Emanuel reminds convention of America's recent history
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Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The auto industry was "on its back," the banks were "frozen up," 3 million people were unemployed and troops were fighting wars on two fronts.
That's the America Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wanted to remind delegates of at the Democratic National Convention tonight. That was the America Barack Obama took responsibility for when he entered the White House.
"You remember the uncertainty and fear that seized the country," said Mr. Emanuel, former White House chief of staff.
Mr. Obama wanted to address all of those problems immediately, he recalled.
"There was no blueprint or how-to manual for fixing a global financial meltdown, an auto crisis, two wars and a great recession, all at the same time," he said. "Each crisis was so deep and so dangerous."
He said his former boss had made progress in each area. Jobs are returning, banks are lending, cars are rolling off assembly lines, insurance companies are expanding health coverage, "That was the change we fought for. That was the change President Obama delivered," he said.
His remarks came the week after a string of Republicans, including Mitt Romney, told GOP convention-goers in Tampa that the president had failed to bring the change he promised to deliver in his first term.
Mr. Emanuel and other speakers tonight told the Democratic National Convention that the economy would have continued to decline if Mr. Obama hadn't stepped in to help.
He said crises will certainly come again and when they do, he asked, "Whose values do you want in the White House?"
Mr. Obama's values give hope to the middle class, he said.
"In these next four years, we need proven leadership, proven judgment and proven values," he said. "America needs four more years of President Barack Obama."
First Published September 4, 2012 9:42 pm
