Bill Clinton: “I understand now. I'm sorry. You have to forgive me, I'm a little hard of hearing. It comes with age for some people.…”

“I understand now. I'm sorry. You have to forgive me, I'm a little hard of hearing. It comes with age for some people. Well, it will be better in several ways. First of all, obviously if we can keep creating more jobs, that provides more hope. Jobs and incomes help families to stay together; they help people to succeed as parents. Let me say one more thing about--I got asked some questions earlier about what can be done to strengthen the family. For people who already have children, you've got to do the best you can, and you can succeed. I mean, I was raised by a mother who was a single parent when I was born. So a lot of people do a good job. But the first thing we've got to do is to provide more jobs and keep doing it until we can put our people to work. The second thing we have to do is to give people a sense that they can take their streets back, that through this crime bill and through these other initiatives, people that are willing to obey the law can at least live in a safe environment and children can go to a safe school. The third thing that we have to do, in my opinion, is to try to give people a leg up in life. That's what the education programs and the welfare reform programs are all about, giving people a chance to see that they can always do better than they're doing if they're willing to work at it. The fourth thing we have to do, and this is why I want the health care program to pass so much, is to give people the security of knowing that they can succeed in all these different ways: that you can succeed as a student, you can succeed as a worker, you can succeed as a parent, and that if you work hard and play by the rules and you try to make something of your life, you will have a certain level of personal security. And that's what we're trying to do. In other words, I think America should be seen as sort of an extended family, a big community. And I think we should look at all of our people, without regard to where they live or what their race is, as an enormous resource, as something precious, where everybody is equally important. And I don't think we can make it as a country unless we do that. I don't think we can make it as a country--in my old age, when I want to be retired and taken care of by somebody else--unless all of you do well. And we are going to have to reinvigorate our education system, our job system, our criminal justice system, and our health care system, at least, if you all are going to do that. And that's what I work for all the time, so that you'll have the freedom to make whatever you want of your life. I mean, I don't like the fact that a lot of young people like you wake up every day and look in the mirror and don't believe that they could do whatever they want to do. The best thing that could ever happen to us is if tomorrow you and everybody like you got up and got ready for school and looked in the mirror and said, ``You know, whatever I really want to do, I can go as far as my God-given abilities will take me. I'm not going to be burdened by violence. I am not going to be interfered with by drugs. I'm not going to be interfered with by bigotry. I'm not going to do anything stupid to mess myself up. I'm going to hold on and make my life something. And it's never too late to get a second chance. No matter what's happened before, I can do better.'' That would be the best thing that ever happened to this country, if all of you believe that and acted on it. And I'm just trying to create an environment where it's true enough so that all of you can believe it. Are we done? Principal Poles. Thank you, Mr. President. This concludes our question-and-answer series.”