Remarks to the Community in Keene, New Hampshire February 17
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 / Feb. 17 325 There are two more things we have to do. for a moment that we can ever become all The Congress should give me the line-item we ought to be unless we do it together. veto they have been promising. And we And so I say to you, I have tried to be should join hands, as the Speaker and I did there for you. I have loved the opportunity when we shook hands in Claremont not very to be your President. I am grateful beyond long ago, and finally pass a bipartisan cam- words for the chance you gave me in New paign finance reform bill to give elections Hampshire when everybody who was an ex- back to the people of New Hampshire and pert said it was over. I am grateful. But I the people of the United States of America. do not want you to reelect me based on what But it ends with you. It ends with you. we have done, or even based on your per- There is no callÐthey say a politician is never sonal feelings. I want you to do it because supposed to disagree with the majority at the only way you and your children and your election time, but I'm going to tell you some- community and your State and your country thing: There is no call for the cynicism, for are going to meet the challenges of today and the negativism, for the apathy that so many tomorrow is if we do it together, together express today. 'til the last dog dies. Yes, it is true that we have not solved all God bless you, and thank you. the problems in the last 3 years, but what I said wasÐin Dover 4 years agoÐthat the NOTE: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Presidency is the most important hiring deci- gymnasium at Rochester Community Center. In sion the American people ever make. If you his remarks, he referred to Harvey E. Bernier, Jr., mayor, and Sandra Keanes, deputy mayor; vote for me, I won't solve all the problems, Lincoln Soldati, county attorney, and George I won't give you a miracle, but I will give Maglaris, county commissioner, Strafford County. you movement. You won't have to worry about whether I'm working every day, caring about you every day, or making progress. Remarks to the Community in My fellow Americans, by any standard we Keene, New Hampshire have made progress. But most important is February 17, 1996 what will we do tomorrow, what is your vision of the future, and are you willing to do some- Thank you. Thank you for waiting in the thing about it. Cynicism is a very cheap ex- cold. I waited on the runway for 2 hours this cuse for inaction, and it is ultimately frustrat- morning in Washington for the weather to ing and unrewarding. It guarantees the fail- clear so that I could come, and I was hoping ure of democracy. you would wait for me. So I ask you again to participate in democ- Mayor Russell, thank you for those won- racy. They say, well, there is no opponent derful remarks about your beloved city. Sen- in the primary. Oh, yes there is. Cynicism ator Blaisedell, thank you for your support is our opponent. Apathy is our opponent. Di- and your statement and your service. And vision is our opponent. The siren song of sim- Jennifer Durling, thank you for reminding us ple answers that are wrong is our opponent. all what this election is all about: you and And you should know that, whatever anybody people like you, your future, and your coun- says, this is still the greatest country in try's future. Thank you for doing such a good human history. Most people would give any- job. Let's give her another hand. [Applause] thing to be in your shoes around the world I am delighted to be back in Keene. I today. And this system will work if you will thank the high school band and the choir for make it work. This system will work if you doing so well today. I was in the band in will make it work. high school; I can tell you they are freezing All my life I have been driven by the con- to death over there. [Laughter] It's not easy viction that it is simply wrong, it is wrong to play the national anthem on a warm day, when any person is deprived of the oppor- and they did it on a cold day. Let's give them tunity to live up to the fullest of their God- another hand; they were great. [Applause] given potential. I now know more strongly You know, I know the movie ``Jumanji'' than I ever had that it is also wrong to believe was filmed here. And I know one of the big- VerDate 28-OCT-97 09:54 Jan 09, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P08FE4.020 p08fe4 326 Feb. 17 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 gest scenes was an elephant stampede right tunity. We have to insist on responsibility. up this street. And I decided I'd better get And we have to believe in our common des- up here before it's too late and we had an- tiny. We have to go forward together. I am other elephant stampede. [Laughter] tired of seeing this country divided for short- I have such wonderful memories of this term political gain. We are strong when we community. I was last here in 1994 at the are together. We are never defeated when Markem Company, but all of you know I we are together. came many times in 1992. And the first time When I came here to New Hampshire, I I had an inkling that we might actually go said I had an economic strategy for America. on to victory was the night I had one of my If you would vote for me, we would cut the town meetings in Keene before they were deficit in half, institute an investment plan the thing to do, and we rented a hall or got that would create 8 million new jobs, open one, anyway, that was supposed to be big the doors of trade to American goods and enough for 150 people, and everybody was services. In the last 3 years, we have cut the hoping we make the room look almost full. deficit in half. I have another year, but we And over 400 people showed up that night. have almost 8 million jobs already. The un- Some of you were there. And I thank you. employment rate today in New Hampshire You gave me heart then to go on, and I thank is less than half what it was in 1992. And you for being here now. for the first time in a long time, our exports I also want to say a special word of thanks to other countries are growing faster than to the people of Keene for being so good their imports here. America is on the move. to Hillary when she was here recently at her I said if you will elect me I will try my rally. On my desk at the White House I've best to reassert the values that made this got one of those buttons that says ``I'm Keene country great: to strengthen our families, to on Hillary.'' And since I am, it's only appro- be tougher on crime, to reform welfare to priate for me to have it there. value family and work, and to try to bring My fellow Americans, you all know that us together. And in the last 3 years, the crime New Hampshire gave me the chance to be- rate is down, the welfare rolls are down, the come President of the United States. And food stamp rolls are down, the poverty rate even more important, in all the many visits is down, the teen pregnancy rate is down. I had here in 1992Ðand I just counted be- America is on the move. fore I came upÐthere were 75 separate And I am so grateful that our country has scheduled events in New Hampshire be- been able to be a force for peace and free- tween January 1st and election day in 1992. dom around the world. More than anything You taught me a lot about America, about else I am grateful that now there is not a America's dreams and challenges, America's single nuclear weapon pointed at any Amer- hopes, and America's concerns. And because ican citizen. I am grateful for the role we you did in this town square, in those rooms, have played for peace, from the Middle East and the town meetings, you helped me to to Northern Ireland to Haiti, and, yes, I am do my job better. So before I say anything grateful for the brave Americans who are de- else, I want to thank you from the bottom fending peace in Bosnia today. And I know of my heart for the opportunity I've had these you're all proud of them as well. last 3 years to work for you. I thank you. But what I have to say today is you're enti- In 1992, I came here with a straight- tled to a complete report, because you know forward vision for our country.