Bill Clinton: We're going to keep President Obama on the job

This transcript is automatically generated

-- -- This may.

Fellow Democrats.

And.

We are here.

To nominate a president.

I've got one in my.

I want to nominate a man whose own life.

Has known.

Its fair share of adversity.

And uncertainty.

I want to nominate a man who ran for president to change the course.

Of an already weak economy.

And then just six weeks before his election.

So I suffered the biggest collapse it's a Great Depression.

A man -- stopped the slide and the depression.

And put us on the long road to recovery.

Knowing all the while.

That -- how no matter how many jobs.

That he saved or created there'd still be millions more waiting.

Word about -- their own kids.

Trying to keep their hopes alive.

-- Long -- dominate a man.

Who's -- on the outside it.

But soon.

Am.

I.

A man who police.

With no doubt.

Then we can build a new American dream economy driven by innovation creativity by education and -- -- cooperation.

And by the way after last night.

-- a man who had a good sense to marry Michelle Obama.

You.

Am.

Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.

Okay.

-- On the -- handed me the standard bearer.

Other Democratic Party -- And -- A few days ago.

We heard a lot of talk.

-- about how the president the Democrats don't really believe in free enterprise and individual initiative.

How we want everybody need dependent on the government.

How bad we are the economy.

This Republican narrative bits of alternative universe.

Said yeah.

There are a lot of us in this room who amounts -- anything.

We're all completely self nine.

One of the greatest -- the Democratic Party ever have Bob Strauss.

Used to say.

Met every politician.

Well it's every voter to believe me.

He was born and log cabin he built himself.

It's Straus then admitted.

In itself.

We Democrats.

We think the country works better with a strong middle class with real opportunities for poor folks who work your way into it.

Where the relentless focus on the future.

-- business and government actually working together to promote growth and broadly shared prosperity.

You -- We believe me that we're all in this together there's a far better philosophy.

Then you're.

We're.

The -- Who's doing.

Since 1961.

For 52 years now the Republicans have held -- White House 28 years.

The Democrats 24.

And those 52 -- -- see our private economy has produced 66.

Million.

Private sector jobs.

So what's the jobs -- over.

Republicans.

24 million Democrats.

42.

Okay am.

It turns out that advancing equal opportunity.

And economic empowerment.

Is both morally right and good economics.

Why.

Because poverty discrimination and ignorance and restrict.

Growth.

-- -- -- chance of when you don't invest in new ideas.

Big doesn't just cut off the people who are affected and it hurts us all.

That investments and education and infrastructure and scientific and technological over restarts could increase -- they -- good jobs and they create new wealth.

For all the rest of us.

There's something I've noticed lately you probably have to do.

And it's this maybe discuss our growth at a different time but -- often disagree with Republicans.

I actually never learned to hate them the way the far right.

That now controls their party seems to hate our president.

That would be impossible for me because.

President Eisenhower sent federal troops in my home state to integrate Little Rock Central High School.

Built the interstate highway system.

The governor how -- -- President Reagan and his white house on.

The first round of welfare reform and with president George H.

W.

Bush on national education goes.

Actually very grateful.

-- if you saw from the found what I did -- diet I have to be grateful and you should lead to.

The president George W.

Bush supported supported site -- lots of millions of people it's more country.

I have been honored to work where it.

Both presidents bush on natural disasters in the aftermath of the South Asian tsunami hurricane Katrina and the horrible earthquake in Haiti.

Through my foundation both an American around the world I'm Morgan all time -- Democrats Republicans and independents sometimes.

I can tell you for the live to a market where -- because we focus on.

-- problems and seizing opportunities and not by.

It.

And here's what I want to people at home to think about.

When -- tell the people are frustrated angry and hurting and uncertain.

The politics of constant conflict.

May be good.

But what is good politics does not necessarily work in the real world what works in the real world.

His cooperation.

Foundations and university -- That's the mayors who are here.

Los Angeles is getting green and Chicago's getting an infrastructure bank because Republicans and Democrats are working together.

They did it.

They didn't check their brains at the door that is -- disagree and plug their preference was to get something done.

Now why is this true -- -- cooperation were better -- constant conflict.

Because nobody -- -- all the time.

And -- broken clock is right twice a day.

Ever want to -- -- every one of them.

We're compelled to spend our fleeting -- between those two extremes.

Knowing we're never go be right all the time and hope you're right more than twice and then.

-- -- -- -- faction that now dominates the Republican Party doesn't see it that way.

They think government is always the enemy they're always right in compromise is weakness.

Just in the last couple of elections.

They defeated -- distinguished Republican senators.

