Bill Clinton touches home base; former president, Arkansans catch up in Philadelphia

Former White House Chief of Staff Mack McLarty is shown in this photo.
Former White House Chief of Staff Mack McLarty is shown in this photo.

PHILADELPHIA -- Members of Bill Clinton's Arkansas inner circle and members of the state's current Democratic leadership met Wednesday to talk with the former president about politics and old times.

Friends of Bill -- new and old -- gathered at the headquarters of Philadelphia's NPR affiliate, WHYY-FM, 91, for the official Arkansas delegation party.

Officials said more than 400 people, including scores of Arkansans, had RSVP'd for the two-hour closed reception.

Photos posted on Twitter showed Clinton speaking from a podium covered by a red, white and blue Democratic Party of Arkansas placard. Afterward, he visited with friends and shook hands.

"It was a homecoming. ... We'd been looking for a hometown crowd, and I think we found one," former White House Chief of Staff Mack McLarty said as he emerged from the event.

McLarty, former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln and former U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor stood on stage. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater and one-time White House personnel director Bob Nash joined their fellow Arkansans for the celebration.

Clinton's comments were "wonderful, as usual," Nash said. "Wonderful, substantive, visionary and personal."

The 69-year-old former president didn't deliver a standard stump speech, Slater said.

"It was actually an expression of gratitude as much as anything, because these are the people who go way, way, way back. Not only did it include dear friends from Arkansas but also a number of people from New Hampshire. So that was really nice, too," he said.

In 1992, Clinton labeled himself "The Comeback Kid" after finishing a solid second in the New Hampshire primary behind former U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas from neighboring Massachusetts.

Addressing supporters that evening, Clinton said, "I'll never forget those of you that gave me a second chance."

The bonds forged then have been long-lasting. Many of Clinton's 1992 supporters went on to support Clinton's wife, Hillary Clinton, during her 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns. In between those campaigns, she served as secretary of state.

Slater said their help will be needed during the fall campaign.

"The people in that room know the secretary better than anyone, so we've got some good things to say and a lot of good work to do going forward," he said.

Delta Regional Authority federal co-Chairman Chris Masingill of Little Rock said Clinton's speech was "amazing. It just once again reinforces why the case is so strong for Hillary Clinton. ... This is about our children, this is about the future of the country and this is about inclusion. It's not about fear."

As he prepared to head to the convention hall, state party Chairman Vincent Insalaco laughed as he recounted the afternoon.

"It was so much fun. ... It's always fun when everybody can let their guard down," he said.

The highlight, as far as he was concerned, came as Bill Clinton worked the rope line, shaking hands and posing for pictures. U.S. Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat and former Saturday Night Live star, told the sound crew to shut off the music.

He led the crowd in a rendition of the Fleetwood Mac song that was the basis of Clinton's 1992 campaign theme, "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow."

"Only Al Franken could do that," Insalaco said.

A Section on 07/28/2016






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One-time White House personnel director Bob Nash.

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Former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater

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