Bill Clinton on Being Called ‘The First Black President’: ‘I Took it as a Great Compliment’

Clinton You know when ░░░░░░░░ Toni Morrison said that ░░░░░░░░ I mean if Toni ░░░░░░░░ said it it is ░░░░░░░░ Laughter Clinton I mentioned ░░░░░░░░ said it You know ░░░░░░░░ was about it was ░░░░░░░░ serious and halfway making ░░░░░░░░ of me We ll ░░░░░░░░ and kind of inaudible ░░░░░░░░ But I took it ░░░░░░░░ a great compliment It ░░░░░░░░ t that I owe ░░░░░░░░ to my ancestors because ░░░░░░░░ grew up in a ░░░░░░░░ southern working class family ░░░░░░░░ my grandfather owned a ░░░░░░░░ store and all of ░░░░░░░░ customers were black and ░░░░░░░░ loved them and they ░░░░░░░░ him They couldn t ░░░░░░░░ food there was no ░░░░░░░░ stamps there was no ░░░░░░░░ there was no Medicaid ░░░░░░░░ they weren t working ░░░░░░░░ actively looking for a ░░░░░░░░ he d tell them ░░░░░░░░ d pay a quarter ░░░░░░░░ they need it because ░░░░░░░░ who was willing to ░░░░░░░░ was willing to feed ░░░░░░░░ children And he just ░░░░░░░░ it down in a ░░░░░░░░ he d say You ░░░░░░░░ come back and pay ░░░░░░░░ some day and they ░░░░░░░░ do it Applause BOOKER ░░░░░░░░ know we two were ░░░░░░░░ before about you being ░░░░░░░░ first black president but ░░░░░░░░ of the reasons why ░░░░░░░░ folk feel a connection ░░░░░░░░ you is because the ░░░░░░░░ American experience unfortunately in ░░░░░░░░ country has always been ░░░░░░░░ all of this unearned ░░░░░░░░ from the world that ░░░░░░░░ and visits our communities ░░░░░░░░ mass incarcerated our children ░░░░░░░░ has red lined the ░░░░░░░░ has pushed us towards ░░░░░░░░ And yet somehow we ░░░░░░░░ African American keeps this ░░░░░░░░ resilience that doesn t ░░░░░░░░ help them it helps ░░░░░░░░ move the whole country ░░░░░░░░