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Remarks at a Federal Victory Fund kind of mathematical magic in Philadelphia, Reception in Phoenix, Arizona there’s no telling what he could do with the June 22, 2000 country as a whole. [Laughter] I want to thank Steve for his long friend- Thank you very much. I appreciate the ship and Janet for her outstanding leader- standing ovation. [Laughter] Let me say I’m ship. I also want to thank her publicly—I’ve delighted to be back in Arizona again. If you never had a chance to do this before—for only knew how many times I complained that her sterling service as United States attorney I wasn’t coming out here enough, you’d really here in my first term, before she became the be impressed. [Laughter] I love coming here. attorney general. I want to say, in his absence, that Bruce I want to acknowledge the event cochairs Babbitt has done a magnificent job as Sec- here, John Shacknai, Bob and Carolyn Wolf, retary of the Interior, and I’m very proud Delbert and Jewell Lewis, and Fred DuVal, of him. We had some rocky issues in the first who is much missed in the White House, but couple of years, and we still do some things I thank him for what he did. And let’s give that our friends in the Republican Party don’t them all a big hand. [Applause] agree with. But we decided together—and Now, I also want to say a heartfelt thanks we’ve been friends for many years because to one present and one former Member of we served as Governors together—that all Congress, Ed Pastor and former Senator these emerging issues in the West, the chal- Dennis DeConcini. I think I’m going to see lenges of reconciling all this growth with the them sometime today. I don’t know if they’re environmental challenges, basically were ig- in this room, but they really did a lot to help nored by the other party when they were in ensure the success that this country has en- power. And they normally did well in the joyed in the last 71⁄2 years. elections because the Federal Government I will be brief, but I want to say some wasn’t getting in anybody’s hair. And then things as succinctly as I can. First, I am more when the Democrats got in, they tended to grateful than you know that in 1996 we won try to deal with them, but in a way that alien- the electoral votes of Arizona, for the first ated so many people we found—further be- time since Harry Truman in 1948. hind. So we decided that we would not ig- Second, I am profoundly grateful for the nore them, but we’d try to do it in a way success our country has enjoyed in these last that would make connections with people at 71⁄2 years, that Steve and Janet outlined. I’ve the grassroots level. And I think, by and worked real hard to try to turn this country large, the strategy has worked, and I’m very around and move it in the right direction. grateful. And I think we were helped by the fact that We set aside, among other things, more I had been a Governor for nearly a dozen land in national monuments, in the 43 million years, that I had dealt with most of the prob- roadless acres of the national forests, other- lems that the country was facing in 1992, and wise, than any administration in the history that we actually had specific, clear ideas of this country except those of Theodore and about what we wanted to do and we laid Franklin Roosevelt. And I’m very proud of them before the American people in great that. And you should be proud of him. detail. I want to thank the gentleman to my left— And that brings me to the present mo- to your left, my right—Ed Rendell, the ment. Everybody knew what the problem former mayor of Philadelphia who has been was in 1992. The wheel was about to run a great chair of our Democratic Party and off. The economy was in bad shape. The soci- who was leading us to victory this year. And ety was deteriorating by most indicators, and I really thank him for doing that. I decided we knew what we had to do. We also knew he ought to be chair of the party when Al that Washington was just paralyzed by this Gore and I won Philadelphia with about 80 sort of partisan fight when basically people percent of the vote and a bigger margin than would say, ‘‘You got an idea; I’ve got an idea. President Kennedy did when it was a much Let’s fight; otherwise, neither one of us will larger city. So I figured if he could work that get on the evening news.’’ And so there was

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a real penalty put on thinking. If you thought America, to deal with the plain environ- you had new ideas and you tried to work mental challenges that are out there because things out, there was really no reward. And of the way we have grown as a nation and most of us out on the country, whether we as a world, to deal with the challenge of giv- lived in Arizona or Arkansas or someplace ing all of our children a world-class edu- else, thought that it didn’t make much sense. cation. So we set about trying to turn the country And while I’m at it, I’d like to compliment around, and the results have been good. the legislators. It seems to me like there’s But now we’re in a new election season. a bipartisan majority in Arizona for really And people ask me all the time, ‘‘Well, who’s doing something significant about the going to win? Do you think the Vice Presi- schools, and I hope it will get through the dent is going to win?’’ I say yes. ‘‘Do you legislature. And I want to thank the Repub- think Hillary is going to win?’’ I say yes. And licans who are supporting—[applause]. I do, on both counts. ‘‘Do you think the What are we going to do to help all these Democrats will win back to Congress?’’ Of families who now have jobs balance work and course, I say yes. But here’s the real truth: family? Our country is behind other coun- Who will win this election depends upon, tries in that. You’d be amazed how many par- more than anything else, what the people of ents I talk to, whether they’re working for America think the election is about. The minimum wage or whether they’re making question you ask may determine the answer six-figure incomes, who worry every single you get. day about how they’re going to meet their So that’s what I want to say to all of you, responsibilities at work and meet their most because when I leave, somebody might ask important responsibilities of raising their you why you were here today and what you children. intend to do. And there’s a lot of work for There are all these really big, interesting you to do between now and November, and challenges. The reason that I want the Vice you have to decide what you think the elec- President to win, apart from my personal loy- tion is about. The election in 1992 was about alty to him and the role that he’s played— what we were going to do to turn our country and he has been, by far, the most significant around. In 1996 it was about whether we Vice President in the history of the country. would continue and build on that direction No other Vice President—I’m a pretty good and build our bridge to this new century. student of American history, and this is not This election is about, in my view, what do just election-year hype—no other Vice Presi- we intend to do with our prosperity. dent has ever had anything close to the posi- And I would argue to you that what a coun- tive impact on the affairs of America and the try does at a magic moment like this is just lives of the American people as Vice Presi- as stern a test of its judgment and its char- dent than Al Gore has had. Not Harry Tru- acter as what a country does when it’s in trou- man; not Theodore Roosevelt; not anybody ble. Anybody in this audience today, who is as Vice President. over 30 years of age at least, can cite at least So when people say, ‘‘Why do you think one time in your life when you made a mis- he should be elected?’’ I say, first of all, be- take, a personal or a professional mistake, not cause he’ll keep the prosperity going. Sec- because things were so tough but because ondly, because he really wants to extend it things were so good you thought there was to the people and places that have been left no penalty for the failure to concentrate and behind and aren’t fully part of this. And think about the long run. thirdly, because he understands the future, Now, for me, what we ought to do with and he can take us there. our prosperity is take advantage of it, because We worked very hard to build America’s nothing lasts forever—nothing bad, nothing high-tech future because we fought for a good, nothing lasts forever. So take advan- technology act, the Telecommunications Act tage of this moment to build the future of of ’96, that was pro-competition and pro-edu- our dreams for our children, to deal with the cation, with the E-rate that gives discounts big challenges: to deal with the aging of so that all of our schools and public libraries

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can hook up to the Internet. We’ve got a putting it in a lockbox so it can’t be spent very different world today. He understands on anything besides Medicare. We’ll pay the a big issue that all of you will face sooner debt down until we need it, and we’ll have or later—probably sooner rather than later— a hedge in case this surplus doesn’t mate- which is, how are we going to preserve peo- rialize. And, yes, let’s have a tax cut, but let’s ple’s privacy rights when all of our financial focus it on the people who really need it and records and all of our health care records on their need to educate their children, to are on somebody’s computer somewhere? pay for child care, to pay for long-term care, That’s just one example. to accumulate wealth and save for their own You need to elect a President now who retirement.’’ will keep the prosperity going, who will ex- But let’s not spend it all, because if you tend it to people and places left behind, and pass a tax cut now based on an assumed sur- who understands the future and can lead us plus—it’s self-serving for me; I ought to say, there. ‘‘Of course we’re going to have a multi-tril- Now, I want you to know three things lion dollar surplus over the next 10 years, and about this election. One, it is really big. It I produced it, ha-ha.’’ But the truth is, you is just as important as the elections of ’92 don’t know any more than I do whether we’re and ’96, because we may never have another going to have all that money over the next chance in our lifetime to have a moment 10 years. And I think—people ask me all the where there is so much economic prosperity, time, ‘‘What great economic innovation did social progress, and relative absence of do- you bring to Washington?’’ And I give a one- mestic crisis or foreign threat. So it’s impor- word answer: arithmetic. [Laughter] We tant. brought arithmetic back. We said, ‘‘Look, if Two, there are real differences between we don’t have it, we shouldn’t spend it. the parties, from the Presidential candidates We’ve got to get rid of the deficit. We’ve to the Senate candidates to the House can- got to pay the debt down.’’ didates—real differences—and that’s good. It means we can have an exciting and fun- Now, the Democrats should be for, yes, damentally positive election. We’ve had too investing in education; yes, giving working many elections in the last 20 years where people tax breaks; yes, investing in the envi- both candidates tried to convince the voters ronment and scientific research. We should that their opponents were just a notch above be for all that. But we should also be for a car thief. And you don’t have to do that. continuing to pay down the debt. Why? Be- You can assume in this election that