Remarks at the Chicago '96 Dinner July 2, 1996

1180 July 2 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 the tender mercies of the global economy out I want to thank the Mayor, who, along with there in cyberspace somewhere.'' Or many other gifted public officials in this area, wouldn't we be better by saying, if you look including my friend and fellow Arkansan, at the 220-year history of this country, it is John StrogerÐthank you, sir. I think the the long, sometimes painful, sometimes ago- Mayor has made a special point of trying to nizingly slow journey of a people to come do what works and trying to make Chicago closer and closer and closer to their ideals into a big family. He and Mrs. Daley come of equality of opportunity and decency and from big families so they can set a good ex- justice and fairness, and giving everybody a ample for the rest of us. But I also believe chance to live out their dreams. they've tried to make Chicago into a family. Now, that's what this election is about. You When I first met Hillary, a long time ago have to help your fellow Americans decide now, and she began to talk to me about Chi- which road we're going to walk into the fu- cago, and then I got to know her family and ture. And if they understand the choice, I I began to spend a lot of time here, I realized think we know what the answer will be. that this was truly a unique city, in some Thank you, and God bless you. ways, perhaps our most American city. I was at an event for Congressman Durbin a few NOTE: The President spoke at 6:40 p.m. at the moments ago, and he was talking about his Sheraton Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to mother being a Lithuanian immigrant. And William S. Singer, chair of the reception, and Wil- I said to the group there that when I talked liam M. Daley, cochair, Chicago '96. A tape was to Hillary last nightÐwe were in France to- not available for verification of the content of gether for the annual meeting of the seven these remarks. largest industrial nations and Russia, and afterward she stayed on to visit, I think seven or eight countries in Central and Eastern Eu- Remarks at the Chicago '96 Dinner rope. She just finished the day in Romania. July 2, 1996 And so she was bragging on her day in Roma- nia. She said, ``Well, I've been in Romania. Thank you very much. Ladies and gentle- I'm going to the Czech Republic. I'm going men, before I say anything I want to, by way to Hungary. I'm going to Poland. I'm going of introduction and being true to my pastÐ to Estonia.'' And she said she was going to back when I had a life and did other thingsÐ a couple other places. And I said, ``Well, I'm I want to say that I enjoyed the music that going to Chicago, and I'll see people from this fine orchestra has given us tonight, and all those places with just one stop.'' And I I think we ought to give them a hand. [Ap- said, ``You could have stayed home and done plause] Thank you. Thank you. all that with a lot less effort, you know.'' It is wonderful to be back in Chicago to- [Laughter] night. I want to thank all of those who have I'm very proud of her. I'm glad she is doing spoken before and those who they represent, this for our country. But it makes the point and all of you for your contribution to help about Chicago. make our convention a success. I'd like to thank Debra DeLee, our con- I thank Leslie Fox and I want to thank vention coordinator, and all of the people Dick Notebaert, who has done many, many here who have worked here on our behalf commendable things for our country as CEO and on the Democratic Party's behalf. You for Ameritech, but helping to make sure we all know that I'm also indebted to Chicago have a good convention in Chicago is one for a lot of things. My campaign in 1992 got that I will especially long remember. off to a real jump-start here. When I spoke I want to thank my good friend, Bill Daley, to the leaders of the various State Demo- for his fine work. He's always there when cratic parties in 1991 here at this very Navy you need him. He even came to the White Pier, I announced that David Wilhelm would House when I needed him to help me pass be my campaign manager, and I know he NAFTA, and this country is in a lot better and Deegee are here somewhere tonight, shape because of it. And I thank you. and I want to thank them. VerDate 28-OCT-97 13:40 Dec 30, 1997 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00030 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P27JY4.003 p27jy4 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1996 / July 2 1181 I have been blessed by a lot of people from their families and their future. You have Chicago who have helped me immensely: given us a chance to show the Democratic Avis LaVelle and Amy Zisook who are here Party at its best. And I think that is impor- tonight, and a lot of others of you who have tant. been with me, and I thank you for that. For the last 31¤2 years I have tried to break So this is a special place. It was on St. Pat- out of this debate that dominated our politi- rick's Day in 1992 that I was essentially de- cal life for too long, because it seemed to clared the nominee of the Democratic Party have no relationship to reality: one side say- because of our victories in Illinois and Michi- ing Government is the problem, another side gan. And I have a picture in my private office saying Government is the solution. I think in the White House of Hillary and me, in the solution is to do what works. That's what green, under the confetti in Chicago on St. Chicago does: What works to give people op- Patrick's Day in 1992. I will always remem- portunity, what works to reinforce respon- ber that. sible behavior, and what works to bring us You know, I think that this great city has together as a community. And if we do that hosted more conventions than any city in we will be rewarded. American history. It has also hosted more We are going to have the opportunity as Presidents. According to the notes I have a people to actually decide which road we here, it says, they include Presidents Lincoln, want to walk into the 21st century, and I Grant, Garfield, Cleveland, Theodore Roo- think that is very exciting. And I hope that sevelt, Taft, Harding, FDR, and Eisenhower. the American people will get caught up in I hope that if your luck holds, I'll make the the spirit of that in this election year and Democratic line on that list a little longer not be diverted by the politics of division and than it was. destruction that too often dominate the easy Throughout the history of this great city, moments in the headlines. For there are fun- from its days as a railroad center to its days damental questions we have to come to grips as an industrial powerhouse and an ethnic with: What's the best way to guarantee op- melting pot, to its offering a haven of oppor- portunity for every American willing to work tunity to African-Americans from the South, for it? including so many from my home State, to If we have come to the end of the indus- the efforts it has made to transform itself as trial era and we are living in a world domi- the economic realities of our country has nated by information and technology, if the forced those changes, Chicago has time and cold war is being replaced not just by a global again come back, always stronger, always bet- economy but a global society, how are we ter, always proving that it is the city that going to guarantee that everybody has a works. chance to live out their dreams? Not to guar- Mr. Mayor, you and your late father and antee a result, but a chance. your mother and all your friends and your If the world is being dominated on every colleagues in this city, from all different walks continent it seems by new security problems of life and all different racial and economic from terrorism to organized crime, abusing backgrounds, deserve a lot of credit. You are the openness of a global society, how are we proving that the cities of this country have going to keep this most diverse of all of the a great future in making America what it world's democracies from being consumed should be, and I thank you for that. by the kind of ethnic and religious and racial I also want to thank you all, without regard conflicts that are literally destroying coun- to your political party, for opening your tries and peoples all over the world? In other hearts and minds and your pocketbooks to words, how are we going to bring out our make this convention a success.

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