Advance Copy of Bill Clinton's Speech

I have been able to get a portion of the draft copy of Bill Clinton's convention speech in which he introduces president Obama. It is not the final text, so be warned that some parts may change, but any modifications from here ought to be minor.

Friends,

I stand here tonight to ask you to recall the promise of America. We are a great nation, an enterprising nation, a caring nation. We have managed to create the richest and most powerful country in history. And we did all this without having the benefit of long standing fortunes. Those who came to this country did so, for the most part, with little or nothing in the way of possessions. We received those who Emma Lazarus called the "tired" and teh "poor", the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free", and the "homeless, tempest tossed". In the space of a few decades these people who came here craving freedom were transformed by America into integral parts of a great nation. While these immigrants surely worked hard to elevate their condition, they could not have achieved anything without all that America offered to them. We gave them freedom. For the first time for many, they were able to speak their minds without fear of being arrested. They could worship in the church or synagogue of their choice. They could meet with others to discuss grievances against the government and not worry that the secret police were about to break down the door to arrest them all as dissidents. They were free!

But political and religious freedom is not all that America provided. We also gave these immigrants economic freedom. Men who had been barred from various occupations in the countries of their birth, solely by reason of the status at birth, were free to choose any profession, any job that suited them. Women who were restricted to the home in the countries of their birth were given the freedom to enter the workforce. They could gain employment outside the home, something that is unthinkable still in many countries around the globe today. People with ambition and dreams could start their own enterprises. The greatest names of American business all began as an idea by some person who thought he or she had a better product, a better way to operate a business or an idea that might revolutionize the life of millions. A hundred years ago, fifty years ago or even twenty five years ago, who would have thought that we all would walk around with phones in our pockets, connected with family, friends and business associates whereever we went. Just the revolution in computer technology of the last twenty five years alone is astounding. But it was that economic freedom that made it possible. Great companies like Apple grew from tiny seeds planted in a garage. American companies lead the world in all sorts of industries and it is the freedom to innovate and to run their businesses that has allowed this.

I am sure that most of you here tonight remember my years in the White House. We had some of the greatest economic growth seen in the last half century. Technology advanced so rapidly that millions of American jobs were created. We gave the innovators the freedom to do just that; they created new products, new markets and new ideas and with that came millions of new jobs and prosperity. I was careful as president to make sure that this very freedom so necessary to the growth and success of our economy was kept available to all so that the innovation which is the lifeblood of our country could continue to flow. We had to be responsible guardians of the public trust, and I made sure that that happened.

Remember the 1990's! When my term began, we were running a large deficit in spending. I worked in a bipartisan fashion with the Republican majority in Congress and soon, we had spending under control. We raised taxes on some, but we also cut the capital gains tax to promote further economic growth. As a result of this effort, the federal government saw four consecutive years of balanced budgets at the same time that our economic growth was soaring to new heights and unemployment was plummeting to new lows.

We also took on reform of entitlements in the 1990's. Welfare, which had been a major drain on the federal treasury, was transformed into a program that promoted the return of recipients to the workforce. Millions left the government dole and went on to a life of self respect, a job, a path to new prosperity for themselves and their families. We spread the freedom to advance beyond ones condition to millions of people on welfare, and the medicine of freedom cured many ills, just like it always does.

Today, we find our country in a much different position than it was when I left the White House. Huge numbers of people are unemployed or have given up even looking for work. Economic growth is stagnant. Prices are rising while family incomes are falling. Middle income Americans are being squeezed non-stop and from all sides. Many do not know what to do. They have suffered for years looking for leadership to help get the country out of the terrible malaise that has settle over us. We have seen valiant efforts made by the president and Congress. A huge stimulus was passed and it kept us from a depression. Attempts were made to encourage job growth and new industries. The effort to find altenative energy sources was used to promote the creation of the green energy industry. But we still find ourselves drifting from one pothole in the road to recovery to the next. One thing is certain, however, we have an outstanding foreign policy under the direction of my favorite secretary of state of all time!

We must make a choice. We need to ask ourselves what course we will choose for the next four years. On the one side we have president Obama. We have seen his great efforts to help the economy and we know what he had accomplished. On the other hand we have someone who is untested in the crucible of Washington, governor Romney. Governor Romney has never been a part of the Washington establishment; he has no idea how it functions. We he elected, Governor Romney would come to Washington and expect to change the way things are rather than managing them the way president Obama has. It is true that I said a month ago that Governor Romney had "a sterling business career that qualifies him to be president." But remember, being qualified to be president does not mean that one would actually be a good president.

We know the man we have now. He will lead us forward, forward just like the slogan that you see above me tonight on this podium. We will go forward to a destination very different from the one for which Governor Romney aims. The time has come to support president Obama. Join with me in welcoming the president of the United States, Barack Obama!