Raw Footage of Bill Bradley Campaigning in Manchester (New Hampshire)

You can sit down with. On our programs. The reason for that is obviously to speak about what you do for young people. And I want to welcome you all here. My name is Joe Diamond. I'm the CEO of Odyssey House. We hope to get this much attention every four years where we invite presidential candidates to visit our programs. The reason for that is obviously to speak about what we do for young people and other people in this state. Obviously it gives them an opportunity to do the same for the program of director John Kerry will speak to you with greater detail about what goes on here every day. I just want to say that I'm very delighted that Senator Bradley has agreed to join us today and welcome all of you. And this is about young people here and not about

me. For that Senator John Kerry again welcome. To let you know that in Manchester this is about training. This is about the young people here and who they are and where they are going and what their desires and so on are. We've got a group of 19 young people come from all over the city of Manchester but primarily from this neighborhood. They decided on their own that they need that skill that they need to make a change in their life. And in doing so. This is the place that they found was going to be the best for them full time academic program leading towards GED from the GED test construction training job skills training computer literacy job search networking community learning what industry is looking for in young people who

are going to be hired anyways by my industry but what specific skills do they need and can they get from us to get their head around the edge of the road. This is our group of trainees. Welcome to you Bill. Well John let me thank you and Joe. Let me thank you most of all. We thank all of you. And what I'd like to do is to just hear from you and have you tell me your story. And then I'll tell you a little bit about my story. One of the things that I said when I announced I was going to run for president United States was that I wasn't going to hog the spotlight. I was going to call attention to the millions of Americans who shine every day. And I think youth film is full of people that shine every day.

Well Joe John Chris and Don the people who are. Giving you the instruction every day but also you know I think it's your story that's the important story. We know how you got to this point and what the program has done for you in terms of how you feel about yourself because ultimately when you are thinking about the future whether it's the country's future or your own future it's important to have a good feeling about yourself and your community. And I think this poster behind you is probably the best story you build right there. And I know each of you have kind of gone through that experience and are in the middle of it in some cases. And I hope that today by me coming here we can have you focus a little bit on that bottom level there which is the community and ultimately the national community. And that's why I'm here. But it starts with you. It starts with you. It starts with you taking control of your own life an atmosphere and nurturing and helpful and challenging.

So that's why I'm here today and I hope that maybe you can tell me some things and I know you want to ask me questions and then we'll just get to know a little bit in this very natural environment. This is a very hazy environment right. Anyway who wants to start. Tell me a little bit about how you came here and what the decision was your own life. I know it's difficult. I know that it's too awkward to call these other people in the room but trying to do it because your story was telling. Yeah. You get a football drop out in school. Over time what is figured out. And I was taken in the wrong way. You seem to like them and you came down with something that you might start to see and do a little bit more

homework and go. Home you know. So the first day we got here would you do. Something like this. I could be all the. Wonderful news this morning to get familiar with the program and the. And for all of us to get to talk to each other on the phone and I know like what we want to accomplish life and they can hold those skills with me. I mean what would you do started building something like for. Son. We are back in the midst of building construction. So you know mathematics is something

else. What do we do. You can see it right away. How did you feel when you read your first concern. Well I'm no professional and you know we all want to cover this story here. I came down here in Massachusetts a few months ago and I started the program. I was having some medical problems and I was going through a vocational school and they kind of came close all misunderstandings so I came to our house I'll get my GED and do the job. The program from my friend's sister and when I came out here to talk to John and some of the stuff

we all get along they taught me job skills. Right now we're going to college and construction. I know I'm just so grateful for the program because I don't know they didn't. Know. So were you did you go back to school. Have you gone back. I'm going back to get you. And you think of going. Yeah. Things have happened here that made you suddenly she has a lot to do with this. Your average teachers they want to help you and if you talk to them I understand you know they help us with anything that we have a problem with other has to do if it's construction or if this person is going to blow you off. There are a lot of teachers out there that I think not really qualified for their job.

