.’” she added. “No actual how.”

The former secretary of state has already been accused of pandering to Hispanic and African-American voters this election cycle. When Clinton’s campaign published a list of “ 7 things Hillary Clinton has in common with your abuela” the post sparked a hashtag, #NotMyAbuela, where social media users criticized the candidate for appealing to marginalized voters with emotion over policy. The campaign’s choice to change its logo to include Rosa Parks and then to feature Kwanzaa colors prompted a similar backlash, with many saying the incidents formed a pattern.

Like minority voters, young people are another key demographic for Democratic candidates. Clinton’s main rival for the Democratic nomination, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has been beating her among young voters, and is counting on getting this group to turn out at caucuses for him on Feb. 1.

With the Iowa caucuses now barely one week away, the race between Clinton and Sanders has been tightening every nearly day. While Clinton once held a commanding lead in Iowa, Sanders has caught up in recent polls. Clinton held an average of 46.3 percent Friday morning, while Sanders stood at 43.1 percent, according to Real Clear Politics.