IN THE 1990s, President Bill Clinton made two appearances at Portland State University—once in 1995 for the Pacific Rim Economic Conference and again in 1998 to speak at PSU’s commencement ceremony.
“It doesn’t matter what your partisanship is,” said Richard Clucas, political science faculty, “to have the president of the United States speak at the commencement address was pretty exciting for everyone who was there.”
In his speech, Clinton talked about the new wave of immigration reshaping the country. The challenge facing new graduates—and reflected in the student body at Portland State—he said, was how to “bind ourselves together as one America” as the country grew more racially and ethnically diverse. The changes, he said, “can either strengthen and unite us, or weaken and divide us. We decide.”
While it’s unclear exactly how President Clinton became the only sitting president to speak at PSU so far, political science instructor Jack Miller suspects in large part it was because of Clinton’s efforts to secure the support of young voters.
Former President Bill Clinton gives a speech at the Pacific Rim Economic Conference in 1995 at Portland State University.“One of the things that Bill Clinton did differently, and he still kind of remains relatively unique in this,” said Miller, is that “he consciously attempted to court young voters.” During his campaign for the 1992 election, Clinton appeared on MTV and famously played the saxophone (in sunglasses) on late night television’s Arsenio Hall Show. That election showed record-high turnout, including, at that point, the largest number of 18- to 24-year-old voters since 18-year-olds won the right to vote in 1972.
Though older Americans are more likely to vote, Miller said, younger people are the most likely to devote time and energy to volunteering for a campaign. Young people are also the most easily outraged, making them likely to become actively involved in political demonstrations, discussions and movements.
It was this enthusiasm that Miller thinks Clinton was trying to reach while at PSU. Whether looking at Bill Clinton’s presidency, Donald Trump’s or any other presidential candidate, he said, there is one obvious connection: passion.
“Youthful outrage in politics has been a constant,” Miller said. “I have been around 18- to 22-year-olds my entire life, I have seen that particular age group move through all of the generations. And every president generates youthful outrage.”
How did that apply in the case of PSU, with its older-than-average student body? As Clinton quipped during his commencement speech: “More than half the students here are over 25. More than a few of you are considerably over 25. Still, you all look quite young to me!”
“PSU’s study body offered a glimpse of the future in more ways than one,” Miller said. “Clinton’s speech shows a recognition that people older than the ‘traditional’ college-age would be pursuing a college degree at higher rates because it was becoming more and more important for employment.”
As America approaches the 2020 election, Miller’s most certain prediction is that Election Day will turn into Election Week. Otherwise, he said everything else is up in the air. But the visceral, emotional outrage brought to light on both sides of the political spectrum shows just how important it is to bring back political education for and engagement with American youth.
“Some political scientists believe one of the main ways we will get this country back on track,” Clucas said, “is to have elected officials back in schools so that students can understand who these individuals are and can learn more about what politics is all about.”
Pres. Clinton's commencement address at Portland State University (1998).