They don't really care so much about the students as I do about getting people to get the job. They just feel like a person that make us feel good. You know almost every couple of minutes before I come before you didn't have not as much as I do to make us feel better about ourselves and what we do. Anybody else give you a couple of things to go. I just I really just in my last high school I've been working part time jobs. I was working 677 in the morning till night. It was I want to get education so bad but I couldn't get it because my social Well my spurs on my social life over to what I thought I took my friends and everybody

else. Really I was really into my social life so it took me away away from school that's holding me when I won it. I was very I was very much of a teenager I didn't want to deal with school. And once it came out I started working and working and working. And it wasn't getting me anywhere. It wasn't like work. I work for Kirby. I sold them door to door and it was a very tough job especially for a 16 year old girl. Had to go knocking on doors every single day in the snow. You know you're 60 or so to get a door slammed in your face. Well it's a tough thing. Nothing to get up with after that it was after I met my my other half I decided to make a better life for myself. I wanted an education. I like business. It's been like that has been what I really want to go towards and I will never be able to get there with cash and being. Basically I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Being here is taking me out of that

spot making it easier for me. You get your eyes are open they're so much more in the everybody has so much confidence in you. You may not think that that's why you have a person behind you when you are you are you No you are you can do it you can do it. Exactly. That could push you a push going so that way you just you can do it. So it does not rise to the real world. No but what about you or your fellow students here. Construction worker one day everybody wants to get to everything. Some people have their conflicts but everybody works and everybody works together as a team and they're working together as a team at that moment together later on. But still I was a second group we came in the first group came in and we had a second group that started the mental toughness and all that. And then we moved into the larger group and everybody except that everybody. And you end up becoming tight with everybody and

learning about their lives and why they're here. It encourages you see if you can do it yourself. OK. Anybody else would ask a couple of your few moments what you fear. And what you hope for. Be thinking about. Me by telling me what happened to you. Yes. I am. Yes I can hear him. I had no direction. I couldn't put down a job I was easy because. I. Knew that John came down here and talked to John and now I'll be ready. Oh great. And is your story kind of the same. I was a different circumstance to do so.

So tell me what you what do you fear and what do you hope for. You're going. To have to take it that way. Trying so hard and putting all my effort into it and having the downfalls like you know something line I'm on my way that's going to stop me from getting what I'm trying to get. Of course you can always overcome that over time you will be overcome. But I just want problems. I just go from there. I know they're going to do that later on. That is what got me over here. Why would you care. This is the toughest question. This is the one where you have the most natural environment I fear. I know I don't want to fail at something. I know I could possibly be good right now

that you know I mean I know with a lot of work stuff I can really be good. You know I feel fear. So you shift through all that. What do you hope for. Me. I hope to make. So go on. You know. I don't have anything. More to say. Yes. But it's like my family is. So much from Rome. I wanted to. Oh oh. Oh. Oh oh. Oh.

Oh. God. I'm. Write. Down because. People. Like my boyfriend will ask you about it and I'll go on the program. And it wasn't working. Everybody wanted to do that. So

it was teaching me that way. I was like oh. He is just like me. Oh man. It is. Oh it's full. I never made it this way every day. And if I hear it mostly every day is one day I like to go. Yeah. Yeah. So I want to thank you for the courage to share it. What about other people in terms of what you hope for. We all have a few tears because you were.

Anybody else. Yeah. This is. And. I try to get. Through school. It was hard to go out on both sides I was down you know. This is how I came. Everyone. Know all about it. I don't know what to do in case something happens. Again because I can get angry about that. So let we just get the. Get my education going. Thank you for who you are. I. Don't have. I don't say no to you because

you know you don't get to call it good. I think people should just accept it. That's your vote. Well how about you. I know that we all know you so you don't lose contact with this. This is a kind of a family where it's like every day. I mean there's something going on so you school. You know. Like. How you know other people who were here who left and going on you know other people who were in youth building that math and then went on. Yes. And the first thing. My sister was in the program last year and now. She's been

doing that helped a lot. I hope that this program never comes out a lot of. People do that. Sure. Well let me thank all of you for sharing that. Anybody want to say something more in terms of what your hopes. I know you. Feel. That a lot of us came up with. Reasons behind your back and I think that every kid here outside of you. We all need each other if needed. Well that's true. That's a good word because I think that my mother for my part I thank you for your your openness and your courage and you're sticking with it because it's so important that

other people know about you and about how you're getting your life together. And to me that's a result of the people were running the program. But fundamentally result of each of you making that decision to help yourself get you back. I think a lot. When I was deciding about whether to run for president or not just you but now people in your circumstances one of the big reasons I decided to run because you can't help you help yourself then you know we're not doing what we could do as a country. I'm come here to tell you to keep doing what you're doing and tell you I'll do whatever I can. If it's as simple as letting people who would never have seen you here

you see and be moved. So thank you. I understand you want to play press. Yes. You have any any questions you want to ask if not. When you're quiet. OK. Now is is because you can I mean what. You mean you mean you prepared these questions. First and you didn't get that employees. That's. Actually what's happening now is because a lot of people are working in the country and making more money and therefore paying more taxes. We

