    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [January 13, 2000]
    [Pages 54-55]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Wall Street Project Conference Reception in New York City
    January 13, 2000

        Well, first let me thank Reverend Jackson.
    And Jackie, thank you. And Dick
    Grasso, thank you for having all of us here
    tonight. This is the first time I have ever spoken from this microphone.
    You know, as President, I'm superstitious, and we've had such a good
    stock market. I don't ever comment on it--except I like the way it
    finished today. [Laughter]
        I wanted to say just a couple of things very briefly. First of all,
    I want to thank Dick Grasso for his
    leadership in the Wall Street Project. A lot of people don't know that
    the stock market was organized over 200 years ago so that there would be
    a mechanism through which bonds could be issued to finance America's
    debts in the war for our independence. So, in the beginning, this stock
    market had not just a profit motive but a public interest purpose. This
    man has infused the stock market not only with its greatest success in
    history but with a public interest purpose, to include all Americans in
    our prosperity. And we thank him.
        Most of you were with us today in the afternoon, and I won't make
    you sit through my speech again--or stand through my speech again, even
    though I'd kind of like to, because this is the first crowd in a long
    time when I've been guaranteed a standing ovation. [Laughter]

    [[Page 55]]

        I just want to make two points. One, I want to thank Jesse
    Jackson for being there on this issue for a
    long time, saying we would never be the country we ought to be until we
    really had economic opportunity for all--that's what the Wall Street
    Project is all about--and that it would be good business, as well as
    good morality.
        The second point I want to make, that I made today and I leave with
    all of you is, this is the only time in my lifetime we have had a
    booming economy, improvements in all of our social fabric, the absence
    of crisis at home and domestic threats, and the absence of threats to
    our security around the world as big as those we faced in the cold war.
    None of this has ever happened before. The big question before us is,
    what are we going to do with this magic moment? Are we going to take the
    long look into the future and do the big things that America needs, or
    are we going to indulge ourselves in shortsighted frittering away of our
    present wealth and serenity at home and stability around the world?
        I'm just telling you, we will never be the country we ought to be
    until every person, including the people and places that have been left
    behind in this remarkable recovery, has a chance to live the American
    dream. We will never be as safe a country, as whole a country, the one
    America we ought to be, until everybody has a chance.
        That's what the Wall Street Project is all about. That's what my new
    markets initiative is all about. And I want to implore you to use this
    millennial year of 2000 to ask all of our fellow Americans to think
    about those who could be a part of what we celebrate and thank God for
    every day, but aren't yet. If we make them a part of it, we'll really
    give a gift to our children and to the 21st century.
        Thank you, and God bless you all. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 7:48 p.m. at the Bell Podium at the New
    York Stock Exchange. In his remarks he referred to Rev. Jesse Jackson,
    founder and president, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and his wife, Jacqueline;
    and Richard Grasso, chairman and chief executive officer, New York Stock
    Exchange.