Though most of the Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign workers who accompanied her husband’s visit to the Homewood Coliseum last week are too young to have heard former President Bill Clinton’s consummate rhetorical skills, many of the 400 or so who stood in the line that snaked around the block to hear him speak were not—and they were not disappointed.
Always the master orator, Bill Clinton contrasted his measured, positive remarks to his introductory speakers—including state Rep. Ed Gainey, U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle and Allegheny County Councilman Dewitt Walton—and to the emotionally charged rhetoric heard nationally. He did so by noting he had just turned 70—and that another crowd was gathered just a few blocks away to celebrate the life of someone who never would.
“I am very aware of the funeral for Rev. Eugene “Freedom” Blackwell,” he said. “And I am also aware that he spent his life building bridges and not building walls. We should all try to live a little more like him because life is fleeting. And when you get older and you have more yesterdays than tomorrows, you ought to be more upbeat and forward looking.”
He said the country needs “answers, not anger,” and that his wife is the candidate who has them, and who is looking forward, while her wall-building opponent wants to “make America great again,” like it was 50 years ago.
“I’m a White Southerner. I know exactly what he means,” said Bill Clinton, noting that for Blacks and for gays, it wasn’t all that great. “It’s like saying I’d like to be 20 again—well, actually, I would. But I wouldn’t vote for someone who said he’d make me 20 again.”
State Representative
He then went on to say that Hillary has a plan for massive infrastructure rebuilding that will provide thousands of jobs; a plan to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. a plan to provide free or nearly free college education and to greatly reduce the debt burden of current college graduates, and a plan to bring broadband Internet service to every home.
“An independent review of Hillary’s plan said it would create 11 million jobs. Mr. Trump’s economic plan, it said, would cost 3 million jobs,” he said. “Now I get that people are frustrated, and Mr. Trump appeals to that frustration so they say, ‘what do I have to lose?’ What you have to lose is 14 million jobs.”
In closing, Bill Clinton again referenced Blackwell, saying he gave the world 43 good years, half spent trying to make his neighborhood better.
Allegheny County Council
“He didn’t do it by ignoring the real-life, flesh-and-blood challenges—and America won’t either,” he said. “I think this election is about you. We can do it. You can do it. But Hillary, to do it, has to win Pennsylvania.”
And even before the cheers subsided, the veteran of 50 years in politics was already shaking hands and chatting with the audience, spending nearly as much time swapping stories and taking selfies with supporters as he did at the podium.
On the way out, two ladies said they were quite impressed by his visit.
“Oh, he was good,” one said.
“He sounded like he was running for office. Too bad he isn’t. I’d vote for him.”
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