have a surplus deficit. The problem is not raising taxes or cutting spending. The question is how are you going to use that circle. So you don't have to do that one right now. Anybody else. I don't believe that should be the case. If yes what should the minimum wage be. Well it has increased in the last two years. So I think that it should be increased again. I haven't decided what the levels should be but I think it should be increased. Yeah. And I think that in addition to the minimum wage being increased I think that some thought has to be given to what I call people who are starting out working like at Arby's right or the Wal-Mart are in various other places who are nurses who are who are kind of day care workers or who sit with the all the other woods all the people we depend on and it's a big booming area of potential

job have to be able to make more and try to figure out how you can make that happen so you can start to move. Well do you have or. What is your position. I support affirmative action. I think it is very important we reach out to the widest possible community of talent in the country. I think that if we only go to people we know it's not as good as if we reach out to everybody because there are all the talents that are out there. And I think the important thing to remember if you're concerned about it from live action in college is that about 65 70 percent of the colleges in America take anybody who applies. So it's not a question of affirmative action. About 25 percent. That's a question and I've been a major study done over the last couple of years that show that the kids were met it is affirmative action students in

college did well in college compared to the other people and then went on in their life and became like some of the view from the income you know a lawyer or a businessperson or something like that and they've succeeded and they've given their community and the wider community a lot more stability than because of it. So I do support that. And I think that. You know. Part of my fiber is racial unity. So it's going to be the way I am and the way I will be. OK. We'd like to do it for. You. OK. You all do. You mean great but you're the one who began last fall. This is. The big question. First thing I'm getting off to a better start. Things like this that help people who. Are caught down the wrong road

and then doing something to try. Young people who are pregnant so that they can have a life so they can see that life and pregnancy next to try to make sure that we have enough police on the streets. Violence next year try to make sure that education system. Off. Part for. An accountant and then hope you get the economy to grow. So there are plenty of jobs for you when you do get some skill. Thank you for. Let me just say no. Remember that last picture there that's for the community. Right. And part of being you know I think is not only getting a skill and going back to school and having a pretty good life but it's also understand that you are part of that community and that

means you're a citizen and you have responsible those around you. And that's how I feel. That's why I'm here. I'm running for president. But at the same time is accountable to you than anybody else in the country and that's what I meant to say. Thank you. Both. All. Right here. We go. It's got to get a quick nap so. All right. Any questions you want to ask. Anybody not going to present the United States will be in

Washington because they think I'd be a better president. We have a better chance of winning and we'll be able to leave. You have to get closely Jim. I can't shout my for you right there in the front row because they think that I'd be better able leave the country at this time. And that's why I think people will vote. Why would you have a better chance of winning than sitting there. I think in part because I'd be better able to attract independents and Republicans in a general election which is what you have to win the general election. What about his running doesn't attract independents and Republicans. I just think that I've had that experience with independents Republicans and I think that I've not really been a part of the partisanship that shaped the debate the last couple of years. And I think that that basically from what people tell me when I'm out on the stump when I'm out meeting people over the last

year or two. And so I think that's it. But is the vice president carried too much baggage. You have to have a show like that. No I don't think that that's it in this campaign I'm not really running against Al Gore. I'm running because of what I want to do with the country and for the country. And what I want to do to try to bring out the best people in the some which you saw in a micro way here in this room about half an hour earlier to me. Right. Well I think that one of the key things is we have had different personal histories and that I think gives us a slightly different view of government and also view of what is possible and the role of the government. I grew up in a small town as I said

earlier on the banks of the Mississippi River and that town shaped me in many ways. I also for 18 years represented the most diverse state in America in the United States Senate. I think it's even more diverse in California because it's so close everybody so close to each other. New Jersey and I've been on the road 30 years in America as a senator and as a basketball player as a writer and lecturer and a businessman had a life before I got into politics and a life after I left the Senate. And the point here being is that there's been large segments of my life where I recognize that most people live every day and don't think of the federal government they think of their own lives at the same time. I've seen in countless places across the country how the government really helps people

really helps people in certain circumstances. So I think that's a little different experience. I think also in the last two years I've had the experience of being a small businessman with three people and I can remember now about three months into my time out of the Senate my assistant secretary came in to me and said I'll sign this check to Social Security. And I said oh yeah I remember those laws. I got to pay the employer part of Social Security. So I think that's a gist of a life experience. So you say that New Jersey for 18 years you covered me the whole time. That's right. Thank you very high re-election. What happened that night. Now you think you can run for president when you have I think that was probably one of the better things that happened to me in politics. I know that politics is a little bit like basketball. You win by one point and one vote you're still the champion or the center.

