Far from promoting his wife’s presidential bid or touting his new book as many surmised he would, former President Bill Clinton instead focused on global challenges in a speech he delivered Monday to Aurora business leaders.
More than 1,500 people , including Gov. Bill Ritter and Congressman Mark Udall, attended the third A-List gathering of the Aurora Economic Development Council. The event is so large that it was not held in Aurora, but at the Denver Convention Center.
In his keynote address, Clinton outlined three issues facing the nation and the world: Inequality in income, education and health care; environmentally unsustainable practices and terrorism.
“The world we live in is great for most of us but it’s unequal, unsustainable and insecure,” Clinton said.
continued…Clinton said those things won’t change until people around the globe stop believing “our differences are more important than our humanity.”
He discussed the rising costs of health care at length and insisted reform is necessary or the U.S. will “cede the 21st century economy” to other nations.
Hillary Clinton announced her plan for comprehensive health care reform Monday, but her husband barely mentioned his wife, only briefly joking he had to be careful what he said so as not to jeopardize any votes for her.
He also only briefly mentioned his new book, “Giving,” but his speech echoed its themes of benevolence and each attendee received a free copy.
Clinton didn’t discuss Aurora directly very often, but challenged business leaders to tackle the problems he outlined on a local level. He encouraged business owners to implement environmentally friendly practices and to offer incentives for employees to be healthier.
“This is the time of choice-making,” he said.
After the event, Clinton headed to Boulder for a private fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton.
