Remarks to Supporters of John Street for Mayor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Nov 1, 1999

And I say, remember what it was like before. Remember how far we have come. Reward his record because it's in your interest to have somebody who can produce that record do what he talked about doing in your future from this podium today.

Now, I'm telling you, there is a difference in the way we approach it. Today I signed another continuing resolution to keep the Government in Washington open for another week because Congress still can't pass a budget because they can't figure out what to do. They want you to believe they're for certain things, but they don't want to pay the price for being for them. And I'm trying to say, let's put party aside and at least pass a budget. John Street's proved he could do that.

I want them to do that in Washington. I want you to think about this. I've, on purpose, not given you a big, whoop-de-do political speech. I want you to think about the arguments. What will it say to the people and the children of Philadelphia if on Tuesday, the message coming out of the election is, "Well, old John did a good job, and boy, he had some good ideas about the future, but I had something else to do, and I couldn't be bothered to vote, so he lost." What will it say?

You think about this in your churches on Sunday when you're talking to people about their responsibilities. What will it say? How will you ever say--how will you say to these little kids here, you work hard now and you do a good job and you might grow up to be mayor or Governor or Senator or President, because you will be judged on the job you do? What will it say if you stay home or anybody you know stays home, after the job this man has done, and you don't elect him the mayor of this great city? Don't you do that.

And what will it say--what will it say if the message coming out of the normally Democratic wards is: Well, he's done a great job, but the other fellow sang a good song? [Laughter] And I want to give him that. I think he's run an adroit campaign. I compliment him. My hat's off to him. And I know something about singing a good song. I've sung a few myself over the years. [Laughter] But in the end--in the end what matters is, can you stand and deliver?

What message will it send to the children of this city and their future if, after the record this man has amassed, the competence he has demonstrated, the character he has demonstrated, the leadership he has demonstrated, and the program he has outlined--which is plainly in the interests of the people of this city--he is not elected?

I'm telling you, you have a great opportunity here to lift him up on Tuesday night and say, "We are proud of what we have done these last 8 years. We are proud that we did it together across all racial and religious and neighborhood and income lines. We are proud we did it together, and we are proudly going into the future with someone we trust and we know can lead us to a brighter tomorrow.

Thank you, and God bless you. Help him, now.