Because they dared to cooperate where Democrats on the -- -- -- issues important to the future of the country even national security.

They believe.

A Republican congressman and almost a 100% voting record on every bit conservative score because he said.

He realized he did not have to hate the president to disagree with him boy that was a non starter and they threw him out.

One of the main reasons we ought to reelect President Obama.

Is that he is still.

Committee had.

To constructive cooperation.

He appoint -- Republican secretaries of defense the army and transportation.

He appointed a vice president who ran against him in 2008.

And he trusted.

Vice president to oversee the successful end of the war in Iraq and the implementation of the recovery.

Am.

I.

Upon and several members.

-- his cabinet.

Even though they supported.

Hillary in the primaries.

-- -- -- -- -- A it.

I am very proud of her and I am proud of the job she -- the national security team have done for America.

Can.

-- I -- -- together to make it safer and stronger to build a world -- more partners and fewer enemies.

I'm grateful for the relationship of respect and partnership she and the president have enjoyed in this signaled that sends to the rest of the world that democracy does not have a -- to have to be a blood sport.

It can be an honorable enterprise.

-- -- That's not the national security team I am very grateful.

To the men and women who serve our country in uniform through these -- Especially grateful.

To Michelle Obama and the Joseph Biden.

For supporting those military families -- their loved ones -- overseas.

When they come home.

Bearing the way.

Are needing help define education or jobs our housing.

President Obama's whole record on national security.

Is attributed to his strength to his judgment and to his preference for inclusion and partnership over partisanship.

Winning -- We all know they also tried to work with congressional Republicans.

On health care debt reduction.

And new jobs.

And then and work out so what.

But it could've been because.

As the senate Republican leaders say ahead in a remarkable moment of candor.

Two full years before the election.

They're number one priority was not to put America back to work there was to put the president.

-- -- -- Senator.

I hate to break it to you.

But we're gonna keep President Obama.

Am.

I -- Am.

I.

A a do you.

And -- In Tampa don't want their convention and I didn't.

In Tampa.

The Republican argument against the president reelection.

Was actually pretty simple pretty snappy.

It went something like this.

We left him a total mess.

He had -- claimed another fast enough so far him and put us back again.

Okay.

Well.

They look good -- sounded good.

They convince me that.

They all of their families their children and would rightfully been born in America and all -- really I'm not -- Man this is important.

They convinced me there were honorable people who believe what they said in -- rookie Trevor commitment they've made.

We just got to make sure the American people know what those commitments are.

But yeah.

Can look like an acceptable or reasonable moderate alternative to President Obama -- They just didn't -- very much about the ideas they've offered over the last two years.

They couldn't.

Because I want to go back to the -- policies that got us in trouble in the first place.

They want to cut taxes for high income Americans even more than President Bush did.

They want to get rid of those pesky financial regulations designed to prevent another crash and prohibit future violence.

But I want to actually increased defense spending over a decade -- two trillion dollars more than the Pentagon has requested.

Without saying what they'll spend -- all.

And -- -- -- make enormous cuts in the rest of the budget especially programs.

That help the middle class and poor children.

As another brother who once they hadn't.

There they go again.

The argument for president Obama's reelection.

A lot better.

Here it is.

He inherited a deeply damaged economy.

He put a floor under the crash.

He began the long hard road to recovery and laid the foundation.

For a modern more well balanced economy that will produce millions of good new jobs and vibrant new businesses and lots of new -- for innovators.

Now.

Are we where.

We want to me today no.

Is the president satisfied.

Of course.

But are we better off than we were when he took office it.

-- -- Okay.

It's in free fall off.

It'd just rock -- -- percent of GDP.

We were losing 750000.

Jobs a -- are we -- about it that today.

-- -- Here's the challenge.

He faces.

In the challenge all of you supporting things.

-- again today I know would abandon.

A lot of Americans.

Are still angry and frustrated about this economy.

If you look at the numbers you know employment is growing banks are beginning to lend again.

In a lot of places housing prices are even begin to pick up but too many people do not feel it yet.

I had the same thing happened.

In 1994 and or -- -- we can say that the policies were working.

That the economy was growing.

But most people didn't feel it yet.

-- believe.

1996.

The economy was roaring everybody felt it.

And we were halfway through the longest peacetime expansion in the history of the United States.

-- difference this time.

It's purely in the circumstances.

President Obama started with a much weaker economy than I did.

Listen to me now.

Know president.

No president.

Not me it's not any of my predecessors.

No one could have fully repaired all the damage that he found it just.

For.

He has laid the foundations for a new modern successful economy.

