The Geaux family had the fantastic opportunity of hearing Bill Clinton today in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The venue was a small auditorium at a community college, seating probably 350 people, and with a crowd overflow outside of the building. We were in one of the last small groups that were allowed in and sat probably 6 rows away from the podium. Bill started his speech suggesting that the audience at this auditorium was what Hillary envisioned as America, a mix of young and old, people of many races, working towards education, technological improvement and a better future (yep, she is interested in the future!).

The speech must have lasted an hour but kept everyone riveted. It was low-keyed in intensity but extremely thorough and educational, to the point that applauses were almost like interruptions. He gave a number of examples of Hillary's dedication to a number of causes and her effectiveness at bringing about change (oh, she can bring about change?). Examples started with one about her taking an extra year in law school to work in a hospital helping children who were the victims of abuse and ended with a list of recent accomplishments in the Senate including some working with members of the other party (yep, she can also do the bipartisan thing).

Bill Clinton covered three where change (yep, they are interested in change) is necessary:
1) The urgency of health care for all citizens from an economic standpoint. He explained how many past presidents have tried (including him), but that now is the time for it to really happen because conditions require that it be done.
2) The importance of reinvigorating the middle class dream through job creation in the field of new technologies for energy generation and energy efficiency.
3) The need to restore America's reputation and image abroad through diplomacy and negotiation. He indicated that this was not only because of the war in Iraq, but because we had pulled out of many agreements on greenhouse gases, nuclear disarmament, and even challenged the Geneva convention. "This is why Hillary has the support of most of the higher people in the military. They are telling her: please don't let our soldiers be vulnerable because of these violations".

Scattered throughout his speech were warnings to the younger ones in the audience about ignoring the record, or lack of record of other candidates (but never said any names except for McCain). He was also very good at pointing out the shortcomings of the Republicans in power since he left office and comparing his accomplishments to the lack thereof in the last 7 years.

At one point in his speech he addressed the question of the call for a new politics with people that have never been in Washington. He said that cleaning the slate and starting with totally new people and ideas made no sense. How would things work if all of the people involved in creating positive things in the past were out of the picture?

When he finished, the crowd rushed to the front for handshakes and pressing the flesh. We managed to stand right next to where he was leaving the stage and while handshakes were delivered, Mr. Geaux told Bill that he had been a great president and that it was cool that he wore that bracelet given to him by children musicians in Colombia, that Mr. Geaux had grown up in Colombia, and Bill shouted back: "los ninhos del vallenato" - the name of the band of kids who gave him the bracelet. A small anecdote, showing that the Clintons get the world. The propagandists have made people scared of two Clintons in the White House, I see it as two good people, with excellent minds and a commitment to do good.