Beyonce and Jay Z have performed for Hillary Clinton at a concert at Cleveland State University, an effort to boost turnout in the swing state of Ohio.
Beyonce told the crowd on Saturday that "less than 100 years ago, women did not have the right to vote. Look how far we've come from having no voice to being on the brink of making history."
"I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and know that her possibilities are limitless," she told the crowd, as she sang songs from her album Lemonade, including Formation.
Her husband. Jay Z, said that "we are on the doorsteps of history." He said that he did not hold any "ill will" toward Donald Trump, but "his conversation is divisive." "Once you divide us, you weaken us."
Clinton delivered brief remarks, thanking the two musicians and praising them for their inspiration.
"This is what America is, my friends," Clinton said. She recited some of Jay Z's lyrics: "Rosa Parks sat so Martin Luther could walk."
She then quipped that she was "so energised after this concert, and I gotta say, didn't you love the pantsuits?" she said of Beyonce's polkadotted ensemble.
Clinton's campaign is dispatching a number of celebrity surrogates throughout the weekend. Stevie Wonder was performing at a concert in Philadelphia on Friday night, while Jon Bon Jovi was to give concerts in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Saturday and Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday. Katy Perry will appear with Clinton in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Clinton is trailing Trump in Ohio in a number of polls. Cuyahoga County is a Democratic stronghold, which is why they're attempting to boost turnout there.
Later on Friday, Trump criticised Clinton for appearing with the two performers. He said at a rally that he "didn't have to bring J-Lo or Jay Z. I am here all by myself. No guitar. No piano. No nothing."
On Saturday, he complained about the language Jay Z uses in his lyrics, calling it "so bad." "My lewd language - I'll tell you what. I've never said what he said in my life."
Trump has generally been running without top-name celebrity surrogates. On Saturday, at one rally, he did have one name who appeared with him: Joe Piscopo, the former Saturday Night Live cast member.
Reuters
