Governor Bill Clinton American Legion Convention Chicago, Illinois August 25, 1992 Thank you. Thank you Commander DiFrancesco. Thank you Commander DiFrancesco, and thank you all Legionnaires who have been so gracious in welcoming me here and inviting President Bush and me to address this convention. I want to salute all my friends in the Arkansas Department of the American Legion. And I promised Al Gore that I would also recognize the Legionnaires from the Volunteer State of Tennessee also. I want at the outset to pay a personal tribute to two Legionnaires: First, my good friend Hershel Gober, a Vietnam Veteran, former Adjutant of the Arkansas Department of the American Legion, and current American Legion Department Service Officer for Arkansas, who is my National Campaign Manager for Veterans' Affairs. I also want to recognize Al Lynch, whose heroism in Vietnam earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor and who has volunteered for another tough mission: serving as my veterans' coordinator for Illinois. I know it's become fashionable for some politicians to claim that they won the Cold War. But I know who won the Cold War -- you did. No American would be free today if it weren't for the heroic sacrifices of you and all the millions of men and women who have served America in times of trouble. I feel a special sense of gratitude. You not only gave me the freedom you won for all Americans on the field of battle. You gave me the opportunity to serve America myself in the arena of public service. It is literally true that I might not be here today if it weren't for the American Legion. Without your dedication to the youth of America -- which gave me the opportunity to attend American Legion Boys' State and American Legion Boys' Nation. If that hadn't happened, I might not be standing before you as my party's nominee for President. I still remember that July afternoon in 1963, in the Rose Garden of the White House as I was waiting eagerly, a young 16- year-old, to shake the President's hand. I couldn't help thinking that only in America could someone like me be so fortunate as to meet the President of the United States. I knew then that I wanted to answer President Kennedy when he said "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you could do for your country." Just three months before a lot of America's innocence died, when President Kennedy was assassinated, those warm and hopeful summer days, the American Legion taught me lessons I have tried to live by all my life. Lessons about the greatness of America, and the responsibility to stand up for what you believe. The strength of our people and the durability of our Bill of Rights. The nobility of public service. That summer I learned from the American Legion that being a citizen involves responsibilities as well as rights -- including the responsibility to love your country even enough to right its wrongs; the responsibility to get involved, to make a difference, to serve. I am not the only American whose life has been made better by your continuing service here at home. From baseball to the Boy Scouts; from keeping veterans hospitals open to keeping kids off drugs; from addressing homelessness to preventing child abuse to instilling a deep sense of patriotism into still another generation of Americans, a grateful nation owes you a debt of gratitude. Like any adult I have to take full responsibility for the mistakes I've made in my life. But the American Legion deserves a large measure of credit for whatever successes I have enjoyed. The first group I introduced Al Gore to as my running mate was the Arkansas department of the American Legion. Because of my respect for the American Legion, I am here to speak to you as a candidate for the presidency. But before I can speak in that role, I have to tell you something very personal -- not as a Governor -- but as a citizen. You know that I never served in the military. You know that I opposed the war in Vietnam. But I want you to know this: I was never against the heroic men who served in that war. I honored your service then, and I honor it still. Although I have discussed my conduct during the Vietnam War in great detail, I feel I owe you one final statement, to set the record straight. In 1969, while studying at Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship, I received a draft notice, which arrived late. My draft board postponed the induction date to give me time to finish my first year of study. That summer, I agreed to join the ROTC program and attend law school at the University of Arkansas. But a few weeks later, I changed my mind and decided I should take my chances with the draft. Not long after that, the lottery was initiated. My draft lottery number was 311. If it had been 3, or if my number had been called, I would have served, and gone to Vietnam if so ordered. But I won't lie to you: I was relieved when I saw my number was 311, not because I didn't want to serve my country, but because I believed so strongly that our policy in Vietnam was wrong. I still believe that. It weakened and divided America and made us reluctant to use our strength in other parts of the world. But I know many of you then and many of you today disagree with me. I respect that. If you choose to vote against me because of what happened 23 years ago, that's your right as a American citizen, and I respect that. But it is my hope you will cast your vote while looking toward the future with hope, rather than remaining fixed to the problems of the past. For in this critical year, if all of us vote our hopes and not our fears; if we use this election to bring our country together instead of keeping it apart; if, in short, we all begin to behave like Americans again, then I know that the greatest country in human history we make itself greater still. The other question that arises, of course, is perhaps inevitable, not just in this election, but in other elections to come, as the post-World War II generation comes to leadership. And it is: Can someone who has never served in the military serve as Commander in Chief? Lincoln might have thought the question odd. He used to joke about his lack of military experience, saying the only blood he lost in defense of his country was to mosquitoes. As a Congressman, he had been a passionate critic of the Mexican War, and the sum total of his military experience consisted of a few weeks as a militiaman called to service during the Black Hawk War, in which he saw no action. And yet he had the judgment and the wisdom and the strength of conviction to lead America through its bloodiest and most painful conflict. In our own century, the professorial Woodrow Wilson -- a