A shared prosperity.

And -- if you will -- the president's contract.

You will feel it you will see it.

-- Whether the American people believe what I just -- may -- the whole election.

I just want you know that I believe that with all my hard time believing.

It.

While I believe.

How did you tell you one.

I believe it because president Obama's approach he embodies the values the -- and the direction America has to take.

To build the 21 century version of the American dream nation of shared opportunity shared responsibilities.

Shared prosperity a shared sense of community.

So let's get back to the story.

In 2010.

As the president's recovery program kicked in the job losses to stop and things began to turnaround.

The Recovery -- saved or created millions of jobs and cut taxes.

We say is again cut taxes for 95%.

By the American people.

Last.

One and -- moments.

Our economy has produced about four and a half million private sector jobs.

It.

We could have done better but last year the Republicans -- the president's job plan.

-- in the economy more than a million new jobs.

So.

Here's another job store.

President Obama.

Plus four and a half million.

Congressional Republicans.

Zero.

An area.

More than 500000.

Manufacturing jobs have been created under President Obama that's the first time manufacturing jobs.

Have increased since the 99 it's.

I'll tell you something else.

The auto industry restructuring work.

-- -- This -- more than a million jobs and not just a GM Chrysler and their dealerships.

But in auto parts manufacturing all over the country.

That's why even the auto makers who -- part of the deal supported.

They need to say those parts suppliers to.

Well I just said.

We're all in this together.

So what's happened.

There are now 250000.

More people work in the auto industry then on the day the company's -- structure.

It.

Now we all know.

That governor Romney opposed the plan to save GM and Chrysler.

So.

Here's another job school.

Are you listen in Michigan and Ohio and across.

You do -- Obama 250000.

Romney.

Z.

The agreement the administration might with the management labor and environmental groups to double car mileage that was a good deal to.

It will cut your gas prices in half.

Your gas bill no matter what -- preferably -- is if you double mileage of your car your building have put it would have been.

It will might just more energy independent it will cut greenhouse gas emissions.

And according to several analyses over the next forty years it'll bring -- -- half a million.

Good new jobs in the the American economy.

The president's energy strategy which he calls all of the above -- -- entered.

The Benton oil and gas production.

Combined with a greater energy efficiency.

Has driven oil imports 220 here -- a natural gas production to an all time -- And renewable energy production has doubled.

-- We made a lot more new jobs.

But there are already.

More than three million jobs open and fun filled in America.

Mostly because all the people who apply for them don't yet have the required skills to do them.

So even as we get Americans more jobs we have to prepare more Americans for the new jobs are actually going to be created.

-- old economy is not coming back.

We've got to build a new one and educate people.

To do those jobs.

The president and his education secretary -- support community colleges and employers.

In working together.

To train people for jobs that are actually open in their communities.

And even more important after a decade in which exploding college costs have increased to drop out right so much.

That the percentage of our young people.

With four year college degrees has gone down so much that we have dropped to sixteenth in the world.

In the percentage of young people a college degrees.

So.

The president's student loan reform.

Is more important than ever here's what it does your work.

You can't tell every voter where you live -- -- It lowers the cost the federal student loans and even more importantly it gives students the right to repay those loans as a clear text.

Low percentage of their income for -- Friday.

No one will.

Perhaps you dropped out of college again.

Where do they can't -- -- their day out.

That if someone wants to take a job with a modest income the teacher police officer.

If they want to be a small -- doctorate and a little rural area.

They won't have to turn those jobs down because they don't pay enough.

To repay the debt they're debt obligation will be determined by their salary this will change the future for -- Am.

I.

We're better off.

Because President Obama made the decisions he did.

Now I'm.

Not raise me to health care.

Now the Republicans call it derisively obamacare.

They say it's a government takeover of the disaster and then -- -- distillate dome there repeal it.

Well are -- right.

Let's take a look at what's actually happened so for.

First.

Individuals and businesses have already gotten more than a billion.

Dollars in refunds from insurance companies because of manure requires 8885 so your premium.

-- go to your health care not profits are promotion.

The in.

But a bunch of insurance companies have applied to lower their relates to comply with the requirement.

Check get more than three million young people between nineteen and 25 or insured for the first time because their parents home.

Policies and.

Are receiving preventive care.

Follow -- from breast cancer screenings to adjust -- heart problems and scores of other things -- younger people are getting them to.

Foreign policy in the insurance companies.

Not the government the insurance companies we'll have millions of new customers many of the middle class people with preexisting conditions.

Who never could get an insurance reform.

Yeah.

Was -- good.

For the last two years.

