A Helluva View And A Helluva Ride

Twenty years ago, a virtually unknown Governor from a small Southern state stood on the steps of an old state capitol and announced his candidacy for President.  

Then 45-year old Governor Bill Clinton was not given much of a shot for the nomination when he announced his candidacy and conventional wisdom believed the eventual Democratic nominee would lose to President George Bush, still riding high in the polls after winning the Gulf War. We all know the rest of that political story. 

On October 1, the Clinton Presidential Center is organizing a "Celebration of the 20 Year Anniversary of Governor Bill Clinton’s Announcement to Run for President".  The event starts at 4pm on the Old State House Lawn and is open to the public, but reservations are required.  

Former President Clinton is scheduled to appear at the Old State House celebration event.  This iconic building was the site of his original announcement and the site of his two Election Night victory parties. 
 
On that sunny fall day back in 1991, I did advance work for the announcement and was fortunate to be on the front porch of the Old State House, albeit behind a large column, when Clinton officially announced his candidacy. 

During his announcement Clinton spoke of a "New Covenant" for America saying:

"We need a new covenant to rebuild America. It’s just common sense. Government’s responsibility is to create more opportunity. The people’s responsibility is to make the most of it… This is not just a campaign for the Presidency – it is a campaign for the future, for the forgotten hard-working middle class families of America who deserve a government that fights for them. A campaign to keep America strong at home and around the world." 

Twenty years later, those words still ring true.  

At the time of his announcement, Bill Clinton probably had less than ten full-time staff members on his campaign and his headquarters was located in a former paint store next door to Vino’s. Soon after his announcement, I dropped out of college to work on the campaign and was hired to be the National College Coordinator and then spent two months in New Hampshire doing field organizing in Manchester, that state’s largest city.  It was my first political campaign and the lessons I learned then still hold true today:  stay on message and never give up.

There are more public events held in Little Rock in conjunction with the anniversary celebration.  For more details click on this link.