President Bill Clinton's Sarasota, Florida Visit

Launched Ringling College Library Association 2010 Town Hall Season

Oct 4, 2009

President Bill Clinton kicked off the 30th anniversary of the Ringling College Library Association Town Hall Season in Sarasota, Fla., and asked audience to help others.

Encouraging an audience of more than 1,700 in Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to help those less fortunate, the 42nd President of the United States kicked off Ringling College Library Association's 2010 Town Hall Season on September 30 by discussing world poverty, health care, global economics and making a positive difference in the world.

President Bill Clinton Seeing the Positive and Negative of the World

President Bill Clinton told the audience he is dedicated to "giving the rest of my life back to the people in areas I care about and make a difference." The William J. Clinton Foundation is an avenue for achieving his goals through empowering people from around the world to reach global independence. Much of Clinton’s lecture evolved around his philosophy of interdependence and how everything from economics to health care is intertwined with inseparable positive and negative aspects.

A question and answer session followed the lecture and Ms. Olivia Thomas, Chair of the 2010 Town Hall Season, read the pre-screened questions and admitted they were not tough ones.

President Bill Clinton’s 2014 Vision

When President Clinton was asked how 2014 will look, he said he sees an "advantage of China saving money while we squandered will be apparent," and there will be "debate if we [U.S.] have a shared future" with China. He is optimistic about an "American economic renaissance with new technologies" such as manufacturing energy efficient cars. There still will be "unresolved issues in the Middle East and Iran…unless they get rid of the leaders" and sees the U.S. "closer to Latin America."

On the topic of health care, Clinton said the U.S. will be on the "other side of health care reform of how we make it work," rather than asking "should we do something about it."

President Clinton is concerned about nuclear technology used in place of terrorism in 2014 but told the audience, "I’m basically optimistic, I always have been."

President Clinton’s Advice to Today's Youth

Twenty student leaders from area high schools attended and met with President Clinton before his lecture. When asked his advice to today's youth for public service, Clinton recommended they look at the world and think about what they love and care about and help those less fortunate. As for career choice, Clinton suggested, "Do something you love because people are happiest when doing what they love."

Clinton told the audience he chose politics and said some people need to do it. He said it is okay to "get mad at politicians...if all of us are so bad then why are we all still stumbling around since 1776? …most politicians are good people."

Remembering President Clinton 1,000 Years from Now

President Clinton paused before responding to the question of how he wanted to be remembered. "In 1,000 years I wonder if I'll be remembered," and proceeded to say if you do "something worth remembering, that's good," and joked about Attila the Hun being an example of someone doing bad things yet being remembered beyond 1,000 years.

In a serious tone, Clinton said he asks himself if "Are people better off? Are kids better off? Was the world together or torn apart?," during his term in office and "if have the right answers" that's how he wants to be remembered.

Ringling College Library Association 2010 Town Hall Season

The Ringling College Library Association 2010 Town Hall Season has the following lectures scheduled:

The copyright of the article President Bill Clinton's Sarasota, Florida Visit in US President is owned by Jennifer Huber. Permission to republish President Bill Clinton's Sarasota, Florida Visit in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.