The Clintons deliver

Day two of the Democratic Convention started with a panel meeting at the International Leadership Forum organized by NDI and the Club de Madrid, which was opened by Bill Clinton. The day ended in the Convention Hall with a unifying speech by Hillary Clinton.

How to make democracy deliver?

Bill Clinton held a passionate speech calling each continent to focus the next 10 years on the question how to make democracy deliver? It is a question that goes to the heart of our NIMD programmes. Bill Clinton noted that people all over the world face difficulty in making democracy deliver. The world is awash with inequality, the world is full of insecurity (terrorism, crime, drugs, proliferation of weapons) and the world faces instability if we not address the consequences of global warming. Energy is at the heart of all three challenges. Good intentions need to be transformed into positive change. We need to dramatically improve the delivery capacity of democracy lest people do not loose trust in democracy. With reference to election campaigns he asserted that being elected is important and interesting, but the real challenge lies in the delivery.

In the debate that followed, former President Lagos of Chile referred to the dilemma of politicians who need a long-term vision for the implementation of economic and ecological challenges we face but are elected in office for limited terms. He argued that governments should set two or three priorities for implementation within their term in office and ensure that these are delivered. Kim Campbell, former prime minister of Canada, highlighted the challenge of the short election cycles of four years that tend to result in short-term agendas by politicians whereas dealing with the global warming threat a long-term approach requires. Bridging the short- and the long-term dynamics may provide an important key for improving the delivery capacity of democracies.

Meeting colleagues and African politicians

In the breaks of the panel discussions, time for meetings with colleagues of the Westminister Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), National Democratic Institute (NDI) and political party leaders from Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. In the discussions with the party leaders from Kenya the progress in the preparation for a new constitution was discussed and the importance of using this opportunity to introduce institutional guarantees for a better gender balance in future within the representative institutions. With the leaders present from Zambia the political situation in that country was discussed following the death of President Manawasa and the impact on the on-going promising constitution making process that is taking place in Zambia. Also, the outcome of a recent exchange visit of Tanzanian political leaders to South Africa, facilitated by NIMD, was discussed. Important lessons were learned during this mission regarding the independent administration of elections.

Closing the ranks

The day ended in a packed Convention hall with the much awaited speech of Hillary Clinton. Politically, her speech was a defining moment for closing the ranks following the tough battle she and Barack Obama fought during the long primary season. Hillary really rose to the occasion as she delivered a rousing speech in which she declared herself ‘a proud supporter of Barack Obama'. ‘You don't want to suffer through eight more years of failed leadership' she stated, ‘the time is now to unite!' Judged by the enthusiasm of the people in the hall, she succeeded in closing the ranks at the Convention behind Barack Obama. In the coming days, the polls will tell whether she delivered.