Bill Clinton: “They have done--oh yes, I wish that were the answer. [Laughter] I came to Washington with all my dreams that we'd be…”

“They have done--oh yes, I wish that were the answer. [Laughter] I came to Washington with all my dreams that we'd be able to work together. The first week I was here, I was told by the leader of the other party in one of the Houses of Congress--listen to this--I was told, ``You're going to have to pass this economic plan without one single, solitary vote. It doesn't matter how you change it. We're not going to vote for any tax increases on the wealthy. And if it fails, we'll be able to blame you. And if it works, we'll attack it and call it a tax increase anyway,'' which is exactly what happened. But he said, ``No point in you even talking to us. You won't get a vote.'' So I sort of waited 8 months; we passed it anyway. They said the sky would fall, and the economy is booming. Then last year they voted 42 to 2 for the crime bill. Last year they voted for the assault weapons ban; they voted for prevention programs-- all those things they call pork, they voted for, they sponsored a lot of them--42 to 2. Why? They did not believe the House of Representatives would pass it. So then, when the crime bill comes back this year in the Senate--I want you to understand what you're thinking about doing here, what the consequence of this race is--all of a sudden, all of those prevention programs they voted for, they sponsored, that on an annual basis they were spending more on in their bill than in the one we finally passed, they went from 42 to 2 for it, to 6 to 38 against it. Why? Because they were told the objective was not to lower crime but to hand a political defeat to the administration and to the Democrats. That's why. Let me give you another example. On health care, when I introduced the health care bill, I said, ``Look, I don't have a monopoly on truth. You may have a better idea.'' And I was so happy. I thought, finally, we're going to get there because 24 members of the other party, 24 Republican Senators, were on a bill that would have provided coverage for everybody and would have controlled costs. So, anyway, so they had 24 Republicans on this bill. So I said, ``Great, we're going to get health care.'' That's right. I said, ``We're going to get health care.'' And I thought, they'll have ideas; we'll have ideas; we'll get together and we'll work out a deal. We'll have health care--24. By the time the bill got to the committee process, do you know how many of those 24 were left? Zero. Why? Why? Why? Because--because--don't take my word, take their word. Republican Congressman says, in print, ``We were ordered not to cooperate on health care.'' Republican Senator says, in print, ``We have killed it. Now the trick is to keep our fingerprints off of it''-- in print; Republican idea person says, in print--passed it out, proud of it--to the Republicans, ``The one thing you must not do is pass any health care reform. It will help the Democrats too much.'' Now that is what we are facing. That is the national context in which you must see this election. But far more important than that is they have now told us what they will do. They have put their contract out. And what is it? Trickle-down economics; eighties promises; a trillion dollars worth of unfunded promises, $1 trillion. Audience members. Boo-o-o!”