After going up at three times the right of inflation for a decade.

For the last two years health care cost.

Have been under 4% in both years for the first time in fifteen.

Years.

I am.

And again.

We better off -- college President Obama fought for Health Care Reform.

-- there were two other attacks on the president Tampa but they deserve an answer.

First both governor Romney and congressman -- and attacked the president for allegedly robbing Medicare.

716.

Billion dollars.

That's the same -- that leveled against congress in 2010.

And they got a lot of unsold.

But it's not true.

Here's what really happened you -- the judges are really time.

There were no cuts to benefits.

At all -- What the president did.

Was to save money.

But taking your recommendations of a commission.

Of professions.

To cut unwarranted subsidies to providers and insurance companies that were not making people healthier.

And were not necessary to get the providers to provide the service.

And instead of readying Medicare.

He -- savings to close the doughnut hole in the Medicare drug program.

It.

Listen carefully this is a really important and -- Okay here -- the life of the Medicare trust fund so it is solvent until 20/20.

Ball.

It.

So President Obama and the Democrats didn't weaken Medicare -- -- to strengthen.

Medicare.

Now when congressman Ryan.

Look -- that TV camera.

And attacked President Obama is Medicare savings as quote.

The biggest -- lists power play.

I don't know whether it will ever -- -- well.

That's 716.

Billion dollars.

Did you exactly do they dollar -- this.

No amount of Medicare savings and then he had in his own budget.

I'd get one -- did take some brands to -- -- -- for doing what you do.

And.

Right.

Candidates getting serious I want you to listen.

Now at least on this issue and this one issue.

Governor Romney has been consistent.

He attacks.

President Obama to.

But he actually wants to repeal -- savings.

And give the money back to the insurance company.

He wants to go back to the old system from.

Which means we'll reopen the doughnut hole for seniors to pay more for drugs.

And will reduce the lives of the Medicare trust fund by eight full years.

So -- these elected.

And if he does what he promised to do.

Medicare will now -- broke in 2016.

Think about death and that means after all we won't have to wait until their voucher program kicks in and 223.

To see the end of Medicare as we know it.

Sooner than we thought.

-- this is serious.

Because he gets worse.

And you'll be laughing when -- finish tell you this.

They also want to block grant Medicaid.

And cut it last third over the come continues.

Of course that's -- really -- a lot of poor kids.

But that's not all.

Lot of folks don't know it -- nearly two thirds of Medicaid.

You spent on nursing home care for Medicare seniors.

You're eligible for Medicaid.

It's going to end Medicare as we know it.

And a lot of that money is also spent to help people.

With disabilities.

Including.

A lot of middle class families.

Whose kids have Down's syndrome or autism.

Or other severe conditions.

And honestly.

It's think about it.

If that happens.

I don't know -- those -- you gonna do.

So I know what I'm gonna do.

And we'll do everything I can't just say that it doesn't happen we can't.

Glad this happened.

Big charged.

The Republicans night.

It's a real -- That's actually have charged.

And run -- saying.

That President Obama wants to weaken the work requirements of the welfare reform bill I -- -- move millions of people from welfare to work.

The way you need to know.

Here's what happened.

Nobody ever tells you what.

Really happened here's what happened.

When some Republican governors.

I ask -- -- could have waivers to try new ways to put people on welfare back to work.

The Obama administration lesson.

Cause we all know it's -- -- -- people would go to work histories to get jobs today so movement folks -- welfare to work as a real challenge.

And the administration agreed.

To give waivers to those governors and others.

Only if they have a credible plan.

To increase employment about 20% and they could keep the waivers only if they did increase employment now did there I'm like myself clear.

The requirement was for more -- not let us.

This is personal to me.

When you have millions of people off welfare.

It was one of the reasons and that eight years I was present we have a hundred times as many people move out of poverty into the middle class -- happened.

Under the previous twelve years.

A hundred times as many.

It's a big deal.

But I am telling you that claim that President Obama who weekend welfare reforms work requirement is just not true.

They keep all the claiming it.

You're alone there campaign pollsters say it.

We are not going to let our camp -- be dictated.

But the fact checkers.

-- -- -- -- He has true.

-- -- it better myself.

You played every American and within the sound of my boys remembers it every time they see one of those ads.

And it turns into -- -- to reelect Barack Obama and keep the fundamental principles of personal empowerment.

And moving everybody can get a job in the work as soon as we can -- Today interest rates are low -- the right of inflation people are practically -- -- -- hormone.

Pull their money -- But it will become a big problem with the economy -- -- interest rates.

Start to rise.

We got -- deal -- this big long term debt problem more it will deal with -- us.

