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of some complex, high-tech glitch. We just want world’s best health care system much better for to make sure people can read the prescriptions. all Americans. Two out of three of these errors can be elimi- This is a worthy endeavor. It is one that, nated. as you see, will be bipartisan, and one that I Taken together, these actions represent the am committed to seeing through. Thank you most significant effort our Nation has ever made all for being here, and let’s get about the busi- to reduce medical errors. It’s a balanced, com- ness of doing this. monsense approach based on prevention, not Thank you. punishment; on problemsolving, not blame-plac- ing. NOTE: The President spoke at 12:53 p.m. in Presi- If we can do this and pass a strong, enforce- dential Hall in the Dwight D. Eisenhower Execu- able Patients’ Bill of Rights, we will have gone tive Office Building. In his remarks, he referred a long way toward ensuring quality health care to Barbara A. Blakeney, first vice president, Amer- for all Americans in the 21st century. Just think ican Nurses Association, who introduced the about it. We can cut preventable medical errors President; John M. Eisenberg, Administrator, in half in 5 years, reduce concerns about law- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; and suits and about medical mistakes, avoid needless Paul A. London, Senior Policy Adviser to the Sec- injuries and deaths, save lives, and make the retary, Department of Commerce.

Remarks at a Reception for Lieutenant Ruth Ann Minner of February 22, 2000

The President. Thank you very much, Lieuten- and understands the rest of the world—in other ant Governor Minner, Senator Biden, ladies and words, the three big things you’ve got to do gentlemen. I was sitting here looking at all of if you’re a Senator—there is nobody in the Sen- your faces, and I reached over and whispered ate who can do all three as well as . to Joe Biden, I said, ‘‘You know, I really like You are very well served. Delaware.’’ [Laughter] It has certain unique par- And the third thing I’d like to say is, I’m allels to my home State. It’s two of the places also grateful to your Governor for a lifetime, in America where there are more chickens than nearly, it seems like, a political lifetime of people. [Laughter] And depending on what day friendship and all the work we’ve done together it is, that’s not all bad. [Laughter] on welfare reform, on strengthening families, on I am profoundly grateful to Delaware for child support enforcement. I’m elated that he’s many reasons. You have been so good to me running for the Senate. And I look forward to and to Al Gore. Twice you have given me your his success and to his service. electoral vote; you supported the Vice President, The fourth reason I’m here is, this is my for which I am very grateful. I couldn’t even year to support women for elected office. I’m begin to tell you, in the time I have allotted into that. I think we ought to do more of that. tonight, all the reasons for my gratitude, respect, [Laughter] Hillary tried to call me right before and affection for Senator Biden. I got here. She’s up in New York and coming Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Go ahead and home tonight. And I would imagine she was tell them. [Laughter] trying to call me before I got here to say that The President. Beginning with his uncommon she thinks you guys ought to stick together— humility. [Laughter] His retiring personality. [laughter]—and so do I. [Laughter] His always muted voice. [Laughter] But let me tell you, finally, I’m here because Actually, if you’re looking for somebody in I really admire Ruth Ann Minner. I really ad- American politics who understands what life is mire Ruth Ann Minner. Some of you know this, like for ordinary people, who’s always there to but I was born to a widowed mother who had defend the Constitution of the , to leave to go back to school. I can only imagine

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what it was like. She had to go back to get at the grassroots level, you can actually see peo- a GED, start her own business, depend on her- ple’s lives changing before your very eyes. self, raise three sons—I met two of them to- And we have—the way I view this last 7 years night. They both look like—they look like they is that we basically turned the ship of state ought to be playing for the Redskins—[laugh- around. When I took office, we had high unem- ter]. They’d improve our defense a little bit. ployment, and the social problems were getting And I’ve watched her in public life. worse, and there was political gridlock in Wash- And you know, people make fun of little ington. And we had decades of national elections States. When I ran in ’92, President Bush kept decided by the politics of division, us and them. referring to me as the Governor of a small And it never made much sense to me, and I southern State. I had to hear him say it five tried to turn it around. And I think we have times before I realized it was a putdown; I turned it around. thought he was bragging on me. [Laughter] I The question for the country now is, what was proud of it; I didn’t have any better sense are you going to do with this good fortune? than to think that was a good thing. [Laughter] I’d like for more people in positions of influence You can’t really play games with people in to have the memories Ruth Ann Minner has a place like Delaware, and you can’t posture. of what’s it like not to have good fortune. They And people don’t hire you for hot air; they hire are more likely to make good decisions in times you to produce. And people know most of the of prosperity. They are more likely to remember problems we have are human problems, and that not all people and communities have par- they don’t expect us to let our political dif- ticipated in this economic recovery; more likely ferences paralyze us. And I just wish there were to remember that we still need to keep paying more people like Ruth Ann who have been the debt down, get this country out of debt through the kind of life experiences she’s been so we’ll keep interest rates down for other peo- through, who still had enough energy and opti- ple; more likely to remember that not every mism left to devote themselves to public life. child has a world-class education; more likely We need more people who are making deci- to remember that there are still young families sions in State capitals who know what it’s like out there struggling to balance work and family, to try to feed kids without a high school di- trying to succeed at home and at work. And ploma. We know. We need more people who that is very important. can remember what it was like when they won- I told somebody the other day, if somebody dered if their children would be able to get stood up and ran on a platform, ‘‘Vote for me; a decent education, who understand what it’s I’ll do just what Bill Clinton did,’’ I’d vote like to be on the other side of life’s arc of against them, because times are changing. We’re opportunity—both because they understand the living in a time of very rapid change. But I government ought to give people a helping hand do believe we ought to change in the direction and because they understand that if the hand in which we have been going. The question is outstretched and you don’t work for it, you is, ought we turn the country around now? Not still won’t reach it. We need that. Our country me—we. All of us, together. needs it. Now we have a chance to meet the big chal- And I was flattered that she said that what lenges out there. The longest economic recovery we needed in this election was to ratify the in our history—what are we going to do with direction in which we’re going. I have only a it? Now is the time to think about the big chal- slightly different take on that, and I’d just like lenges: What are the big challenges our kids to close with a few moments speaking to you face? How are we going to deal with the retire- more as a citizen than as your President. ment of the baby boom generation? How are Before I was President, I had the privilege we going to grow the economy and continue of being Governor for a dozen years, and I to improve the environment? Big, big chal- loved it, and I was not burned out on it. And lenges. every time I got tired, a week or two later And you are so lucky to be backing someone I’d get a second wind and go on. I think I who not only has a distinguished career in public could be doing it still, because if you are a service, a proven ability to make progress, but truly committed Governor or a truly committed a life story which guarantees that even in these mayor or you have some other responsibilities good times she won’t forget what our shared

