The Mac Weekly

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Joe Van Eeckhout Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta, spoke in Weyerhaeuser on Thursday on behalf of his think-tank, Center for American Progress, which puts forth progessive policy proposals.

President Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta, visited a political science class and discussed solutions to America's international problems in Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel on Thursday, Oct. 18. Podesta appeared on behalf of Center for American Progress, a think-tank he now heads, which focuses on creating a long-term vision for the United States through discussion and policy proposals.
Podesta first spoke in political science professor Serena Laws' public policy class about his experience in Clinton's White House.

He emphasized the administration's successes in pushing a family healthcare bill forward, as well as reducing the national deficit and lowering the unemployment rate.

"Clinton's a pretty good jail-house economist," Podesta said. "He was very convinced that if you brought the deficit down, you would bring interest rates down and that if you accompany that with the right kind of governmental investments in science and technology in a business atmosphere…you have a powerful tool to increase productivity."

He also commented on Clinton's ability to keep promises, especially those made in the State of the Union address, and how his honesty led to success as a popular president.

"Clinton felt the State of the Union was the one time to have an unadulterated chance to explain what you want to do," Podesta said. "Clinton felt like he had had a job interview with the American people…the capacity to have the discipline to execute polices and promises is what makes a mayor or governor or President successful."

He also responded to what he called the hardest decision of the Clinton administration, the bombing of Kosovo in 1999.

"When you make the decision about going to war, you know you are going to kill a lot of people," he said. "The recommendations of the military are taken at a very high level. But it's not just military combatants on each side, you are going to kill a lot of people. Those are tough decisions. I don't envy the people who make those decisions today."

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