-- gobble up the bigger bigger percentage of the federal budget we'd rather spend on education and healthcare and science and technology.

We got to deal with it.

Now what is -- president done.

He has all -- out a reasonable plan of four trillion dollars in debt reduction over a decade.

With two and a half trillion coming from.

Hopes for -- -- and a trillion dollars of spending cuts he -- -- dollar in new revenues to and have to walk.

Any -- tight controls on future spending that's accountable balanced approach.

Proposed by the Simpson Bowles commission a bipartisan commission.

Not think his plan is way better than governor Romney's plan.

First the Romney plan fails the first test of fiscal responsibility.

The numbers just don't -- up.

-- Consider this.

What would you do if you had this problem.

So much -- though we got a big -- probably got to produce a bit so what's the first thing he says you don't do well to reduce the -- We're going to have another five trillion dollars in tax -- Heavily weighted upper income people.

So like today -- -- bigger before we start to get out of it.

Now when you say what didn't didn't.

About -- trillion dollar to just animal.

Myself will -- get out.

By eliminating.

Loopholes in the tax -- So let me ask well.

Bush -- holds and how much.

You know other side.

-- about -- after the election.

I'm not like you know that's their position.

-- about that -- election.

There -- people ask me all the time.

How we got four surplus budgets in a -- What new ideas that we bring to Washington I'll always give -- one word answers.

Arithmetic.

It.

Don't plan.

In a debt reduction plan.

The arithmetic tells us.

No matter what they say.

One of three things is about to have.

-- Let's simulate try to do what they say they'll do -- gonna -- covered by deductions.

Come no seduction.

Wind they'll have to eliminate so many deductions like the ones for home mortgages and charitable giving.

That middle class families will see their tax bills go up an average of 2000 dollars.

While anybody a nice three million dollars or more we'll see their tax bill go down 250000.

Dollars.

Our.

Tune right.

They'll have to cut so much spending.

But they'll obliterate the budget for the national parks for ensuring clean air clean water site food site -- traveled.

They'll cut way back on pell grants college loans early childhood education.

Child nutrition programs all the programs that help to empower middle class families and help poor kids.

Oh they'll cut back on investments in roads and bridges in science and technology and -- medical resorts.

That's what they'll do.

-- -- -- middle class and the -- puts future on hold.

To give tax cuts for upper income people who've been getting it all wrong.

Or three.

Thought of all the rhetoric -- -- do what they've been good for more than thirty years.

They'll go to cuts taxes way more than a cut spending.

Especially that big defense increase.

And they'll just explode the dad.

And -- the economy.

And they'll destroy the federal government's ability to help -- by letting interest gobble up all your tax.

Payments.

Don't you ever forget.

When you hear them talking about this.

That Republican and economic policies.

Quadruple the national debt.

Before I took office in the twelve years before I took off.

-- -- Eight years that dry -- What -- it never the arithmetic.

-- woods how.

And convenient thing for them and our device that I was.

There's a country boy from Arkansas and I came from place where people still talk to -- to restore.

It's a regimented.

We simply cannot folklore.

To give the reins of government to someone who will double down on trickle down.

Do you.

-- the future of our children our families and our nation's.

It's a heck -- a lot better.

It -- the arithmetic -- and far more important.

It passes the values test.

-- All of us -- this -- home.

And everybody watching at home.

When we vote this election will be deciding what kind of country we want to live in.

-- if you want.

A winner take all your own your own society.

You should support the Republican ticket.

But if you want a country of shared opportunities and shared responsibility.

We're all in this together society.

You should vote for Barack Obama and -- guy.

It.

Every American -- both.

And you think it is well.

To change voting procedures.

Can reduce the turn out of younger par minority and disabled voters.

If you think the president was right.

To open the doors of American opportunity to all those young immigrants brought here when they were young so they can so.

Go to college.

Am.

-- properties declining where the American dream is really alive and well again.

And -- the United States maintains its leadership.

As a force for peace.

And justice and prosperity.

In this highly competitive world.

You have to vote.

For Barack Obama.

Am.

I.

I love our country so much.

And I know we're coming back.

For more than 200.

Years through every crisis we've always come back.

People had predicted our demise ever since George Washington was criticized.

For being a mediocre sure there with a bad set of -- faulty.

And so far every single person that's been against America has lost money.

Because we always come back.

-- -- We decide to champion the cause for which our founders.

Pledged their lives their fortunes their sacred honor.

The -- forming a more.

Perfect union and.

Yeah okay.

You know.

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Bill Clinton: We're going to keep President Obama on the job

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