But I think that that forced me to look at how I was leading and I realized that I hadn't played primarily from my mind. And you also need to lead through feeling. And so over the next six years I really started to say precisely what was in my heart at the moment and it was a liberating experience for me. So I think that that election was one small part of a different view of what leadership is. There were other aspects of course ranging from two friends who committed suicide to a wife who had breast cancer. She's fine now but all those things experience has made me realize that you know nothing is forever. And so you've got to live every day every day in the fullest possible way. So that's I think everybody in politics has the bumps.

Occasionally you might say that was a bump bump bump that gave me I think a better opportunity to be a better leader. Senator you mentioned So when you take this proposal the withholding judgment on it at this time. I think that it's extremely complex. There are a lot of side issues here and I haven't decided which way I'm going to go on it. Has the scandal made a vice president even more a part of the party any partisanship that has shaped the debate the last couple of years and therefore easier to run against you. No I don't intend to. I'm not going to be running against anybody I'm going to be laying out what I think the country should do. I think that the Lewinsky scandal is kind of sad episode in American life. I think I'm like millions of other people out there wanting to get over get it pass get it behind us move on.

And a presidential election is about the future. It's not about the past. And hopefully within days this will be the past. What's your take on this. I don't think they should convict the President at all. I think because I don't think that what he did reaches the levels of high crimes and misdemeanors was impeachable. Should he have been prevented. No I didn't agree with that. For the same reason consumers 13 months 35 years. The premise here is that if you if you live through two winters in New Hampshire it's a better shot than if you lived through one winter in Hampshire where you're out clearly you're going to be able to work with your plan. My plan is to come back to New Hampshire very often. My plan is to do the kind of things that I did

today and I will do over the next couple of days. I won't be flying in and out. I'll be staying for several days and time getting to know the people in New Hampshire and letting them get to know me. And I think that in a very fundamental way running in New Hampshire is the most intimate kind of campaigning because you are really with people directly. It's not through the media at least in the early phases and that's the kind of thing that I like. I like being with people I like talking to them sharing letting them get to know me. So that's what I'm going to do. We are going to do that. Last night I was in Jaffrey this morning in Keene where all of you were at. And then I'll be going on to I'm in Manchester we're going to go to Concord. We're going to go down to the coast. We're going to do a number of things. And we'll continue to do that. And it's a gradual process here. This is not. And it's also important for me because I think that you can learn about how people

feel and two ways you need to learn by taking a poll. You can learn by hearing their stories. And I've always been a politician I'd like to learn by hearing people stories I've done some more ground work before you made this list. Know it's pretty hard to do groundwork with where you make a decision because until you decide you're going to run the you you know you're not here I don't live in New Hampshire. But this isn't the first time I've been to New Hampshire. I mean I've campaigned for people for I don't know 10 15 years in this state over time. I was remarking I would try to drive on the road to Franklin Pierce College right. I think that I gave the commencement speech there in 1981. Leila tell you I'm very old bar they'll tell you that I've kind of been in New Hampshire for a while often on as much as it was prudent to be as a senator from

New Jersey responding to a friend's request in that case it was Senator Rudman and asked me to come to give that give that address. Senator what did you hear and besides if if I didn't if I didn't feel that way I wouldn't have that there's no other. That's just the way it is. And you ask the kids before questions about what you fear. That's an open ended question and I ask that so the kids can feel the way they want to tell it so that other people can talk. I suppose that if you were asking me in the open ended way I would say that the thing that I fear is not being able to reach that part of myself that can reach that part of America that will convey to them how good we all are. And that's a special kind of skill a

special kind of temperament a special kind of way of thinking. And I think I can do that. But I'm here instead I wouldn't be able to do that. The other fear is of course if anything should ever happen to your family. That's that's a fear that you live with from day to day. What do you hope people are listening. What's your message people. It'll be related to why I think I should be president will be related to respecting them and it'll be related to trying to tap what I think is the untapped capacity of this country. And in New Hampshire to turn the energy that's a part of that that we see every day in our economy or in our technological progress and turning it toward things that remain done whether it's kids like you saw in

May. I mean I don't know how you can propose to govern a country unless you're sensitive to the kids that we're in here today. Some people aren't but I think that you have to be if you really are going to try to be the president of all the people it means trying to focus on families that are under some economic stress still. Things are better but there's still a kind of age of insecurity that we're living in. I think it means trying to convey to them what you think of my role in the world is now. So it can go from teenagers who you see in the room here today who are pregnant and who are fearful to trying to define what our role is in the world today. And I think that that is not going to come in a soundbite. It's not going to come in one talk. It's going to come over time where people get to know you. And that's the premise of this whole thing. You like your presence of being president or president.

