Bill Clinton: “Oh yes, Mayor Ramirez. Who else is here? There they are. I've been there. I was with the Mayor over a year ago in…”

“Oh yes, Mayor Ramirez. Who else is here? There they are. I've been there. I was with the Mayor over a year ago in Laredo. It's also a good place to jog in the early morning. Oakland, California, Mayor Elihu Harris, Congressman Ron Dellums, and others. Please stand up, all the people from Oakland, whose residents came together across the lines of race and class to rebuild after the fire of 1991. Its Safe Streets Now program has brought 3,500 people together to get tough with landlords responsible for 250 properties used to traffic drugs. They have also established a health center to meet the special needs of Oakland's American Indian population. And I can say, based on recent knowledge, it's a very good place to spend the night. Thank you very much. Congratulations. Pulaski, Tennessee, Mr. Daniel Speer. Who else is here from Pulaski, Tennessee? Please stand up. For industrial development that attracts new jobs, for the rehabilitation of public housing, for Pulaski's annual Brotherhood Observance, which shows how people can take their city back and send a moving message of hope all across our Nation. Washington, North Carolina. Mayor Floyd Brothers. How are you, Mayor? Good to see you. [Applause] Thank you. Anyone else here from Washington? Thank you for coming. For efforts to revitalize the West Fourth Street neighborhood, for addressing the quality of drinking water, for waste water treatment and protection of surrounding rivers, and for bringing more of the community together through increased cultural outreach programs. Wichita, Kansas, Mayor Elma Broadfoot. Anybody else here from Wichita? [Applause] Thank you. For its Summer Youth Academy to get young people more involved in learning and less involved in gangs, for a partnership that encourages troubled youths to seek treatment for their problems and rewards them with improved self-esteem and for a project to restore the quality of life within a Wichita neighborhood. Wray, Colorado, Ms. Roberta Helling. How are you? Anybody else here from Wray, Colorado? For the town's first rehabilitation center, a family counseling center and a new hospital, the only multiple-physician facility in a 100-mile radius, all this done by a town with a population of just about 2,000 people. If we had the people from this Colorado town here in the Nation's Capital, we'd probably lick our problems in no time. [Laughter] While I have mentioned these places by name, the awards really belong to the people in the communities, even those who weren't able to come here today. To be an All-American City, it doesn't matter how big you are or how much money you have. It's not the racial composition or the region in which the community is located. What matters is the commitment of the people, the innovation of the leaders, and the cooperation of people across all the lines that too often divide us in America. Now to say a few words on behalf of the All-American City program, is Mr. Wayne Hedien--come on up here--chairman and CEO of Allstate Insurance, representing the Allstate foundations, whose generosity has made these awards possible. [At this point, Mr. Hedien made brief remarks.]”