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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 Stroger—thank 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 night—we 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 past— to Estonia.’’ And she said she was going to back when I had a life and did other things— 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.

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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. This country best and beat back the darker impulses that works best when it has two competing vi- are latent in every society? sions, two competing approaches, an honest I believe with all my heart that the best and open debate, and people who are em- days of this country are still ahead of us. And powered by that debate to make decisions when I imagine what I want America to look about what they want for themselves and like when my daughter is my age and, hope-

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fully, I’ve got a whole nest of grandkids to instead of destroying it? We don’t want glob- worry about, when I’ve long since forgotten al warming. We don’t want more greenhouse about politics, I want it to be the most peace- gases. But we do want more growth, and we ful period in world history. I want it to be want our neighbors around the world to have a period where people compete with one an- more growth so they can buy more of our other in economics, education, and athletics, products. and not in military contests. We have to make a commitment as an I want it to be a period when we are mak- American people together to the cause of en- ing unprecedented efforts to solve the re- vironmental enhancement and economic maining mysteries of biochemistry so that we growth. And no one has solved it entirely yet. can unlock the terrible problems that still I want America to lead that fight. And we’ll plague us, that take too many people away be in a position to do it. from this life before their time. I want it to These are the things I think about when be a period where people in this country I imagine what I want our country to look without regard to their racial or religious like. And my goal is to have a convention background or their gender or wherever they here in Chicago that will enable the Amer- start out in life actually have a chance, if they ican people to know the vision we started work hard and behave in responsible fashion, with; what we, as a party, have achieved; what to dream their own dreams and live them we stand for and what we believe the honest, out. important differences are between ourselves And I believe there is a very good chance and the Republicans. And then I want us to that we can achieve that. I want it to be a go out of Chicago and give this election back place where we have at least learned to work to the American people, on the big, sweeping with our friends and neighbors to limit ter- issues that will help all of us to answer the rorism and limit organized crime and limit the spread of weapons of mass destruction question, what do we want our country to from abroad. And in this country we have look like 20 years from now? worked to bring safety and sanity back to our If Chicago can give that gift to America streets and neighborhoods. it will be in part because I will be looking And Mr. Mayor, I just want to say, you to Chicago to illustrate what happens when mentioned the crime bill—one of the things you have an effective crime bill, what hap- that I believe is critical to the success of our pens when you have effective strategies to democracy is making families believe that open educational opportunities to people, they can actually bring children into this what happens when you have effective strate- world and raise them in their neighborhoods gies to try to give private sector investors an and send them to school every day with a incentive to invest in neighborhoods that reasonable expectation of safety. It is not true have been long since forgotten. In other that the crime problem is insoluble. We can words, how do you make America work? make it better. We are making it better. And You are a shining example of that. I believe if we keep working on it we will return to all America will be very proud of you when the days when we are actually surprised when this is over. And I believe if we can prove we see the evening news lead with the report that Chicago is working and that there is a of a serious crime. That’s when we’ll know partnership involved in that, as the mayor we have won. But we can do that, and that said, then we have a much better chance of is an important part of the 21st century we having too much when America debates the should all be trying to build as well. big important issues and people are really When my daughter is my age, I want us free to ask and answer that question: What to have unraveled the great mystery that we do I want my country to be like for my chil- must unravel if we’re going to continue to dren and my grandchildren? What do I be- grow and see all these developing countries, lieve America should stand for 20 or 30 or particularly the populous ones, like China 40 years from now? That is the question we and India, grow. Which is how can we grow will decide in this election, whether we do the economy and enhance the environment it consciously or unconsciously. Chicago will

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help us to do it with a clear head and a strong Four years ago I had the pleasure of ad- heart. And for that, I thank you very much. dressing this assembly. And when I looked Thank you. at the film that you just showed back stage, I saw that address and I said, ‘‘Gosh, I had NOTE: The President spoke at 9:20 p.m. in the a lot less gray hair then.’’ [Laughter] Well, Grand Ballroom at the Navy Pier. In his remarks, I earned that gray hair. [Laughter] But if it he referred to Leslie Fox, executive director, Chi- advanced the cause of education and insured cago ’96, host committee for the 1996 Democratic a better future for the children of our coun- Convention; Richard C. Notebaert, cochair, Chi- try, every gray hair was worth it. And I thank cago ’96; John Stroger, president, Cook County Board of Commissioners; Avis LaVelle, former you for staying with us in these fights. press secretary to Mayor Daley; and Democratic As teachers, administrators, custodial fundraiser Amy Zisook. A tape was not available workers, the members of the NEA are out for verification of the content of these remarks. there every day working with and for our children. I thank you for that. And today, I want to talk to you about where we’re going Remarks to the National Education from here. Association Four years ago, when you endorsed my July 3, 1996 candidacy, I told you that I was running be- cause I wanted to see a vision I had of our Well, thank you for that wonderful wel- country in the 21st century fulfilled. I wanted come. And thank you for our good spirit and our Nation to go into the next century with your enthusiasm. And I want you to keep it the American dream genuinely alive for all the way to November. every American without regard to race or Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to begin by gender or religion or region or the station thanking Keith Geiger for 7 magnificent that he or she starts our in life. I wanted years of leadership for the teachers of Amer- to see our country come together instead of ica. He has been a great leader, a true cham- be driven apart by our differences. I was tired pion for educational reform. And I was more of seeing the American people cut up into moved than I can say by the kind words he little pieces at election time for short-term spoke before I came out. political gain, instead of reveling in our diver- I’m sorry that we’re a little late, but I un- sity, respecting our differences, and joining derstand that our security precautions de- hands around shared values. And I wanted layed your voting. [Laughter] I’m sorry for to restore the sense of community in Amer- that, but I do want to congratulate Bob Chase ica. and all of you who will be leading the NEA. And I, finally, felt very strong that our I also want to thank our Secretary of Edu- country, at the end of the cold war and the cation, Dick Riley, who came over here with dawn of this new global information age, had me. I believe he is the best Secretary of Edu- to continue to be the world’s strongest force cation we ever had, and I thank him for that. for peace and freedom and prosperity. I had I also want to thank Dick Riley for having a simple strategy. I wanted to renew the basic what at the time was a novel idea. He thought bargain in America of opportunity for all, re- he ought to have an actual teacher working sponsibility from all, and a commitment to with him in the Secretary’s office. And she’s the community of our country, the idea that here today. I want to thank Terry Dozier for we can do more together than we can apart. leaving the classroom and coming to work Well, we’ve been working on that for 31⁄2 with Secretary Riley. years. I guess it’s about time for a report card I’d like to thank the NEA for sending Shar- before we make a decision on contract re- on Robinson, our Assistant Secretary for newal. I want to talk about three things here: Educational Research and Improvement, to the record, the alternative, and the future. our administration. And I also want to thank When I became President, our economy you for Debra DeLee who’s done a great job was stagnant. We had the slowest job growth managing our convention in Chicago and get- since the Depression. We had a spiraling def- ting ready for this great new campaign. icit. I said, ‘‘Please enact this economic plan,’’

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