Report from the Clinton speech

Kimball Perry, who covered the Freedom Center event Saturday night, reports:

Former President Clinton’s theme at his Cincinnati speech Saturday was that, while we all are different, it is our similarities – our common humanity – that binds us and gives him hope for the future.

In trying to make that point, he told a comical story.

Science, he said, has determined that 99.9 percent of the genes and cells of people are the same. Our differences – eye color, build, skin color – are determined by the one-tenth of one percent of our makeup.

Clinton noted that he was proud to be 99.9 percent like Nelson Mandela, the South African who was imprisoned for 27 years fighting his country’s racial divide.

He didn’t feel the same about another well-known conservative radio personality he saw at dinner this week – Rush Limbaugh.

“I wanted to tell Rush Limbaugh that I was 99.9 percent like him,” Clinton joked. “I didn’t because he would have run screaming … so I just shook his hand.”

Seen in the audience at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center award presentation Saturday:

· Federal court Judge Susan Dlott – who was appointed by Clinton -- and her husband, Cincinnati attorney Stan Chesley.

· Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory made a small speech. He was accompanied by his bodyguard, Cincinnati Police Officer Scott Johnson. Before he entered the ceremony, Mallory was kiddingly asked if he was going to throw a pitch tonight – poking fun at his infamous “pitch” he “threw” out at the Reds Opening Day this year. Mallory went along with the dig by acting as if he was warming up his arm;

· Elected officials – State Rep Bill Seitz and Tyrone Yates. Cincinnati Council Members Leslie Ghiz, Jon Cranley and Jim Tarbell;

· Steve Chabot decided family responsibilities trumped two former presidents.
Chabot, a Republican who represents Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, attended the event but left early, before Clinton arrived. Chabot had to attend his nephew’s graduation from Elder High and his niece’s graduation party after she graduated from St. Teresa Elementary School in Price Hill.

You can read Kimball's Enquirer story here