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mission is. That is a great privilege. You ought NOTE: The President spoke at 7:09 p.m. in the to make sure the people of Delaware take full ballroom at the Washington Court Hotel. In his advantage of it. remarks, he referred to Gov. Thomas R. Carper Thank you very much. of Delaware; and Wayne and Gary Ingram, sons of Lieutenant Governor Minner, who was a can- didate for Governor.

Remarks at a Reception for Representative Maxine Waters February 22, 2000

Thank you. When Maxine said, you know, she And let me say to all of you who are here looked at me like that, and I said what I said— who have been my friends over these years, [laughter]—I looked at Sidney, and I said, I thank you very much. I’m honored to be here. ‘‘Does she ever look at you that way?’’ [Laugh- I thank you for supporting Maxine, and I thank ter] He said, ‘‘After 30 years, what do you her for supporting others. I think we’re all here think?’’ [Laughter] because she’s so feisty and full of conviction, Let me say, first of all, on the way over here and because as the years go by she seems to with Minyon Moore, my political director, and get healthier and more beautiful—[laughter]— Lynn Cutler, from the White House, I told and more full of energy. She and Sidney, both Minyon—she said, ‘‘You know, you’re not run- of them look better than they did the first time ning for anything, and you’re still out doing I saw them, and that’s saying something. these things.’’ I said, ‘‘Let me tell you some- [Laughter] And I thought they looked pretty thing. Maxine gets mad at me, but she was good then. with me from the get-go in 1991, and she was But we need to remember, in times where with me on June 2, 1992, in California after all of us have been fortunate enough to come the California primary, when I was nominated to a place like this, an event like this, that we and all the press wrote that I was actually the got here by working hard and by working to- third choice of the country, Ross Perot was gether on good ideas based on our shared val- going to be the next President.’’ And that was ues. And now is not the time to stop doing just between June and November. Caution: that. Now is not the time to relax or to become don’t predict too much about this year—remem- diverted. ber that. [Laughter] The other day I said—some of you were at So we’ve had this wonderful relationship. It the White House, I think, the other day when has been full, rich, and honest. [Laughter] And we celebrated Black History Month and I read I have loved it. I told Maxine one time she my radio address. But I want to say that when was mad at me, I said, ‘‘You know, Sidney is we celebrated, this month, the longest economic an Ambassador, and he doesn’t talk to me that expansion in our history, I went back—and I way.’’ [Laughter] And she said, ‘‘Well, he’s a was curious, so I said, I wondered when the diplomat. I’m a politician.’’ [Laughter] I’ve got longest expansion in our history was before we 11 months. If I keep plugging, I’m finally going got to this month and ours took over. And it to win one of these arguments. [Laughter] I’m was, interestingly enough, between 1961 and really working on it. 1969. And those of you who were of age then I want to thank my great friends Eleanor will remember that. Holmes Norton and Elijah Cummings for being I graduated from high school in 1964. Our here. And Ron Dellums, we’re glad to see you, country had gone through the terrible trauma and thank you for the copy of your book. It’s of President Kennedy’s assassination. We had at your local bookstores—[laughter]—I rec- rallied behind President Johnson. I thought ommend you buying this book. I figure I might then, and I believe now, he did a magnificent as well turn this into a two-fer tonight. [Laugh- job of unifying the country and saying we had ter] to take up the unfinished agenda of America.

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