Democratic Party Convention 2012
Explore:
Political Hotsheet
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Clinton: Obama has laid the foundation for a better economy
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
Updated at 12:14 a.m. ET
(CBS News) CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday night dove into the depths of policy details and soared on lofty rhetoric to make the case for President Obama's re-election, as he officially nominated the president for a second term.
Answering the fundamental question of whether Americans are better off now than they were four years ago, Mr. Clinton said unequivocally, "The answer is yes."
The economy four years ago, he said, was in a free fall, losing 750,000 jobs a month. At the same time, the former president acknowledged that millions of Americans are still struggling. Whether or not those voters believe they will eventually benefit from the president's policies will be the deciding factor in this election, he said.
"If you will renew the president's contract, you will feel it," Mr. Clinton said. Appealing to those voters still skeptical, he said, "I just want you to know I believe it with all my heart."
The former president said Mr. Obama has laid the foundation for a robust economy, but expecting him to usher in a full recovery in four years was unrealistic.
"I had the same thing happen in 1994 and early 1995," Mr. Clinton reminisced in his 49-minute speech. "Our policies were working and the economy was growing but most people didn't feel it yet. Thankfully by 1996, the economy was roaring... The difference this time is purely in the circumstances."
"President Obama started with a much weaker economy than I did," he continued. "No president -- not me or any of my predecessors -- could have repaired all the damage that he found in just four years. But conditions are improving."
Mr. Clinton recalled the booming years of the 1990s that he presided over, noting, "People ask me all the time how we delivered four surplus budgets in a row... I always give a one-word answer: arithmetic."
It's a basic premise that Mr. Clinton said Mr. Obama's competitor, Mitt Romney, has yet to master.
"The Romney plan fails the first test of fiscal responsibility: The numbers don't add up," he said. "We simply cannot afford to give the reins of government to someone who will double-down on trickle-down."
Mr. Clinton blasted Republicans for promoting a debt reduction plan based on tax cuts, when refusing to say what spending reductions will accompany the tax cuts. "So we'll make the debt hole bigger before we even start to dig out of it," he said.
By contrast, he said, Mr. Obama not only has a plan to cut the debt by $4 trillion over four years, but one that "honors our values, and brightens the future for our children, our families and our nation. It passes the arithmetic test and far more important, it passes the values test."
Mr. Clinton also challenged the logic of Republicans on other issues such as Medicare reform. He ridiculed Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan for criticizing the $716 billion in Medicare cuts that Mr. Obama enacted when Ryan's plan also includes $716 billion in cuts.
"It takes some brass to attack a guy for doing what you did," Mr. Clinton said to laughs.
In addition to berating Republican policy, Mr. Clinton attacked the opposing party for becoming more resistant to compromise.
"When times are tough and people are angry and hurting, constant conflict may be good politics, but what is good politics does not necessarily work in the real world," he chided. "What works in the real world is cooperation."
He added, "One of the main reasons we should re-elect Barack Obama is that he is still committed to cooperation."
To back up his claims, he pointed to the president's bipartisan cabinet, along with his appointment of Mr. Clinton's wife Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. That show of cooperation in the wake of a brutal primary battle, Mr. Clinton said, gave the world a signal that "democracy does not have to be a blood sport."
Mr. Clinton praised Mr. Obama's foreign policy accomplishments as "a tribute to his strength and judgment," and he hailed the president's health care reforms, detailing the several benefits for consumers. He also swooned over the president's character, telling the enthusiastic crowd, "I want to nominate a man who's cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside."
Popular in Politics
- Obama prom pictures surface
- Drones, Gitmo part of broad Obama counterterrorism speech
- IRS' Lerner: "I have not done anything wrong" 679 Comments
- House passes GOP bill to speed Keystone XL pipeline approval
- Christie: Keep politics out of Oklahoma disaster relief
- Amid scrutiny of commerce pick, White House confident about her fate
- Former Miss America might challenge McConnell
- Obama to view Oklahoma tornado damage Sunday
Most Popular
-
01
-
02
-
03
-
04
-
05
Most Shared
Most Discussed
We did Clinton give us 9/11."
Given the grammar, not sure what you mean, but 9/11 was not only under Bush watch but he had got plenty of warning ...
"Partial thruths from Clinton ... "
Indeed : the title should read :
Obama has laid the foundation for a better economy ... despite all republican efforts against it.
The Republican game plan is to destroy the economy blame the Democrats and President Obama. This is their strategy to obtain the White House and the Senate in the 2012 elections. If you think the Republicans are death on average Americans, working-class and middle-class people now. Just think of how much more damage they would do to this country if they had the house,the Senate and the presidency to consolidate power to do whatever they want. They would then have free reign to turn America into the Third World country that they want for their corporate overlords.
