michaelzimmer: Clinton fires up Democratic faithful

21:04 1st Jun 2012

Notes: 26

Clinton fires up Democratic faithful - JSOnline

The former president said that for 100 years, people in America had looked to Wisconsin as a place where people had vigorous debates on the issues, but worked out solutions.

“Now they look at Wisconsin and they see America’s battleground,” Clinton said. “Between people who want to work together to solve problems and people who want to divide and conquer. People who know that creative cooperation is working in America and people who want constant conflict.”

Speaking under a gazebo on the banks of the Milwaukee River, Clinton said “creative cooperation” was the best way to reach consensus on issues such as economic development and balancing budgets.

“Everywhere I go in America, everywhere I go in the world, the only thing that is working is when you get everybody who has a stake in the game in there, treat them with respect, and people go forward,” Clinton said.

“This divide and conquer, no compromise crowd, if they had been in control, there never would have been a U.S. Constitution,” Clinton said.

Clinton said that, ordinarily, he was opposed to recall elections.

“But sometimes it is the only way to avoid a disastrous course,” Clinton said of Wisconsin’s historic election.