Bill Clinton: “Thank you very much. I want to say, first of all, I came here mostly just to say thank you. Thank you to the volunteers…”

“Thank you very much. I want to say, first of all, I came here mostly just to say thank you. Thank you to the volunteers, the firefighters, the police officers, the emergency workers. I am joined by three members of our Cabinet over here: our Secretary of Labor, Alexis Herman, Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, and Chicago's own, Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley. Every time I come to Chicago, I get excited. I tell everybody all across America, you know, this is the way cities ought to work. It's a well-organized, beautiful, clean, ever-changing, dynamic city, and one that doesn't run away from its problems but embraces them and tries to work through them; and that is what I want America to be like. I know this has been a very difficult time. This heat wave has claimed over 190 lives nationwide. It has been very, very tough. And I just wanted to join the mayor in saying thank you. Normally, you know, when something like this happens, the role of the Federal Government is to declare emergencies, provide help to the farmers or the business people, or extra help to the seniors and others who are vulnerable. And I rarely get an opportunity to go out and see the people who do the work, save the lives, and help people get through the tough times. And so mostly I am here just to tell you, you've done a great job, and I am profoundly grateful. Thank you.…”