27:09
- ABC News
- August 22, 2024
A look back at Bill Clinton's many DNC speeches
The former president made his 13th speaking appearance Wednesday night.
27:09
In fact, one of the loudest responses came at the end when Clinton told the crowd, \"In closing.\"
He would get a different reception four years later at the DNC at New York's Madison Square Garden when he accepted the party's nomination for president.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/bill-clinton-dnc-1992-gty-jt-240821_1724274837080_hpEmbed_3x2_384.jpg\")
Before his speech, an autobiographical video was played titled \"The Man from Hope,\" a theme that Clinton emphasized in a 53-minute speech.
\"I still believe in a place called Hope,\" he told the roaring crowd.
During his speech at the 1996 DNC, Clinton flipped the message of his Republican opponent Sen. Bob Dole, who campaigned on the idea of being a bridge to the past.
\"Let us resolve to build a bridge to the 21st century,\" he said.
Clinton's next appearance at the DNC came after rough four years at the White House. He became the second president to be impeached on perjury and obstruction of justice charges following an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
The Senate later acquitted him on those charges.
Clinton entered the Staples Arena during the 2000 DNC with a camera following his path to the podium while the arena's screen displayed his administration's successes such as the first budget surplus in decades and declines in crime.
\"My fellow Americans, the future of our country is now in your hands,\" he said. \"And remember, whenever you think about me, keep putting people first.\"
In 2004, Clinton told Democratic delegates that he came as a \"foot soldier\" to help elect Sen. John Kerry.
He reminded the nation that was in the midst of two wars in the Middle East following the Sept. 11 attacks of more peaceful times.
In 2008, Clinton began the campaign season championing Sen. Hillary Clinton in her bid for the Democratic nominee, even taking jabs at her competitor, then Sen. Barack Obama.
Clinton showed no animosity towards Obama during his speech at the 2008 DNC.
\"Senator Obama's life is a 21st century incarnation of the old-fashioned American dream. His achievements are proof of our continuing progress toward the more perfect union of our founders' dreams,\" he said.
Clinton would repeat this sentiment during his remarks four years later.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/bill-clinton-dnc-2016-ap-jt-240821_1724275718440_hpEmbed_22x15_384.jpg\")
In 2016, Clinton took the DNC stage in another new role as the spouse of the Democratic presidential candidate. In his speech, he talked about their relationship and her resolve to help Americans.
\"But for this time, Hillary is uniquely qualified to seize the opportunities and reduce the risks we face. And she is still the best darn change-maker I have ever known,\" he said.
Like other speakers, Clinton's appearance at the 2020 DNC was done virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In just video message recorded from his Chappaqua, New York home, Clinton reassured voters that former Vice President Joe Biden was the best candidate to lead America back.
\"It's Trump's \"Us vs. Them\" America against Joe Biden's America, where we all live and work together. It's a clear choice. And the future of our country is riding on it,\" he said.
ABC News' Gabriella Abdul-Hakim contributed to this report.
","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/back-bill-clintons-4-decade-history-making-dnc/story?id=113035914","legacySlug":"/news/story/back-bill-clintons-4-decade-history-making-dnc-113035914","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"02:21","publishDate":"08-22-2024","updatedTime":"04:17","updatedDate":"08-22-2024","socialImage":{"alt":"Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention in New York in Aug. 1980. | Former President Bill Clinton makes remarks about his life with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, on July 26, 2016. ","credit":"AP | SIPA via AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/clinton-dnc-main-02-ap-jt-240821_1724275423027_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"8/22/2024 02:21:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":113035914,"headline":"A look back at Bill Clinton's many DNC speeches","mediaAssetTitle":"DNC/BILL CLINTON'S 13th TIME SPEAKING AT A DNC","description":"The former president made his 13th speaking appearance Wednesday night.","duration":"27:09","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2024/08/240821_abc_dnc_9p_bill_clinton_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132055565","131830882","130993584"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 8, 2026","headline":"Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","section":"News","slug":"/video/131830882","id":"131830882","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Ceasefire analysis, unanswered questions ahead","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260408_gma_krl1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"March 12, 2026","headline":"Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","section":"News","slug":"/video/130993584","id":"130993584","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Winter whiplash plunges temperatures along the East Coast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260312_gma_zee_storm2_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"A look back at Bill Clinton's many DNC speeches","description":"The former president made his 13th speaking appearance Wednesday night.","duration":"27:09","uploadDate":"08-22-2024","publication":"08-22-2024","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2024/08/240821_abc_dnc_9p_bill_clinton_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2024/08/240821_abc_dnc_9p_bill_clinton_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/back-bill-clintons-4-decade-history-making-dnc-113035914"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131142257","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131046664","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131048076","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131033212","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130999943","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"130971027","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"A look back at Bill Clinton's many DNC speeches","pubTime":"22:21","pubDate":"08-21-2024","modTime":"00:17","modDate":"08-22-2024","taxonomyTags":"none","id":113035914,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"A look back at Bill Clinton's many DNC speeches","mediaAssetTitle":"DNC/BILL CLINTON'S 13th TIME SPEAKING AT A DNC","videoId":113035914,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/back-bill-clintons-4-decade-history-making-dnc-113035914"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/113035914","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/113035914","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};