He is very personable, focused and has an arresting ability to connect with individuals and audiences. It has been said that Clinton makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room when talking with him.
This week, Clinton came to Chicago to talk about the economy and his new book, “Back to Work,” as a keynoter at Chicago Ideas Week (CIW). The one-on-one talk between Clinton and Time magazine managing editor Richard Stengel was at the Chase Auditorium and greatly attended for a mid-morning event. (No signal though on the lower level for us iPhone Tweeters!)
With humor and gravitas, Clinton shared his thoughts on how to get America back on track. “You can’t get anywhere with an anti-government strategy,” he said. We must all work together to make this country work. Right now, “We are majoring in the minors.” He also noted that extreme partisanship and name-calling are very destructive. We have a new form of bigotry: “We don’t want to be around anybody who disagrees with us.”
Clinton said President Obama got “hobbled” early on in his presidency when dealing with the failing economy because of outdated data. The depth of the financial crisis was much lower than initially realized. What is required now are creative strategies that will put people back to work and help them stay in their homes, he said. “You can not reduce debt without growth.” A few of his back-to-work strategies include:
- Go where the money is — overseas. Use repatriated corporate earnings for the purpose of job creation in the U.S.
- Create sources of new employment every five to eight years to keep unemployment numbers low.
- Bolster the mortgage sector so that mounting foreclosures don’t continue to drag down the market. Grant five-year leases to those in foreclosed homes, which keeps empty properties off the market and allows families to stay in their houses until the economy improves.
- Invest in infrastructure. Upgrade our buildings, power grids and technologies to improve our efficiencies and to employ more citizens.
On a more personal note, Stengel asked Clinton about Steve Jobs and leadership in the 21st Century. Clinton said he was grateful to Jobs for offering a country respite to him during his presidency so that Clinton could enjoy some private quality time with his family away from the public eye. “Plus, even I can work an iPad and an iPhone,” he quipped.
A short time before Jobs’ passing, Clinton said he visited with him. He recounted what Jobs said during their last conversation: “You know, this cancer that I have is very clever. I have beaten it back repeatedly, but I have fired all my ammunition and it keeps coming up with new ways to attack me. I’m not sure I got any more weapons left but I’ve had a good time trying to beat it.”
Clinton said Jobs was very cleared-eyed and determined. He figured out what his gift was and he nurtured it. Clinton's parting words to the CIW crowd were: “Nourish your gift, and don’t quit.” No one can argue with that.