Remarks at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees convention in Chicago, Illinois

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, June 24, 1996

The President. Thank you. Thank you. Let me say, first of all, when I was standing up here with Gerry McEntee on my right and Bill Lucey on my left, I thought the best I could do is to ask you to give Clinton/Gore the same majority you gave McEntee/Lucey in 1996. I will accept it.

I'm also proud to be joined today by two of your friends from Illinois, two Members of the House of Representatives, Congressman Bobby Rush from Chicago and Congressman and Senator-to-be Dick Durbin from Illinois.

I understand I missed a lot at this convention. I missed the formal transfer of the gavel to Speaker Gephardt. I'm sorry I missed that. I missed Senator Kennedy pleading guilty once more to wanting all Americans to have health care. And I'm sorry I missed that.

Before I go further, I want to also congratulate someone else who is very special to this union, who celebrates today her 25th anniversary with AFSCME, Gerry McEntee's tireless and indispensable right hand, Gloria Caoile. Please stand up and be recognized. [Applause] Thank you. If I had known she was going to do that, I'd have done it first thing. It was great. It was quite wonderful. [Laughter]

Ladies and gentlemen, I will never forget as long as I live-----

Audience member. Down in front!

The President. You all calm down, relax. You want everybody to sit down - they're taking pictures. We're going to have a little fun. Just relax. Be loose. Be loose.

I want to tell you that I will never forget as long as I live the fact that AFSCME stood with me early in 1992, when it was lonely and cold, and never stood back, never backed out. And I will never forget that no organization in America stood with the First Lady and with our administration more strongly when we fought to give health care to all Americans and preserve the dignity of Americans in our health care system. And I thank you for that.

I also will always be proud that when I was a State employee as the Governor of my State, I was a dues-paying member of AFSCME, because it got out of fashion for a while, but I have always believed in the dignity of public service. I believe it's important to honor people who take care of our parents and watch over our children and care for the sick, who protect the environment, and who are always there in emergencies. That's what you do. America should know it and be grateful. And I know it, and I'm grateful. I thank you for that.

I enjoyed watching the film that was shown just before I came out. It gave me a chance to reminisce a little about that campaign 4 years ago. I ran for that election because I had a vision for what I wanted America to look like in the 21st century, a vision which you shared. I wanted us to go into the next century with every American, without regard to race or gender or income, every American, having a decent opportunity - not a guarantee but an opportunity - to live up to their dreams. I wanted to see us coming together as a country, not being driven apart by cheap partisan politics designed to divide the American people. And I wanted us to continue to be the strongest force in the world for peace and freedom and prosperity.

Now, we've worked for 4 years to meet our challenges and to protect our values with a simple strategy: opportunity for all, responsibility from all, a community of Americans working together. We are all in this together. And I am tired of all the people who seek to divide us every day for their own personal advantage.

Four years ago the economy of the United States was drifting, high unemployment, an out-of-control deficit, few new jobs, a nation increasingly divided. We charted a different course with a new economic strategy: to cut the deficit; expand the sales of American products; give tax cuts to the 15 million hardest pressed American working families; invest in education, the environment, research, and new technologies, give incentives for people who live in distressed areas; and yes, pass programs like the Family and Medical Leave Act that enable people to succeed at home and at work.

It's very fitting that I am here today because this week - tomorrow, to be exact - is the fourth anniversary of the issuance of our economic plan in 1992. We called it "Putting People First." I said that if we did that two things would happen: First of all, we'd cut the deficit in half; and second, we would create 8 million new jobs in 4 years.

Now, after leaving us with a weak economy and record deficits and quadrupling the debt, the Republicans said it couldn't be done. They said my economic plan was a disaster. They said it would bring on a recession. Let me just read you some of the things they said. Senator Dole said, "The American people know this plan doesn't tackle the deficit head on." Speaker Gingrich said, "This will lead to a recession next year." Dick Armey said, "Clearly, this is a job-killer." John Kasich said, "This plan will not work. If it was to work, I'd have to become a Democrat." [Laughter]

Well, 3 1/2 years later, we cut the deficit by more than half, and the economy has not produced 8 million new jobs, it's produced 9.7 million new jobs. Mr. Kasich said if this plan was to work, "I'd have to become a Democrat," I expect him to show up at the United Center in Chicago; we'll save a seat for him at the convention.