Well I think that any time a president lies and that's what the finger waving was that it undermined his own authority and its leader was the people's trust. So I think that's the most unfortunate thing about what happened. Senator. One of the great values of not being in the Senate is you don't have to keep in touch every day with the with the amendments strategy. I would not vote. I said I would not vote to impeach I would not vote to convict. I'd have to read what a censure was. But that's not what this is about because this is about the future on airplanes that civilians are going to feel when we want to check on

too few of us leave him for positions instead of talking about positions we can solve pollsters or tell us what people think we can find. Do you think the Clinton-Gore administration is lacking for conditions. Get around to it it's not I'm not going to be in the business of criticizing the Clinton-Gore administration. What I'm going to be doing is talking about the future and I think that core convictions are palpable and they're not hard to make a judgment about. I think the president cares deeply about a number of things one of which we share is racial unity in the country. So I think in some areas there have been some very deep core convictions that have been expressed by the administration. And I made that observation because I think that I wanted to define more how I was going to do it than draw comparison to how other people might have done it. So do you think the local Democratic leadership

that you two are tied down went to the local Democratic leadership resume. This is how you feel you have your affairs as president. Well yes I think I have a chance of getting enough people to win in New Hampshire. I wouldn't be here. And in terms of the political leadership I'm certainly going to reach out to the political leadership but the people who are going to be the true recipient of attention I will certainly be courting as many of the political figures as I can. But I also recognize that ultimately the people will make their own decision particularly in New Hampshire that has a history of going for one candidate and a history of going a kind of independent way. I think there's an open mindedness here

that is very open and open minded. That is something that I try to take advantage of the New Jersey primary to stay white lies rather than March. I'll play it as it lays. Jim if I had a choice probably earlier would be better than later. Why is that why you're going to bed early. I think I'll leave that to you to try to figure out a bit more. So yes the absence of any form it has. Well yes I will. I don't think that I don't think you can be an advocate for campaign finance reform without at least making some sacrifices yourself for the name in the name of campaign finance reform. So I will take no PAC contributions in this campaign

and I will set up no sham state PACs to allow hundreds of $210000 contributions to be filtered and then use that to educate the people in New Hampshire about issues that are important to me. Those are two two things that I will abide by in the course of the campaign. So my limitations a thousand dollars a person and that's the way it you have to be raised. And it's a it's a long journey it's a very it's a big organizational job the title race is essentially it means that that I will not take PAC contributions nor will I nor will I. Shut up sham state facts in order to bypass the finance laws. All right. I'm sorry I didn't get it but I can hear you. It

doesn't hurt. No no no. I don't think that's the case at all. That's a view of politics from the wrong end of the telescope. I mean the fact is that the country is very big. There are a lot of people in America even in New Hampshire who haven't been active in politics who can be active. I think that there are many traditional givers. I will certainly not see any of the traditional givers. But the idea is to reach out to a much broader range of people in the country and convince them that you know what you're doing is a little different than what you're doing is good for the country and they should go along for the journey and be a part of it because it would be important for the country. So I don't feel disadvantage at all. And I think that it's a very

narrow view of the potential for fundraising to believe that you can only raise from a very narrow group of people whom I won't concede but who I'm not going to be ultimately independent of. Well when I wrote the book which you may or may not have read admittedly in the second to last chapter when I'm talking about the information society that I say in the book if you've read this far I will admit to you that I wrote this pope a number two pencil. So the reality was in 1990 four and five. I was not very computer literate at all. After I wrote that I took such grief from so many of my friends and associates that I decided well you better you better get up to speed here. And after that I think I was the third senator to have a web page. I used to get e-mail three or four

hundred a week. That was at the beginning stage of this. This web site has been up since I left the Senate. I think that having lived last year in Silicon Valley I came to appreciate it a much deeper level the potential of the net and how it could transform not only the economy and our society but also our politics. And so I might not be the one you'd want to talk to to describe the nuances of Java but I think I know enough about it to try to think about how it affects our society in the future and I think that's what a public leader has to do. I think a public leader has to be able to think about what the future is going to be. Prepare people for that future and do what's needed to make sure that more people in America have a better chance. That's it. Carmen I would like to change our

job. That's right. Yes. Yes Bill. OK. Thank you