Clinton urges global cooperation, interdependence

INDIANAPOLIS -- More than 9,600 students and community members turned out to see former President Bill Clinton speak at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse Sunday.\nClinton appeared to celebrate Butler's 150th anniversary. The event sold out, and the best seats reportedly fetched up to $310 on one ticket-scalping Web site. \nOpening remarks were given by Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, Butler President Bobby Fong and Butler Student Government Association President Warren Morgan. Peterson called the event a "historic evening for Butler and Indianapolis communities." \nThe crowd seemed to agree as it greeted each introductory speaker with thunderous applause. Just before 8 p.m., an antsy student section started "the clap" while older patrons fanned themselves with programs bearing the 42nd president's portrait. When the keynote speaker finally took the stage, the audience graced him with a 90-second standing ovation.\n"Calm down," Clinton quipped to the audience. "You'll have me thinking I'm president again."\nThroughout his address, Clinton stressed the importance of tolerance and cooperation in a globalized economy, a notion he referred to as "interdependence."\n"Our differences matter," he said. "But our common humanity matters more. We have to reject the notion that one person can be in possession of the absolute truth."\nTerrorism, corruption in government, poverty and global warming all threaten this ideal, he said.\nHe said the United States must continue its efforts to thwart terrorism in Afghanistan, but emphasized diplomacy as an ultimate solution.\n"The problem with any security strategy is it's not possible in an interdependent world to kill or jail all your possible enemies," he said. "Therefore, we have to have a world strategy that will make us fewer enemies."\nClinton commended the humanitarian efforts of American organizations following last December's devastating tsunami in Indonesia. He pointed to the subsequent rise in U.S. approval in countries affected by the tsunami.\nHe also criticized the Bush administration for its lack of support for the United Nations. He said the current commander-in-chief has refused to affiliate with any organization whose agenda does not directly correlate with his own. \n"Why join any group?" he asked. "Not because you agree with every decision it makes, but because you think you're better off in it than out of it. There's very little we can do alone, I don't care how powerful you are."\nClinton used anecdotes throughout his talk to advocate clean energy and free market competition with foreign countries. He blamed the national debt on the conservative practice of supply-side economics.\n"We voted in 2000 to abandon arithmetic," he said. "Or should I say, the Supreme Court voted in 2000."\nHe wrapped up the talk by praising the power the Internet has given ordinary citizens and urging those in attendance to take advantage of it.\n"You, as an individual, have more power to band with like-minded people, because you can multiply your numbers quickly," he concluded. "The great hope I have for your future is that more than any time in human history, private citizens have the power to do public good. You have that power, and I ask you to use it."\nAlthough a brief question and answer session followed, many attendees began filing out following Clinton's closing remarks. \nButler freshman Megan Bridges said although she is not a Clinton supporter, she was interested in the former president's views. While she said she agreed with his emphasis on international cooperation, she criticized some of his remarks as impractically broad.\nJohn Marsh, an Indianapolis resident and Butler alumnus, gave the speech a mixed review.\n"I thought it was a fine speech," he said. "He's a typical politician. He only gives credit to his party. I felt pretty much the same way about his speech as I did about his presidency. I agreed with a lot he did and a lot he didn't."\nSecurity was tight throughout the event. Attendees were searched upon entry while armed police officers patrolled the fieldhouse. Butler does not always go to such measures, said one security guard.\n"No," he said. "Just for the big shots"