Bill Clinton: “Thank you. Now, let's go on. You know, we heard a lot of talk from the other side about fiscal responsibility. And you…”

“Thank you. Now, let's go on. You know, we heard a lot of talk from the other side about fiscal responsibility. And you heard Senator Glenn say that the deficit has gone down in all 4 years of this administration for the first time, he said, since President Truman. Actually, President Truman had to raise the deficit one year because of the war in Korea. This is the first time in the 20th century in all 4 years of a President's administration the deficit has gone down. And that's a good thing for America. It means lower interest rates, lower credit card rates, car payment rates, home mort- gage payments. It's moving us in the right direction. We're moving from a welfare system based on dependence to one based on independence. The welfare rolls are nearly 2 million smaller than they were 4 years ago--inconvenient for those who would shout down speakers, but it is--2 million. Now, this welfare reform bill gives us a chance to move people forever from welfare to work. But we still have to create jobs. If you're going to tell people you've got to go to work if you're able-bodied, there has to be work there for them to go to. So we have a plan for that. We're making our families, our neighborhoods safer. We're putting 100,000 police on the street, taking drugs and guns and gangs off the street. The Brady bill has kept 60,000 felons, fugitives, and stalkers from getting handguns, but no Ohio hunter has lost his weapon, not a single one. We have helped to strengthen families by passing the family and medical leave law. I tell all of you students here who have not started your families yet, one of the biggest challenges facing parents--I hear it everywhere I go--is how to balance the demands of work and the demands of parenting. Everywhere I go people talk about it. The family and medical leave law has allowed 12 million families to take some time off from work without losing their jobs. Senator Dole led the fight against the family leave law. That's why they're screaming now, and they're wrong, and they won't be screaming. So you tell me, do you agree with the screamers who were against family and medical leave, or do you think America is better off that you can take a little time off when your baby is born or someone in your family has been sick? Do you agree? [Applause] And would you like to see the family leave law extended so that you can take some time off to see parents go to the teacher conferences at the school or to medical appointments with their family members? These are the things we have to do. But there is no choice before you that is more profoundly significant than the choice involving education. Today I brought with me the Secretary of Education, Dick Riley, who served with me as a Governor and I believe is the finest Secretary of Education ever to serve the United States. I'd like for him to stand up and be recognized. [Applause] We have worked--for 20 years we have worked, first as Governors then, now here in the National Government, to try to advance the cause of education. Now you have to decide whether you believe there are things we should do together or whether we should just say, ``You're on your own.'' When Ted Strickland said his opponent had said to the school people in his district, ``You're entitled to only so much education as you can afford,'' I think we ought to compliment his opponent for his candor and his honesty because that is what they believe. But I don't believe that; I believe everybody should have a chance to have as much education as is necessary to develop their God-given capacity. And you have to decide. You have to decide. You have to decide. Audience members. Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!”