Tuesday, January 9, 2001

Following are excerpts of President Clinton's farewell speech at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. (Source: White House Press Office)

CLINTON: ... Now, I want to say two things, seriously. Number one, this is a different, a stronger, a more united, and a better country than it was eight years ago. The ideas we had worked.

(APPLAUSE)

They worked. And let me just take you on a little walk down Memory Lane here.

Eight years ago we had high unemployment, the deficit was $290 billion, the debt of the country had been quadrupled in the previous 12 years. Now we have the lowest unemployment rate in 30 years, the lowest female unemployment rate in 40 years, the lowest minority unemployment rate ever recorded; 22.5 million new jobs; the deficit has been turned into the biggest surpluses in history; and when this year is over, my last budget, will have paid down $500 billion on the national debt. We can be out of debt in 10 years for the first time since 1835.

(APPLAUSE)

Now, in addition to that, Bobby Rush said I wanted to be president for the little people; I did. I didn't know the difference in little and big people. I was so naive when my predecessor referred to me in rather derisive terms as the governor of a small Southern state -- I was so naive I thought he was paying me a compliment.

(LAUGHTER)

And I still do.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

People ask me what was my presidency about, it was about those 22.5 million people that have jobs now that didn't. About the 25 million people that took advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Law. About the 13 million people that took advantage of the HOPE Scholarship tax credit and the other tax credits to go on and have family members in college. About the 90 percent of kids under 2 who are immunized against serious childhood diseases for the first time, about the 3.3 million children who have been covered with health insurance for the first time under the Children's Health Insurance Program. We got the uninsured population going down for the first time in 12 years.

(APPLAUSE)

That's what it's about. About the 1.3 million kids in after-school programs with federal funds for the first time. And I could go on and on.

It's about people -- 600,000 felons, fugitives and stalkers couldn't get handguns because of the Brady Bill. How many people are alive because of that, because of the 100,000 police on the street? That's what this was about. It was about trying to bring America together; to create more opportunity for every responsible citizen; to make our diversity a blessing instead of a source of division; to be a force for peace and freedom and democracy and decency around the world. And I am proud of where America is today.

I'm also proud that we did have an urban policy, an urban policy that gave 15 million families a family tax cut because the people weren't making enough money working full time to get their kids out of poverty, and now they can, because of the earned income tax credit.

(APPLAUSE)

An urban policy in which the vice president ran an empowerment zone program that brought billions of dollars of new investment into cities all across America. An urban policy which cut the welfare rolls in half, which diversified public housing, and Chicago is leading the way in that, which gave people a sense that we could go forward together again.

Now, this was about people, putting them first, preparing them for a new century and a whole new era in human affairs. Look how much more diverse Chicago is now then it was 10 years ago, racially, religiously. Look how we're learning to live together across all the lines that have previously divided us. That's what I want for America, one America, going forward together, helping each other, making the most of what we can do.

You know, politics and public life is a lot like athletics. It's a team sport. I don't care how good the quarterback is, or the center. If you don't have a good team, you're no where. You were my team, and we won for America.

(APPLAUSE)

So whether you're old or young, white, black or brown or whatever, straight or gay, able or disabled -- we're all disabled some way or another -- I thank you, because you were my team, and we won for America.

(APPLAUSE)

And I want you to know -- the second thing I want to say is this. America is always about becoming; it's always about new beginnings; it's always about tomorrow. The reason we're still around here after over 220 years is that we've always had a focus on the future. We always thought we could do better. We always thought we had a moral obligation to do better. We always thought we could widen the circle of opportunity, and deepen the meaning of freedom, and strengthen the bonds of our community, and be better neighbors around the world. We always thought that.

I still believe that. And you cannot let any disappointment you may feel in this last election take away any pride you feel in what Al Gore and I and our team were able to accomplish with you these last eight years. And you cannot let --

(APPLAUSE)

You cannot let anything deter you from your determination to be the best citizen you can be, to make Chicago and Illinois and America as great as they can be.

I'm telling you, there are still a lot of big challenges out there, but I'm leaving this country in good shape and the best is still to be. You just rear back, stay together, and keep fighting for tomorrow.

God bless you. Thank you very much.

(APPLAUSE)