CHICAGO – Former President Bill Clinton, a titan of the Democratic Party with a special talent for connecting with rural white voters, praised Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday for her ability to move the country forward and emphasized her middle-class roots.
“Kamala Harris is the only candidate in this race with the vision, the experience, the spirit, the will and yes – the sheer joy – to do this on good days and bad. To be our voice,” he said.
On the third day of the Democratic National Convention, which was all about passing the torch to the next generation, Clinton said he was delighted “to see all these young leaders.”
He highlighted Harris’ time at McDonald’s and how she chose a running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who started out as a teacher.
“I will be so happy when she actually moves into the White House as president – she will break my record as president who spent the most time at McDonald’s,” said Clinton, who was known for his fondness for the Golden Arches during his presidency.
Clinton, who was born in Hope, Arkansas, said that “as a man of Hope, I need Kamala Harris, the president of joy, to lead us.”
The last time Clinton spoke at the DNC in Chicago, he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in 1996.
Praise for Biden
Clinton praised President Joe Biden, praising him for his work on the economy and steering the country during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as his support for Ukraine and his commitment to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“And then he did something that is really difficult for a politician: he voluntarily gave up political power,” Clinton said.
Biden suspended his re-election campaign last month after a disastrous June 27 debate sparked fears among Democrats that he could not beat Donald Trump in November. After Biden announced he would not seek re-election, he endorsed Harris as his successor, and the party has rallied around her as she and Walz sprint toward Election Day.
Clinton compared Biden’s decision to drop out of the race to that of the first president of the United States, George Washington, who resigned after two terms, setting a precedent for how long a presidency should last.
When the Democrats heard this from Clinton, they cheered and chanted “Thank you, Joe.”
“It’s a stark contrast to what’s going on in the other party,” Clinton said of the Republicans.
Clinton said Trump doesn’t care about Americans and called the former president selfish. He drew a stark contrast between the two candidates, saying Trump only cares about himself and that with Harris, “every day will start with ‘you, you, you, you.'”
Clinton, who turned 78 this week, the same age as Trump, who turned 78 in June, said: “The only personal vanity I want to flaunt is that I am still younger than Donald Trump.”
However, he warned Democrats not to “underestimate their opponents” and advised them, “as someone who spends a lot of time in rural areas” in Arkansas and New York, to talk to their neighbors.
“I urge you not to disparage them, but if you do, don’t pretend you don’t disagree,” Clinton said. “Treat them with respect.”
He warned against overconfidence and said there could still be slip-ups before Election Day on November 5.
“We have lost more than one election when we thought it couldn’t happen because people got distracted by the wrong issues or overconfidence,” Clinton said.