Governor who was never in the service - - led America and its allies to "make the world safe for democracy" in the First World War, and another Governor Franklin Roosevelt proved himself one of history's greatest wartime commanders, though he had never served in the military. In 1980, still another Governor, Ronald Reagan, was derided for having spent more time filming "Hellcats of the Navy" than actually serving in the armed forces during Word War II. And yet he never wavered from the use of American might when he felt it was right. In President Bush's administration, Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, who had deferments during the Vietnam era, has served with genuine distinction, especially during the Gulf War. Our history -- and common sense -- tell us that competent commanders draw their wisdom from the strength of our country -- and our countrymen and countrywomen. What makes a President fit to command is, in my view, faith in God, belief in the greatness of our country and the goodness of our people, a commitment to making and keeping America the strongest country in the world -- militarily, economically and morally -- and an understanding of the essential character of the American people. We Americans love peace. But we will not shrink from force of armsif arms are required to keep the peace and defend our interests. In the end, every decision must be guided by principle as well as experience. Just after his election, with the prospects of war appearing imminent, Lincoln told his neighbors in Springfield that defending the nation in a civil war was a task "more difficult than that which devolved upon General Washington. Unless the great God who assisted him shall be with and aid me," he said, "I must fail. But if the same omniscient mind, and Almighty arm that directed and protected him shall guide and support me, I shall not fail, I shall succeed." No one knows better than those of you in this room the solemn responsibility of the decision to use force to protect our nation's security and interests. When the American people choose a president, they want someone who they can trust to act when those moments arise. Every president in the last half-century has had to confront the fateful decision to send Americans into combat. I do not relish this prospect, but neither do I shrink from it. I know we must have the resolve constantly to deter, sometimes to fight, always to win. And as Commander-in-Chief, I will fight to ensure that our troops who must go to battle are the best trained, best equipped and best supported in the world. Good people ensure victory on the battlefield. As we scale back the force structure, we must restructure those that remain to meet the new, less predictable threats in the post-Cold War Era. Our forces must be ready and sustainable. They must be more mobile, more precise, and more flexible. And they must have the technologically advanced weapons they need to get the job done. I will never allow a hollow army. My five- year defense budget over the next five years totals $1.36 trillion compared to the President's level of $1.42 trillion -- a difference of only 5%. There are differences between these proposals. This administration would keep more troops in Europe and spend more on SDI; I would shift the focus to real threats we are likely to face in the coming decade: aggressive tyrants like Saddam Hussein, new regional conflicts, terrorists, and the threat of nuclear proliferation. I would preserve a more limited SDI option and support more emphasis on some military weapons, including the V- 22 and fast sealift ships. I still believe we should strive for an American, not a Republican or a Democrat, but an American national security and defense policy. I supported President Bush's efforts in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I support the tough line the Administration has taken with Saddam Hussein recently. I urged the policies the Administration has adopted in Bosnia and Somalia. The American people do not believe either political party has a monopoly on love of country. Patriotism is not partisan. Nor does patriotism require a blind devotion to the status quo. Indeed, the risk of staying put; the costs of standing pat; the dangers of the status quo are far greater: for economic decline, more defense cuts without a conversion plan to protect those who won the Cold War and promote growth, more skyrocketing health care costs. From now on a large part of our national security policy must be found in economic strength as well as military might. A country that is not strong at home cannot be strong abroad. My economic plan will create millions of new jobs -- for displaced defense workers, for veterans, for all Americans -- by reinvesting in our nation's infrastructure, civilian R&D and development, for the highways jobs of the future, in retraining our workers and our serviceman and women, and in redeveloping our communities. As an American, I honor the service of every man and every woman who has served our country in uniform. As President, I will honor your service and sacrifice with deeds, not words. You've earned nothing less. I will honor it first by giving veterans the kind of health care system your country owes you. I will work to ensure the VA- the Veterans Administration-- gets the funding it needs to provide the excellent and timely care our veterans deserve -- all our veterans. I will work to see that once again our Veterans' hospitals works for veterans. As long as I am President, we will not merge the veterans medical centers into the welfare system. Instead, we will simplify and reform eligibility, and strengthen the VA's efforts to deal with the special problems veterans face -- like post-traumatic stress disorder, complications from Agent Orange, drug and alcohol abuse. And we will honor America's unbreakable moral obligation to care for our veterans who were disabled in the service of our country. And I will honor your service by appointing not a Secretary for Veterans' Affairs, but a Secretary for Veterans' Affairs -- not someone appointed for political reasons, but a Secretary I will choose after consulting with the American Legion and other veterans' groups. Someone who will have your respect and esteem -- and mine. Of course, sitting even closer to me than the Secretary of Veterans Affairs will be your fellow Legionnaire and my running mate, Al Gore, so you know your voice will be heard. I will honor your service by cutting the VA bureaucracy to make sure you get the benefits you've earned without a lot of red tape and delay. It shouldn't take longer to get your VA benefits than it took to liberate Kuwait. I will honor your service