Posted on 04/13/2005 9:21:18 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MADISON, N.J. - Former President Bill Clinton urged a standing-room crowd at Drew University Wednesday night to take advantage of unprecedented opportunities to help create a world of integrated communities and fewer adversaries.
His hourlong remarks touched frequently on the theme of shared responsibilities and benefits, both in domestic policy and on the world stage. Clinton pinpointed the explosion of citizen-run, non-governmental organizations as offering a unique opportunity at the dawn of the new century.
"You can make a difference whether you agree with your government or not," he said. "You can do something, and you have hundreds of choices. You have the opportunity at this point in history that no one has ever had before, with the technology and travel. You have a responsibility to find some way to serve."
Clinton was the first lecturer in the Kean Visiting Lectureship established by university President Thomas H. Kean to "annually bring to campus a political scientist, historian, or statesman of exceptional national or international prominence."
Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey and the head of the national commission that probed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, is stepping down as president in June. He had glowing words for Clinton Wednesday and introduced him as "possibly the most popular political figure in the United States today" to a cascade of applause.
Clinton repaid the compliment by describing himself and Kean as "dinosaurs, a Democrat and Republican who actually like each other and want to work together." He lamented the current tone of political discourse, saying, "We have made the mistake in this country in the last 20 years of thinking we should demonize those with whom we disagree."
Clinton spoke with fervor about his work with his eponymous foundation, which announced this week that it will deliver HIV drugs to 10,000 children in about 10 developing countries by the end of the year and will expand its AIDS efforts in underserved rural areas.
Last month, the former president was honored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases for his post-presidency work fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS.
On Wednesday, he termed the AIDS epidemic in developing countries a problem that is "representative of the drastic inequality of the modern world," in which 500,000 pre-teenage children died of AIDS last year while only about 25,000 were provided with medicine.
Clinton, who has been deeply involved in the post-tsunami relief effort in southeast Asia with former President George H.W. Bush, cited a poll taken in Indonesia to illustrate how small efforts can have a ripple effect.
Before the tsunami, 36 percent of Indonesians had a positive impression of Americans, compared to 60 percent after the disaster, Clinton said. In contrast, Osama bin Laden's positive impressions among those polled in the heavily Muslim nation dropped from 58 percent to 28 percent.
"He didn't do anything to help these people after the tsunami, but people in New Jersey did," Clinton said to a roar from the audience. "And they got it."
At least one spectator made sure to get a choice seat for the talk. Lydia Lebron of Madison, accompanied by daughter Ester, a high school sophomore, got to the arena several hours before Clinton was scheduled to speak and was first in a line that snaked a quarter-mile from the arena up through the campus.
"Every decision he made was based on experiences from his life," Lebron said as she held a copy of Clinton's autobiography that she hoped to get autographed. "He's a real person who's in touch with everyday folks."
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FeaR FoR the FutuRe if he is talking about shared responsibilities and NGOs being so effectual, even if they are unelected and answer to no one..
btw, He never met a responibility he wouldn't willingly shirk for a few poll points.
I have to disagree with you on this. When Clinton talks about "the explosion of citizen-run, non-governmental organizations", he's talking about voluntary associations. Clinton has actually been reading his Toqueville!
If you're talking local orgs, volunteer and such that do have the best interests of all the citizens at hand, we agree, :-)
If we shift this however, to NGOs of global persuasion that operate with funds from folks with agendas,, clinton is helping to sell us the rope with which to hang ourselves, imo .
What they really meant to say was "A disgraced, impeached American traitor and dirty old man."
Why would an American school bring in a loser like Clinton to defile the minds of it's students?
If he contracts AIDS while playing hero to the Third World, I wouldn't shed a tear. The man will forever be a lowlife scumbag who crapped on the dignity of the presidency and the White House.
The new strain kills easily within 3 years. It's a new superAIDS to help those with a death wish get their release faster.
"He's a real person who's in touch with everyday folks."
He's a CRIMINAL who DEVALUES LIFE.
AQ and OBL killed Indonesians among others in the Bali bombings and other terrorist incidents in the country. That is why their popularity dropped, not because the terrorists failed to provide tsunami relief.
Wow! George Bush Sr. really had an impact on those folks! Good job, Mr. Bush!!
"Why would an American school bring in a loser like Clinton to defile the minds of it's students?"
TOM KEAN - Chief RINO in New Jersey. That's right - the super rich elitist with the accent no one in New Jersey EVER uses is the outgoing President of Drew, and he inivited his "old friend" Bill Clinton to speak there before he left.
Just like Drew President Kean invited Clinton to speak there when he was running against Bush I in the Presidential Elections.
Tom Kean, if you recall is the former chairman of the disgraced 9-11 Commission.
Just ONE WEEK before the last Presidential election, this viper gave a speech in New Jersey in which he stated that "your government betrayed you", in a hardly transparent effort to sabotage Bush II's political campaign.
Tom Kean is also on record as stating that Chrissie Whitman is "too conservative".
What an overinflated gas bag!!!
Kean is getting on in years but spawned a clone, Tom Kean Jr, who got elected to the State House of Representatives then slithered his way into a Senatorial slot in a Republican Party Committee vote when the office became vacant before an election.
Know what else Clinton said in that speech at Drew ?
"Here we are the strongest, richest country in the world," he said, "and we expect (other countries) to lend us money to pay for our government because our people are too selfish to pay for our government."
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