Anybody else just see Bill Clinton's commencement address? (VIDEO HERE)

[StellaBlue]

He just delivered a great commencement address at my alma mater, The University of Texas, to the graduates of the LBJ School of Public Affairs (graduate government school).

Paraphrased highlights (I couldn't find a transcript yet - it just ended about 15 minutes ago!):

"We cannot kill, imprison, or silence all our enemies. Therefore, we have to learn to work with them; that's what we call politics."

"You cannot make everyone do your will. You cannot even be the dictator of your own life."

"Because you have these opportunites, because you have this knowledge, you have the moral imperative to act."

"For only about 45 billion dollars a year we could feed every hungry person in America, we could provide a home to every person in America, we could send every child in America to school. And we've been spending over 100 billion dollars a year for the past few years on just this one war, in Iraq. And yet they say achieving these other things is impossible. War is the most expensive thing a government can decide to do."

And he talked extensively about global warming and the upcoming challenges, including repeating over and over that the earth is millions of years old and humans have been roaming around outside a small area of Africa for only the last 15,000 years.

Then they gave him a little statue featuring a miniature of the official bust of LBJ! Be still my heart.

As usual, seeing Big Dog speaking just makes me want to cry and clap and then :puke:. What the hell was America thinking?! Electing someone who has no interest or knowledge of history, policy, or political vision?



GO, BILL!!! :applause:

[adarling]

1. love UT

wanted to go there but chose to go out of state. I still love it and scream hook em horns more than anyone. I can't believe they got him to speak there, but austin is more liberal than any city in the country so it doesn't surprise me.

[stepnw1f]

2. Bill Clinton will Go Down in History as a Great President

Actually because of Bush he looks better everyday. I call that poetic justice.


Hey, Freeper Maniacs? Suffer... :nopity:

[keith the dem]

3. Thanks fo r your post!!!

Would love to hear whole speach.

Since I'm too lazy to search myself, If anybody has a link, please post.

[journalist3072]

4. Agreed and loved your entire post, EXCEPT the last 2 lines

"What the hell was America thinking?! Electing someone who has no interest or knowledge of history, policy, or political vision?"

I would argue that America did NOT elect George W. Bush.

Certainly in 2000, the evidence is clear that in terms of the intent of the voters, the majority of Americans went to the polls attempting to vote for Al Gore.

And I think the case can also be made that we don't know for certain that the majority of Americans intended to vote for Bush in 2004.

If you look at what happened in Ohio, with the voter supression that occured...George Bush's "re-election" is very questionable.

Just my 2 cents, lol! :)

[StellaBlue]

6. Of course. n/t

[StellaBlue]

5. VIDEO

http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=162421

scroll down the page and you'll see a link

Clinton tells Austin audience to do good

5/20/2006 1:13 AM
By: Veronica Castelo

Making the world a better place may seem like a daunting task, but former President Bill Clinton said it's not so hard these days.

"I believe there is more opportunity for those of us with means, and even those who don't have much money, to do public good as private citizens than ever before," he said.

On Friday, Clinton reminded guests of that at the 2006 Center for Public Policy Priorities Legacy Dinner. Clinton was there honoring longtime friend and philanthropist Bernanrd Rapoport. Rapoport is most recently known for his work on low-income policy issues affecting people.

Clinton said others have tools available to them to make a difference like Rapoport. One of those tools is technology.

"The Internet gives people of modest means to collect money in a hurry and have a massive impact," he said.

Two other tools are the rise of democracy, and the rise in people whose generosity matches their bank account


More at link...


EDIT: COPYRIGHT. PLEASE POST ONLY 4 OR 5 PARAGRAPHS
FROM THE COPYRIGHTED NEWS SOURCE PER DU RULES.

[Terran1212]

7. good message

wish he had followed it more in his presidency, but still good

[boobooday]

8. That sounds really inspiring

Better than Cheney's recent commencement speech where he bragged that you can be an irresponsible, greedy failure and still rise to a position where you can abuse the power of the highest office in the land!