every- cause it will keep interest rates lower. It will body is honorable, that everybody is going stave off inflation. It will keep the stock mar- to try to do what they say they’re going to ket growing. It will keep the economy strong- do, and there are differences. So, one, it’s er. We need to do it. important; two, there are differences. You don’t know any more than I do wheth- The third thing you need to know is, only er all this money that we now project is going the Democrats want you to know what the to be there over the next 10 years. And if differences are. [Laughter] For example, we give it away all on the front end in a tax there is no question that it will be very ap- cut, you know as well as I do, if it doesn’t pealing for the Republicans, beginning with materialize, we’ll be right back into the bad the nominee for President, to say, ‘‘Hey, vote old days of deficits. Big issue. So you can’t for us, and we’ll give you a tax cut worth pretend that there are no consequences here. over a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. And if you want this thing to keep going, And we can easily afford it because we’re prudence, arithmetic, relying on human ex- going to have such a big surplus, because it’s perience is really important. projected.’’ I’ll just give you a couple of other exam- And we say—the Vice President said last ples. We’re for the minimum wage, and week—‘‘No, no, no. First of all, let’s start by they’re not. We’re for a real Patients’ Bill of saving 20 percent of the projected surplus Rights; a few of them are, but most of them by taking the taxes you pay for Medicare and aren’t. We believe you can grow the economy

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and improve the environment in the informa- Remarks at a Democratic National tion age. It is no longer necessary for a coun- Committee Luncheon in Phoenix try to stay rich or grow rich by putting more June 22, 2000 greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Most of them don’t believe that, but I do. And Thank you, Fred. Thanks for the great I believe the evidence is clear. work you did at the White House. Thanks Vice President Gore said the other day, for this today. Thank you, Steve. And to all ‘‘Vote for me, and I will build on and of you who contributed and raised money strengthen President Clinton’s declaration of and made this a success, I thank you. over 40 million roadless acres in our national I want to thank Mayor Rendell. Remem- forests.’’ In the primary—something that the ber that old joke about W.C. Fields, he said Republicans hope you’ll develop amnesia he wanted on his tombstone, ‘‘All things con- sidered, I’d rather be in Philadelphia’’? about—[laughter]—in the primary, his oppo- [Laughter] Mayor Rendell would always nent said, ‘‘Vote for me, and I’ll get rid of rather be in Philadelphia. But he’s seen a that order protecting those 43 million great deal of America here, and he’s done roadless acres.’’ There’s a real difference. a great job for us. So there are real differences. And what I I also want to introduce Congressman Bob want—what I would like to ask you to do Filner and his wife, Jane, from San Diego, is go out to the people who aren’t here, peo- who’s here with us today. I’m glad to see ple you talk to every day, people that might you. They’re taking me to San Diego after not be Democrats—independents, Repub- I leave you. licans—people with money, middle class I know about half of you were in the other people that spend everything they earn pay- room, and I’m loath to repeat my speech— ing their bills every 2 weeks, people that work although I’m reminded once I went to—I in this hotel and have to struggle to pay their once went to a concert when I was Governor bills—and talk to them about it, and say, of Arkansas that Tina Turner held in Little ‘‘Look, this is a gift, folks. We can have an Rock. And the guy that ran the place where old-fashioned American election. We don’t we had the concerts knew that I was a huge have to be swayed by 30-second ads saying Tina Turner fan. And so was Hillary, and she that this person’s bad or that person’s bad. was out of town, and she was really steamed Let’s assume everybody’s honorable and that that she couldn’t go. So I took six of our they’ll do what they say they’re going to do.’’ friends, and I went to this Tina Turner con- And get the differences out there, and ask cert. people to think about what they think this And she was just making her big come- back, and she sang all these new songs. Then is about. at the very end of the concert she started— I have done everything I could to leave the band started playing ‘‘Proud Mary,’’ our country in good shape. And I just want which was her first hit, and we’d all heard us to take advantage of this moment to build it before. And so Tina Turner goes up to the a future we dream of for the kids that are microphone, everybody cheers like crazy, in this audience. And if we do that, then the and she said, ‘‘You know I’ve been singing outcome will be clear, here and throughout this song for 25 years, but it gets better every America. time I do it.’’ [Laughter] So maybe I should Thank you very much. just give the same speech I just gave. [Laugh- ter] NOTE: The President spoke at 12:30 p.m. in Salon I want to say to all of you how much I 2/3 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. In his remarks, he have loved coming here to Arizona and work- referred to reception cohost Steve Owens; Janet ing with the people here on a wide variety Napolitano, Arizona attorney general, who intro- of issues; how grateful I am for the service duced the President; and Gov. George W. Bush of all the Arizonans in the administration, in- of Texas. cluding Fred and Bruce and Hattie, and all

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