Bill Clinton says Hillary is the most qualified to lead

Bill Clinton said today that his wife Hillary is the best-qualified presidential candidate to hit the ground running and deal with the serious problems the nation faces.

“If you want someone with a lifetime of passionate commitment and proven ability to making positive changes in others’ lives… then she’s your candidate, and it’s not a close question,” he said in a speech at the University of New Mexico. “We don’t have a lot of leeway room. Half the world is mad at us. We have got to get this show on the road.”

With Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez standing side-by-side behind him, Bill Clinton shared his wife’s plans for implementing universal health care, making college more affordable, increasing the use of alternative energy and restoring America’s standing in the world. He said Hillary Clinton is the candidate to help the nation’s struggling economy and rebuild international relationships.

“What Hillary wants to say to the world is a simple message – ‘America is back. America is back, and from now on we’re going to cooperate and act alone only when we have to,’” he said.

An enthusiastic and primarily young crowd packed the Johnson Center to hear Bill Clinton speak.

“Knowing what I know about the demands of the presidency and the conditions of the modern world, I would be here for her if asked, even if we weren’t married, because I think she’s the most qualified person I’ve ever had a chance to vote for,” he said.

“We have serious, serious problems here at home, as you know,” Bill Clinton said. “… She has the right vision of how we can grow and go forward together. … We have to restore the middle-class dream in America, and give poor people a chance to work their way into it.”

“This country is growing more unequal in jobs, in incomes, in access to health care and education,” he said. “We have to do something about that.”

The Iraq war is partly to blame for the nation’s financial problems, Bill Clinton said. It’s also partly responsible for the deterioration of America’s image in the world, but he said there are also other reasons for that.

“People are mad at us for getting out of the world’s fight against global warming. They’re mad at us for getting out of the nuclear test-ban treaty,” he said. “There are very few problems we face that we can solve alone. … If you want us to go together and you want to save the planet, vote for Hillary.”

You can watch Bill Clinton’s full speech, courtesy of KNME-TV in Albuquerque, by clicking here.

A surprise visit to the Roundhouse

Before this afternoon’s speech, Bill Clinton made a surprise stop at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, speaking to a bipartisan group of lawmakers and others in the legislative lounge for about 30 minutes and answering questions about immigration, education and funding for the national labs.

State Rep. Nate Cote, a supporter of Barack Obama, said the former president’s answers to the questions were “very, very knowledgeable and in very good style.”

“He spoke mostly about Hillary’s agenda and he really did not say anything negative about Barack Obama,” Cote said.