Hillary Launches First Campaign Ads

The Clinton campaign has launched its first campaign ads.

The first two television ads of Hillary Clinton's campaign showcase her mother's strength and resilience and are a clear attempt to soften the candidate's image in the wake of a raft of troubling poll numbers. The two 60-second commercials, which begin running Tuesday in Iowa and New Hampshire, recount the story of Clinton's mother's difficult beginnings and how she overcame them to provide for her own family. "I think about all the Dorothys, all over America, who fight for their families, who never give up," Clinton says in one of the spots, named "Dorothy" after her mother. A second ad, titled "Family Strong," delves into Clinton's early biography, noting that "after law school, she could have gone to a big firm, but instead went to work for the Children's Defense Fund." The ads are filled with images of young children and mothers, and looking directly at the camera, Clinton says her mother's personal story is the reason "standing up for kids and families became such a big part of my life."