Hillary Clinton at the DART Central Station in Des Moines.

Hillary Clinton at the DART Central Station in Des Moines.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited the hub for the bus system in Des Moines this morning to highlight the climate change action plan she released last night.

Clinton touted the facility’s solar panels and rainwater collection system and then told reporters she’d be able to convince reluctant Republicans to respond to climate change.

“Making this a central issue in my campaign, I hope, will give me the momentum to be able to go to th congress and say, ‘Look, cease fire. We need to make the transition and we can do it and save money at the same time and create millions of new jobs and businesses that will be to the benefit of our country, so stay tuned,” Clinton said, chuckling.

Clinton suggested she’d use executive orders and federal agency directives to accmoplish some of her goals, but she’s promising to roll back some of the tax advantages for the “fossil fuel” industry. That would take an act of congress where Republicans are likely to at least control the debate agenda in the House, if not the Senate, in 2017. Clinton told reporters she would not comment on the process of reviewing the proposed XL Pipeline, since that process was started when she was secretary of state.

In response to a reporter’s question during her news conference, Clinton rebuked Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee for suggesting President Obama’s Iran deal would march Israelis to the “door of the oven.”

“Comments like these are offensive and they have no place in our political dialogue,” Clinton said.

Clinton told reporters she’s “disappointed” and “personally” offended by Huckabee’s remark.

“I know Governor Huckabee. I have a cordial relationship with him. He served as the governor of Arkansas, but I find this kind of inflammatory rhetoric totally unacceptable,” Clinton said.

The “particulars” of the Iran deal are “fair game” for criticism, according to Clinton,

“But this steps over the line and it should be repudiated by every person of good faith and concern about the necessity to keep our political dialogue with the facts and suitable boundaries,” Clinton said.

AUDIO of Clinton’s appearance in Des Moines, 20:00

On Sunday during a speech in Ames, Clinton said as secretary of state she worked for 18 months to lay the ground work that ultimately led to the negotiations her successor concluded this summer with Iran and other key world powers.

(Photo by Asya Akca)