N.Y. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Formally Enters Crowded 2020 Race

March 18-- Mar. 18--New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand officially joined the crowded race for the Oval Office on Sunday -- and plans to deliver her first speech as a candidate outside the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Manhattan on Sunday.

In a two-and-half minute video announcing her candidacy, Gillibrand referenced the national anthem, asking "Will brave win?"

"It hasn't always, and it isn't right now," she said. "Brave doesn't pit people against each other. Brave doesn't put money over lives. Brave doesn't spread hate, cloud truth, build a wall. That's what fear does."

Gillibrand said the country needs "someone who isn't afraid of progress. That's why I'm running for president."

Gillibrand follows former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke into the race. Campaigning in Iowa, O'Rourke, a white man in a field of a dozen-plus candidates that includes several women and people of color, acknowledged that he has "enjoyed white privilege."

Some candidates hit back at O'Rourke's line from a Vanity Fair interview that he was "born to be" in the race.

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said, "No, I wasn't born to run for office, just because growing up in the '70s, in the middle of the country, I don't think many people thought a girl could be president."

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg said, "I think I was born to make myself useful."

Former Vice President Joe Biden hinted further at his yet-unannounced presidential bid at a Delaware Democratic Party dinner Saturday, saying, he has "the most progressive record of anybody running" -- which he quickly corrected to "anybody who would run."

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Friday he will have the first major presidential campaign in history to have a unionized staff. Campaigning in New Hampshire, pro-union Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said, "If my employees want to unionize, I think that's great." Warren will appear in a televised CNN town hall at 9 p.m. Monday live from Mississippi.

Appearing on WCVB's "On the Record" on Sunday, Warren supporter Rep. Joe Kennedy III said, "I'm in an odd position ... where you have a bunch of friends that are actually running for president."

He praised Warren for her "focus on the structural inequities in our economy," adding, "I don't think anyone else in the race brings that strength or that history." But he said other candidates bring their own strengths, experiences and "capacity to actually drive and try to engage a democratic electorate."

Herald wire services contributed to this report.

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