by carrying on your tireless struggle to account for everyone who has ever served this country. Back home I formed the Arkansas POW/MIA Verification Task Force to determine the status of the 26 Arkansans whose fates are still unknown. I do not know if there are still American POWs being held. But I do know this: when I am your President the files will be thrown open, the roadblocks will be torn down, and the truth will come out. America must never leave its warriors on the battlefield. If there are men being held captive still, I will not rest until they are returned. And if they are not, at least we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free. I will honor your service by moving swiftly to address the special needs of the veterans who have been left out and left behind. Too many homeless shelters are bursting with veterans -- including veterans of last year's victory in Desert Storm. You Family Support program is an important and helpful step -- veterans helping veterans. But all Americans should help their fellow Americans. The fact that the American Legion is doing so much should not be used as an excuse for the American government doing so little. And I will honor your service by making sure the heroes who won the Cold War are not left out in the cold. Our people in uniform are among the most highly skilled in the areas of expertise we need the most. As gradual, sensible defense cuts take effect, we must transfer their talents and hard work to the civilian sector, and ensure they receive the assistance to do so successfully. For example, I support incentives for military personnel to earn military retirement by taking jobs as teachers and police, as Sen. Nunn has recommended. I want to add 100,000 police officers to help reduce crime and drug abuse. I want to retrain defense industry technicians for work in critical civilian fields such as bio- technology, renewable energy and environmental cleanup. The Pentagon stands as America's best youth training program, and our most potent research center. It's time to put those assets to work at home in the battle to make America strong once again. We ought to encourage as many as possible to serve as citizen soldiers in the National Guard and Reserves. Our talented men and women in uniform are the best equipped to help solve the problems of infrastructure, education and rural health -- offering the possibility to our military personnel to serve as role models here at home, to many young people who never have good role models here at home, but still, all the while still meeting their obligation to fulfill their primary military mission. How do you know I will do these things? Just ask my good friends from the American Legion of Arkansas. I am proud of what we've done to honor the service of veterans at home. I appointed the first Vietnam veteran as Director of the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs. We have a County Veterans' Service Officer Program, which is the backbone of our statewide outreach system, which makes sure no veteran is left out or left behind. I am proud of the fact that Arkansas ranks first in the per capita reimbursements we get for our veterans from the federal Department of Veterans' Affairs. And we were first last year too. And the year before that. I signed executive orders ensuring veterans' preferences in hiring. And I helped find the money to upgrade and expand the intermediate nursing facilities of the Arkansas Veterans' Home; I balanced 11 budgets in a row, but never on the backs of the veterans of my state. In 1989, when the flag burning controversy arose, I joined with the American Legion in taking steps to react. I signed legislation making it a crime to burn or deface the flag. But I also wanted to stop flag burning before it starts. So together with the American Legion we established one of the finest flag education programs in the country. Volunteers from the American Legion launched an all-out assault in our grade schools, instilling in our young students the deep patriotism that gives you and I a lump in our throat and a stir in our hearts every time we see Old Glory go up the flagpole. I am proud of my record of support for veterans. And I admire the American Legion's 74- year commitment to what's best about America. For three-fourths of a century you've been advising Presidents -- from calling for the GI Bill in 1944 to opposing the IRS's shameful attempt to tax Cost of Living Adjustments to veterans' disability payments. I will be a good President for America's veterans. After all, I've been taking advice from the American Legion for 29 years. Some of you may know, my father served in World War II. But he didn't die in the war. He was killed in a car accident three months before I was born, on his way home to Arkansas to see my mother. He was killed just as he was about to start living for all the things he had risked dying for. And, when, many years ago, my mother showed me his service citation from World War II, I felt as proud as I've ever been. I doubt he ever dreamed that, some day, the son he never knew would be standing here today as a candidate for President of the United States. This could only happen in America. And in my case, it might never have happened without the encouragement and assistance of the American Legion. I know you are unlikely to base this important vote on the fact that I was in American Legion Boys State 29 years ago, or that I have a good record on veterans issues as a Governor. But I also hope you will not base your vote on the fact that I didn't serve in Vietnam 23 years ago. This campaign must be decided on the future of our nation and on the issues -- on jobs and health care and education and safer streets; on making the government work for all Americans, not just the special interests and the privileged few; on building a strong America at home and abroad. In 1960, John Kennedy told the Greater Houston Ministerial Association that they should not oppose him just because he was a Catholic. He said, "If I should lose this election on the real issues I shall be...satisfied that I tried my best and was fairly judged." Much changes. But much remains the same. What Abraham Lincoln called the "mystic chords of memory" preserve from generation to generation our hopes and dreams for our country. We have a chance, right here, right now -- the chance of a dozen lifetimes -- to fulfill those hopes, realize those dreams and create the finest America yet. For the next 70 days I will try my best. And I have confidence that you and all Americans will judge me fairly -- on the real issues. Because that's the American way. Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.