They've already shown their hand by not approving extended unemployment benefits for people and anything else that would help the average American. Then they took America to the brink of default with the debt ceiling crisis. A crisis in which they created. Republicans on the supreme court ruling corporations are people and therefore can give unlimited funding to politicians. Republicans fighting for tax cuts for corporations, big oil and the wealthy while advocating cutting social security, medicare and medicaid. For those reasons and more I can't imagine any thinking working-class poor or middle-class person voting to support Republicans after all the damage they've done to this country. Americans must reject republicans at town hall meetings and the polls for their anti American unpatriotic strategy and tactics. The only difference between terrorist and the republicans is they used planes & explosives and they used their congressional positions.
The phony debt ceiling debate and agreement is another part of the republican game plan to take back the senate and white house. They create artificial crisis to stall (run out the clock on President Obama's term) to cripple him and the economy to prevent JOBS from being discussed or created. They are counting on voters blaming the president for the bad economy even though they the republicans are sabotaging every step of the way. Even a blind man can see republicans couldn't care less for average Americans. Just imagine what they would do if they controlled the house, senate and presidency. Americans cannot let that happen. Because it is crystal clear by the behavior of republicans they do not want America to progress and will hold it hostage to prevent it.
Republicans also are screwing up government to prove their mantra " government doesn't work". This is designed to frustrate and turn off non supporters from voting thus paving the way for their depraved zealots to vote republican. Americans need to punish republicans at town halls and the polls. They cannot be allowed to get away with sabotaging our great nation. Americans need to recognize that republicans have no intention or incentive to do anything to bring America out of its economic woes. After all, they think they can also get elected by blaming President Obama and Democrats.
Republicans also are sabotaging and screwing up government to prove their mantra " government doesn't work". Their ridiculous stance on the debt ceiling is a prime example. This is designed to frustrate and turn off non supporters from voting thus paving the way for their depraved zealots to vote republican. Americans and Democrats need to recognize that republicans have no intention or incentive to work with them and President Obama to do anything to help bring America out of its economic woes. After all, they have admitted their top priority is to make sure President Obama fails. They think they can get elected by blaming President Obama and Democrats for the depression they created and are doing everything they can to see that it continues. Americans need to punish republicans at town halls and the polls. They cannot be allowed to get away with sabotaging our great nation. Time will tell if voters will fall for this again.
The country will be better off the sooner President Obama, Democrats and all Americans acknowledge republicans for what they are which are treasonous holders of political office hellbent on making President Obama and America fail by any means necessary. Americans will remember the treasonous republicans in November 2012
You dumb ass es voted in Bush again for a second term while he was systematically destroying your country. I guess he hadn't quite destroyed it in 4 years, so you decided to give him another four?
Surely you can give Obama another 4 years since he's the one that stopped your big SPLAT. Instead of sitting at rock bottom, you are slowly but surely inching your way up. Takes time to recover from 8 years worth of damage.
I couldn't agree with you more. So, why does the private sector always choose to create more jobs under democratic administrations than they do under republican ones?
LOL!
Bill know's he has a better chance of getting him and Hillary back in the W.H. in 2016 if Obama loses in November.
The Irony.
In last 52 years, Republicans held the presidency for 28 years and Democrats for 24 years.
Out of a total of 66 million private sector jobs created in those 52 years, republican administrations created 24 million while democratic administrations created 42 million.
So, whose ideas have worked out better for the private sector? End of story!
The Government does not create private sector jobs.
The best part of last nights circus was watching you and the Obama followers throw God and the Jews under the bus.
I couldn't agree with you more. So, why does the private sector always choose to create more jobs when Democrats are in power?
LOL!
Bill know's he has a better chance of getting him and Hillary back in the W.H. in 2016 if Obama loses in November.
The best part of last nights circus was watching the Obama followers throw God and the Jews under the bus.
So how is that trickle up working for ya?
The best part of last nights circus was watching you and the Obama followers throw God and the Jews under the bus.
I wasn't there except electronically, but yeah I would have said NO to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Even the Israeli's are smarter than that. Making Jerusalem the capital would almost certainly provoke a regional war with Israel against a lot of different players. Israel has been fine with Tel Avia as the capital for 60+ years now, why the push to start a ruinous war on the part of RepubliCONs? Remember Willard had this in the plank first.
I "AM" feeling it! Higher gas, higher utilities, higher food, higher welfare, higher debt, higher poverty numbers, higher uncertainty, higher TAXES...
"He's laid the foundation..." now we just need to throw the dirt back in the HOLE.
You guys expect to pay nothing, so that's why you've got nothing.
How do you suppose you are going to pay off those TRILLIONS of dollars you owe if you are not paying higher taxes? You have Bush to thank for that. Being in a constant state of war costs big bucks.